By Carmine Anderson-Falconi
In this Exhibit, I explore the Ecuadorian Cuisine and the overall effects that it has on the culture surrounding Ecuador and America. Ecuador and the Ecuadorian cuisine holds a soft spot in my heart because I am half Ecuadorian on my mothers side. I chose this topic because I wanted to explore my roots and learn about the food that I’ve been consuming since I was a child. In Ecuador, and other Latin American and Southern American countries, food plays a huge role in the culture in each country. In Ecuador, food is an integral part of the culture, whether it be shown through events, celebrations, funerals, and more. In America, it’s very different because food isn’t seen as very culturally impactful.
The gastronomy or interconnection between food and the culture in Ecuador is extremely high, especially in its different regions such as The Pacific Coast, The Amazon Region, The Andes and The Galapagos Islands. (reference) As well, the gastronomy of Ecuadorian Cuisine can be seen in the United States as well as around the world. Specifically, there are restaurants throughout the country that aim to recreate the Ecuadorian Cuisine in America. One in particular will be discussed as an Artifact of this exhibit. The primary sources used in this exhibit are mostly personal with regards to being from my family members through oral interviews discussing the impact food has on the culture as well as recipes constructed from friends and family. Other primary sources discussed are reviews of an Ecuadorian restaurant in the United States, to show the comparison of Ecuadorian food, culture, and cuisine when it is transmitted to the United States from Ecuador. In this exhibit, and through the review of the primary and secondary sources discussed, It will be discussed that there are various differences in the way Ecuadorian food impacts the culture in Ecuador versus the culture in America.
Keywords that my topic can be placed under would be Gastronomy, Cultural cuisine progression, South American countries, Oral Interviews, Ecuadorian/American Cuisine, Authentic cuisine.
