Rice Thailand Native Foods

Rice Thailand Native Foods Introduction Despite the fact that food is a commodity consumed by all people in the world, different countries and people are associated with a specific type of food which is native to them. The native food types of any country or ethnic group make the larger part of their cuisine as part of cultural representations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rice: Thailand Native Foods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The specific food types therefore contribute to their culture and values in the society. However, there are regions that hold more to their cultures as compared to others. For example, most of the Asian nations still hold their cultural roots unlike their counterparts in Europe and America. This paper is therefore about the representative food(s) of an Asian nation known as Thailand. The Country’s food item Thailand is a country located in the south east of Asia. The common language spoken in Thailand is Thai hence making the Thai people. The country is endowed with many natural resources as well as agricultural products such as rice in which Thailand is the largest world exporter of rice (Cummings, 2000, p.211). Thus, rice is the staple food of the Thai people and especially the jasmine variety of rice which makes up the largest portion of the Thai cuisine. The Thai cuisine is known internationally because of the seasoning combination used. As a matter of fact, it is a blend of all the five key tastes namely spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet. The Thai cuisine is made up rice (Known as Khao in Thailand) that is served with other accompanying dishes made of sauces, salads and curries among others (Kahrs, 2000, p. 76). Its role, image and use Social occasions in Thailand are not complete without the Thai cuisine. As a matter of fact, food in Thailand can be a reason to hold celebrations, something that is very unusual in other nations. Apart from rice forming part of every meal in Thailand, it plays a great role in earning foreign income to the country. This is because, it exports rice to the world market and because of its high quality it has high demand in the market thus fetching much income (Schmidt, 2005, p.1). Rice has on the other hand created an image of Thailand globally. Thailand is among the first nations that people think of when you mention rice.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More History of rice in Thailand For a long period of time rice has formed the heart of every meal in Thailand. Rice is said to have its origin in the Asian arc, from where it spread to other continents. However, the Thailand people have their own history with regard to the origin of rice. They claim that Lord Vishnu is the one who gave birth to rice thereafter the people were taught how to raise the rice by a God called Indra (Huke and Huke, 1990, p.1). It is be cause of this that the growth of rice in Thailand is considered as a holistic activity despite its economic and health benefits. Social and cultural roles of the Rice in Thailand Rice plays a big role in terms of social and cultural functions among the Thai people. It is the main food consumed during their social occasions and gatherings. As mentioned above, the practice of growing rice in Thailand is not only for health and economic benefits but it is also a cultural practice. It is the food that is used in shrines to give to the Thai gods. Studies done have also indicated that the spirit of rice is usually attached to the rice fields hence making rice a holistic commodity in Thailand. It is because of this that throwing away rice in Thailand is a taboo, which if gone against may lead to bad omen to the land. Religious uses The native food of Thailand has religious uses in that there is the ‘god of rice’ who gets very annoyed whenever rice is thrown away. The god of ri ce may cause bad luck or even phenomena such as famine whenever he is angry. It is therefore a taboo to throw away food and especially rice in Thailand. Because of this, most of the restaurants in Thailand have employed a deity who keeps watch as people eat to ensure that no food with rice is thrown away. In addition to this, since most people in Thai are Buddhists, they make food offerings in the temple which comprises of rice to feed the spirits. Conclusion From the above discussion it can be clearly seen that rice plays a great role among the people of Thailand as their staple or native food. This importance ranges from economic, food, social and cultural benefits. It has also been seen that rice is the forms the heart of the Thai cuisine (Schmidt, 2005, p.1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rice: Thailand Native Foods specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, due to relations with their neighbouring countries, t he Thailand cuisine has had variations as compared to the traditional cuisine. This is because of the cultural influences from those countries. Nevertheless, the influences have not had much effect because the Thai cuisine is still internationally famous for its unique taste. Reference List Cummings, J. (2000). World Food Thailand. Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications Huke, R. and Huke, H. (1990). A Brief History of Rice. Web. Kahrs, K. (2003). Thai Cooking. Dallas: Hackberry Press. Schmidt, D. (2005). Thai Food and Culture. Retrieved from https://www.thespruceeats.com/thai-food-and-culture-3217393

Islands in the Stream (c1951) by Ernest Hemingway

Islands in the Stream (c1951) by Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream (c1951, 1970) was published posthumously and was expurgated by Hemingway’s wife.  A note in the preface states that she removed certain portions of the book which she felt certain that Hemingway would have eliminated himself (which begs the question: Why did he include them in the first place?).  That aside, the story is interesting and is much like his later works, such as (1946-61, 1986).   Originally envisioned as a trilogy of three separate novels, the work was published as a single book separated into three parts, including â€Å"Bimini,† â€Å"Cuba,† and â€Å"At Sea.†Ã‚   Each segment explores a different time period in the main character’s life and also explores different aspects of his life and emotions.  There is one connecting thread throughout the three segments, which is family.   In the first section, â€Å"Bimini,† the main character is visited by his sons and lives with a close male friend.  Their relationship is incredibly interesting, especially considering the homosocial nature of it in contrast to the homophobic comments made by some of the characters. The idea of â€Å"manly love† is certainly a main focus in part one, but this gives way in the second two segments, which are more concerned with themes of grief/recovery and war. Thomas Hudson, the main character, and his good friend, Roger, are the best developed characters in the book, particularly in part one.  Hudson continues to develop throughout and his character is interesting to witness as he struggles to grieve the loss of his loved ones.  Hudson’s sons, too, are delightful. In part two, â€Å"Cuba,† Hudson’s true love becomes a part of the story and she, too, is interesting and very similar to the woman in Garden of Eden. There is much evidence to suggest that these two posthumous works might be his most autobiographical. The minor characters, such as the bartenders, Hudson’s houseboys, and his comrades-in-arms in part three are all well-crafted and believable.   One difference between Islands in the Stream and Hemingway’s other works is in its prose. It is still raw, but not quite so sparse as usual.  His descriptions are more flushed out, even somewhat tortured at times.  There is a moment in the book where Hudson is fishing with his sons, and it is described in such detail (similar to the style in Old Man and the Sea (1952), which was originally conceived as part of this trilogy) and with such deep emotion that a relatively lackadaisical sport like fishing becomes thrilling. There is a kind of magic Hemingway works with his words, his language, and his style. Hemingway is known for his â€Å"masculine† prose – his ability to tell a story without much emotion, without much sap, without any â€Å"flowery nonsense.† This leaves him, throughout most of his chronology, rather walled-off from his works.  In Islands in the Stream, however, as with Garden of Eden, we see Hemingway exposed. There is a sensitive, deeply troubled side to this man and the fact that these books were published only posthumously speaks volumes to his relationship with them.   Islands in the Stream is a delicate exploration of love, loss, family and friendship.   It is a deeply moving tale of a man, an artist, fighting to wake up and live every day, despite his haunting sadness.   Notable Quotes: Out of all the things you could not have there were some that you could have and one of those was to know when you were happy and to enjoy all of it while it was there and it was good (99).   He thought that on the ship he could come to some terms with his sorrow, not knowing, yet, that there are no terms to be made with sorrow.   It can be cured by death and it can be blunted or anesthetized by various things. Time is supposed to cure it, too. But if it is cured by anything less than death, the chances are that it was not true sorrow (195). Theres some wonderful crazies out there. Youll like them (269).