A long time ago, hubby and I found ourselves in a conversation with a fellow who declared to us that you could judge the level of a civilization by considering table utensils. The conclusion according to the speaker was that our Western civilization was the most evolved because we used silverware to dine... you know, knives, forks and spoons, and where these utensils prevailed, we could certainly expect a higher level of cultural attainment. The Orient had somewhat lower evolution as indicated by the use of chopsticks. The rest of the world was very base, in this fellow's opinion. Those people used fingers and maybe bread stuffs to get the food to their mouths, thus marking themselves and their societies as undeveloped, uncultured, and essentially unworthy. His words were "not civilized".
Clearly, there were issues with this argument, but as we were essentially en route to Peace Corps service in Ethiopia and would likely never see the guy again, we changed the topic. Still, it rolled around in my head from time to time and now, 40 years later, comes out. So, how do we measure civilizations? Can we do this? Should we try? Actually, I think the word "civilization" is inappropriate here, as civilization is defined as having common elements like advanced cities, complex institutions, record keeping capacity, specialized work, and advanced technology. (This last is a relative term) So certainly, our modern western civilization qualifies, but so do the ancient civilizations of Machu Picchu, Zimbabwe, the Axumite Empire, and Babylonia, to name just a few. Culture is different. Cultures reflect learned and shared symbols, including language, art, religions, and values...and food. Civilizations rise and fall, cultures change and adapt, while reflecting ongoing social constructions and degrees of integration within the culture. Many cultures may exist within any civilization. To make this long story shorter, let me say that table behaviors and food traditions reflect culture, not civilization. I personally prefer the concept of culture over civilization. Culture is colorful, mutable, flavorful, and rich in learning opportunities at a human level. In a word, interesting. Civilization is institutional. Enough said.
Food as a part of culture is one of those norms that is shared, though not necessarily in the same way by all. As Americans, we share a common food culture like hot dogs, corn on the cob, pizza, peanut butter, and so on. Then there are the sub-cultures that exist, including food traditions that come from the Old Country, or some that enjoy a regional explanation. These latter might be New England vs. Manhattan clam chowder, or the apparently infinite variety of barbeque recipes that duke it out on Food TV. As part of a shifting and dynamic society, we can explore foods and recipes and adjust our eating habits to a variety of influences and opportunities.
I need to return to the original idea... utensils. I will make a leap here and contend that our choice of utensils, typically knife, fork, and spoon, are perhaps manifestations of a broader cultural norm, that of our valued American tradition of Individualism, with a capital I. We are a society that has perfected Individual Independence, not interdependence. We live in single family homes, in our nuclear families, celebrate the empty nest, and we do not eat off of each other's plates or even share the cookies very well. Contrast that with communally structured traditional societies that see everyone in the community as family, share kitchens, and eat together, often from the same plate. And often there are no utensils, once the food is on the table. The pita, the nan, the injera, the tortilla all serve to move the meal to the mouth. How efficient, eating your utensils. Sure saves on the washing up. I think we also value the concept of community and we are genuinely generous as a nation. But culturally, we stick to our own plates and do not get our hands messy. Communal meals in America are called "potlucks" and I think we all harbor the secret wish that they only happen a couple of times a year because who knows what goes on in someone else's kitchen?
So there you have my simple thoughts on the utensil issue... We have them and use them. That does not make us a better society or culture than those that do not. And we do not stick to this rule, either. We all eat with our fingers on a regular basis and will even share the bag of popcorn at the movies. It is all food for thought.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
a clearer picture... Not mine
www.dailykos.com
This feels like a lazy way to blog an idea, but check it out.. We need to see what is out there before we can make really rational choices. More soon...
This feels like a lazy way to blog an idea, but check it out.. We need to see what is out there before we can make really rational choices. More soon...
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Welcome to the Feast
As Americans, we are blessed with food. We think about it, grow it, share it, cook it, spend a lot of money on it, gorge on it... you get the picture. So, how did we get here and what is this obsession doing to us? As a nation, we are fatter than ever (I speak only for myself), do less cooking than ever, rely on stores and packaged goods for convenience sake, and blindly consume what is in front of us. I know some fussy eaters, but fussy eaters these days may be the worst eaters of all. Instant mac and cheese has a place but does not make it as daily fare. And while we enjoy a easy access to a world of food products, somehow we do not seem to maximize the immense potential of our food opportunities.
In part, we are intimidated by the options out there. Will we measure up to Julia or even Julie? Rachael? Emeril? Of course not. They enjoy a rarified environment and all the tools that allow them to create magnificence, and they probably do not have to wash up afterwards. No, we can not compete there.
