There are little tricks and shortcuts to learn about someone pretty quickly. They say a good way to find out what someone is really like is to see how they react when trying to work with slow internet. Or maybe hit them up with a Draw 4 when playing the game of Uno. These tricks work at exposing what someone is really like. But I think one of the best ways to get know someone is to look at their food. Do you find boxes of frozen pizza boxes or microwavable “masterpieces” in their garbage bags? Now you know cooking isn’t what really impresses them. Do they often post pictures of kale and quinoa on their feeds? Either they could truly be health conscious and they want everyone to know or they just want everyone to think they’re health conscious. Did you know, for instance, that it is said that the Queen of England has never had a plate of spaghetti with pasta sauce on it? Is it because there is no proper way to eat spaghetti that doesn’t leave you looking foolish? Or is it because the Queen is simply watching her carb intake? Either way, by somebody’s relationship with food, you get a quick and often, in depth glance at who they are and what they respect and revere.
It’s the same with a culture as well. By looking at the food of a culture, you can figure out what they’re like as a people. The French, for instance, have a haughty relationship with food, only using the top-notch ingredients and eating foods that are extremely fresh. With that kind of snooty attitude towards food, what does that say about the people? Or how the Italians love food and serve enormous portions at their meal times, gathering everybody together and generously feeding all rich portions of delicious foods. You can get a sense of who they are.
So, if you’re looking to take a tour of a culture, say a Miami Beach tour, look no further than a tour of the food being served right here in this culture. You’ll find a variety of foods being served along the Beach, and with your food tour, Miami will show you everything you need to know about who it is and what its all about. As you find food that is saucy and spicy, you’ll see that the people here are also saucy and can be a little spicy as well. You’ll find food that will delight your senses and awaken your desires for more. And so too with the culture. Tours give you a unique opportunity to be guided to try dishes you never would know existed beforehand. And because you are being shown by someone with experience and the “know how”, you will awaken taste buds you didn’t even know you had.
Taking a food tour, Miami Beach style, will give a great insight into what the culture and people are all about. Fresh, flavorful, a little spicy but always fantastic; this is what Miami is all about.
So, take this shortcut to understanding this culture and you’ll soon fall in love with not only the food of this region but the culture from which it came as well. Bon apetit!