Short Essay 3- Black Eyed Pea

Restaurants come in every type, with so many variations of foods, scenery, and overall atmosphere.  With each varying restaurant, whether it is a spicy Mexican restaurant or a deliciously greasy burger place, there are different types of clientele that are apt to enjoy these types of restaurants more than others might.  For this essay, we were asked to visit a certain restaurant and observe the types of people there, including what they looked like, what they were eating, what they were doing while they were eating, and so on.  Instead of choosing the conventional “burger joint” or fast food franchise, my roommate and I decided to go to the Black Eyed Pea.  Since I had not been to a Black Eyed Pea in ages, I could not remember what the usual atmosphere and clientele was like for this particular place, making it an excellent choice for my field notes.  After a deliciously cooked meal, I was able to successfully assess the overall experience of eating at a Black Eyed Pea.

            When considering my notes, I wanted to determine the different types of people that were eating there.  Although there were a few families consisting of parents and small children, the main clientele of people present in the restaurant were elderly.  If you are familiar with the restaurant Black Eyed Pea, then you know it is a comfort food place, serving meals like roast beef, chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, salads, coffee, and other home cooked specials.  I know when I think of a home cooked meal and comfort foods, I think of the sorts of foods that I would eat if I made a trip home.  When looking at elderly people and the foods of their choice in general, comfort food is often times towards the top of the list.  It is not meant to be processed, or to be considered “junk food” like much of the food younger generations eat today, for instance pizza, boxed macaroni and cheese, or nachos.  A home cooked meal is meant to be made with fresh ingredients that take time and care to put together as a hearty, filling meal.  When looking at the menu for Black Eyed Pea, it is clear that they want that exact experience while eating their food, and to elderly people, that is very inviting.   

            To back up this statement, I did some research to find evidence in regards to elderly people and their draw to comfort foods, such as those served at the Black Eyed Pea.  The Hindawi Publishing Corporation did a survey on twelve elderly individuals, over the age of 65.  They surveyed the subjects on what foods they most favored and why.  It was very clear through quotes from the interview to determine that comfort foods were the top choice throughout the study.  For example, a 94-year-old woman included in the study discussed how she liked being served fresh coffee while eating out. “I feel that when you are out, or come someplace, you should be offered a cup of coffee, that’s what I’m used to. Back home in the country, the coffee would be on as soon as someone walked in the door.”¹  At the Black Eyed pea, the sight of elderly people drinking cups of coffee was extremely prevalent.  In fact, almost every person I saw that looked to be over the age of 60 had a cup of hot coffee.  By offering this specific item, it drew in more of its most dominant clientele. 

            Secondly, the survey determined favorite food groups among the individuals in the experiment.  As expected, comfort food was discussed prevalently.  In this case, an 84-year-old woman stated that “I am used to home-cooked dishes since I was a child, not macaroni and spaghetti.”²   Additionally, an 82-year-old male explains that “food for us elderly people is probably supposed to be cooked with care, but it happens that some food is not properly cooked” and “… It should be properly boiled or fried, depending on the dish. Very important.”³   It is clear from these statements that a properly created, well-made dish is important to those over the age of approximately 65.  They tie in the fact that culturally, they were used to good, home cooked meals as children, and they like that relayed in their food today.  Thus, the Black Eyed Pea, serving its version of a home cooked meal, is the perfect place for elderly people to go when they want to get out of the house, yet still enjoy a hearty meal. 

            Overall, I think it is clear as to why the clientele of the Black Eyed Pea at which my roommate and I had dinner is mainly elderly individuals.  From the homey atmosphere to the well-made, comfort food, it is a place for them to feel at home while out enjoying dinner elsewhere.  If one were to eat at a Black Eyed Pea without the intent of observing its customers, it probably would not be obvious that the majority of the people there are older.  However, it was interesting for me to see the prevalence of elderly persons, and to make the connection between their lives and wholehearted comfort foods.  

Research Topic

I am going to be researching the relationship between elderly people and home-style cooked meals.  This was very apparent when I observed the clientele at the Black Eyed Pea.

www.hindawl.com/journals/jar/2012/761291
I found this site, which discusses an experimental interview session with 12 elderly people in regards to their takes on foods and meals.  It discusses the types of food they generally like to eat and the connections they have to that food.

