No.8

The Psyche of Sour Cream by Moran Been-noon
17:59 mins, HD video, 2023

A video response to Mastering the art of Soviet Cooking: a memoir of food and longing by Anya Von Bremzen

In the 17th and 19th centuries, the term "nostalgia" was coined to describe the experience of suffering from manic longing, similar to melancholy, specifically directed towards an object or a place. Over time, the term has acquired a more positive connotation, adding a sense of fondness to the longing. (Julie Beck, 2013) Today, nostalgia often serves as a starting point when contemplating culinary culture, drawing upon traditions and childhood memories to forge a connection to a different time and place. The Psyche of Sour Cream serves as a response to the memoir of culinary writer Anya Von Bremzen, who, in her book, intertwines memories of life in the USSR and later in New York City as an immigrant with the cultural and ritualistic significance of food. The conversations depicted in the film establish links between food and both positive and negative stories of family, history, cooking, and eating within Soviet and Irish cultures.