I used to think I was a food bigot. My opinions on vinegar products and ethnic cuisine were correct, and those who disagreed were wrong. Then I realized that I’m actually a food liberal activist. It’s not that my arbitrary preferences trump those of others, it’s that I’m so in love with all of God’s edible creations and the diverse staples of life of the human family, that I can’t bear to hear others esteem these things as naught. To hear someone say, “I don’t like Mexican food” is like saying, “I don’t like Mexicans.” Because Mexicans and their food are so deeply connected. And then I want to stand up for the oppressed tamales and chimichangas and plead for tolerance and open … mouths. Who could stand before the judgment seat of Christ and say, “I don’t like your tomatoes. Or your mushrooms. Or you olives. You really messed up on those.” Did you know that God cries every time someone picks olives off of their pizza? It’s a fact.
Do you ever watch Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern? I think you’d really like it. His love for all foods of all types is quite impressive, but his appreciation for the cultures they come from makes the show worth watching.
As for your hypothetical: would you say that God wants us to enjoy a cup of coffee or nice glass of wine on occasion? Especially when it’s intrinsic to the culture’s cuisine? Or did someone genuinely mess up with those?
Touche. A deep look at Mormon doctrine depicts a God who actually had no creative part in the design of tomatoes but, rather, oversaw their transplantation. So while, lyrically, the juicy seeds of tomatoes remind me of the goodness of God, literally, God himself may not like tomatoes. When I was in Guyana, I met a Rastafarian who argued that ganja (marijuana) is good and pure because it comes from mother earth. I replied that dog poo also comes from mother earth.
Touche about the dog poop. Although perhaps I just haven’t acquired the palate for the stuff. Have you ever seen Defending Your Life? Maybe God’s tastes are so much more refined than ours that his food actually tastes like crap to us.
Haha. I have not seen Defending Your Life. What is it?
An Albert Brooks movie about the afterlife. It’s definitely worth watching. One of my favorites.
I found the part of the film I was referencing. Apparently the whole film is available on YouTube (don’t know how long that will last, though). Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqcKFcz45aE, about 6:12 into it. But that’s far from the best scene in the film – you should watch the whole thing while it’s up.