Food Unites Inmates? Who knew?

Cate and O’Donnell’s articles were culturally very different. Cate’s article focused on food and culture in a prison setting while O’Donnell focused of food in cultural in the changing city of Shenzhen. I found both of these articles to be fascinating. Though the cultures of both of the articles were quite different, food remained at the center.

Prior to reading O’Donnell’s article I never realized that food could be political. Food in Shenzhen represented changing political times. O’Donnell identified three different social classes in Shenzhen and how they operate within the city. Of the three social classes I thought the old Shenzheners to be most interesting. This group was able to see the change in both culture and food in Shenzhen. Because they were able to see the changing times they used “nostalgia about food to define, debate, and ultimately retreat from conversations about what Shenzhen culture was and what it ought to be” (O’Donnell 4).  I could somewhat relate to this as most often older people like to reminisce about food that once was but no longer. For me this is true. When I was little my parents would buy me a Nestle Wonder Ball. It was a hallow ball of chocolate. Inside the ball was character shaped hard candy. However due to choking hazards they took them off the market. Through my experiences though it isn’t exactly the same experience that the Old Shenzheners have witnessed, I am able to relate. “Their food nostalgia is part of a larger cultural tradition of Chinese alimentary politics. Talking about favorite foods from their pasts has allowed Shenzheners to indigenize capitalist globalization to make the city their own” (O’Donnell 4). Through the relation of food the Old Shenzheners are able ground themselves in a city that is ever changing. Though an interesting thought food is political.

Out of both of the articles I found Cate’s to be more interesting. When I think about prisons I think about gang fights and nasty food. However inmates in a San Franciscan jail are making the most of it. Using money in their accounts they buy various items to make what they call spread. Utilizing their purchased food with the served food they are able to create various dishes including nachos, stir fry’s, and even apple pie. All these foods in one way or another utilize the staple ingredient of Top Ramen noodles.  For inmates the spread isn’t so much about the food, but rather community. “More often than not spreading is a social activity” (Cate 4). Groups of inmates often defined by ethnicity chip in what they can and make their own unique spread. Spread brings them together, and is also a show of status. In order to make spread to some extent you have to have money to buy the extra ingredients. I found it interesting that Cate would explore food culture in a prison. Most often then not when I think of places to eat a prison never even crosses my mind.