Voices in the Kitchen - Introduction What's For Breakfast?

Today in my Latinas in US Society class, we began a new book entitled, Voices in the Kitchen by Meredith E. Abarca. We discussed the introduction of the book. The research is written in a qualitative style. The introduction title humorously asks, What’s for Breakfast, in which Abarca responds, “chilaquiles, of course!”. This meal was a staple in her home growing up.

Immediately, I am drawn in to the author’s voice and issues. Abarca becomes cynical because she doesn’t see her loved ones’ stories being represented in a Feminist way in academia. Abarca decides to explore those stories herself and sets out to do just that with the help of her mother. Abarca is a social scientist so she shows up to the first interview at her mother’s house ready to record, etc. Her mother begins to bring her academic daughter, back down to the humble level of the working class for what she calls “charlas culinarias” or culinary chats. Her mother demonstrates gratitude to her guests (the women invited to the charla), and gifts them with a small plant and dinner. After all, they are there to talk food!

Abaraca wants to explore her female family and friends’ liberation that is not taught at school, reflected in her research. Abarca hints at exploring topics as female subjectivity and agency, rising up out of patriarchy, as well as issues of gender and class. Abarca looks at non-academic ways that a family is a family. The idea I like most is the women reclaiming their space in the kitchen as a space of empowerment, as opposed to the outdated notion that the kitchen is their expected place (of work). The prediction for this book is that Abarca shows that there are different ways to live Feminism!