| | How important is food really? It's always there. Go to the
store and there's plenty, right? All cultures have realized the
importance of food and have set aside the needed amount of space and
time to grow it and as such, we all have plenty of food. But
during a late night just sitting around the kitchen and talking, my
brother Eric said that all wars can be traced back to food. To
grow food, trade food, to have food, or something involving food.
Thinking about it, I decided that yes, all wars can be traced back to
food, but also to water, lives (whether of your own village, of slaves,
or absence someone else's village), or fuel. So, while Eric
is correct, him being a chef does kind of make his opinion
objective. It also got me thinking about how important food
is. Specifically in religion and culture.
Almost all religions have sacrifices of some sort. Most involve
food. A literal sacrifice of burning food, placing food on or
around an altar, or some other way of presenting food to the
gods/God. But some groups do a fasting, the absence of
food. They give up the most precious resource in life in order to
worship their deity. Followers who practice those sacrifices are
showing that their god is more important to them than life. It's
quite romantic really.
Culture revolves around food. All holidays have specific,
traditional foods that are cooked for them. Barbeque for the
Fourth of July, turkey with "all the fixin's" for Thanksgiving, peeps
and chocolate for Easter (Religious holiday mind you and all the
symbolism comes from pagan traditions. Yay for paganistic
worship.  ),
Ramadan has a traditional breaking of the fast with a small meal of
dates and red wine, Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah as well, though I don't
know what all are the traditions for them. I should probably
learn. And interestingly, all three of those last ones were
religiously based as well. 
Interesting, no? Adults often have random cravings for totally
weird things that they ate as a child. My mother and
liverwurst. My grandmother with her lard and chocolate
sandwiches. (she grew up in Switzerland, chocolate and fat is what you
eat there. Slap them together and you've got pure
calories.) It's because people have their comfort foods.
Food makes us feel better, especially certain foods that remind us of
certain times, places, and people. (Which would explain why I
enjoy the smell of smoke, whether campfire or cigarette, both hold so
many happy memories. It's a comfort reaction.) And look at
how we present our food. Why is it that we bring out our best
dishes when company comes over? It isn't to impress them with the
dishes. It's to make the food served on the dish look better and
more appetizing. Why else would people make and buy gold goblets,
fine china, and silverware? Yes, it's a status symbol, but that's
because people place so much importance on the food itself.
I want to go farther with this, but I fear I must be boring you by now
and I have to get off, but remember how important your food
is. It's got more history than you think.
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| | Posted 10/15/2006 1:24 AM - 2 Views - 2 eProps - 1 Comment
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