Folk Audio Essay

The transcription is about the OG family's tradition of making turkey noodle soup from scratch, which started when the narrator was two years old. It involves the whole family, including the grandkids, making the pasta from flour and eggs and using a pasta cutting machine. This tradition is special because it allows everyone to get involved and it has evolved to include other people as well. The act of making turkey noodle soup is not just about the taste, but also about reaffirming shared identity and expressing love and togetherness. Culinary traditions like this are a way of passing down cultural knowledge and asserting cultural identity. The tradition of making turkey noodle soup for the OG family is a vessel of cultural heritage and a symbol of unity. It connects generations through shared stories and familiar scents. This tradition is a testament to the power of food to bring families together and create lasting memories. Picture this, it's the day after Christmas, and while most are winding down from the holiday festivities, our family is gearing up for another celebration. But not with leftover ham, turkey sandwiches, no, not for us. It's all about making turkey noodle soup from scratch. In this episode, we're diving deep into the bubbling pot of memories and stories and flavors that define this annual ritual that warms the souls of our family during the cold winter's day. The OG family's turkey noodle soup tradition has been a simmering blend of memories, insights and the aroma of shared heritage. Through the lens of culinary folklore, we will explore how the seemingly simple act of soup making transcends the kitchen, connecting us to our roots and shape the narrative of who we are. To guide us through this culinary journey, I sat down with the matriarch of our family, my mom, Liz Oh. She shared insights into the origin of our turkey noodle soup tradition and the significance it holds for our family. Hi, Mom, welcome on to the show, good to have you. I want to start by telling us a little bit about the origins of this tradition. I think when you were about two years old, the tradition started. So that would have been back in 2005. And your granddad was very focused on, he loved food that brought people together. And he decided that for the day after Christmas to make a stock with the turkey carcass that was left over from our Christmas meal and to get all the grandkids involved. So you and your brother and Lindsey and even your cousins to line them up on the table. And they each had a pile of flour and then they cracked, you got to crack an egg into your pile of flour and using your fingers, you made the pasta with a little bit of adding a little bit of olive oil and water. And it was a way for for all of you from a very young age to get very involved in a family activity that was surrounded by food made with love. And so after you made your dough, then all of the grandkids got to use the pasta cutting machine with a hand crank and you put your pasta through there and make the noodles. And then with the turkey stock and the noodles, we would all sit down for a family meal of turkey noodle soup. What makes this tradition so special? Well, I think it's each each kid being able to make their own pile of pasta so everyone gets their hands in the dough. It wasn't someone making the dough ahead of time for the grandkids. It was everyone getting involved. How has this tradition changed over the years? Well, I like that we brought other people in. So your girlfriend Emma helped us one year after Thanksgiving. And so as our family morphs, it's nice to bring other people into the tradition. Yeah. Thanks for joining us, Mom. It was great to have you on the show. As we dive into the rich tapestry of our family's culinary heritage, it is impossible not to encounter the concept of culinary folklore, or in other words, one of Lynn McNeil's types of folklore, the things we make. Just as folktales are passed down through generations, so too are recipes, cooking techniques and the cultural stories woven into our family meals. The key characteristics of our ritual are not just the ingredients, but the shared experience of creating something as a whole family. From boiling the turkey carcass for hours in the broth to kneading and eventually cutting the noodle dough, each step is a ritual in itself. The heart of our analysis lies in understanding why this tradition matters. The act of making turkey noodle soup is not merely a culinary exercise that tastes delicious. It is a reaffirmation of our shared identity and an expression of love, care and togetherness. To shed light on the broader cultural significance of culinary traditions, let's turn to the insides of Jessica Quick, who discusses in her work, Traditional Food Knowledge, a case study of an immigrant Canadian food cave. How shared meals contribute to the formation of family identity, according to Jessica Quick, Traditional Food Knowledge, or TFK, refers to the cultural tradition of sharing food provision skills, techniques and cultural beliefs from generation to generation. Traditional food knowledge can be a means of asserting cultural identity. Speaking of cultural traditions, I would like to take a second to thank our sponsors for this episode, Ancestry.com. They don't just trace your roots, they uncover the tales and traditions that bind your family together. Use promo code Folklore302 to embark on a 14 day free trial of rediscovering your family's unique customs and traditions. Our exploration into the OG family's turkey noodle soup tradition has been a heartfelt journey intertwining memories, insights and the comforting aroma of shared heritage. Beyond the act of soup making lies a profound connection to our roots, shaping the narrative of our identity. This culinary folklore serves as more than just a recipe. It embodies a vessel of cultural heritage, a symbol of unity. As we enjoy each bowl, we partake in a communal experience that transcends time, weaving a narrative of family legacy through shared stories and familiar scents. The OG family's tradition is not just about flavors. It is a testament to the enduring power of food to binding generations together, offering a taste of shared memories that nourish and sustain us. May our ongoing culinary journey continue to fill our bowls with the richness of our past, connecting us to our roots and fortifying the narrative of our family's unique legacy. Thank you for joining us on this flavorful adventure. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to like, subscribe and share. Until next time, keep the stoves burning and the stories simmering. I'm.