The significance of location in regard to food is discussed in this article. People get together over food. Ntozake Shange shows how recipes can be changed to fit a specific locale. People keep their food history with them when they move, but it evolves based on the availability of products, culture, traditions, and the influence of the current area. As a result, recipes are disseminated throughout the world, developing yet remaining loyal to tradition.
The recipes and essays are presented in a conversational tone by an experienced person who explains how to duplicate a recipe step by step. Individual preferences and ability levels are accommodated in the recipes, although basic assumptions about the reader’s knowledge base are made.
The food on the table, as well as the recipes from which the cuisine is prepared, bring together people from many cultures and locales. Ntozake Shange stresses the importance of the cuisine she details and provides recipes for, the food that is essential to her people, by writing about the food culture she hails from.
If I Can Cook, by Ntozake Shange, is a timeless story of a people’s migration and the cuisine that represents their living legacy and enjoyment of taste. This piece is a testament to food’s universality and individuality, since it can unite a large number of people while remaining a distinct, individual experience.