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Happy-Gourmand

Some foods for thought

One of my inspirations for learning languages in school was to better understand the culture that went with them. I discovered a key component of culture was food and how people consumed it. 

That is how I became a foodie, one who wanted to be a bit of a culinary historian, sharing the stories of food within our world.

I wanted to offer some examples this week of how food can educate us about history and encourage us to learn more about other people and their culture. A bit of curiosity goes a long way to helping us bridge the gaps of understanding that so often exist and grow over time. 

One intriguing recipe I saw recently was for Afghan Biscuits from New Zealand. These crunchy, chocolatey cookies are a long-standing favourite in New Zealand going back almost 100 years, but why they are called Afghans is a mystery. 

Some folks suggest the cookie shape suggests Afghanistan’s craggy landscape, with cornflake bits representing the rocky slopes and the chocolate topping and whole walnut like the prevalent mountains.

A possible but certainly less politically correct explanation is that the cookie represented the enemy from New Zealand’s involvement as a British colony in the Anglo-Afghan wars beginning in 1839 – an Afghan male with the walnut being his turban. It is possible the cookies were made for wartime care packages – not a great way to “bridge the gap” between the two sides, for sure.

There are many cases of dishes being popular despite a cruel origin story, often to the point of few people remembering the story. In my humble opinion, one way we can move our society forward positively is to talk about those dishes and bring their history back. The ensuing discussions will likely be controversial, but maybe sharing the food can help us get through?

A controversial dish here in Canada is bannock. Can we call it Canadian, or is it an Indigenous specialty? Its origins are in Scotland – it was the fur traders and settlers that brought their recipe and ingredients here – but it became a staple for many Indigenous populations during colonization. Bannock has become a popular dish today with many First Nations chefs preparing sweet and savoury versions. 

The original First Nations recipe for a similar dish, called sapli’l, used a plant bulb as the base ingredient. The Scots used oats and the current version is made with wheat flour. The recipe evolved; perhaps our understanding of the history can, too. If you’d like to try bannock, support a local First Nations business and stop by Kekuli Cafe on the Westside or in Merritt. 

Every dish we eat, every ingredient we include in our cooking, has a history that is entwined in the culture of its place. If “terroir” is the sense of place that we taste in food, what do we call it when we ensure we appreciate the significance of our food’s story? We say “food for thought” but perhaps it is more about giving a thought for our food.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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About the Author

Kristin Peturson-Laprise is a customer experience specialist by trade, which means she is someone passionate about people having a good time. 

Her company, Wow Service Mentor, helps businesses enhance their customer experience through hands-on training, service programs, and special event coordination.

Kristin enjoys her own experiences too, and that is what she writes about in this column. She and her husband Martin Laprise (also known as Chef Martin, of The Chef Instead) love to share their passion for food and entertaining.  

Kristin says:

"Wikipedia lists a gourmand as a person who takes great pleasure in food. I have taken the concept of gourmandise, or enjoying something to the fullest, in all parts of my life. I love to grow and cook food, and I loved wine enough to become a Sommelier. I call a meal a success when I can convey that 'sense of place' from where the food has come . . . the French call that terroir, but I just call it the full experience. It might mean tasting the flavours of my own garden, or transporting everyone at the table to a faraway place, reminiscent of travels or dreams we have had."

 

E-mail Kristin at:  [email protected]

Check out her website here:  www.wowservicementor.com

 



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The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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