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Overview
A birthday cake ... a holiday feast ... a wedding reception ... the Christian Communion rite -- all these are examples of food folklore. Sharing a meal does far more than simply provide nourishment for our physical bodies. Food acts like a sort of language, a language that is sometimes more powerful than any spoken or written words. Food Folklore will tell you more about food's deeper meanings, including the traditions behind: vegetables and fruits. meat from field and forest, sea and stream. bread and grains. flavorings and seasonings. food as a symbol of group identity. food as celebration. Across North America, many folk stories and traditions have grown up around food. This folklore is fascinating, fanciful, and sometime humorous. Food conveys many messages about our relationship to each other and to life's deepest meanings.Presents North American folk stories, customs, and songs that are connected to particular foods.
Synopsis
A birthday cake ... a holiday feast ... a wedding reception ... the Christian Communion rite -- all these are examples of food folklore. Sharing a meal does far more than simply provide nourishment for our physical bodies. Food acts like a sort of language, a language that is sometimes more powerful than any spoken or written words. Food Folklore will tell you more about food's deeper meanings, including the traditions behind: vegetables and fruits. meat from field and forest, sea and stream. bread and grains. flavorings and seasonings. food as a symbol of group identity. food as celebration. Across North America, many folk stories and traditions have grown up around food. This folklore is fascinating, fanciful, and sometime humorous. Food conveys many messages about our relationship to each other and to life's deepest meanings.
Phyllis Kennemer - Children's Literature
Based on the assumption that food expresses a vision of who we are, this book traces the customs and lore that influence what we eat and when. The introduction defines folklore and its ongoing value to all societies. Vegetables/fruits, meats, grains, and seasonings are discussed in individual chapters. The closing chapters give recognition to foods that are associated with specific cultural groups and to the celebration of Thanksgiving; a holiday devoted to eating. Examples of ways in which food is used for communication include sharing birthday cakes to say, "You are special" and foods used in religious ceremonies, such as Christian Communion and Hindu Prasadam. Folktales about foods are interspersed into the text along with the factual information about how foods are grown and produced. Numerous inserts throughout include boxes with background information, recipes, poems, songs, color photographs and line drawings. This format is sometimes confusing, interrupting the flow of the text. A table of contents and an index aid in finding specific information. A glossary and bibliography are also included. Part of the "North American Folklore" series. 2003, Mason Crest,
Editorials
Children's Literature
Based on the assumption that food expresses a vision of who we are, this book traces the customs and lore that influence what we eat and when. The introduction defines folklore and its ongoing value to all societies. Vegetables/fruits, meats, grains, and seasonings are discussed in individual chapters. The closing chapters give recognition to foods that are associated with specific cultural groups and to the celebration of Thanksgiving; a holiday devoted to eating. Examples of ways in which food is used for communication include sharing birthday cakes to say, "You are special" and foods used in religious ceremonies, such as Christian Communion and Hindu Prasadam. Folktales about foods are interspersed into the text along with the factual information about how foods are grown and produced. Numerous inserts throughout include boxes with background information, recipes, poems, songs, color photographs and line drawings. This format is sometimes confusing, interrupting the flow of the text. A table of contents and an index aid in finding specific information. A glossary and bibliography are also included. Part of the "North American Folklore" series. 2003, Mason Crest,— Phyllis Kennemer