Friday, September 17, 2010

Concern of food


            When I first came to USA and saw the food American people eat, I noticed that Kazakh and American foods are very different. Food in Kazakhstan includes a variety of breads, soups and smoked horsemeat sausage that is popular from long years. Meat is traditionally the most important component of Kazakhstani cuisine and meat dishes are prepared using lamb, mutton or beef with savory seasonings and vegetables. However, as I noticed, in USA the most people prefer to eat fast food such that hamburger chips, sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs. Also, in USA there are a lot of people who eat at their cars, or on the way to work, but in Kazakhstan most people eat at home with their family or in the restaurant.
            Kazakh people pay a lot of attention to meal they eat and there are a lot of sayings, which proves this. Sayings “One can be senior in age, but nobody senior of food” and “Food is man’s support” are clear examples to this. Also, we try to use fresh and nutritious food and usually avoid eating fast foods. For example, drinking made from fermented camel’s milk, known as “Shubat”, is fat and nutritious and often served as medicine.  “Kumis” which is respected beverage among Kazakh; also considered useful for health.  And it processed in either of wood or leather dish, so it has pleasant aroma.
              Also, we show our respect to quests by cooking our special traditional food, which is mainly, consists of cooked meal, called “Beshbarmak”. This name translates as  “five fingers” and this delicious is eats using our fingers. Boiled meat is served in large uncut pieces. The host cutes the meat himself and treat every guest: pelvic bones and shank for honorable old people, brisket for son-in-law or daughter-in-law, neck-bone for girls and so on. The most honorable guest received particular method cooked head of the ram.  

2 comments:

  1. I agree with you. When I came here first, I was in my father's friend's house. In there, his wife and mother-in-law made Korean food; I ate Korean food in there. However, as I moved in here and don't live with them anymore, there's no Korean food. Haha. When I lived with Korean friend, usually I made some dishes with her. On the other hand, since I am living with American,I've never cook in my current house. So I sometimes miss Korean food. Also, I try to go Korean restaurant because food can cure my homesick a little bit. I think you can get horse meet in some markets. Try to find them and enjoy your own traditional dished. I hope you can do that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Food is very much more than just sustenance.It has so many associations in our lives.
    I'm glad, by the way, that the blog addresses turned out OK. Beatrice

    ReplyDelete