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Hello Reader, My Name is Zion McDuffie, I've come here today to explain my multi-genre project to you as my audience. My topic is Food and Celebration, and its importance at small to major events, from small birthday parties and cookouts to major occasions such as cultural festivals and weddings. I picked this specific topic because I feel like food plays a major role in today's society but is highly looked over and not looked into as it once was, another major reason for me picking this is cause food ties and connects with celebrations all over the world, so I want to express and push why and how it's so important in today's society. After reading my multi-genre project I hope my reader understands and gets the full experience of what "food and celebration" means to me and certain cultures from all over the world and how we use food to symbolize celebrations.

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Kwanzaa is an African culture, created and established in 1996 to provide a way to show the culture what it means to show a way of commitment and unity. While maintaining the understanding of communities and religions to come together to reflect on past African culture. An important dish served during Kwanzaa is black-eyed peas and collard greens, this dish symbolizes good luck and peace. There's a normal ritual game that whoever finds the coin on the side of the dish of black-eyed peas and collard greens, will have good luck for the rest of the year.

14 Kwanzaa Food Traditions You Should Know About (tastingtable.com)

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The importance of Mexican Independence Day has significance due to the day that marks its freedom from Spanish colonial rulings, Every September 15th, Mexico comes alive to celebrate festive foods and includes big parades with Cultural tradition rituals. This dish being served is Pozole, the dish is a traditional Mexican dish that originated with the Aztecs, also being involved with Mesoamerica Tribes. It's a special dish served on big occasions such as weddings baptisms, and Mexican Independence Day. The dish gets its significance because during the times when the Spanish colonial was ruling, The Aztecs feasted on sacred food for religious ceremonies.

History of Pozole: A Tale of Celebration & Sacrifice – Familia Kitchen

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Chinese New Year's is a spring festival that begins September 15th on the lunar Calander. The holiday represents new life for a new year while removing bad luck and welcoming good spirits into the New Year. Many dishes are served with fish and noodles, and the Chinese dumpling symbolizes wealth and prosperity.

Chinese New Year Dumplings (foodandwine.com)

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This Recipe is one of my family's favorites. It's served at every family event from birthday parties to 4th of July cookouts and ending with family holiday gatherings. The Significance of my aunt's famous mac and cheese is important to everyone because it has made its way into every event and hasn't missed one yet, so every time there is a family event everyone is asking "Is she bringing her macaroni?"

Below is here is her famous Recipe.

Pasta: Elbow Noodles

Dairy:

Butter

Smoke Gouda Cheese

Cheddar Cheese (block)

Colby Jack Cheese (Shredded)

Condensed Milk

Cheddar Cheese soup (in a can)

Seasoning:

Salt

Pepper

Parsley

Beer can Chicken (Seasoning-No Chicken included)

Servings

1-2 Pans

1- Boil water on med- High 10 minutes

2-Add Noodles to be boiled water and cook for 10-15 Minutes

3-Drain water from Noodles

4-Add noodles to cooking pan

5-Add 1/2 tablespoon each: of salt, beer can chicken seasoning, pepper, finely chopped parsley, and butter and mix with noodles.

6-Add 1lb each shredded: Colby jack and cheddar cheese.

8-1/2 lb. smoked Gouda cheese

9-Add 2 cans of Campbell cheddar

10-Mix cheeses together with noodles

11-Add 1 can of condensed milk and mix with cheese and noodles

12-Add a top layer of cheddar cheese on noodles

13-Place foil over mac and cheese

14-Cook for 35 Minutes at 375 degrees.

15-After Cooking, Serve!

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As I reflect on food and celebration throughout my years until this leading point, it has played a major role in my family's generation from my grandma having a cookout to my grandpa reuniting with his War buddies from when he was deployed or leaning over from my dad's side. Having a family reunion every 4yrs brings all my cousins, aunts, and uncles together, catching up on the old and new times of what we missed while separated until reuniting once again.

During Holidays everyone in my family comes together and brings their favorite dish, as we eat over these dishes we talk about the good times, how the meal was prepared, and what was used, as we continue to eat we play games and eat deserts.