Emily Gan Week 12- Power of Food
A few weeks ago I watched a Food Theory video that explained how bread rules the world. It detailed how bread was created from being just flat and burnt in caveman times then got more and more complex with time and new inventions. Bread was used as currency in the old days since food was sparse and bread was convenient and light to travel with and was something everyone desired. Similar to the bread craze in the west, in the east they used rice in a similar way since it was an abundance of food.
Now in the twenty-first century, I was going to my friend’s house for lunch and we had a mixture of some kimchi triangle kimbap that I brought, tofu fried rice with Indian seasoning my friend’s mom made, and Trader Joe’s chicken egg roll. While enjoying our lunch, my friend’s mom and I started talking about how similar Asian cultures are. She had never had kimchi before but my friend explained to her that it is close to the Indian pickle paste they use however with different seasonings. The similarities between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean food have always been very obvious to me. All of them eat white “sticky” rice (I don’t believe sticky rice is actually super sticky, white people just don’t put enough water in their rice), eat in a family style consisting of a big dish in the middle paired with the rice, and have more mellow flavors compared to South Asian food. But the comparison between Indian and Chinese food opened my eyes to the language we share around the world. Everyone eats and there is only so many super accessible foods around the world, making it so almost everyone eats the same thing however each place has their own twist on it.
Hi Emily! Your analysis on how similar food from different cultures can be was really interesting. Food is such an important part of humanity and life, and because of this, food has become a large part of many different cultures as well, and it is often something that brings people together. For instance, the famous, “All American” hot dog is actually a product of Germany, since it was created in the 1600s by the German chef Johann Georghehner because of food shortages. Despite the hot dog’s European descent and the historically complicated relationship between American and Germany, food is still able to bring the two countries together. Another example, is pizza, arguable the most popular and most loved Italian dish. The origination of pizza is a funny story because most Italians believed that tomatoes were poisonous before they began to use them. Moreover, pizza was invented as a solution to the famine that Italians were experiencing, since ingredients in pizza were easy to find at the time and simple to make. Although pizza was made as a solution to famine, it is still a popular food item that people love for its comforting taste. I also agree with your point that many cultures have similar food because there are only so many ingredients you can use to create food. Because of the diverse origination of popular food items today, food is still able to bring people together in an impactful way.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily,
ReplyDeleteFood truly does have immense power. It has the power to maintain life on Earth, while also to bring cultures together. Your anecdote is a prime example of how food can bring cultures together. The anecdote exemplifies the rich exchange of culinary knowledge and experiences that occur in everyday interactions. It's remarkable how food can bridge cultural divides and foster a deeper understanding of one another's traditions. Personally, I wake up every morning because of food. Food is one of my biggest motivations for waking up in the morning, and I’m sure this is shared by many others. I appreciated how you delved into the historical significance of bread and rice, highlighting their roles as staple foods and even forms of currency in various civilizations. Your observation about the similarities and differences between Asian cuisines, especially in the shared use of rice and communal dining practices, was thought-provoking. It's true that food not only sustains us physically but also serves as a means of connection and communication among people from diverse backgrounds.
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is so insightful and well-written! I agree with you on the point that the similarities between various kinds of Asian food make it such an interesting topic. Food truly is powerful. Not only does it keep our bodies functioning every single day, but it also helps foster closer family relationships. As you mentioned, a lot of Asian cultures promote families eating together and I personally believe that this brings family members closer together because it provides a place for exclusive "family time", something that is often overlooked due to busy schedules. I personally love all different types of food and trying new cuisines is one of my most favorite things to do. It is so cool to compare one's own cultural food with another culture's food and find the similarities and differences.
Hi Emily! Something many might not know about me is that I am an expert when it comes to food. As a matter of fact, I have been eating food since I was born, and, if one were to allow me to be a little dramatic in my passion towards food, I would go as far as to claim that I would simply die in a world in which I cannot eat food. I found your analysis of the connection between foods of different cultures to be very intriguing. Food is truly the universal language of humans. It is a way to share culture, share history, and share love for one another. For some, food is a love language: it is a way of, without words, expressing your care for someone else, your commitment for taking care of them, or just wanting someone to eat something good. In addition, as something that is neccesary for all humans, food has inevitably had a great impact on annals of history. For example, the (the late 1700s one, to specify, as the French have probably had around 10 revolutions) French Revolution was directly sparked by a lack of food, causing Napoleon to eventually take power and conquer most of Western Europe.
ReplyDelete