February 13, 2007

• Feb ’07 – Book Review

  With the much spare time I had sitting at home and unable to go out due to the flood in the city, I was able to finish reading “The Language of Baklava” by Diana Abu-Jaber. 

  
  

   

  
  

  The Language of Baklava is a language of all nations, all cultures.  It pulled you into the world of middle eastern cuisine, unusual family relationships, and the battle of finding own self while dealing and living with a dual cultural identity.  The author clearly poured her heart and soul out for all of her readers, to give us more than a glimpse of what it’s like being a member of Abu-Jaber family.  She has a deep sense of passion and understanding on how food can and will always be a vehicle to bring back memories and to bring us closer to those we are far apart from. 

  
  

   

  
  

  In this book, Diana described how she became the child of two cultures.  She grew up in both United States and Jordan, her father’s homeland.  During her growing up years, both countries contributed a unique life experience that, with their opposing cultures, made her into someone who always questions and analyses everything from a point of view that we probably would not normally have.  Her ways of conveying and projecting her thoughts and emotions are deliciously delivered through her memories of the food she grew up with.  Those are her tools.  And she gave the recipes too.

  
  

   

  
  

  The Language of Baklava is also a language of mine.  Growing up in both Asian and western countries gave me a greater understanding of and an acceptance to what she went through all those years.  Like Diana, I too am able to look back at my life experiences with fondness through my evolving preferences of food.  I started with a deep love for all non-Asian delicacies, while taking for granted the absolute deliciousness of the Indo-China cuisine I grew up with.  Once I started a life in the Land of Down Under, I stuffed myself with McDonalds, Hungry Jacks (it’s called Burger King everywhere else), fish & chips, meat pies, cereals, cow’s milk (plain, coffee, strawberry & mint flavors), poached eggs, mint sauce, Vegemite (Aussie’s favorite toast spread), and weekly doses of double scoops of gelato in a waffle cone. 

  
  

   

  
  

  As I adjusted my life in the land of America, my taste buds went through a different flavor therapy.  From the usual French, Japanese, Indian, Italian, Korean, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese, to the interesting Burmese, Ethiopian, Lebanese, Moroccan, Peruvian, Russian, Spanish and veganism.  Ever since I started culinary school, my long buried love for Chinese and Indonesian food dig their way out of my system and little by little took over my creative self as a cook.  Now my personal recipes are a concoction of Mediterranean cooking mixed with a jolt of tropical flavors and a Zen concept.  Weird, huh?

  
  

   

  What Diana Abu-Jaber gave me is a sense of self that is both making sense and comforting.  For years I struggled to find a self identity and never satisfied with what I had to confront with, that is one which does not belonged to a single source, but several sources.  Now I realized that it is ok to be someone who has believes that are way different from what people would normally have and it is also ok to be in love with what other cultures have to share.  It does not mean that you are betraying anyone or any culture that your ancestors belonged to, but it means that you are embracing the world and all that it has to offer.  The land, the people, the cultures, the history, the technology, and the food.  We should always remember that we are, after all, and will always be children of the world.

  • 11:35 pm
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