The Place of Food Cultures in Our Life - Term Paper Example

The Place of Food Cultures in Our Life There is an expression ‘We are what we eat’, which gets across the motto of most humans’ lives. I completely agree with this statement, for not only the appearance says about your lifestyle and feeding habits, but the duration of life and its healthiness (no weight problems, non-acquaintance with beriberi, etc.). It is the philosophy of food culture and its constituents that have a lot to offer in terms of communication with world cultures and expand our horizons in relation to diet with great health benefits. Our Food Culture A food culture that is experienced by my family and brings it keen pleasure is of the French origin. Frankly speaking, it may be seen as a quite usual and non-specific since we eat almost everything. A key notion which helps to recognize French culture in it is the habit to eat food in small portions and in a special somewhat romantic atmosphere. Another peculiarity well-known about the French comes with their gourmet approach to the questions of food combinations with a strong accent on importance of good nutrition during main meals and prohibition of so-called healthy snacks. So cooking mastery and the habit of healthy eating of the French are those very facts, which have stolen a way into hearts of our family members, and the first one was my mother. Ones she has just prepared several new for our practice dishes and presented them in the very French elegant manner, and after we had tasted them in comfortable home environment while unhasting talking, she asked our opinion. This moment is still in my memory with its all highlights. Definitely, it was the day for the start of our love and lust for the French food culture. There is abundance of advantages of our food culture, namely: varied health food having in its items no junk food and fast food; small portions, full of enjoy slowness of eating process with the discussion of dishes, and friendly or family meals (Delp). In our time of a mad pace of life there is fewer and fewer time for such an essential attribute as paying attention to eating occasion itself. Unfortunately, most people don’t mind the fact that the pleasure derived from eating is also important for metabolism. There is a need to relax in order to allow our nervous system, which controls the digestive tract, to work in the normal way. Foods even under physical stress contribute to obesity, as it is not digested properly. In addition, hormones generated by stress slow metabolism and contribute to fat storage. Hasty eating results in overeating, since it is well-known that stomach requires twenty minutes to inform the brain about satiety. We all have something to learn from the French. In particular, our relatives, many family’s friends and some of our neighbors are already among those people who enjoy the benefits of the French food culture in terms of health profits and union of immediate family and cronies. Usually we have our meals at home, in the bosom of our family and friends, which come to our place from time to time. To tell you the truth, our home has changed since we had opened it for the food culture of France. Now there are frequent bull sessions within our household, which are extremely popular among many relatives, friends and inner circle in general. Although it is not so overcrowded during working days, at weekends it becomes a real epicentrum of people’s gathering with only purpose to have a great time while deliberate eating of tasty health foods and convenient talks. Naturally, our house cannot admit too many men at once; still there has not been such a problem during the whole time. Besides, it becomes a great tradition of our guests to bring some delicacies for the meal. Talking about cooking responsibilities in our family, it must be said that we make meals all together. It was so forever: everyone contributes to the common process of cooking. But with the establishment of the French food culture’s cult it has acquired somewhat new interest. Probably, the latter is originated from the diversity of the products widely used in our food culture, namely: numerous vegetables and especially root ones, all types of meat, many types of fish and seafood, such as lobster, shrimp, oysters, scallops. Mineral water, coffee, fruit juices and wine are especially preferred among drinks. But these are the most common foods, while the range of their diversity passes all bounds. Consider foods of different parts of France widely used within our food culture, for example, acne, poultry, mushrooms, cream cheese, beans, potato dishes and pork, sweet meat marinated in white wine, sausages, all by-products stewed or baked in the oven with onions and vinegar, casseroles, stewed beef, frog legs, snails, fish with garlic sauce, cod and anchovies. And the other well-known peculiarity of the French food culture is its passion towards home baking and desserts, including croissants, truffles, crème-brulee, jellies, and so on. If we don’t go to a restaurant or somewhere else (that is happened not so often), all products are taken to our place from the local market where it is possible to get fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, meat and dairy products from farm. Following the French we don’t buy products, which were processed and chemically altered and which are full of synthetic ingredients such as hydrogenated fats, food dyes, preserving agents and fillers. We just don't need to worry about what is written on foods labels, because it is a really rarely occasion when we buy foods with labels. In such a way health foods at our table are presented in the French elegant manner beginning with some appetizers, following by soup, main course, salad and cheese, and ending with dessert or fruits, and all this is totally relied on individual fine culinary and gastronomic ingenuity of home cooks. We eat three times a day, and lunch is believed to be the main meal, “a four-course meal” (Reznichenko), of course with its food discussion and talks up to two hours. As we can see, the French food culture is very easy for adoption by our own one. Another Food Culture Naturally, living in the world of available various food cultures gives people a great opportunity to experience other cuisines. The determining factor of my choice in favor of the Japanese food culture is my burning desire to taste flake, being mixed with my common interest in the national peculiarities of Japan. The country is famous for its high rates of eating of shark meat, which is sold in any form: from fresh up to salty dried one. Probably, the latter has played a crucial part in my decision, for there are many alternatives to eat shark’s meat in our country. So, having a strong will to implement this assignment, I went to one of Japanese restaurants here. Among menu’s wide diversity of the proposed dishes, my sight has found a plate of leopard shark with tomatoes and onion. The reception at that place has superimposed me to the extent that I decided to taste more foods, surely, with their main components of rice and fish. After returning home I shared my impressions with my family members. Knowing the character of their prurient curiosity in every new food culture, I started my engrossing narrative from the name of the Japanese food culture which