Food and culture 7th edition sucher solutions manual 1 by kyle.weems521

Food and Culture 7th Edition by Sucher

Kittler Nelms ISBN 1305628055

9781305628052

Download solution manual at:

https://testbankpack.com/p/solution-manual-for-food-and-culture7th-edition-by-sucher-kittler-nelms-isbn-13056280559781305628052/

Download full test bank at :

https://testbankpack.com/p/test-bank-for-food-and-culture-7thedition-by-sucher-kittler-nelms-isbn-13056280559781305628052/

Instructor’s Manual for Food and Culture 7e

Chapter 7: Central Europeans, People of the Former Soviet Union, and Scandinavians

Learning Objectives

1. List the countries that are included as parts of Central Europe, the former Soviet Union (FSU), and Scandinavia.

2. Discuss the immigration patterns, historical socioeconomic influences, and current locations of these European, FSU, and Scandinavian groups in America today.

3. Describe the typical religions, family structures, and traditional health beliefs and practices of these groups before and after immigration to the United States.

4. Discuss the differences and similarities among staple foods and preparation techniques within and across these countries.

5. Identify key foods for each of the food groups for these regions and how these foods have been adapted by immigrants in the U.S.

6. Describe the traditional meal composition and cycles and compare these to the meal composition and cycles of these groups living in America today.

7. Describe regional specialties and dishes these immigrants have contributed to the current American diet.

8. Identify health concerns and counseling strategies associated with nutritional intake of these groups.

© 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website for classroom use.

Chapter Summary

Central Europe and the FSU

The European settlers from central Europe, the former Soviet Union (FSU), and Scandinavia were some of the earliest and largest groups to come to the U.S. This chapter focuses on the traditional and adapted foods and food habits of Germans, Poles, and other central European groups; Russians and other FSU populations; and Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians. Immigration continues from these countries to the U.S. and their influence on its cuisine continues as well. Bread baking, dairy farming, meat processing, and beer brewing are food methods brought to America.

Central Europe includes the area from the North and Baltic seas, south to the Alps, and east to the Baltic States. The countries reviewed include Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. The climate of central Europe is harsh and cold but the land is fertile.

FSU includes the Commonwealth of Independent States or CIS. Countries include the Russian Federation, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldavia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan and the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). This region stretches from China and the Pacific Ocean, and includes the Arctic and parts of the Middle East. The harsh winters affect agricultural capacity.

Central European foods have become common in the American diet. Germans form the largest group of immigrants in the U.S. and yet is one of the least visible. Immigration patterns are reviewed. Polish immigrants have arrived in several waves over the last two centuries. Poles have come from Russia, Germany, and Austria. Other central Europeans reviewed include the Austrians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks and, Swiss. Gypsy immigrants to the U.S. came from various countries but remain a cohesive ethnic group.

Russians came to the West Coast and Alaska as fur traders while later Russian immigrants settled on the East Coast. Immigrants from the countries of FSU followed the political upheavals of the USSR. Ukraine, Lithuania, and Armenia provided the largest immigrant populations from the FSU.

Currently in the U.S., Germans as a group are highly acculturated. The Pennsylvania Dutch and a few other German descendants have concentrated communities. Poles are one of the largest ethnic groups in the U.S. Poles still live a middle-class lifestyle, mainly in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Hungarian Americans, Czech descendants, Slovaks, and the Swiss immigrants have all acculturated over the generations and have assimilated into the U.S. culture.

Though it is estimated that approximately 1 million Gypsies (Romas) live in the United States, their exact numbers are unknown, as they have retained their tradition of roving, and they are a very mobile population

Russian Americans mainly live in suburbs and attain higher educational levels and professional careers. Immigrants from the FSU are from Russia, the Ukraine, and various other FSU nations.

Germans are mainly Lutherans with a minority of Jews and Roman Catholics. Rural Germans from Germany still adhere to the Mennonite religion. The Amish, a sect of the Mennonites, follow the Bible literally. The Poles are mainly Roman Catholics, as are many Austrians, Slovaks, and Ukrainians. Gypsies follow their traditional spirituality, romaniya

The traditional family structure in the U.S. is related to the European groups. Gypsies maintain extended families, and multifamily groups called kumpanias continue today. Russian families were large traditionally but in the U.S. the Russian family structure is smaller than the average American family.

