World

Proust Had Madeleines. I Have McNuggets.

By Adrian J. Rivera

Produced by Vishakha Darbha

Growing up in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, the Opinion editorial assistant Adrian J. Rivera was no stranger to processed food. As a child, he relished a good Big Mac, a box of chicken nuggets and a cold, refreshing Sprite. But after moving to the East Coast for college, Rivera’s socioeconomic circles began shifting, as well as his worldview around food. In this audio essay, he reflects on his relationship with processed food, class and what it’s like to go home with a new set of tastes.

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available midday on the Times website.)

Credit…Illustration by The New York Times; photograph by Aleksandr Zubkov/Getty Images

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This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Annie-Rose Strasser. Engineered by Efim Shapiro with mixing by Sonia Herrero. Original music by Sonia Herrero and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta.

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