Eat, Darling, Eat 

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Stories of Wontons to Waffles

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An Evening of Storytelling about Immigrant Life,

Mothers and Daughters—and Food

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Eat, Darling, Eat and the Museum at Eldridge Street will co-host a storytelling event on March 19, 2020, celebrating the diverse immigrant populations of America. Our cultures may be different, but the experience of integrating into the American experiment resonates with everyone—newcomers, long-timers, and the larger community. Some achieve acceptance and success; many struggle and sacrifice.

 

Whether your family came to America from Italy or India, from China or Chile, from Greece or Germany, please share a story about your mother or daughter, showing the challenges and pleasures of being immigrants, and how the food traditions of your family are reflected in the mother/daughter relationship. Your story might explore some of these issues:

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"Growing up Korean-American family, my mother packed kimchi for my school lunches. The sharp aroma did not sit well with my friends eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”

 

“As an Indian immigrant to Virginia, my mother bonded with new neighbors named Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. McNamara, and Mrs. D'Agostino over—what else?—food.”

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"I wanted to marry for love, but my mother thought it was equally important to find a husband who shared our Hispanic heritage."

 

"After fleeing Vietnam, my mother turned to food to teach us what it means to be Vietnamese. But really we wanted hot dogs and hamburgers and turkey for Thanksgiving.”

 

"As a child, I was sometimes embarrassed that my mother spoke with an Eastern European accent.  Now I'm ashamed of that embarrassment."

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The Museum at Eldridge Street on the Lower East Side of New York City celebrates the original Jewish settlers in the neighborhood and the subsequent immigrant cultures such as Hispanic and Asian that have made the area their home.

 

Eat, Darling, Eat is a mosaic of multicultural stories about mothers and daughters, centered around something that is fundamental and fun, evocative and provocative, shared across all heritages and generations: food. Many of our stories reflect an immigrant experience, such as A New Life, Sweet/Salty/Sour/Spicy, and Back of the Restaurant.

 

Stories for the event on March 19, 2020, must be submitted by January 10, 2020. Suggested length is 500 to 750 words. Stories that are accepted will be posted on the Eat, Darling, Eat website in 2020, and some will be selected for readings at the Museum event. Writers may choose to read their story or, if not local to New York City, to have it read, followed by a Q+A with the audience. Our program will be further seasoned with delicious treats and wonderful music.

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Let us know if you have any questions. Anyone for whom English is a second language may submit a story in her native language; we can translate. If this kind of writing feels challenging or unfamiliar, we're here to help. Submit your story with "Wontons to Waffles" in the subject line to: info@EatDarlingEat.net.

 

Stories of Wontons to Waffles

An Evening of Storytelling about Immigrant Life,

Mothers and Daughters—and Food

Museum at Eldridge Street

12 Eldridge Street, New York, New York 10002

Thursday, March 19, 2020

6:30 PM

Hosted by Aimee Lee Ball

Produced by Eat, Darling, Eat (Steve Baum and Aimee Lee Ball)

Produced by Museum at Eldridge Street (Haley Coopersmith and Chelsea Dowell)