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Gabriel ValdezI posted a lot on a previous week about the glocalization of globalization of "Western" and "Eastern" fast food restaurants such as Mos, Lotteria, McDonald's and more. As much as food is universal each takes their own interpretation due to local ingredients/tastes and more.
Gabriel ValdezHaving grown up in Southern California and with grandparents who would take us to Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Koreatown, Thai Town, Bolsa Chica, Little Saigon, Monterey Park and other places I kind of took this "cosmopolitian" upbringing for granted. As I have moved to varying parts of the country, Indiana, small town and big city Texas, Guatemala, Korea, Jordan, Mexico etc obviously food is often tailored to regional tastes and regional ingredients especially in the era prior to fast and cheap shipping. (Try not to think of the carbon footprint as folks eat sashimi style bluefin) . Can a restaurant in random small town city in Anystate, USA be as "authentic" as something you would find in a "cosmopolitan" city? Even if the ingredients are localized in an era of which we have had the "benefit" at least in an epicurean sense of waves of trade, diffusion, migration and more - food is universal and authenicity is a relative term. Does having a Michelin star or being recognized by UNESCO make a place more authentic? Nothing is static or operates in a vaccuum. Does having more or less ethnic diners make a place more or less authentic as well? I've often wrestled with these notions and will be ready for the discussion.
Gabriel ValdezHaving also lived in the 808 and worked on some with HRC at a few restaurants, I can also speak to the love of Spam and blending of cultures in Hawiian Regional Cusine. Shout out to Guri Guri , Halo Halo, Garlic Chicken skins!
Gabriel ValdezSo I've been blessed by having traveled to 40 plus countries (no, I'm not rich just have been blessed with a bunch of grants) and one of the things I have loved to have witnessed is fusion/confusion/and interpretations on both sides. I'll keep this to some of my experiences in East Asia. I did receive 2 SPAM sets as gifts while living in Incheon, Korea. I also received cooking oil and Asian pear sets plus Peppero (Pocky competitor) gifts. In walking around the school's working class neighborhood in this port city, we would eat cold noodles and ice flakes during the hot summer months along with gelato and mochi. Cheesy spaghetti was also a popular offering as was pizza. In fact, my friend Sean had an idea to order a pizza that had both bulgogi (a popular Korean topping) plus pepperoni (side note typically Korean pizza will usually come with pickles and kimchi to the side) He called a couple of the local pizza places and there was a language barrier. Sean finally enlisted our Korean speaking coworkers to help him with his efforts and this typically lead to arguments with the chef/owner saying this would not be delicious and refuse to make his bulgogi/pepperoni Frankenpizza. Sean to his credit was undetered and each time offered extra money for the pizza plus tip. They finally convinced a chef to make this pizza and to Sean's credit, it was bloody brilliant and became my go to pizza whiile living in Korea.
During the bitter cold months in Korea (basically the sidewalk is iced/icy from November through March) and chestnuts are definitely roasting over the open flame, Jack Frost is nipping at your nose and toes but the steamed King Mandu on your hands gives you all the warmth you need to walk to school. You are working at a 3 story school and the owner is trying to save money and only has one space heater on each floor and you can only stand in front of the tiny heater for 30 seconds or less.. these painful days were tough but the loving embrace of juk (porridge sweet or savory) was always there to greet you and never judge you. Sean discovered that stopping by for fresh baguettes and or ciabatta to go with juk (yeah carb on carb) was delicious (and met a lot of resistance from shop owners).
As far as fast foods, Lotteria - https://www.lotteria.jp/global/en/ a Korean owned Japanese fast food empire (also can be found in Korea) has a lot of offerings including shrimp burgers and more. You can go to the Japanese menu at https://www.lotteria.jp/pdf/jp/store/storage/00003.pdf although I prefer Korea's Lotteria offerings (the menu/website is not loading but here is a 3rd party delivery link) https://www.shuttledelivery.co.kr/en/restaurant/menu/1130/lotteria and I love the Big Rib which is for all intents and purposes a McRib meets bulgogi and add mayo.
