Food as an aspect of culture

Food is a necessity that all cultures have in common. Cuisine of the culture is mostly defined by what they can grow and what is plentiful in their region. For example, rice is extremely plentiful in Asia, which is why their cooking is so focused around rice. Extremely rural communities that do not have the luxury of imports have to rely on the food their community can supply. Food is something that the whole world has in common, not only because it is a necessity, but because it is something everyone can enjoy and relate to each other by.
Food has a strong presence in my life and shows a lot about my family. Because my mother is a nutritionist, the food in my house is very centered around good health and correct portions. In my home, lean meats are very common as well as many fruits and vegetables. Snacks and desserts are not common in the kitchen, mainly because of the strong belief in three meals a day with not a lot of “extras.”
Family gatherings also show insight into the food of different cultures. During the Christmas season, both sides of my family celebrate with food and relatives. The food served at my families celebrations is vastly different. On my mother’s side of the family, everyone is from Norway. The food is inspired from that country in the form of lefse, a type of Norwegian bread that is similar to a tortilla, but sweeter; made with potatoes and butter. In addition, Christmas cookies are made, but with a Norwegian twist. They are a crisp, waffle-like cookie called a krum kaake that is rolled into a cone shape. Some fill the cookies with jelly, and some prefer the cones plain. It is very fun to see what kinds of food the people in Norway would make in the cold season. Everything is made with butter, cream and potato. This is because of what they have access to back in Norway. Norway has some of the major deep water ports in Europe. This is why fish is so common in their diet. Based on this staple in their diet, my family has many different ways to prepare sea life.
Christmas on my father’s side of the family is a very different experience. The Kennedy family is extremely Irish. Therefore, a totally different nature of cuisine is to be expected. The Christmas ham of the Norwegian dinner is replaced with a large cut of lamb. This is a result of the shepherding that occurs in Ireland. Potatoes are also a main crop in Ireland, which is why they are also present at the table. At other Irish gatherings, the meal usually consists of corned beef, cabbage and soda bread, which I sometimes prepare.
Although the meals are different between the two sides of my family, they are both accurate portrayals the culture’s cuisine. When living in America, our food still resembles that of our ancestry. Food is what everyone shares in common with each other. The type of food may be vastly different, but it is one of the universal aspects that can bring all types of people together.
Kelsey