O'Donnell and Cate Articles

In the articles written by Mary O'Donnell and Sandra Cate, both authors tie in strong cultural pulls between people and the food they eat.  Although one is focused on jail food and the other on cultural food politics in China, the articles are similar in the way they relate the meanings food has on people, other than its taste.  One might ask, "How can cultural politics in Shenzhen and jail food in San Francisco have similarities?" The answer is that people are people, food is food, and a person can find meaning in food, whether they be an inmate or  a resident of China.  In these two papers, the authors clearly show this affect that food can have on people.
The article by O'Donnell, The Cultural Politics of Eating in Shenzhen, explains her account of an interview she had with a real estate developer named Wang Jin.  Wang Jin explained to her the strong sense of socialism and capitalism represented in types of food in Shenzhen.  He explains that people that are lazy, sneaky, individuals eat seafood, because it's easy and no hard work is required, whereas strong, honest people eat beef because they work to raise their food.  For example, O'Donnell quotes Wang Jin, who explained that "beef eaters inhabit a world in which it is possible to obtain food honestly, while seafood eaters eat only as a result of deception and guile." (O'Donnell, 32)  He goes on to explain that the beef eaters represented socialism, whereas the fish and seafood eater represented capitalism in China.  This goes to show the strong tie that people had in regards to politics; even going as far as representing the ideas with food.  Most people probably do not see a difference in eating seafood or beef, but to many people like Wang Jin, they are strong political indicators.  She also goes onto explain the strong decline of sense of community in Shenzhen.  For the "Old Shenzheners", "meals deepened friendships, greased business deals, and reaffirmed hometown identities." (O'Donnell, 34) They were a sense of community and brought people together.  However, with the rise in capitalism, Shenzhen has become a place of poverty and inequality.  Thus, O'Donnell examines the affects food has on this declining place, and its relation to their political standing.
Cate's article takes a totally different turn, and discusses a "delicacy" in prisons known as "spreads".  The article, "Breaking Bread with a Spread" in a San Francisco County Jail, goes into detail about spreads, which are different mixtures of food created by the inmates of a jail.  When defined, spread "consists of institutional canteen commissary food items", including Ramen Noodles, tuna, beef jerky, chips, and so on.  Basically, different inmates created different combinations of spread, from "Blond Spreads" to asian themed spreads, and even types of dessert spreads, like inmate Max Hackett's "Pie Guy Pie".  These different combinations of spread are important to the inmates for several reasons.  For one, they are a variation and alternative to the food provided by the facility.  Many of the interviewed inmates explained that the food they were given in jail was "frequently dull in color from being overcooked" (Cate,20), and "the portions are too small". (Cate,23)  Spread is an alternative, with more flavor and color.  Secondly, spread is a way to show respect and individuality.  One inmate explained that by sharing his spread with leaders of "crews" in prison, it was a way to show respect and that spreads were "indicators of jail status." (Cate, 19) In addition, spreads are a way to feel like they are breaking away from authority, being original, and creating something on their own.  Cate's article does a strong job of connecting the emotional attachment and powerful feeling the inmates get from creating their own variations of spread, and how much it affects their moods while in prison.
Overall the O'Donnell and Cate articles both examine the effects that food has on people.  From the symbolism in Shenzhen, to the spread variations in San Francisco jail houses, people are affected by food no matter who they are, or where they came from.

Smart Water vs. Evian

Smart Water vs. Evian

            When making an advertisement for a certain product, the creator must take into account several aspects.  Who do they want to appeal to?  What aspects should be included in order to appeal to that certain audience?  What’s the most affective way to try to sell their product?  Several brands tend to want to attract a certain type of person, whether they are male, female, athletic, elderly, and so on.  One product that tends to use this phenomenon is bottled water.  You may think, “Eh, water is just water.”  But in fact, bottled water brands aren’t all just trying to sell their water to anyone.  We can see that this is very clear in the advertisements for the brands Smart Water and Evian.

