Discover how flavor, memory, and storytelling intertwine on the page!
Food carries the stories of who we are and where we come from. In this workshop, we’ll explore how taste, smell, and texture can become entry points into personal and cultural memory through readings by writers such as Sandra Cisneros, Alberto Ríos, Jaime Cortez, and Elizabeth Acevedo. Each week, we’ll read, discuss, and write short pieces that connect food to identity, belonging, and transformation, with in-class prompts and guided feedback. By the end of the course, participants will have drafted one complete short essay, prose poem, or poem that captures a vivid food memory. Please bring a short memory or family story involving a meaningful dish to the first class.
Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).
In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Sensory Writing: Using taste, smell, and texture to bring memories to life
- Memory & Storytelling: Turning personal experiences into vivid narratives
- Cultural Context: Exploring how food reflects identity, heritage, and belonging
- Voice & Tone: Finding the right language to express emotion and nostalgia
- Revision & Reflection: Shaping raw memories into polished creative pieces
Time requirements
- Perhaps 1-2 hours working on extra revising work.
Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for everyone who loves food and wants to have fun writing about it—no experience required, just an appetite for stories.
If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.