What people eat and how they eat it seem to express a lot about their traditions and values
Have you ever had an experience in a new culture that made you wonder what you got yourself into and how you would ever manage to adjust? I'm not sure if my first experience with an Egyptian dish calledmolokhia qualified for that category, but it came close.
I first tasted molokhia when I was new to Egypt and I had not yet adjusted to the heat, the noise and the unfamiliar food. The cold, limp green chopped leaves and slimy consistency of the traditional Middle Eastern dish, one of the first local foods that I tried, did not particularly impress me.
However, I soon came to appreciate not only the flavours of many of the dishes that I ate during my time in Egypt, but also the chance to learn about the culture through its food. What people eat and how they eat it seems to me to express a lot about their traditions and values.
Egyptian food reflects community
One thing that I learned is traditional Egyptian culture is far more concerned with community than with germs and hygiene. When I first ate local food at a restaurant in Egypt, for example, I had to learn the proper technique for tearing off pieces of pita bread and using them to pick up hummus or pieces of eggplant from communal dishes.
Since returning to Canada, I have attempted to make some of the dishes that I enjoyed in Egypt (including molokhia) in order to keep a connection with the culture and cuisine that I learned to know, although my versions are probably far from the genuine thing.
I suspect that even the most authentic ethnic food in North America is adapted to the standard tastes in this area of the world, although some of the original elements remain. A Caribbean restaurant that I once visited in Vancouver, for instance, offered varying levels of spiciness so patrons could choose how much heat they put in their mouths.
Folklorama exposes Winnipeggers not only to the sights and sounds of other cultures, but also offers a taste of their food, Susan Heubert writes. (Dr. Tse Li Luk)
One of the ways I can continue to explore the foods of different cultures is through an event called Dine About Winnipeg, which runs until Friday. This event features set menus at different restaurants around the city, where people have a chance to test different cuisines and learn more about what is available throughout the year.
With an event where people have a chance to sample all kinds of different foods, it might even be possible to introduce molokhia to the general public to see if it can become as readily accepted as spaghetti or pizza. Somehow, I doubt that will ever happen, but it could be possible.
Perhaps the key is in helping people to become accustomed to a new food gradually and in a non-threatening way with events that allow them to try small amounts of unfamiliar foods in the context of a larger meal. Giving the history of each dish would also help diners to understand why the cuisine developed the way it did.
Delicious educational experience
A cultural followup of some kind might be a good way to continue learning about the connection between food and culture. Perhaps a second round of restaurant events, combined with short lectures about the food, might be a good way to teach people the history of what they are eating.
Folklorama is one of the times that food and culture come together in Winnipeg and people can experience a bit of what life in another country is like. However, learning about different cuisines and cultures is something that people can do all year, either alone or with their friends and families.
In the meantime, I might want to try something like the fried chocolate bread pudding from Resto Gare or calzone napoletana from Nicolino's to gain a few insights of my own into the food and cultures that make up Winnipeg. It could be an educational, as well as delicious, experience.
