“Yo, lemme get a chopped cheese!” is something one hears quite frequently when entering a bodega, whether somewhere in The Bronx or any bodega throughout the city.
But what happens when even your favorite “poor man’s” food gets appropriated and “gentrified”? Is it even possible for food to be gentrified?
It’s a complex issue yet there are plenty of examples of this happening with many foods that were once the staples of various ethnicities.
“First We Feast” takes a look into this phenomenon via the famed Chopped Cheese Sandwich which went from corner bodegas to the mainstream consciousness thanks to appearing on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown last year and a New York Times article this year.
It’s already being sold in Williamsburg, the capital of cultural appropriation and gentrification for $10 bucks—something that will cost you in a bodega about $5.
First We Feast writes:
“On the surface, that would seem simple. The bodega specialty gets its name from the “chopping” of hamburger patties, which occurs on the griddles in delis throughout Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Harlem. The minced meat is covered in cheese, slipped into a roll or hero, and dressed with standard-issue condiments.
But when we began to peel back the layers and ask questions about its origin story, how it became so popular, and why it’s so difficult to find one in lower Manhattan, we were introduced to a much deeper tale fueled by borough rivalries, hip-hop mythology, and hard-to-swallow truths, giving us a more meaningful glimpse into what makes this city tick.
Since then, the story has evolved from a sandwich hunt to one about why New Yorkers feel protective over it. As more media outlets turned their attention to the chopped cheese, we saw new divisions form. This frustration came to fever pitch when a young Harlem comedian Jeffrey Almonte posted a reaction video that addressed issues of gentrification and “Columbus Syndrome” in his neighborhood, racking up millions of views and ratcheting up the outrage.
Feelings of displacement were only magnified when it was announced back in August that celebrity chef April Bloomfield would be selling her own rendition for $15, roughly 3x the original price, inspiring the hashtag #hoodappropriation. (It has since been lowered to $11.) Now, with the most recent New York Times coverage, it is safe to say that the chopped cheese is no longer a local’s secret. “—The Legend of New York’s Chopped Cheese/First We Feast
And it’s not just the chopped cheese that’s receiving such attention.
Neiman Marcus has a list of specialty foods available for delivery and among them you’ll find empanadas, tamales, collard greens, and yes—even pigs in a blanket aren’t safe!
I guess if you don’t live in a wonderfully diverse neighborhood, you’ll do anything to get your hands on our awesome foods.
