Interview

Jessica Naredo interview

How would you define National Identity?

-Nation or culture you feel more comfortable with or you associate with

What food do you think relates to your sense of identity?

-Typical food of Puerto rico holiday meal of rice pigeon beans and pork

Which holiday does it relate to?

-Christmas

What is it called?

-Lechón con arroz con gandules

What is the cultural significance of it?

-Something everyone eats at Christmas can be related to turkey

-Always associated with Christmas

How is it made and who usually makes it?

-Grandma used to make it

-Usually we buy it or get a caterer

Why does it remind you of Puerto Rico?

-Homey dish, reminds you of Puerto rico it’s the most Puerto rican dish

-Mix of cultures-spanish, African, indigenous cultures

-Pork is Spanish

-Rice and pigeon beans-african and plaintains

Have you ever made it?

-You can make it but it’s not the same unless you get your grandma to make it or you buy it

-Need freshest ingredients and usually you go to the mountains to buy

-Shops and stuff in the mountains they serve very authentic food

Is it associated with any behavior or traditions?

-Christmas dinner, tradition to sit outside with the roasting pig drinking and talking and taking pieces of the pork skin

Most of the time people get a chef or caterer to make it for them

Can be super casual or served in a very formal setting