In many parts of the world food is at the center of most social occasions. Sometimes even the social events are based around certain foods or meals. That is, the cuisine becomes the social occasion itself and is the reason for the celebration. People enjoy social interactions and people enjoy good food therefore this pairing of food and culture only makes sense. Western eating habits, unlike the social model for consuming food, seems to revolve around convenience and speed. Eating a starter, main course, and dessert seems only natural to someone in America, while the thought of having individual dishes is a foreign thought to the cultures that share all of the dishes amongst everyone at the table. Food and culture are intertwined and they each have contributed to the shaping of one another. Once you begin to understand food and culture you can comprehend why recipes vary in different places in the world. Food is a necessary part of life but people like to garnish and inject their creativity into the mundane required meals. Creating delicious food and the development of various cooking techniques is dictated by our need to experiment and enjoy life. When we are given the time and resources we can create an almost unlimited number of delicious recipes and combinations of food. As people like to share and experience life together this naturally lends itself to the social aspect regarding food. In places in the world where traditions are still important there are inevitably traditions that revolve around food and have formed the basis of their culture. Some of the recipes have been passed down through the ages and have been adapted based on the cultural beliefs at the time.  Indian Chicken With Vegetables (Murgh Subji Wala) Authentic Mexican Pozole West Indies Fish Cakes With Curry Aioli Hot Pastrami Sandwich Vietnamese Catfish in a Clay Pot (Ca Kho To)

Culture and Religion

Culture and religion are deeply intertwined as well, and so must the food ingredients be integrated with these forces. The food that is culturally based may eliminate the animals or plants that are sacred to a religion or culture. For example, most Hindus won't cook with beef and most Muslims won't cook with pork as dictated by their religions. These variations in religion and culture lead to the varieties in recipes in different places in the world. The last major factor in food and culture defining recipes is the environment that surrounds the people. A lot of the ingredients are region specific and people use what they have available to them. Different parts of the world grow yield various plants and animals that are specific to the region, and factoring in the culture will produce different recipes. Not only the ingredient availability but also the consumption climate plays into what recipes were developed. People in very hot climates tend to be able to subsist on more of a plant based diet whereas the northern cooler climates require more meats.

Food and Culture

Food and culture are not separate ideas in a lot of places in the world. Eating habits, traditions, religions and environments, play their respective roles in influencing both food and culture to determine the various recipes. Once you begin to understand that food has driven culture in the same way that culture has driven food you will begin to appreciate all of the wonderful variety in recipes from different parts of the world; maybe even cooking some of them for yourself. Have you ever stepped out of your own traditional foods and explored cooking different foods from around the world? We would love to hear your experiences. Share your comments below!