Courtney Puckett
ND 310
Food Report
Section 5

Japanese Food Culture

When we think of Japanese food the first thing that comes to our minds is the raw fish and rice that make up the sushi that most of us have tried at one point or another in our lives, but there is much more to Japanese food than just sushi. Japanese food culture has evolved from a background that none of us would have expected. There are all different kinds of food available in this culture varying from the well-known sushi to deep fried pork. Japanese food culture is not just one of the most popular; it is also one of the most interesting.
Obviously, since Japan is surrounded by water it is known for its dishes that are mostly made with fish for the main part, such as the sushi and shashimi that we are all familiar with, but the history of their culture speaks of how other foods came to Japan and made their way to be regulars on the dinner plate (AsiaRecipe, 2009). Some major influences on Japanese food came from China, who contributed soy sauce, tea, and chopsticks to their culture. Another strong influence on Japanese food was the influence of Buddhism from Korea that made meat a forbidden food to the Japanese for over a thousand years. Buddhism also influenced Japanese culture in another way. It is why their foods now feature five flavors and colors (AsiaRecipe, 2009). All these influences have helped to make the Japanese food that we know what it is today.

Even though the majority of people have heard of sushi, they may not know exactly what it consists of. Many people think of sushi and sashimi to be the same thing unless they have tried both. “Sashimi consists of thin slices of raw fish or other seafood with spicy Japanese horseradish (wasabi) and shoyu while sushi consists of the same, served on vinegared rice, but also includes cooked seafood, vegetables and egg. Another form of sushi is norimaki, or sushi roll, in which the filling is rolled in rice with a covering of nori. Cheap sushi is available at supermarkets or at kaiten-zushi restaurants, where customers sit at a counter and choose what they want from a conveyer belt” (Japan-Zone, 1999).
Even though fish definitely does play a major role in the diets of the Japanese, they do also consume other foods on a regular basis that we may not be as familiar with. We all think of hibachi or teriyaki when we think of how the Japanese prepare their meats, but in reality they are not as common as other ways. For example “Sukiyaki is prepared right at the table by cooking thinly sliced beef together with various vegetables, tofu and vermicelli” (JNTO, 2009). Some of their most popular dishes are unknown to westerners. Domburimono is a bowl of rice that is usually covered with many toppings that vary from beef, to pork, chicken and even egg. They are usually sold as a lunch item with a pickle and soup (Japan-Zone, 1999). Okonomiyaki is described as the Japanese pancake. It includes chopped vegetables, meat, or seafood with batter and then cooked on a griddle. Like the western pancake we eat in America, the okonomiyaki is flipped and cooked on both sides. Once done it is topped with mayonnaise and sprinkled with dried fish flakes (Japan-Zone, 1999). One of the strangest popular dishes in Japan is Shabushabu. “For this dish, diners dip paper-thin slices of beef in a pot of boiling water and stock for a few seconds and then dip the cooked beef in sesame sauce before they eat it. Later, vegetables such as enoki mushrooms and Chinese cabbage, tofu and shirataki are added. After the beef and vegetables have been finished, udon, a type of noodle, can be added to the broth and eaten” (Japan-Zone, 1999). Shabushabu is one of the most economical meals in Japan, it is also called the “all-you-can-eat-meal” (Japan-Zone, 1999).

For other common foods in Japan follow this link > http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/history/food/cuisine.html
The most interesting part of Japan’s food culture is not the foods but the culture involved in the eating process itself. Some customs are not so different from customs here in the west such as it is customary for a Japan host to insist that their guests eat more food at a dinner or any other meal. But there are also other customs in Japan that we would consider way off limits here in the west. “Japanese noodle-eating etiquette is, to Americans, unusual to say the least” (AsiaRecipe, 2009). In Japan it is customary to make a slurping noise while eating noodles and pick the bowl up and drink the soup that remains after the noodles are gone. (AsiaRecipe, 2009)
Although Japanese culture is definitely different from that of our own we can also appreciate it. “Eating in Japan is an experience to be enjoyed and remembered fondly for the rest of your life” (JNTO, 2009). When all is said and done the Japanese food culture can be described in just a few words, “natural” and “harmony”. Whichever dish is made they never kill the natural flavor. The ingredients are always in harmony together to make one dish, and that one dish in harmony with all other dishes to make a meal. In Japan, the food will be in harmony with nature and the surroundings, even with the person who is dinning. (AsiaRecipe, 2009)

Works Cited

Asiarecipe. (2009). Japan. Retrieved 5, May 2009. From
http://asiarecipe.com/japeathistory.html#top

Japan-Zone. (1999). Popular Dishes. Retrived 5, May 2009. From http://www.japan-
zone.com/culture/dishes.shtml

JNTO, Japan National Tourism Organization. (2009). Japanese Food. Retrieved 5, May 2009.
From http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/history/food/cuisine.html

Wedding foods around the world

Wedding Foods Around the World I have chosen to do a report on the wedding foods around the world. I thought that this would be interesting to see and I was right. Different countries have different ways of celebrating certain traditions but sometimes we forgot that the American way is not the only way to do things. In researching about the foods I also learned about some other wedding traditions that were pretty neat that I just may have to keep in mind. The first area I started with was East European. The country I started with was Bulgaria. Sweet honeyed cake is what they use as their wedding cake. Honey cake is made with ingredients that include: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, vegetable oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, coffee, and orange juice. Along with the honey cake they drink a traditional wine. This may include wines such as: Mavrud, Pamid, Gamza, Melnik, Dimvat, Misket, Muskat, Pelin and a few others. They also bake a fresh loaf of bread for the ceremony so that they couple could break the loaf and whomever got the larger part of the loaf would be the “leader” in the relationship. The next country is Belarus. The only thing that I could really find on this country was the wedding pie. This is not made of sugar and flour like the traditional American wedding cake, but of bread. The next country is Cretan. This country also using bread as their wedding cake but they add candied dried fruit to theirs. The spices they use also include; cinnamon, coriander, clove, allspice, anise, nutmeg and ginger. They also use rum, orange, lemon peels and almond. The last country is Eastern Europe is Poland. They are basically same as their surrounding countries: bread, salt and wines! Next we moved to Africa. I focused on South Africa. They drink wines and eat a lot of foods with wheat, pepper, salt, butter, herbs, water and honey. While Sudan focus on rice and candy. The rice is seen as a sign and hope for prosperity. In North America we are focusing mainly on Mexican traditions. They almost always have candy because it is placed in the traditional piñata that is broken during the ceremony. They also have a traditional wedding cake with fruit that has been soaked in rum. The foods that they focus on are pretty expected. Spicy rice, beans, tortilla dishes, with chicken and beef are what you could expect when attending the traditional Mexican wedding. The drink of choice is Sangria. This is an alcoholic drink made with certain types of fruits. Obviously we know what is traditional in the United States. I see it as flour and sugar wedding cake with champagne. The main food is usually a surprise because the bride and groom choose what is best for their guests. The last place I chose was the Caribbean. They eat a variety of different food which includes curried goat, spicy chicken jerky, fried plantains, and conch fritters. Another tradition that they have is what they call the black cake. This is made of flour, brown sugar, butter, cherries, raisins, prunes, currants and eggs. It is also served with hard rum sauces. The fruit that they use for the cake can be soaked in rum for anywhere from two weeks to one year. Each of these countries has different ways of celebrating the bondage of two people. They are all interesting and very important. Some of the food is chosen because of the taste and other is chosen because of the meaning it serves, such as the rice meaning prosperity. references www.satravelco.com/weddings www.worldweddingtraditions.com www.pratie.blogspot.com