Introduction

"Why create another blog?" Kaitlin asked me today.

It's true, I do have a LiveJournal that I update with alarming frequency, and have done so for the past four and a half years. But it's friends only, if only to protect the innocent from reading all that I wrote when I was an obnoxious fifteen year old quasi-punk kid who had more in common with the emos than anything else. At this point in my blogging career [if it can be called that], various family members have expressed annoyance at their inability to look at mine due to the aforementioned friends-only lock.

On the other hand, I've been tossing around the idea of creating a zine, specifically about the intersections of kitchens and feminism, with a hearty sprinkling of culture analysis. To explain why this is relevant to me is to explain my identity, so I shall do so now.

I'm a half East Indian, half Irish-Canadian femme currently inhabiting the Pacific Northwest of Canada. Both sides of my family have roots in Saskatchewan, the heart of Canada's prairie lands. I spent my childhood sampling foods from various different regions, and started finding myself helping out my momma in our kitchen in primary schools. My mom's side is traditionally vegetarian, and my dad's side is traditionally anti-tofu, so I had a well rounded palate as a kid.

Currently, I'm a student at the University of Victoria, primarily focusing on English and History, albeit with a Women's Studies perspective. I'm interested in the way that culture affects people, mostly women and children. From my research and from my own matriarch headed household experience, I feel that it is possible to be an empowered woman residing in the kitchen,doing traditionally feminine things. For all of my women's studies courses, pride activities, and NDP leanings, I still hail buses in skirts and heels with girly hair and makeup. Families congregate in many kitchens, food is prepared, current events are discussed, and trends come and pass as well. In my house, I live with two gluten-free roomies, and many of my friends are either vegetarian or vegan. As well, I try to eat as locally as possible.

That's about it for me! If you're reading this, it'd be awesome if you left a note saying who you are so I know who's reading.

Happy kitchen adventures!
xoxo
Kirie