Hospitality and Tourism Management: Venezuela - Essay Example

28 July Hospitality and Tourism Management: Venezuela The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a tropical county on thenorthern coast of South America on the Caribbean Sea. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east and Brazil to the South. Venezuela and its culture have been greatly influenced by its history. The indigenous people and the Spanish conquests have had substantial effect in the culture. Food Indicative of Venezuela’s Culture Their cuisines are rich with regional diversity and influences. It is concoction of African, native Indian, Spanish and Italian cuisines that has developed over the centuries. The recipes of Venezuela are often found to be affected by Caribbean influences in their flavors, methods of cooking and constituents. The Venezuela Cuisine is appetizing. It is composed of ingredients like sweet peppers, garlic, onions and coriander as flavor stimulants. Each region is identified by its customs and expressions amongst which the culinary expression is a part of everyday Venezuelan life. Their dishes vary according to the geographic location of each region and lifestyle of its inhabitants. Corn is a staple food in Venezuela used in preparing pancakes, which are also made of wheat sometimes called arepas (substitute of bread), which is fried or baked corn pancakes plain, or with stuffing. Other staple foods are beans and rice. Regular daily food in Venezuela includes fried and grilled fish like trout, red snapper, baby shark, and shellfish like oysters, prawns and clams. Fish is a popular ingredient of Venezuela recipes, and also meat such as beef and chicken. Venezuela cuisine obviously features a fusion of fruits in its cuisine. This also reflects the creativity of the people in creating authentic dishes encompassing the abundance of fruits in the country. Fruit and vegetables like mango, papaya, avocado, bananas, coconut, melon, pineapple and guava are found in abundance here as well as cassava, plantains, rice, potatoes and yams are also included in most meals. Some of the most favorite Venezuela drinks include Ponche Crema, Chinotto, Chicha, batidos (thick textured fruit juices) and milkshakes like merengada. Some of the other Venezuela soft drinks include sugar cane juice with lemon juice (papelon con limon) and fresh coconut milk. The tangy taste of the drink makes it popular among the children. Core, Secondary and Peripheral Foods As per standard models food in each culture can be grouped according to intake frequency. Core foods are foundation of a diet; they usually consist of staples that are consumed daily. In case of Venezuela they are corn, cassava, plantains, beans and rice. Usually meat is considered as a secondary food but in Venezuela the intake is almost daily hence it comes under the core food category. Fried and grilled fish such as trout, red snapper, baby shark (cazon), and shellfish such as oyster’s prawns and clams are popular and meats such as beef and chicken are common everyday foods. Secondary foods are often widely eaten in a culture but not daily. They include fruits. Peripheral foods are those that are eaten infrequently upon personal preference rather than cultural traditions. In Venezuela they may include the fast foods such as burgers and pizzas or oriental food. In addition, food in Venezuela is not restricted to traditional Venezuelan delights. Cuisine from all over the world can be found in Venezuela, including Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and other international tastes. Fast food chains are rising in popularity due to convenience and their family oriented style. The culture and the concepts of meals and meal cycles Venezuelans usually take three meals, a large breakfast, a large dinner (between 12 and 3 pm) and a very light supper (around 8 pm or later). Venezuelan hospitality is widespread, so something to drink and eat is expected when visiting someone's home. Food is prepared at home with recipes passed on by generations or varied by housewives. Men usually do not involve themselves in cooking however, while making Hallaca; men are most commonly found cleaning the banana leaves and tying them together for steaming. People take pride in boasting their Hallaca making skills, with everyone quoting their mother’s Hallacas were the best and it is somewhat true since no two families use the exact same recipe since the fillings are different throughout the region. Food is consumed at home usually and restaurants in abundance due to the rich culture. Meal sharing is used as a way of quantifying food transfers between households. Traditional food-sharing studies measure the flow of resources between households. Meal sharing, in contrast, measures food consumption acts according to whether one is a host or a guest in the household as well as the movement of people between households in the context of food consumption. Meals are usually made by the hosting family. Guest share meals with them and provide opportunity be plenty of opportunity for cross-cultural involvement and participation. Food service styles and etiquette Host or hostess guides the guest as per the seating plan. Table manners are Continental - the fork is held in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating. Eating should start when all are seated at the table or when encouraged by the host. The host saying 'buen provecho' (enjoy or have a good meal) is the customary invitation for everyone to eat. A maid or serve places food on the plate except for in a buffet style dinner. Hands are kept visible during eating and elbows are not rested on the table. Food is always eaten with utensils. Even fruit is eaten with a knife and fork. Napkin is kept on the lap while eating. Toast is made by the host with the word ‘salud’ after which drinking starts. It is considered polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate when you have finished eating. When finished eating, knife and fork are placed diagonally across the plate with the prongs facing down and the handles facing to the right. Food taboos in Venezuela are not that different from those in America; however there are etiquettes to abide by when eating at a restaurant in Venezuela. Conversations should involve everyone at the table and usually of interest to both men and women. In a formal dinner, the guest is never served more than once. The only thing that can be served more than once is the dessert and the liquor. One should not refuse a plate even if they do not want to eat. It is considered impolite. Eating a small portion is advisable. Table setting is important with appetizers to be served on separate plate, silverware properly arranged on the tables in the same order it’s going to be used, and tray to be used when serving coffee or liquor. To indicate good taste, guests are offered humid towel with water and a lemon to clean hand usually after dessert. Holidays Festivals in Venezuela are very traditional and enjoyed by locals as well as the numerous tourist they draw. The Procession of the Holy Shepherdess is one of the most popular, colorful and much awaited Venezuela Festivals. The procession of the holy goddess from Santa Rosa to Barquisimeto is accompanied by musicians, devotees and celebrants.  Festival Venezuela brings color and fun to the country and lets the Venezuelans enjoy their culture and heritage. People spend their holidays during the Festival in Venezuela, with their family and friends.  Carnival in Venezuela is celebrated in the month of February forty days before the Easter Sunday every year. People play with balloons filled with water instead of air and throw them at each other. Carnival of Venezuela continues for four days when people indulge in wearing new outfits.  La Paradura del Nino also known as Robbery or search of the Boy includes sharing gifts and being together. The May Cross Celebrations are held during the month of May involving a huge feast and many other related merriment.  Semanta Santa Festival begins on the Thursday night before the Palm Sunday. The Palm Sunday starts off with a mass at several churches. The celebrations are taken up with religious processions, sermons, retreats and other events.  Christmas is a time of year when pork is usually eaten with preference. Traditional dishes such as Hallaca (rectangular shaped meal of maize, pork or beef filling with olives, raisins and capers wrapped In plantain leaves), pan de jamon (long bread filled with ham, olives and raisins), dulce de lechosa (dessert made of unripe cooked slices of papayas in sugar syrup), pernil (roast pork shoulder) and ensalada de gallina (potato, carrot, apple and shredded chicken salad) are served on Christmas. Beer and rum also add to the festive mood of the Venezuelans. Works Cited Kittler, Pamela Goyan, MS, and Sucher, Kathryn P. “Accent on Taste: An Applied Approach to Multicultural Competency”. Diabetes Journal. Volume 14. 4 February 2004. Web. 29 July 2011. “Foods and Drink”. Web. 29 July 2011. “Venezuela”. Countries and Their Culture. Web. 29 July 2011. Read More