Voices in the Kitchen - Ch. 4 Kitchen Talk

Voices in the Kitchen’s Ch. 4 as well as Ch.3, we see the women beginning to identify (Identity Theory) with their delicious food they create, as well as people recognizing them for their culinary talents. We see the women question WHO is it that gets to decide what is authentic? They consider their food creations authentic, because they created it with a chiste/twist on traditional dishes. It is their authentic recipes and they are unapologetic for it.

The women’s kitchen talk as narrative data, is, in essence considered their cheap therapy. Yet through these narratives, we can learn about their cultural backgrounds and social stories, with food as the front idea. Through these charlas, the women’s sense of self-worth is restored. As these stories are documented to pass down, the women become cooks-as-writers (oral history). It is empowering to tell your story and have it documented, because someone will read it. This book shows the value of these women’s voices. The women may not be able to verbally or academically express themselves, but they can show their love or emotions through their cooking.

Abarca, throughout the book, is asking academia to value the mundane. There are other forms of knowledge that is not necessarily documented or categorized in the “higher senses” arena. Something that academia DOES realize is that women have been guardians and keepers of language. That tradition is continued within this spoken culinary genre, and oral history. Abarca is keeping the tradition alive both academically and culturally.