91精选

From 2015 to 2019, 91精选 students reflected on food and family for an in-class writing assignment. Today, the results are tangible in (Community Publishing, $13 on Amazon), a paperback compilation of essays and recipes edited by English professor Michael Vander Weele and designed by 91精选 alum Schuyler Roozeboom.

Tasteful Diversity鈥檚 essays and recipes are a rich blend of cultures 鈥� from beer brats and banana bread muffins, to kugelis and himbasha, from mole poblano to Irish potatoes. 鈥淲hen the essays came in, I was stunned,鈥� writes editor Vander Weele in the foreword. 鈥淭he foods, family histories, and cultural insights seemed too good to keep to ourselves.鈥�

One essay/recipe, by 91精选 student Naomi Araya, is a reflection on the cultural immersion of her family after they emigrated to the U.S. in the wake of the late 鈥�90s war in Ethiopia, and the blessing of her infant niece. Connecting it all is himbasha, a traditional bread that is both a daily staple and also plays a central role in traditional Ethiopian celebrations (a piece is broken over the baby鈥檚 back, then shared with the family).

Another essay by Catherine Van Lonkhuyzen centers on a traditional recipe for Dutch banket and a vivid memory of family Christmas gatherings, including the clan鈥檚 97-year-old matriarch, whose recipe is still used to make the buttery holiday treat.

The assignment, like the 2017 鈥淕etting to Know Us: Our Foods, Our Cultures鈥� blog series, was inspired by Nina Mukerjee Furstena鈥檚 , which weaves food, family, and culture. 鈥淭hese essays made my day,鈥� she writes. 鈥淚 am pleased beyond measure that my book could trigger students to appreciate racial and cultural diversity.鈥