ADK Food

This week, Maggie's mom gave a talk about ADK food ways. In our class we have talked a lot about how tourism is so important for the people living there, but I always imagined early forms of tourism to be guided hunting and sightseeing only. It was interesting to learn about families who opened their houses up to people, and even more interesting to learn how food became such an important part of the tourists' stay. In some cases, a guide would take the tourists out hunting and when they returned home with fish and meat, the wife would prepare a dinner with their catchings. This is a brilliant way to keep the spenders in the park another night, happy, and spending. Best of all, the guide and their family got a meal out of it. Obviously, this model is a little outdated for the current day Adirondacks, but perhaps there is another facet of Adirondacks life, in which the locals can allow themselves to be exploited by visitors for a financial gain. I especially liked the hunting, cooking, eating method because it allowed the locals to actually show their true colors. As the guide showed the hunters the best spots in the Adirondacks, the cooks prepared their catches with local flavors, and the tourists experienced the local's homes and company they became more connected to the land. Hopefully, the deeper connection they formed with the place translated to more respect.