            When looking at the Smart Water advertisement, it is very clear that they are trying to appeal to a male audience.  The color scheme includes shades of grey, along with some dark blues.  These colors are most often associated with males, making them a smart aspect of this advertisement.  Additionally, the wording is in a font that would be appealing to a male audience because the letters are blocky and easy to read.  Also, the picture depicted on the advertisement is a strong, muscular male, who appears to be doing pushups.  His eyes look determined and his muscles are strong and sweaty, which could be an emotional connection, or pathos appeal, to some of the male audience in which the ad it trying to impress.  Men want to be tough and powerful, and by seeing the strong man on the advertisement the audience may be able to relate, or envy the character. 

            Another way in which the article appeals to a male-based audience is the addition of the phrase “don’t hate the player (or the electrolyte-enhanced hydration)”, underneath the blocky words SERIOUS BALLER.  By adding the electrolyte fact, they are appealing to the audience by giving a logical fact about the product itself, which is known as logos appeal.  Placing an actual picture of the product in the ad is also another successful way to use logos appeal, which the Smart Water advertisement does. 

            Oppositely, the Evian brand attempts to appeal to a much more feminine audience.  Right at the sight of it, one can see that it uses lighter colors, including baby blue, white, and some pink.  Additionally, the lettering is thinner and has a slant, making it appear more feminine than the thick, block lettering of the Smart Water ad.  Instead of featuring a male, the Evian ad uses a thin, blonde woman, wearing only a pair of mint colored underwear with her back the camera.  She is gazing out at snowy mountains and appears to be meditating.  She has a very womanly figure, and appears to be very relaxed, which is attractive to a feminine audience.  Overall, the ad appears to be much more tranquil, bright, and feminine in comparison to the Smart Water ad.  It too uses an actual picture of the product, with its pink wrapper, on the ad to have a form of logos appeal.  Also, the logo on the advertisement says, “Naturally balanced. Naturally pure.” Women in general are more into natural, healthy products than males.  By adding that slogan, it can emotionally appeal to a feminine audience by insuring them that what they will be drinking is something pure and natural, which are both key when discussing food products in regards to women.

            Culturally, men and women have different takes on food, and are influenced by food differently.  Men seek the more powerful foods, such as meats, and food types with strong levels of protein and things like electrolytes, as referred to in the Smart Water advertisement.  Women, on the other hand, are more about healthy, organic foods with a natural aspect.  They seek foods that are not harmful to the body, and that can allow them to keep a thin, womanly figure.  The two water advertisements do a fantastic job of demonstrating this occurrence because they both use successful features that appeal to their specific, targeted audience, from the featured characters, the slogans and lettering, and even the bottle wrappings themselves.  It is through advertising techniques like these that food product ads are created, all with the same goal in mind: to sell as much of their product as they can to a certain audience.   

   

Appeals of Food

In Freedman and Jurafsky's piece on the authenticity of food in America, they discuss the strong distinctions between various bags of potato chips.  One might see a bag of potato chips, and then another, and not really understand why one might cost more than the other, or why one has a different physical appearance.  I know I have never really thought about it.  But the fact of the matter is, these bags differ in appearance and cost for a huge reason.  Brands such as Lays, Herr's, and Wise (pg 48) are made for the lower-class, whereas brands like Boulder, Kettle Brand, and Dirty (pg 48) are targeted at a higher-class of people.  Thus, the differing aspects of the bags is not just for looks, but to appeal to it's audience, whether it be lower-class or upper-class.
There are numerous ways in which bags made for the upper-class differ from those of the lower class.  In general, upper-class people have a high level of educational background, higher than most lower class.  Thus, "expensive chips have more words overall" (pg 48) than "cheap" chips.  This demonstrates the importance of language for expensive bags because language is something strongly important and sophisticated with upper class people.  Not only are more words used on expensive potato chips, but more intelligent words are included on the bags than those intended for the lower class.  It is through these language differences that potato chip companies create their chip bags to fit their specific clientele.
Freedman and Jurafsky also comment on the use of negative words that are used so prevalently in upper class chips.  These words include "never", "none", "less", and "no".  Health is much more important and sought after in higher class people, so therefore, adding phrases such as "no additional carbs", and "less trans fats" are appealing to their audience.
While the varying types of potato chips are a successful example of creating products that are appealing to a specific audience, there are other examples as to how advertisers create this phenomenon.  Besides contrasting the appeals of upper class and lower class, there are certain foods that are made to appeal to a certain gender.  For example, although water is a universal necessity for both males and females, differing brands make their product appealing for each gender.  Smart Water tries to appeal to a more manly based clientele, using pictures of strong male athletes and emphasizing the fact that Smart Water is full of electrolytes.  Oppositely, the brand Evion appeals more often to females, with it's pink label and calm, feminine advertisement strategies.  Although both are attempting to sell the same product, they both base their advertising approaches on the sex they want attract. It's examples like these that show the importance of strategy when advertising a certain product.

