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As I participated in the virtual Forum on Workplace Inclusion® last week, I was pleasantly surprised to find sessions that were centered around the arts. One session, The Art of Advancing Equity, had a moment of reflection that asked participants to think on their favorite food as a child. As the chat responses came in, I saw many similar answers to mine, as well as a few things I have never eaten. The session continued, and we spoke about other forms of art, such as music. We eventually returned to food, as one speaker shared a story about his grandmother’s chitterlings and transitioned into the origin of soul food.  

Now, I am a southern girl, born and raised in South Carolina, but have never actually tasted chitterlings. I‘ve heard a number of stories about it and have had family members cook it. But it was never anything my mother cooked, and therefore nothing I ever tried. As the session continued, I thought on one of the questions that was asked: Is one of your childhood comfort foods something you still eat today?  

All I could do was chuckle to myself as I thought about it, because it definitely is. I truly enjoyed my mother’s turkey wings growing up, and it’s now something that I cook at least once or twice a month. I find it even more interesting that although it‘s not my husband‘s favorite meal, my 4-year-old daughter has taken a real liking to it.  

It was in that moment of reflection that I realized the pattern. How something as simple as food is a part of your identity. How recipes are passed down for generations and the taste can spark feelings of comfort. Hence the term “comfort food.” There are reasons and memories rooted in the foods you loved as a kid. In that same sense, you get older, you try new things and who you are changes. Your preferences change and you become a mesh of your past and present experiences. This could be used to explain my love of onions, something I would never eat as a kid. But at some point in my adult life, I ate something with onions (probably unintentionally) and never looked back.  

It was in that moment of reflection I realized the pattern. How something as simple as food is a part of your identity. How recipes are passed down for generations and the taste can spark feelings of comfort. Hence the term… Share on X

So, I challenge you to do this. Pause and do a quick self-reflection: What‘s a recipe that speaks to your identity? What memories are centered around that dish? Is it something you still eat today? If not, I encourage you to give it a try. You never know, it may awaken comforting memories from your past. 

What's a recipe that speaks to your identity? What memories are centered around that dish? Share on X

 

Krystle’s Family Turkey Wings  

Quantity: 5 turkey wings 

Ingredients 

  • 1 small onion, chopped (Optional)  
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt 
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
  • 1 ½ cups water 
  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup or chicken noodle soup (which is my favorite) 

Instructions 

Step 1 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

Step 2 

Place turkey wings and onion in a casserole dish; sprinkle seasoned salt, poultry seasoning, black pepper, and garlic on both sides of each wing. Pour 1/2 cup water into the casserole dish. Cover casserole dish. 

Step 3 

Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 1 hour. 

Step 4 

Stir soup of choice and 1 cup water together in a bowl; pour over turkey wings into casserole dish and return to oven, uncovered. 

Step 5 

Continue baking until brown and tender, 1 hour.