Gastronomy as an Art of Living - Report Example

Gastronomy: Art of Living By Student Name Course Tutor Institution Date Gastronomy: Art of Living Gastronomy refers to norms or rules of drinking and eating. It can be defined in terms of gastronomic character, specialties and tourism. In terms of gastronomic regions, it refers to the varieties of drinks and foods consumed and produced by a country. Gastronomic specialties refer to drinks and foods that are identified with a given country, a cook or a restaurant. Gastronomic tourism is centrally focused on drinks and foods. Gastronomy as an art; focused on the skill aspect, which connects to the term’s origin. The term ‘gastronomy’ was used in the ancient Greece. The ancient wine and food guide in the Mediterranean region was written in the 4th century BC by the Greek Archestratus. This guide indicated the types of drinks and foods to be eaten on different regions and their availability. This established a link between tourism and gastronomy. In the contemporary understanding of gastronomy, the focus of gastronomy is not only on the material substance of drink and food, but also the where, why and how to drink and eat. In the contemporary interpretation of gastronomy, it is defined as the reflexive preparation, cooking, presentation and drinking/eating of foods and drinks. Gastronomy has been extended to communication and sociability. Although gastronomy refers to drinks and foods, the most significant aspect of gastronomy is its role in human societies. Gillespie indicates that gastronomy focuses on the recognition of different significant aspects of beverages and foods consumed by people in a region, nation or a locality (Gillespie, 2002). Gastronomy is the application of an exercise, advice and the guidance of knowledge and skills that can collectively constitute to the art of living. Gillespie (2002) identifies practical gastronomy among the four central areas of gastronomy, which is identified in relation to the standards and techniques employed in converting raw produce to form nationally, aesthetic, culturally and regionally specified edible products. Although gastronomy’s main aspect involves drinking and eating, the contemporary interpretation of gastronomy extends this study scope to the preparation, production of drinks and foods and where, how, when and why to consume. This automatically involves the beliefs, philosophies and values that influence the gastronomic practices. These affects the cultural, historical and the social aspects of eating food including the study of restaurants, cuisines and dining, wine and food matching, gastronomic writing and tourism. Gastronomy includes food production, means through which drinks and foods are produced, foods’ political economy, foods treatment, their transportation, storage and processing. It also includes food preparation and its cooking, food chemistry, digestion and the psychological effects related to food (Santich, 2004, p. 17). The underlying customs, traditions and choices are also significant in this study. Traditional Gastronomic Trends The traditional gastronomic trend of a given culture can change externally or internally. These changes have greatly affected some cultural groups since they lose most food portions of their customs. Other cultures portray behaviors that limit the underlying changes. The Chinese ethnogastronomy is highly practiced by the Chinese people. Archeological evidence obtained from Han tombs that were recently excavated revealed valuable details concerning food customs of ancient China. The kitchen murals activities depicted men preparing meat, mashing and pounding, drawing water. The banquette painting obtained gave clues of early information and etiquette concerning the order of service, food preparation, the service of tea and wine, table arrangement and other disciplines associated with consumption and preparation of foods. This information coupled with the ancient Chinese literary obtained, indicates the continuity of traditions, as far as, Chinese gastronomy in concerned. One of the most significant factors among these traditions is the attitude towards food, by the Chinese people, concerning the promotion of bodily health. Once the physical body has harmony, this trickles down to the society, which is based on goals of balance and stability. The Chinese cuisine encompasses many ingredients; exhibits interrelationships with various cultural practices, this includes medical theory, social organization and the observance of religion. The preoccupation with eating and food is extremely significant to Chinese culture. China has many subcultures a fact that brings difference in their choice for staple food. The ancient and contemporary food behavior reveals the Chinese inclination to a combination of vegetables and/or meat plus carbohydrates. The Chinese cuisines are divided according regions; southern and northern areas. The southern meals are rice-based coupled with a variety of fish, meat and vegetables while the northern meals are oiler and heavier together with wheat and a variety of grains. In recent times, there is a tendency of classifying China’s regional foods into unique cuisines. The Szechwan-Hunan foods are known of utilizing the pungent flavors obtained from chilies, peppers and garlic. Most American-Chinese restaurants were known for Cantonese food, which is mainly characterized by sour/sweet flavors combination, sauces from fermented and salted black bean, snack foods, red-roasted pork and other dishes that use the salted, fresh or dried seafood. The Chinese foods are served in many courses with one dish occupying a specified service plate. Texture and color are normally made by the cook, but the enhancement of flavor is articulated by the diner. The temperature, food color and texture are extremely significant. Hot foods should be served extremely hot. They are still sizzling or steaming when being served. This adds on the food’s gustatory appeal. The dining area of the Chinese restaurants is made from the imperial court’s customs, revealing the ultimate expression of hospitality and festivity through their multicourse dinner. Tea is normally drunk on official businesses, in settling disputes, and socializing. The customary etiquette in a Chinese restaurant, dictates the usage and placement of tableware, coupled with a flat-bowled spoon and chopsticks, which accommodates all varieties of soups and precut foods. Chinese children are taught good table manners where they are taught to discriminate among varied foods and flavors. The continuing and early inculcation into proper gastronomic behavior, the Chinese adults, are greatly perceptive in regards to the quality of food (Kirkendall, 2010, p. 126). The adults draw their pride from their knowledge on food. In the Chinese cultures, eating is one of their social occasions. They share rice, even when the family members have varying eating schedules. Eating is a communal act among the Chinese cultures. They not only enjoy food for its cost, taste, rarity, complexity and appearance, but