Papa's Sauce

Family, Love, and Papa’s Sauce

There are two types of people in this world in regards to food, which include people who eat to live and people who live to eat.  People who eat to live do not look at food in the same way people who live to eat do.  I am most certainly a person who lives to eat.  So many different foods are a huge part of my life, whether it is a fresh, crunchy tuna sushi roll, a rare steak with a hot, red middle just off the grill, or a bowl of juicy watermelon on a hot, summer day.  However, there is one type of food that not only has a place in my heart for its deliciousness, but also for the connection it has to the importance of my family. Italian meals are that key type of food. 

            My family on my mother’s side is from Naples, Italy.  My great grandmother was the first of our family to come to America.  As the generations have worked their way down to mine, so has my family’s strong sense of Italian pride.  In Italy, food is a huge factor in the importance of their culture.  Pastas, breads, and various sauces are created to combine deliciously rich and filling Italian meals.  These meals are especially important to my grandfather, Tom Franco, (although we refer to him as Papa) because it was his mother who came to American from Naples, Italy.  He works extremely hard to keep Italian traditions in our family, especially in regards to food.   

            My Papa Tom has his own version of real Italian pasta sauce that he serves on various types of noodles, including spaghetti, rigatonis, penne, and raviolis.  This sauce, known by our family as Papa’s Sauce, is something that is significant to the Franco family in that hours of work and love are put into making it.  Whenever we go to visit my mom’s side of the family in upstate New York, we always experience at least 3 or 4 Italian meals, with Papa’s Sauce always being included.  Helping my Papa Tom in making the sauce is always something I look forward to.  This all day process includes cutting fresh tomatoes, making homemade meatballs and cutting up Italian sausages, along with adding crucial Italian ingredients, such as garlic and basil.  The sauce cooks all day on low heat, and as the seasonings and countless tasty flavors begin to fuse together, the house fills with an aroma that is absolutely enchanting.  When the sauce is finished and is served on warm, smooth noodles along with a sidepiece of perfectly soft yet wonderfully crispy, Italian, broiled garlic bread, there is not a single meal in the world to compete with its flawlessness.  We all sit together as a family around my Papa’s dining room table to enjoy Italian meals like these, and when we do, there is not a single place in the world that I would rather be. 

My Papa’s daughters, including my mother, Hilary, and my three aunts, Jillian, Amy, and Julie, all cook their own versions of Papa’s Sauce as well, with their own added or neglected ingredients deriving from his.  At least one Sunday out of each month, my mom spends the day cooking her version of Papa’s Sauce.  I am always eager to help, whether I am in charge of hand making the meatballs or just simply stirring the array of magical ingredients together, which is what makes cooking this meal so special.  Not only is it delectable, but it also brings our family together, while keeping our Italian heritage alive.  It is for this reason that my Papa Tom makes such a strong effort to teach his daughters and grandchildren the importance of being an Italian, especially in regards to cooking Italian foods.   

When I have a family of my own, I plan on creating my own version of Papa’s Sauce, just as my mother and aunts have done, and in turn, teach my children to make it as well.  For me, being the daughter and granddaughter of an Italian family is a gift that has no compare, and I am so thankful that our family views Italian foods as such a strong part of our family unit.  As I said, I am a person who lives to eat, and when eating something as special to me as Papa’s Sauce, I think about how thankful and happy I am to have been born in the Franco family.