If you’re like me, you’re seeing rainbows everywhere this month. Not the weather phenomenon, but the symbol of Pride.
The first Pride-style parade in Chicago was held in 1970, and Pride has been a major celebration for the LGBT communities in Toronto, London, New York, San Francisco and other cities for decades now.
It took the commercial world a while to catch up, however.
Some brands have long been allies to the community, but their support of Pride and LGBT customers stood in contrast to others that viewed as it as specialized - and maybe too sensitive with their bigger straight customer base to embrace whole heartedly.
But 2021 seems to be the year when every company wants to appeal to LGBT customers and their friends. It’s as if people woke up from the pandemic and realized Pride was now mainstream.
Nowhere is this more true than in the food world, which gets a great jolt of life from the LGBT community, as employers, employees and customers.
Pride Is More Than This Month’s Flavor
What a contrast the embrace of Pride is to the past, and it generates all kind of reactions. On one hand, it’s fantastic that people can feel comfortable being who they are - and it’s a big victory for the LGBT community that brands are falling over themselves to be viewed as allies.
At the same time, there is pain beneath the celebration.
If you remember the world our LGBT friends faced in the late 20th century, you know that Pride symbolizes more than multi-colored cookies. I got to New York City when gay culture was vibrant, but at the same time, AIDS was sweeping through the gay community.
I lost friends and colleagues who might still be with us if scientists had come up with medical treatments just a little sooner. I also knew plenty of people who were camouflaging their identities, because corporate America was not as evolved as it claims to be now.
CEOs, CFOs, Vice Presidents, designers, marketing executives, all kept their sexuality quiet, some until they retired.
Even into early this decade, you could not imagine companies like General Motors painting their logos in multiple hues.
Things were somewhat different in the culinary world, but not that much. James Beard’s gay life was only known to his inner circle, and he died in 1985, before the high profile awards that would bear his name.
But by the 2000s, people started to be more open about their relationships. You might think it happened earlier, and in some places, that was true, but it still took bravery to be honest. In culinary, that honesty created a lesbian sisterhood is now firmly in place among chefs whose workplaces are breaking with the militaristic culture perpetuated by generations of male chefs.
All that is worth celebrating, as scores of food places are doing, but rainbow cake and Pride shakes and flags aren’t enough. Pride is a movement whose gains are not completely won, and reflection is necessary, too.
As I was collecting photos that illustrate the widespread embrace of Pride, I came across two that looked at it in a more serious way.
Cynical, absolutely, but there are organizations in the LGBT community that benefit from the awareness, and the most enlightened brands are tying Pride into good works.
That money and visibility helps. And here is a reason why.
I would love to see Pride seem like less of an annual marketing campaign and more of an every day acknowledgment. It still isn’t safe to be LGBT in numerous parts of the country, and legal protections aren’t assured. Pride offers a sense of acceptance that many people only have felt during this century - maybe only this decade, and we know brands can be skittish in the face of cancel culture.
We allies may think drag brunches and story hours are fun entertainment, to be enjoyed by all, but they threaten some insecure people who have tried to ban them. Trans kids are especially subject to abuse, as we see from campaigns aimed at limiting their legal rights.
Still, after so many months of gloom, a light hearted June is something everyone can appreciate. Pride offers room for thoughtfulness, mixed in with humor, like this email I received from Rob Hess at Go Ice Cream.
History, flavor and some flair, plus love. That really says Pride to me, more than a logo in multiple hues.
A Cookbook For My Favorite Comfort Food
This Is A Book About Dumplings
A few weeks ago, I told you how much I love dumplings. If you do, too, here is a little cookbook you might enjoy.
Brandan Pang is a popular chef in Australia, who sells dumplings from an Airstream trailer called Bumplings.
He became a fan favorite on Master Chef for his expertise and also won admirers for a Ted talk, in which he discussed coming out at age 24 and how the food world made him feel welcome.
His cookbook, This Is A Book About Dumplings, gives you step-by-step instructions on making all kinds of dumplings, from mandu, gyoza and pierogi to empanada and momo. There are ideas that go way beyond the massive bags of frozen dumplings you find in grocery stores.
The link goes to Brandon’s website, where you can order an autographed copy. Wouldn’t it be fun to learn some types of dumplings this summer? Even eating the mistakes would be an adventure.
A Recipe For Summer Fruit
Strawberries have finally arrived in Michigan - we have a “blink and you’ll miss it” type of season. Simultaneously, an ingredient I love to use with them just happens to be on sale at Zingerman’s Deli, so I thought I would share this recipe from The Takeout.
Marinate your summer fruit in agrodolce, a sweet, white balsamic vinegar. Slice up a cup or two of summer berries or fruit, leaving raspberries and blackberries whole. Place them in a bowl and add 1-2 tablespoons of agrodolce. Stir, or cover the container and shake until the fruit is evenly coated.
The agrodolce will start to draw the juice out of the fruit, especially if the fruit is on the ripe side, and you’ll end up with a lovely mixture that essentially produces its own dressing.
Letting the mixture stand for thirty minutes is enough, if you want your fruit to stay recognizable. If you leave it for more than two hours, the fruit will begin to break down, although it’s still delicious.
Use it on salads (it’s a wonderful accompaniment to goat or feta cheese), as a topping for grilled meats or with sorbet or yogurt.
This is a wonderful method for hot days when you don’t feel like cooking, and a way to take advantage of the lovely produce we’ll be seeing as summer goes on.
Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman
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