What is food? Food is defined as a nutritious substance that …show more content…
Food is central to majority of society’s cultural activities such as festivals (In Ivrea, Italy the battle of the oranges is a massive food fight the represents the people rising up against a tyrant) (Kiefer 2007), holidays (In Japan on New Year’s Eve they celebrate Omisoka where people eat a plate of buckwheat noodles to bring prosperity and ensure a long life), ceremonies (Jews and Christians consume wine as a part of their religious ceremonies) (Civitello 2007), and courtship, and can be used symbolically. The symbolic representation by western courtship behaviour and by the battle of the oranges in the small European town of Ivrea, Italy. Courtship is western cultures revolve around food. The first date is typically at a bar or restaurant where the male pays the bill to show the female he is able to provide her with food. Further on in the courtship to …show more content…
Origin is the point or place where something begins, arises, or is derived (Simpson, Weiner, and Oxford University Press 1989). Transformation is a marked change in form, nature or appearance (Simpson, Weiner, and Oxford University Press 1989). Popular everyday foods, such as corn which originated from Mexico and South America, and sugar cane which originated from South and Southeast Asia. Early humans were hunter and gathers and food consumed was raw until the discovery of fire. Fire transformed food from raw to cooked, from as they knew to food as we know it (Civitello 2007). Not long after this the domestication of plants and animals occurred. Domestication of animals and plants transformed food even further, transforming plants and animals from the original state to what we know now, e.g. corn originally was a loose-podded variety that looked a lot like the seed head at the top of a wheat stalk (Civitello 2007). Food has done more than transform physically, our cultural perceptions of food have changed too, e.g. Sugarcane was once believed to cure tooth aches, and Potatoes were thought to cause leprosy (Civitello