Ex Pats Taste the World

Actually, I'm a Japanese-American living in Switzerland :)

I think that a main theme of my food blog ( http://www.justhungry.com ) is the pursuit of flavors and foods that I grew up eating, in a place where they are considered to be exotic. So a lot of my articles tend to be about how I try to recreate those foods. Living in Switzerland has made me much more aware of what exactly Japanese food, or for that matter American food, tastes like because I spend quite a lot of time missing those tastes (Ah, what I'd do for a real New York bagel right now.) At the same time, it's also made me a lot more aware of how and why, say, Swiss cheeses are so varied and so good, and how easy it is to get good bread here, and things like that.

I am not sure I would have been writing about the same things if I were still living in New York, or in Tokyo. So in a sense living in a different place has made me a much better cook and eater, and sharing that experience on my food blog is a lot of fun.

I was an expat for a year working in a community of several other expats in England on a year long assignment. We all lived in the same townhouse community, and it became natural for us to socialize over meals. We all commented about how we found ourselves cooking meals, or craving meals, that we had not had in years -- simply because they were part of our national cuisines. On trips back and forth between the states and England, I would bring British goods back to the US for my British expat friends in the states (Branston pickle, mushy peas, double Gloucester cheese, Heinz sandwish spread, Twiglets, elderberry cordial) and would bring back American goodies to my expat American friends in Britain (molasses, chocolate chips, Pace salsa, corn meal, cornbread mix, green relish, bakers chocolate, American coffee.) There were more, but those are the ones that come to mind. Part of the craving was to have something familiar around, but also we wanted to share something of our home with other expats.

There's a lot of truth to what's been said here about food and writing (and specifically, food writing) being a way to connect with one's roots, with family and friends, and with like-minded individuals. As an American who has lived overseas for around 11 years (first in Germany, now in England), cooking and writing about the food from my childhood makes me feel closer to my distant family. At the same time, I like to share new recipes and stories about the new places I discover. But mostly, I find that having a food blog ( http://principiagastronomica.com ) is an exercise in sharing the joy that good food can bring to anyone, anywhere.

Alanna, i think you just kicked off a great subject. I have been living in Germany for the past 12 years. Although I have Indian blood running through my veins I have lived in many different countries - USA, Kuwait, Qatar to name just a few. Where ever I have lived I realised food seemed to always bring people together. It was like that with my mum who along with her freinds used to arrange pot lucks and so got to know many new people, their cultures and traditions with the added benefit of getting new recipes for great dishes.

Could it be in the age of Internet the FOOD BLOG is just a new way of getting to know people! I love the idea and created my own blogs:
The Daily Tiffin ( http://dailytiffin.blogspot.com/ )
What's for lunch Honey? ( http://whatsforlunchhoney.blogspot.com/ )

I have just started with these blogs but I love it when I get a comment on any of the posts (although at present not a great deal). I am looking forward to meeting new people swapping recipes and just getting to know you all. That's we met Alanna and thanks to and the Kitchen Parade I was able to dish up one of your great recipes this weekend.

Thanks for the nationality correction, Baby Rambutan! It's fixed!
Alanna

it is such fun to be in this food blog world: that i met so many enthusiastic compatriots and new found friends of every nationality has been a thrilling bonus..(by the way i am not "Malaysian living in the US" ( http://babyrambutan.com ) but actually am a Filipina). thanks!

I agree with Sam that it makes you feel more connected.

I also feel like, as someone who travels alot and loves to read about the food in different places it is just interesting to be able to read first hand about the food of another place.

Personally I have a mix of recipies on my blog, a lot of them come from England and Wales because that is what I always ate at home as well as from the pacific nothwest where I grew up, but I try to include new recipies and ideas from food here in Corrientes, Argentina as well. But I just started in the same way people would start when writing from home I am sure, I just love food and wanted to write about it.

keeping a food blog ( http://eetsmakelijk.e-writings.com ) not only connects me to many wonderful foodies out there but has given me a chance to learn more about different cuisine...

thanks for including my little page and regards

Like Sam, my blog did not start as a way to unite my homeland to where I now live, but it happened to turn this way. Also, I even did not question the language to use to write the blog oddily enough (English version French) and I still wonder why....

It has long intrigued me as to why so many food bloggers are displaced from their roots. Maybe the blog starts as a line of communication between the blogger and their faraway friends and family. Mine didn't start that way, but it certainly became partly that way as time went on. Sam. Becks & Posh ( http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/ )