Mar

Make Any Meal a Travel Adventure

by Joyce McGreevy on March 16, 2020

A food market in Denmark features in the culinary travel adventure of a writer on the trail of food origin stories. (Image by Joyce McGreevy)

You can order French bread in Denmark (but not a “Danish”).
In France, just order bread—in French.
© Joyce McGreevy

Food Origin Fun with a Dash of Cultural Awareness

So you’ve just canceled that upcoming trip, but you’re still feeling the wanderlust? Don’t be consumed by disappointment—there’s a travel adventure in the food you consume.

Lunch time scenario 1: Lee and his friend Ana meet for lunch. Lee orders a French dip, French fries and a salad with French dressing.

Intrigued, Ana asks Lee, “What did you have for breakfast?”

“French toast,” says Lee. “Why?”

“Wow,” says Ana with crystal-clear cultural awareness. “You sure love American food!”

Brussels sprouts, known as spruitjes in Belgium, are one of many foods associated with specific places, even when actual food history differs. (Image by Pxhere

In Brussels, nobody eats Brussels sprouts, but many people enjoy spruitjes.
Photo by Pxhere

Lunch time scenario 2: On a culinary travel adventure one summer, I realize it’s been years since I’ve had a Reuben sandwich. Although it’s non-kosher (mixing meat and cheese), it’s a staple of many Jewish delicatessens.

As Meredith Mileti writes in Aftertaste: A Novel in Five Courses:

“I devour the sandwich, a mountain of corned beef between two greasy slabs of marble rye, leaking cheese and Russian dressing all down the front of my sweater. It’s delicious, and I don’t stop eating until I’ve finished the last thick fry, which I use to mop up the remains of the sandwich.”

Ah yes, the front of every sweater, blouse, and pajama top I own might just as well be emblazoned with an image of an airport runway. I order a Reuben anyway, because here I am in the city that invented it. You know, Omaha.

Wait, what?

It’s not “rye” humor—the Reuben sandwich may hail from the Cornhusker State.
© Kimberly Vardman (CC By 2.0)

A Slice of History

Reportedly, the Reuben sandwich was invented during a poker game at Omaha’s Blackstone Hotel circa the 1930s. Hotel proprietor Charles Schimmel then added it to Blackstone’s menu.

Fern Snider, a former employee of the Blackstone, used the recipe to win a national competition in 1956. That’s when the Oxford English Dictionary cites the first published use of the term “Reuben sandwich.”

Several New York-based origin stories also exist, including one from cookbook author and New York Times food journalist Craig Claiborne.

But I’d keep that to yourself if you’re in Nebraska on March 14. That’s when people in Omaha celebrate National Reuben Sandwich Day. The food fest became official there in 2013.

Oh, I see: Food histories are like mystery novels, except that you can eat the clues, red herrings and all.

In a Pickle

Granted, it doesn’t take gourmet detective Poirot to reveal that a Reuben’s Swiss cheese and Russian dressing are neither Swiss nor Russian—just a case of “Colonel Mustard in the Kitchen with Kraft Foods.”

But even the Reuben’s sauerkraut, well-documented in German culture, has ties to another culture: Mongolia. One reason Genghis Khan galloped from Asia to Meissen, Germany is that his nomadic horsemen packed the perfect lunch for those 4,000-mile commutes. Fermented food: Don’t leave the yurt without it.

Mongolian horsemen features in the culinary travel adventure of a writer on the trail of food origin stories. (Image by Erdenebayar/Pixabay)

From Mongolia to Germany to a Chicago hot dog, pickled cabbage has come a long way.
Photo by Erdenebayar/Pixabay

A Mystery that Takes the Cake

In 1963, when President Lyndon Johnson hosted a luncheon for German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard, the dessert chef served German chocolate cake. One wonders what Erhard thought of this three-layer confection of buttermilk, pecans, and not-exactly Teutonic coconut. No German bakery had ever produced one.

So why “German”?

In 1852, an English American chocolate mill worker named Samuel German developed a baking chocolate sweet enough to eat as a bar. Mr. German sold his recipe to Mr. Walter Baker of Baker’s Chocolate Company in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The resulting product, still on grocery shelves today, was Baker’s German’s Chocolate.

A mere 105 years later, a recipe for German’s Chocolate Cake appeared in The Dallas Morning News. According to National Public Radio, sales of Baker’s German’s chocolate “shot up 73 percent that year, 1957.” Somewhere along the way, folks forgot the apostrophe in German’s. Yes, they fudged the spelling and “German Chocolate” took the cake.

A vintage ad for Baker’s chocolate features in the culinary travel adventure of a writer on the trail of food origin stories. (Public domain image)

I like ads that emphasize the nutritional importance of eating chocolate.
Public domain photo

You Say Croissant, I Say Kipferl

So many foods associated with one place began in another that tracking them down becomes a culinary adventure.