is given to it by me, that is, ‘temperance in eating, variety in health colors’. Definitely, it was that factor which sparked their interest, and the next time we went to the restaurant all together. The whole atmosphere of Japanese hostility being flavored with varied national delectable and mottling colors of surroundings has become the very reason of our new predilection to the Japanese food culture. So our further step was an invitation of our inner circle for the evening of Japanese cuisine. In particular, we have decided to arrange a kind of private house parties at weekends for involvement in almost every world food culture. We have even got the national costumes and equipment for this purpose. In such a manner my own house again has turned into Japanese cultural environment, where I had an opportunity to experience it almost completely (as far as it is possible in other country). The basis of both traditional and modern Japanese food culture, as it is well known, is rice. The second largest component is fish and seafood that is accounted for the fact that Japan is washed by the ocean and sea, rich in fish, various marine animals and edible algae. The Japanese know more than 10 thousand species of sea animals, most of which is not just foody, but is delicacy of national cuisine (Web Japan). What is known by me now is that fish and other seafood are not customary to fry in our understanding of this word, that is, to thermolize in a hard way. Usually they are only lightly fried, stewed, steamed or served almost raw. So the foods are easy in digestion and retain most of their taste. Also among eating products are kidney beans, soy, noodles, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, lettuce, Japanese radish (wasabi), a large Japanese white radish (daikon), the bamboo in the form of young shoots, lotus, yam, and many others - usually they are used in sauces and seasonings (Kamakura). In general, The Japanese eat a variety of foods, up to 30 products per day, providing the diversity of their colors. And it is common knowledge that a special place in the Japanese food culture is occupied by tea ceremonies. Most of these products which are not of a long-term storage (except crops and sauces) are bought by the Japanese from fresh markets, food shops and supermarkets. Products in the Japanese food culture are cooked by both men and women, though it is more likely to see a male cook in restaurants. As for the eating traditions, the Japanese traditionally gather together with their family members while eating, following the rule that food must satisfy hunger as well as demand of beauty. So every breakfast, dinner and supper are turned into a grand ritual with motley in table setting and dishes. Before meal the Japanese bow down, already sitting on the floor on their knees, and chorally pronounce the traditional praise to the gods and the owners of the house for the served meal. The dishes are arranged on a low table, but the participants of the meal more often eat holding a plate on weight. By the way, there is a particular rule for each dish. After the end of meal they thank for the delicious food. One of the Japanese’ fittings for small portions of foods is their small plates, in which all cooked foods appear at the beginning of the meal. Still eating process starts with consumption of soup, as it is believed that soup fastens satiety. “The visual presentation of food is an art form with great attention for even the smallest mouth-watering details” (The Japan Times). It comes with setting: there is a spacious deck on the table for each member, which is restricted by trays. This space is filled with dishes for only one person. There are common trays at the center of the table. And all this is supported by color alternation of plates and other dishes stuffed with no less motley food eaten by special wooden sticks, khasi. It may be seen as extremely hard task, but after evaluating of my experience of the Japanese food culture I must say that all its elements are completely adoptable for our people. Comparison of Two Food Cultures Considering similarities and differences between our (French) food culture and the Japanese one, it must be underlined that both are similar and varied in parity. The key principle of the two cultures is eating of small food portions in an unhasting way, as well as the French and the Japanese make special reference to consumption of fruits, vegetables and seafood. Moreover, both nations have used to enjoy the process of feeding turned it into a social and esthetic event. Probably, small portions and the process of food pleasure have contributed to the status of the French and the Japanese as the slimmest peoples. Among the differences between them, there is commonly used fish in the Japanese food culture and usage of all products in the French one. Another unlike point lies in the Japanese’ tea preference and the French’ wine preference. In addition, the first nation accepts poaceous snacks, while the second one advocates only for ultimate health nutrition without any quick snacks. And finally, there is a meat alternative in the form of soy in the Japanese food culture, when representatives of the French one eat natural meat of every type. And, of course, Chinese tradition of sitting on the floor distinguishes it from every other culture in general and the French one in particular. As for the age of the two food cultures, they are definitely belong to Old World, for they keep up their traditions and just develop them in their inner circle of culture peculiarities. All things considered then modern world offers a wide diversity of food cultures, which are already practiced by people or experimented every day. One way or another most of them are adaptable and useful for our health, as they broaden perspective of the world and influence the state of our bodies. As the practice shows, different food cultures have similarities and differences, but nevertheless they remain extremely useful and interesting. http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss340/tinamontg/FRENCH/mfrance.jpg http://static.freepik.com/photos-libre/vecteur-a-paris--france_34-39062.jpg http://www.luxury-paris.com/files/2012/02/French-Food-Private-Tour-in-Paris-Markets-Private-Tour-Luxury-Paris.jpg http://www.krisates.org.ua/images/stories/maps/japan_worldmap.gif http://geology.com/world/japan-satellite-image.shtml http://i024.radikal.ru/1406/d0/bdf889584769.jpg http://oriente.evolutiontravel.it/schede/30872/it-tokyo-giappone-in-liberta-3420d.jpg Works Cited Delp, Valorie. Culture of French Food. Love To Know. Retrieved May 15 from: http://french.lovetoknow.com/Culture_of_French_Food Kamakura, Isao. Characteristics of Eating Culture in Japan. Retrieved May 15 from: http://www8.cao.go.jp/syokuiku/data/eng_pamph/pdf/pamph5.pdf Reznichenko, Tatyana. What Are the Foods and Traditions in France? USA Today. Retrieved May 15 from: http://traveltips.usatoday.com/foods-traditions-france-16045.html The Japan Times. Recognizing Japanese Food Culture. 11 Nov. 2011. Retrieved May 15 from: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2011/11/15/editorials/recognizing-japanese-food-culture/#.VVYpdfntmkp Web Japan. Japan Fact Sheet. Japanese Food Culture. Retrieved May 15 from: http://web-japan.org/factsheet/en/pdf/36JapFoodCulture.pdf Read More