Classmate Interview

Masha Yazlovsky: What food or dish is related to your sense of national identity?

Morgan Patrick: Pecan Pie.

MY: Can you describe that dish?

MP: It’s basically a crust of a pie, made out of bread, has jelly filling on the inside and is topped with pecans.

MY: What type of jelly filling is it?

MP: It’s a custard, hard to describe. Very sweet and definitely complements the pecans.

MY: How does it relate to your sense of national identity?

MP: It’s something my family always has, either on Christmas or Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday treat.

MY: How often do you eat that dish?

MP: If I could eat it, I would eat it every day, but I try to just eat it every once in a while.

MY: When do you eat it? For what occasion?

MP: Mostly for Thanksgiving, Christmas.

MY: What is the dish usually paired with?

MP: It is usually dessert on the menu.  I usually eat it with some type of ice cream.

MY: How many people does one pie serve?

MP: Honestly it depends on how big the slices are. My sister wants a huge slice, like half the pie.

MY: Did you grow up eating that dish or did you one time discover it?

MP: I grew up eating that dish, it’s been in my family for such a long time.

MY: Is there a specific recipe you follow, a family recipe?
MP: Usually it’s a family recipe, but if we don’t have time [to cook the pie], we just buy it.