09/12/26

I am from agave

I am from agave

From green hills and forests

And the Lynn River

I am from novelty mugs

Loved, fragile

Warm to the touch and cozy

 

From beauty

From Tina

From Jenny

From mint

And lavender

 

I am from the molcajete

Grinding, mixing

Pozole

Tulips

And dia de los reyes

I am from agave

From green hills and forests

And the Lynn River

I am from novelty mugs

Loved, fragile

Warm to the touch and cozy

 

From beauty

From Tina

From Jenny

From mint

And lavender

 

I am from the molcajete

Grinding, mixing

Pozole

Tulips

And dia de los reyes

My name is Sofia and I’m a fourth year student, hoping to graduate this year. I love to read, particularly science fiction and fantasy, although I somehow avoided a lot of the more popular series and jumped right into books few people have heard of, my favourite being The Reader by Traci Chee which has one of my favourite magic systems ever and there’s little details that really help the story come together hidden in the pages. I also really enjoyed Contagion by Erin Bowman and Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. Ancillaary Justice in particular did really cool things with spaceships and robots that I didn’t know I needed. I do also like watching TV, one of my all time top shows is Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. It’s hilarious in ways that persist through rewatches and just completely wacky in the most fun ways imaginable.

I wanted to take this class mainly because my parents are from Mexico and I wish I knew more about the history of the country they grew up in. Although I was especially interested when I saw that this class would be about food because I’ve taken some classes about cultures but they didn’t really talk about food all that much, which is a little strange. So the fact that this class was not only about Mexico but about food too? That was just too good to pass up.

09/11/26

I Am From Potatoes (Emma K.)

I am from potatoes

from big green fields and far away mountains

and the Fraser River. 

I am from tea kettles, 

          whistling, warm. 

          Sweet.

 

From flowers are food

From my mother,

          and for my mother, 

          and all the other mothers I’ve adopted over time. 

From peppermint

and huckleberry, 

and the bushes that bloom in the spring. 

 

I am from the frying pan,

          melting, sizzling

          the half a dozen eggs my brother cooks himself each morning.   

From mashed potatoes and pasta bakes,

Towering cherry trees,

and Saturday night movies.   

 

From the house I don’t live in anymore but still call home. 

I am from everywhere,

And of everything. 

 

Hello everybody! My name is Emma (she/her/hers) and I am a third year English major here at UBC. This is actually my first semester at UBC, having completed the first two years of my degree at Langara College, and I’m super excited to start my journey here! I moved out of my childhood home almost exactly one year ago now and currently live and work in Downtown Vancouver which honestly still feels surreal sometimes. I love anything crafty/creative, and my dream job (at the moment) would be to work in some form of marketing where I can combine my love of design with my love of writing! I also love to read – my goal is 36 books this year! – and I recently invested in a HelloFresh subscription which has so far been life-changing. 

I originally signed up for this course because my partner is from Mexico, and I am able to experience first hand how big of a role food plays in his (and, by extension, my) daily life. I see how it affects both him and his family, how it connects him to home, and can recognize that food plays an entirely different role in his culture than mine. I have spent the last ten years of my life not eating meat, and when my partner and I first met, this was actually a pretty big point of contention between us. I am very interested in learning more about the history of food within/throughout Latin America in hopes of a) better understanding my partner and learning more about his culture, and b) better understanding my own relationship with food and learning about practices/attitudes that differ from the Western ones I grew up with!

09/9/26

I am (from and of what?)

I am from volcanoes and lakes,

from coffee plantations,

and Xolotlán.

I am from word incarnate in flesh

From the silver bridge that unites the Being

           Of a crimson drop, expiatory in nature,

           from a self and an other,

           I am of the feet that walks the soil.

From a here-and-now, from a here-and-after

From an ever-now, an a before-the-after

and from sprout in soil,

From mugworth and hibiscus.

                  I am from pirul

 From wax, wick, fire; blood ‘n’ sweat,

Of the beans, maize and squash.

From stardust that is and sprouts.

Hello! My name is Leo. I like to read. Some genres and forms I enjoy are fiction, non-fictional novels, plays, philosophical fiction, short stories, cosmic retribution. Some authors & works I enjoy are: Playing with Fire by Dahlia de La Cerda, H.P. Lovecraft, Medea (play), the Living Autobiography trilogy by Deborah Levy, Margurite Duras’ The Lover, Annie Ernaux’s The Possession, Ave Barrera’s The Forgery and Shakespeares’ Hamlet and Macbeth. I enrolled in this course to learn more about foodways in Latin America, particularly the literature, scientific, cultural, spiritual and political approaches to foodways in Latin America. I’m in my third year at UBC.

09/9/26

I am from radishes (Tamara)

I am from radishes from rolling Flint Hills and Lake Shawnee. I am from potted basil— versatile, tender. Fragrant. From bumblebees will not hurt you From Ruth and Genevieve. From frankincense and heirloom tomatoes. I am from the whisk blending, aerating. From southern gravy, Sourdough, and Chinese takeout on Christmas.

Hi! I’m Professor Tamara Mitchell (she/her/hers). I research and teach Latin American Literatures and Cultures in the Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies here at UBC. Outside of work, I like gardening, FaceTiming with my nieces and nephews, spoiling my cats (Gigi, Mago, and Zaza), and running (I’m training for my first marathon right now!). I also love reading… Right now I’m reading Punto de cruz (Cross Stitch) by the Mexican author Jazmina Barrera. I’m always looking for new books to read, so feel free to suggest your favourite!

I’m looking forward to this course for many reasons. The most obvious reason–I love food! Food is central to life. It creates community, engages all of our senses, is a necessity universal to all of humanity. Furthermore, as climate change accelerates, the scarcity of food is becoming an increasingly pressing issue (Neslen). Our focus on maize and milpa as key aspects of Mesoamerican foodways will give us a chance to think about the rich history and urgent present issues related to food in Latin America.

Works cited

Barrera, Jazmina. Punto de cruz. Almadía, 2022.

Neslen, Arthur. “Climate Change ’cause of most under-reported humanitarian crises.’” The Guardian, 21 February 2019, www.theguardian.com/science/2019/feb/21/climate-change-cause-of-most-under-reported-humanitarian-crises-report-finds.

“I am from” poem adapted from Rubí Orozco Santos, @tradicionessanas. Please compose a blog post with your own “I am from” poem and a short bio that tells me and your classmates a little about you!

Gigi, Mago & Zaza all cuddled up!
09/8/26

Welcome!

¡Hola y bienvenides a LAST315! We’ll be using the blog throughout the semester to reflect on readings and discuss course materials before/after class. Your first task will be to compose and post your own “I am from” poem to begin thinking about our relationship to food and the land. See Tamara’s “I am from radishes” for an example (instructions are under Canvas Assignments).

Looking forward to learning together this term!