In my Food for Thought class I created a paper on an ingredient that is very important to my family. The ingredient I chose was Cumin seeds. I chose this ingredient because it is something that is used in most spanish dishes. It’s also used in a spanish seasoning called Sazon. So the purpose of this project is to show you where my ingredient comes from and what I use it in. While creating this paper I learned where my ingredient comes from and how it has affected my culture. I’m most proud of my research in this project because I feel like I really went deep on where cumin seeds come from. Below I have also created a family tree on Prezi that shows dishes liked by my family members.

Please view my paper and Prezi below to learn more about my favorite dishes and Cumin seeds!


MML

FFT AP1

Family Tree

Cumin Seed History

 

“Son, I got a note from your history teacher saying that you failed your test today about our culture. Explain yourself!”

“Well dad, our history sounds boring and there is no point on taking a dumb test about something that’s boring.”

“Well son, I’m going to tell you the most exciting story about our history, so you wont fail your test again, drop out of school and become a janitor. Then your mom is really going to kill me.

“Ok?”

“Well let’s start 5,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt. We were mostly used as a spice in Egyptians food, but for some reason we have something in us that could make people’s skin pale. So their like,

“Hey! Why don’t we use cumin seeds for our mummification process to make our skin pale so we can look 10 years younger!”

It sounds dumb but we have something in us that’s special.

So we were originally cultivated in the Mediterranean. We were known to be a small seed that comes from the Cuminum Cyminum herb and we are known for having a distinct flavor and warm aroma. You following me son?”

“Yea dad when is this going to be over?”

“It’s going to be over when you finally pass your test.”

“So like I was saying, we have a warm aroma that gives a special taste to food. There is actually one famous dish that we are usually put in called Dompline con Abichuela. Which in English is bean soup with dumplings. Your grandma used to make it a lot; I remember she told me the same thing every time when I asked where did you learn this recipe.

“I learned it from my mom.”

But I never believed her because I don’t even remember her making the dish. But any way lets jump to today. Do you know where you came from son?

“I think I came from Chicago.”

Son, you are completely wrong. Most of your cousins came from China or Chile. But you came from Mexico and were flown in to Puerto Rico. You were there for a long hot summer for three to four months. Your mother and I then found you about to be grounded up in the Dompline con Abichuela dish. I then jumped out of my bag, which I was put in after I was picked and hit the human in the eye. I freed you then met your mother three days later. The rest is history.

“Dad did that really happen. Did you jump out of the bag and save me.”

Sorry son but no. I was in the mood to tell a super hero story, sorry. You were actually thrown away in the trash. Your mother and I were in the trash too when we found you. You are a trash seed.

“What really?”

Yes. Good luck on your test son. Don’t fail again or else I’m going to have to tell your mom.

 

Resources:

“FB.init({ Cookie:true, Status:true, Xfbml:true, ChannelUrl:’https://www.gourmetsleuth.com/channel.html });.” Sazon Seasoning : Substitutes, Ingredients, Equivalents. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

“Cumin in History.” History of Cumin. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.