Then there is the time factor. I don't know about you but I cannot spend hours putting a meal on the table. Maybe that works once a month or so, but it won't happen even weekly, chez nous.. No Way.
Thirdly, let's think about money. In the US, we are calculated to spend less than 7% of our income on food. Canada is close behind us with about 9% of income going to the foodstore. Other countries as diverse as Kenya and the Ukraine spend between 40-50% of income to keep themselves fed. Now, we can consider income as a contributor to this disparity. Certainly, $1 bunch of bananas is a smaller percentage of the average US income than that same $1 bunch in the average Kenyan household. So there is some wiggle room there for us, if we want to rethink our consumption function. Once upon a time, I might have been able to discuss elasticity of demand in a coherent manner, but that time has passed and I will not attempt to address it. Let me stop with the notion that many of us could pay more if we had to.
Or..imagine.. we could eat less. In 1980, someone calculated that average caloric intake in the US was 2195 calories. By 2005, it had popped up to 2704 calories. The big bumps in consumption occurred in the categories of added fats, grains, and added sugars, with smaller increases in the protein group. While we think of grains as good, in fact, we have developed a monoculture around wheat and corn without examining the impact of these limitations or what is actually happening to them, thanks to science. Dairy, fruits, and vegetables enjoyed small ups and downs from year to year but no remarkable changes. If you want to check my source of information, go to http://civileats.com/2011/04/05. There is a ton of information there.
But I digress... I do not want to become a documenter of facts and factoids. I want to wander into the realm of re-thinking about food. I want to push away some of the habits, behaviors, and beliefs I have absorbed over the past many decades. I want to explore how other traditions relate to food, in many or most cases living "closer to the bone", without the added fat and sugar and gmo options that are epidemic in the US. I warn you now.... the French paradox is done and documented. This is not an international cooking blog. It is not recipes and techniques. It is ruminations on how the world eats and why...utensils vs fingers, communal vs plates, status vs non-status, homegrown vs store bought, and so on. In some instances, I will have been there and done that, meaning I have eaten at a table in a far away place. Sometimes, it will just be speculation, conjecture, or impressions. We will see. I hope the journey is sweet... and not too short.
In part, we are intimidated by the options out there. Will we measure up to Julia or even Julie? Rachael? Emeril? Of course not. They enjoy a rarified environment and all the tools that allow them to create magnificence, and they probably do not have to wash up afterwards. No, we can not compete there.
Then there is the time factor. I don't know about you but I cannot spend hours putting a meal on the table. Maybe that works once a month or so, but it won't happen even weekly, chez nous.. No Way.
Thirdly, let's think about money. In the US, we are calculated to spend less than 7% of our income on food. Canada is close behind us with about 9% of income going to the foodstore. Other countries as diverse as Kenya and the Ukraine spend between 40-50% of income to keep themselves fed. Now, we can consider income as a contributor to this disparity. Certainly, $1 bunch of bananas is a smaller percentage of the average US income than that same $1 bunch in the average Kenyan household. So there is some wiggle room there for us, if we want to rethink our consumption function. Once upon a time, I might have been able to discuss elasticity of demand in a coherent manner, but that time has passed and I will not attempt to address it. Let me stop with the notion that many of us could pay more if we had to.
Or..imagine.. we could eat less. In 1980, someone calculated that average caloric intake in the US was 2195 calories. By 2005, it had popped up to 2704 calories. The big bumps in consumption occurred in the categories of added fats, grains, and added sugars, with smaller increases in the protein group. While we think of grains as good, in fact, we have developed a monoculture around wheat and corn without examining the impact of these limitations or what is actually happening to them, thanks to science. Dairy, fruits, and vegetables enjoyed small ups and downs from year to year but no remarkable changes. If you want to check my source of information, go to http://civileats.com/2011/04/05. There is a ton of information there.
But I digress... I do not want to become a documenter of facts and factoids. I want to wander into the realm of re-thinking about food. I want to push away some of the habits, behaviors, and beliefs I have absorbed over the past many decades. I want to explore how other traditions relate to food, in many or most cases living "closer to the bone", without the added fat and sugar and gmo options that are epidemic in the US. I warn you now.... the French paradox is done and documented. This is not an international cooking blog. It is not recipes and techniques. It is ruminations on how the world eats and why...utensils vs fingers, communal vs plates, status vs non-status, homegrown vs store bought, and so on. In some instances, I will have been there and done that, meaning I have eaten at a table in a far away place. Sometimes, it will just be speculation, conjecture, or impressions. We will see. I hope the journey is sweet... and not too short.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)