also from the fact that its consumption could be criticized, discussed and evaluated for the underlying social meaning. The multicourse meals served in any Chinese restaurants today entails cultural coding, which portray the social standing of the host, hospitality lavishness, gastronomic acumen acknowledgement of his guest. The 19th-century France gastronomy is viewed as being an analysis model of cultural fields. The main antecedents of this field are found in a new institutional, ideological and economic context. Its origins are laid by gastronomic writing spectrum, which proposed a comprehensive, national culinary discourse. In the 17th century, chefs Marie-Antoine Carème and François Pierre La Varenne led a movement that was aimed at shifting the cooking from foreign to French indigenous foods. Wine and cheese are among the major French cuisine, which plays varied roles both nationally and regionally. The medieval cuisine was composed of multiple courses. They used their hands in eating; the meat was sliced into large pieces. The sauces employed were thick and highly seasoned, and highly mustards flavored. They used different ingredients in different seasons. They used spices, salt and honey as their main preservatives. Livestock were slaughtered in winter. The pork was salted then smoked while the beef was only salted. Sausages and bacon was smoked using the chimney. The ham and tongue were brined then dried. They also brined the cucumbers. The greens were stored in jars that contained salt. Honey was used for preserving nuts, root vegetables and fruits (Jones, 2004, p.683). Links between hospitality and tourism Hospitality is the art of welcoming and looking after one’s guest, through comfort assurance by offering them with accommodation and in drinks and foods. Recently, wine and food are known to play a significant role in the tourism industry. Over 15% of both the national and international visitors in South Australia were involved in tasting and/or buying wines in a winery, in the year 1999. This venture was cited among the five significant factors that influence the tourism pattern in Australia. The gastronomic tourism refers to a travel that is essentially motivated by drink and food. Between 1970s and 1980s, gastronomic tourism meant dining at the entire three-star restaurants found in France, but in recent years, it is considered as cultural tourism. It is the experience of one participating in a different culture and relating to places and people. Cuisine and gastronomy are significant elements that increase the experience of cultural tourism (Canadian Tourism Commission, 2002, p1). Gastronomic tourism could entail visitation to regional food and wineries producers along a Food and Wine Trail, a school for live-in cooking, assisting in the grape harvest, experiencing customary gastronomic celebration and feasts. According to Canadian Tourism Commission, culinary tourism is deeper than mere dining experience. It also includes a wide variety of cuisine or/and other agri-tourism activities, which suits visitors involving beverages and food. It ranges from farm visits, factory tours and food festivals. Culinary tourism normally involves the discovery of culture from a different region and unique dishes. Therefore, gastronomic holidays are a significant factor in the emergence of creative tourism sector. Here, tourists are exposed to different cultures where they learn how to cook various world cuisines. They also learn to use different world ingredients. Apart from using these ingredients in cooking, the tourists are exposed to knowledge on how these ingredients are grown, as well as, appreciating the existence of the culinary traditions. For instance, France gastronomic tourism involves tours to Vaucluse area, which features visits to a beekeeper and Provencal market. Other visits are to the olive oil mill during the time when olive is being harvested. Presently, Canada’s activities in culinary tourism range from lobster hauling, Aboriginal feasts and visitation to the smokehouse. These activities are gaining popularity; in the year 1998, a survey conducted in Australia indicated that, over 50% of the respondents shown their interest in food and wine, which included cooking and tasting of food for their holiday (SATC Research, Policy and Planning, 1998). Another study conducted by Canadian Tourism Commission revealed that the local cuisines are the main motivating factors for the US travelers’ (Canadian Tourism Commission, 2002, p.5). Gastronomic tourism highly focuses on production than its consumption. The visitations to the farm allow the tourists to have an experience in farming and production of livestock. For instance, in Italy, the ‘Agriturismo’ establishments provide farmhouse meals, which are prepared by using the resources obtained in this region. In France, this concept is fully developed; there is the existence of Farm Inns (fermes-auberges). Here, the meals offered are from their farm’s own production. It is followed by sampling of their farm products, which are later used as the afternoon refreshments. The focus on the processes of production is extended to historical and museums displays. Many regions that produce wine sponsor special exhibitions where the tourists can trace different stages of wine production from vineyard to bottling. The tourists learn more in regards to culture and history of the vine. A heritage museum in Tasmania introduces the tourists about the fascinating story concerning the apple industry in Tasmania. At Charolles, the tourists are guided on climate, soil and pastures in this area; this includes the development of Charolais breed and its management until maturity. Finally, the tourists are provided a grilled Charolais to taste. The gastronomic tourism is where people’s travel is essentially motivated by drink and food. It exposes the tourist to different cultures enhancing peaceful coexistence between people from different parts of the world. Gastronomic tourism has helped in impacting knowledge to tourists who learn to cook many world cuisines. The tourists also learn using different world ingredients, as well as, growing these ingredients and appreciating different culinary traditions. Reference Canadian Tourism Commission (2002). Acquiring a Taste for Cuisine Tourism: A Product Development Strategy. Ottawa: Canadian Tourism Commission. Gillespie, C. (2002). European Gastronomy into the 21st Century. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Jones, J. M. (2004). The oldest cuisine in the world: cooking in Mesopotamia. ProQuest Central, 42 (4), 683. Kirkendall, J. M. (2010). Eating history: Chinese American Gastronomy in Hawai'i. the journal of the Chinese historical society of America, 123-132. Santich, B. (2004). The study of gastronomy and its relevance to hospitality education and training. Hospitality Management, 23, 15-24. South Australian Tourism Commission, Research, Policy and Planning Section. (1998). Research on Food Tourism: A Background Research Report. Adelaide: South Australian Tourism Commission. Read More