The croissant, that iconic French bread, might never have happened without an Austrian entrepreneur. According to food historian Jim Chevallier, author of August Zang and the French Croissant, the word for croissant did not even exist in 1838. That’s when Zang launched the first Viennese bread bakery in Paris, at 92 Rue Richelieu.

Zang, whose breads included the crescent-shaped kipferl, filled his patented steam oven with moist hay to add “a lustrous sheen.” Customers took notice. So did French bakers. A trend was born.

A Danish features in the culinary travel adventure of a writer on the trail of food origin stories. (Image by Pxhere)

Surely the Danish came from Denmark. No, Austrian bakers invented that, too.
Photo by Pxhere

A Moveable Feast of Food Origins

In the annals of food history, one culture whets the appetite of others:

San Francisco launched “Italian soda.”
New York, not Nome, popularized Baked Alaska.
Dutch Baby has nothing to do with the Netherlands—ask Seattleites.
Indian-style vindaloo has ties to Portugal
Tijuana, Mexico is the birthplace of Caesar Salad.
And a Greek Canadian invented Hawaiian Pizza.

As for the pommes frites that preceded fries, they really are French, right? Belgian food historians say, “Au contraire!” Others credit Pedro Cieza, “teenage conquistador turned historian” of Spain. “Hold on!” say others, “It all began with the ancient Incas.”

Yes, the food on your plate is a gastronomical map of the world. Once you bring cultural awareness to the table, it’s all a culinary travel adventure.

A rice dish in Athens, Greece, and a bowl decorated with names of world cities featuresin the culinary travel adventure of a writer on the trail of food origin stories. (Image by Joyce McGreevy)

An Asian restaurant in Athens evokes the global migrations of culinary cultures.
© Joyce McGreevy

• Team Omaha or Team New York? To read more about origins of the Reuben, see the Blackstone story here and food critic Craig Claiborne’s nod to its New York origin story here.

• Get the skinny on a puffy bread. Order August Zang and the French Croissant here.

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Joyce McGreevy Comments

Cultural Encounters/The World's Chefs/Worldwide Sites

Mar

Respecting Cultural Traditions and Taboos

by Meredith Mullins on March 9, 2020

Travelers can learn much from the Buddhism of Myanmar
© Meredith Mullins

A Traveler’s View of the Buddhism of Myanmar

Not long ago, a crowd of tourists stood mid-street, jostling to claim the best photographic position as more than 1000 monks walked reverently in their procession for food and alms.

This exceptional experience takes place every morning at the Myanmar Mahagandayon Monastery, just south of Mandalay, as the monks prepare to receive their second (and final) meal of the day, which they must eat before noon. The maroon-robed devotees are humble. Their purpose pure.

Locals line the path, ready to give rice to the Mahagandayon monks.
© Meredith Mullins

This day, two obnoxiously serious (or seriously obnoxious?) photographers elbowed each other for the best position. The monks were forced to walk around them.

The photographic elbowing turned to shoving. The shoving turned into a fist fight.

The monks focus on their walk, attempting to ignore distractions.
© Meredith Mullins

Some of the monks broke ranks and tried to restore peace, but the visitors kept fighting. Finally, the police arrived.

The sacred moment had been shattered in the worst possible way. Common decency had been abandoned. A lesson in cultural taboos was there for all to see.

A local woman gives rice to young monks in a more natural moment of alms gathering
in Bagan, Myanmar. No throngs of tourists.
© Meredith Mullins

A Sacred Trust

Mahagandayon is the largest monastery and Buddhist education center in Myanmar. This solemn daily procession should be a moment of quiet reverence and introspection. Instead, it had become a nightmare of tourism (including people trying to take selfies with the monks).

Peaceful daily life at the Mahagandayon Monastery
© Meredith Mullins

After the “aggressive photographer” altercation, barricades were established at Mahagandayon so the monks could walk their path uninterrupted. Cameras were banned (although smart phones are allowed).

A solemn procession of monks and a barricaded crowd full of smart phones
(including mine I must admit).
© Meredith Mullins

The crowds still come in droves. They line the sidewalk and thrust their phones into the street. Some still use cameras although the posted signs are clear. The monks walk on.

This daily event—that now falls somewhere between a Disney parade and a zoo-like example of dehumanization—raises the question of how to show respect for a culture . . . and for the religious traditions of a country.

It also asks the question of why do the monasteries and temples continue to allow tourists.

The answers are complex.

Monasteries welcome visitors to show how meditation and study are an integral part of Buddhism.
© Meredith Mullins

In general, monasteries and temples welcome visitors. It’s part of the generous spirit of Buddhism.

The monks or nuns can offer a glimpse into the world of their religion so that there is a better understanding of the philosophies and practices. Also, the monasteries rely on donations from the lay community for their very survival.

