Jodie Petersen: Chew Like Nobody’s Listening.

Serving: Culture is an exploration of what ‘culture’ means today, to youth, to South Africans, to you. For this issue, Three Magazine collaborated with Jodie Petersen, Denver Nazima and Tzara inviting them to tell us their story of culture through food, art and fashion. This is what they served… Enjoy!

Contextualizing her influences and reminiscing an unapologetic childhood happiness, Jodie Petersen – full time model, twin, creative and entrepreneur – tells us to Chew Like Nobody’s Listening. Why the title? Because people are their complete unapologetic selves when they’re alone, not hiding parts of themselves to be more palatable for others.

Coloured culture, and the food within that, represents a large part of life in Cape Town for Jodie – not just personally, but in terms of representation too. Food is how we stay in touch with our heritage, how we bring our people together, how we relate to our pasts and preserve our culture.

How has the tradition of food in your home, in your life, shaped your identity and the things that are important to you?

Food, especially in a coloured household, makes an occasion. We know how to go big for any occasion no matter how small or insignificant others might say it is. I come from a big family and one thing I can say is my family, through their actions, has shown me the importance of sharing and ensuring that giving from your heart costs nothing.

“[Representation] has shaped and influenced my concept and brand.”

I feel like brown families have this unique way of making a little go a long way and this, in turn, has made me realize how really wasteful the society we live in is. That everything gets overlooked and taken for granted. My family has taught me that you will never lack when you give.

How has your culture influenced your concept/your brand/your work?

I am a coloured girl from Strandfrontein who loves sneakers and fashion, and I know I represent a large part of the community. In a way, that has shaped and influenced my concept and brand.

Cape Coloured culture is very unique to South Africa. What’s something you want people to know about us? Make them wys ya.

The way people and South Africa view coloured people says nothing about who we truly are.

They make fun of our accents, call us Gham and generalize us into boxes. I’ve seen how these very people have adapted coloured culture that has been around for years and have appropriated it …

…to make it their own like sneakers, food, and fashion. We are original, unique and resilient people!

Breakfast: Kellogg’s Cornflakes

When I think of Cornflakes I think of home. I ate this cereal almost every morning with warm milk before school. It’s a very nostalgic cereal for me … My cereal of choice now is Pronutro with any almond/rice milk.

Lunch: Fish and Chips

This to me represents family time and going to the beach with my grandparents and cousins in Muizenberg and Fish Hoek. Something I loved doing growing up. Both my grandparents aren’t alive anymore so this meal recalls fond memories of them and of that time in my childhood.

Dinner: Sushi

I chose this as my third meal because it represents my current self the most. I absolutely love sushi and will eat it whenever I get the chance. I’ve become more conscious of what I put into my body and on days where I’m trynna get full on a budget without eating junk, I choose sushi. In my head, it’s healthy, lol, but also I just really love fish if you haven’t noticed haha!

Dessert: Sago pudding or boeber

I love when my mother makes these in winter and they too remind me of home and my mom!

Boeber

Ingredients

Instructions

Soak sago in 200ml water for 30 minutes. / Melt butter in deep saucepan, add vermicelli, coconut and almonds and toss with a fork until it is pink/brownish in colour / Add elachi or cardamon, rosewater, milk and sugar and bring to boil. / Stir in soaked sago and simmer until sago is transparent. / Simmer until well blended. / Stir occasionally to prevent burning or sticking to base of pot. / Depending on how thick you prefer your boeber, more or less milk can be added. Adding approximately 85ml-100ml condensed milk and less sugar also make a nice rich boeber.

Tip: 1 tin ideal milk can be added to enhance taste.