At most major fast food places in Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan you can order some derivation of a teriyaki burger and most burgers can be served on rice buns. These are usually delicious but steamed rice buns burn your hands as they are usually hot so use the paper that the burgers are wrapped in. The Shanghai chicken at McDonald's is fire! So delicious. I've included a menu to MOS burger, another Japanese burger chain. This one has the menu and how to eat a burger instructions. https://www.mos.jp/inbound/en/index.html and https://www.mos.jp/menu/pdf/global_regular_menu.pdf?_ga=2.120303688.179531260.1566194159-427517701.1554968165
Mostly I ate at small cafes/restaurants but having lived in the region for years, I wanted to give you a sense of glocalized options. BTW - when in Korea do the squid and peanut waffle while running to catch the subway or Korail!
Gabriel ValdezStill waiting to travel with you!!!
Gabriel ValdezWe went on Spring Break last year and never went back to regular school, but I found this website and several kids participated in some of the challenges with me and we posted on social media. https://www.wa-shokuiku.org/
Gabriel ValdezI heart Korean food and would take a class specifying about seafood in Korea
Gabriel ValdezPart of this got me on previously explored tangents in particular the origiations of noodles https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/uncover-the-history-of-pasta/ , https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/4-000-year-old-noodles-found-in-china and more recently the debate in Korea/China over https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20201217-how-kimchi-rekindled-a-decades-long-feud#:~:text=%22The%20biggest%20difference%20is%20that,it%20in%20its%20natural%20juices.&text=You%20have%20pickling%20and%20fermentation%20everywhere. One of the issues that we discuss over the year is trade/diffusion and in thinking about the two events that everyone refers to Columbian Exchange/Silk Roads as well as migration etc. I have used two of the videos that you included in my own class along with similar Ted Ed videos and other food related videos.
Gabriel ValdezHi, everyone. My name is Gabriel Valdez and I'm a K-12 Social Studies Instructional Coach in the 4th largest district in Texas. The law that you've probably heard about goes into effect today and well, I'm always fair game to talk about most things. I have had the opportunity to have shared some meals at a few Michelin starred meals with Mr. Dube and Mrs. Gao in China and Taiwan (and yes the food was glorious) and was so excited about the direction of this class. I've also had the opportunity to travel most of Southwestern Asia and lived in Korea. I guess some (like Angela Lee) would say that I'm a foodie, and I'm the administrator of the Social Studies Network on Facebook (12,000 + educators strong) and on Twitter/Instagram as @socialstudiestx
Gabriel ValdezGood morning to all, and Happy New Year's, Festivus, Holidays and all of the like. I hope that this post finds everyone well. I created a livebinder for the resources that I have used during the district and regional presentations that I have had to this point. Inside of the live binder you will find videos, articles, links and more. Feel free to use and share the link http://www.livebinders.com/b/2391894
Three of the activities are based off of student research that will be guided via the Livebinder and research databases. I included free links and some links that are subscription based and popular with various school districts. Essentially, they are looking up information on China and or Taiwan and creating an inquiry based itinerary and research prospectus. I usually have my students work with one partner and the reason that I included three different types is based on one overall itinerary that is time consuming, a compare and contrast China to Taiwan activity and a singular country based activity. Once the kids have their information, I have them create various products. So far I had this year's group create: brochures, videos, websites and cost analysis research plans.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me @[email protected]
I'm planning on revising this over the course of the year and do national workshops in 2019.
It's not letting me upload some of the files - so I will have to upload directly. Thanks,
Gabriel ValdezHope this email finds everyone well. I spent the rest of the summer travelling. In fact, I didn't get into Fort Worth until the 19th and we started on the 20th. Needless to say that I'm playing catch up as I didn't have my computer with me over summer. I was interviewed for the project and NCTA in general - it was pretty cool. I'm still working on the curriculum but it has been a lot of fun remembering such great times with amazing people.
If you have Facebook, I have a Global Studies / World Cultures Geography and History group - you all are invited. Once I finish the project I will send it out to everyone. Waiting on funding - but it has been picked up by a couple of conferences.
Gabriel ValdezI took malaria meds while living in Guatemala - no thanks to that again.
Gabriel ValdezJust going to journal where we: go, see, do and then catch up once in Taiwan and Korea - not going to worry about internet. Btw, I recently created a collaborative Facebook Global Studies / World Cultures group page for brainstorming, resources and the like. You all are invited -
Gabriel ValdezWe do have a 5 hour layover unfortunately Din Tai Fung takes forever. .. oh well. Beecher's Mac and Cheese or Ivar's Fish and Chips it is!