Most of the people of Myanmar spend at least some time in a monastery—as a way to ensure a good education, to have food and shelter that might not be available to them due to economic circumstances, and to see if being a monk or nun is a good fit for their life path.

Monasteries offer education, food, shelter, and religious guidance to all who come.
© Meredith Mullins

The questions for travelers are these . . . How can we experience these kinds of special moments (with or without cameras)? How can we record the highlights for our visual memory, but be unobtrusive and respectful in doing so. And . . . is it really necessary to record every moment of a journey?

The way we answer these questions is at the heart of the travel experience.

The person-to-person purity of the Buddhist travel experience
© Meredith Mullins

The Honorable Traveler: Cultural Etiquette

When stepping into another culture as a visitor, good travel etiquette dictates knowing the rules and being as respectful as possible.

There is no shortage of signage reminding visitors of the rules of respect.
© Meredith Mullins

For Theravada Buddhism in Myanmar, here are some guidelines:

As with any religious place, whether a tourist attraction or not, common elements of respect prevail. Turn off mobile phones. Lower your voice. Don’t smoke or chew gum.

Experience the peace of the temples and monasteries in your own quiet way.
(Shwenandaw Monastery in Mandalay)
© Meredith Mullins

Wear appropriate clothing (cover bare arms and legs to at least the knees, remove hats). This may be challenging for visitors who dress to beat the heat; but, often the temples will provide special clothing for you so that you can meet these guidelines of modesty.

Take off your shoes before entering a temple, and, in Myanmar, your socks also.

Don’t disturb people in prayer or meditation in the temples.
Don’t touch, sit near, or climb on a Buddha statue or the platform it sits on. Don’t pose with a Buddha statue for a selfie.

Tempting as it may be, don’t pose with a statue of Buddha.
(One of the four gold buddha statues at the Ananda Temple in Bagan.)
© Meredith Mullins

Don’t sit with your feet pointed at a Buddha or a person. Feet are seen as the unholiest part of the body.
Don’t touch a monk or a monk’s robe.
Don’t point at things with your index finger.
Donate to the temple or monastery when possible. These donations help to augment the often meager operating budgets. Even a small amount will be appreciated.
Don’t buy Buddha statues just for decoration or as souvenirs. They should be objects of worship.

Don’t get a Buddha tattoo—disrespectful on so many levels. (There are examples of arrests in Myanmar of people who had visible Buddha tattoos, especially on the leg, since lower body parts are considered less clean.)
You don’t need to be Buddhist to pay respect to Buddha. It is polite to place your hands together in a praying position when passing Buddha.
Be thoughtful when making photographs. Ask permission of people when possible.
Follow the guidance of the head of a monastery or nunnery. The monks or novices should be treated with respect (especially if you’re photographing). Some of the novices are just children who want to have moments of play. But the work of education is serious, and should be shown as such.

Myanmar has laws against “insulting religion” or “hurting religious feelings.”

Beyond the Guidelines: “Oh, I See” Moments

A better way to experience the culture is to go to the less-traveled monasteries, schools, and temples.

Get permission of the head monk, guru, priest, or abbot/abbess; talk with the monks or nuns; make a connection; learn about the culture; and make a donation to help support their future. Become part of the natural rhythms.

On my recent visit to Myanmar, there were many memorable moments (and special photographs) at these nontourist destinations.

There are, of course, underlying political issues as well as past and recent historical events that run deeper than these simple rules of cultural etiquette. But, it is important to remember that Buddhism is at the center of the Myanmar/Burmese national identity.

Knowing the cultural traditions and taboos and showing respect is the responsibility of the honorable traveler and opens the door to deeper personal understanding, as well as memorable adventures.

Kyay Zuu Tin Par Tal (ကျေးဇူးတင်ပါတယ်), Myanmar.

Thank you to Hanuman Travel, a Cambodian based travel company, and to our extraordinary guide Sai Thant Zin Phyo. The trip was organized by Richard Murai and the nonprofit Center for Photographic Art.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 6 Comments

Cultural Do's & Taboos/Myanmar/Southeast Asia

Mar

Travels to the Past—Angkor, Cambodia

by Meredith Mullins on March 3, 2020

The Ta Prohm Temple, intentionally left in its natural state to show what explorers
found in the 19th century.
© Meredith Mullins

Lost Among the Ruins in One of the Most Amazing Places on Earth

Many years ago, I saw a photograph of a multi-rooted tree swallowing an ancient temple in one overgrown gulp.

For me, the siren’s call came through with haunting clarity. It was then and there—through a National Geographic image—that I knew I had to see these ruins, lost in the jungles of Cambodia. Even the name—Angkor Wat—exuded mystery.

Meredith Mullins 13 Comments

Asia/Cambodia/Travels to the Past

World Views:

Topics