German Americans’ health beliefs include the belief that illness is due to personal health behaviors. The Pennsylvania Dutch use traditional folk practices and believe in a strong religious foundation for healing practices. Polish Americans also have religious and faith-based attitudes towards healing. Gypsies believe in a system of purity and pollution, marimé, which may be related to Asian Indian beliefs. Russia and the FSU nations have healing practices that are an integration of the biomedical therapies and traditional cures such as herbal teas.

Regional variations in central European and FSU cuisine are minor. The often cold, damp climate limited foods that could be grown. Foods commonly include potatoes, beans, cabbage, beets, eggs, dairy products, pork, beef, fish, apples, rye, wheat, and barley. Foods were often dried, pickled, or fermented for preservation. Bread is a staple with over 100 varieties. Armenia is the exception. Greeks, Turks, Persians, Syrians, and other Arabs have influenced Armenian cuisine, making it more similar to that of the Middle East.

People of central Europe typically ate 4-6 large meals per day. The poor had fewer meals which were typically meatless. Lunch is the main meal. Central Europeans are more formal than Americans.

The majority of central European holidays have a religious significance. Christmas and Easter are celebrated and many of the traditions seen in the U.S. were brought by central European immigrants. Examples include the Easter egg hunt and the Christmas tree. In Russia, Easter is the most important of the holidays.

Germans use soups and teas for many common ailments. Other therapeutic food uses include avoidance of cold beverages by the Pennsylvania Dutch, and the use by Polish Americans of sauerkraut for colic. Gypsies believe fresh foods are nourishing and leftovers are avoided. Russians consider full, hearty meals necessary for good health.

The central European and Russian diet is not significantly different from American fare.

Meats in the diet have increased for most central European immigrants to the U.S. The meal cycles of recent immigrants from Russia and FSU countries were studied and it was found that traditional foods are being prepared with more fruits and vegetables found here in the U.S. Special occasions are times when more traditional meals and traditional ingredients are eaten. Recent immigrants from Russia and the FSU were seen to consume a diet high in saturated fats, sodium, and sugar. Gypsies have high rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and vascular disease.

In counseling, communication difficulties may occur with recent or older central European or Russian immigrants. Strategies are reviewed for effective counseling. Acculturated immigrants have communication styles typical of dominant American culture.

Scandinavians

The Scandinavian countries include Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. These countries are located north of the Baltic and North Seas. The warmer southern areas have the larger populations.

Norwegians and Swedes homesteaded in the Midwestern states, especially Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin. There are more than 10 million Americans are of Scandinavian descent. Scandinavians assimilated rapidly into American society. The majority of immigrants from Scandinavia were Lutheran.

Large nuclear families with strong family ties were typical. Family size decreased with increasing acculturation. For Scandinavians, the sauna is used therapeutically, fish is eaten for good health, and the Finns believe in natural health care. The Swedes are known for therapeutic massage.

Most Scandinavian cooking and food processing methods reflect preservation methods of previous centuries. Fish and shellfish are the hallmark of the Scandinavian diet. Fish was traditionally dried, smoked, or pickled. Milk was often fermented and many specialty cheeses are eaten.

Bread is often prepared from rye flour. These may be hard, cracker-like breads.

Three meals a day plus a coffee break are typical. A smörgåsbord is a large variety of hot and cold dishes arrayed on a table, and each diner selects his or her choices. The biggest, richest, most lavish meal of the year is eaten on Christmas Eve.

The diet of Scandinavians is typical of the American majority, including three meals a day and inclusion of many dairy and animal protein dishes. Scandinavian Americans may be at increased risk of developing heart disease. Communication styles include control of emotions, use of comfortable silence, and avoidance of unnecessary discussion of illness.

Chapter Outline

I. Central Europeans and People of the FSU

A. Introduction

1. Central Europe, as reviewed in this text, includes the area from the North and Baltic seas, south to the Alps, and east to the Baltic States.

a. Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland as well as Switzerland and Liechtenstein

(1) Climate of central Europe is harsh and cold

(2) Much of the land is fertile

b. FSU includes the Commonwealth of Independent States or CIS

c. Russian Federation, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldavia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan and the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania)

(1) This region stretches from China and the Pacific Ocean up through the Arctic and to parts of the Middle East.

(2) Harsh winters affect agricultural capacity

d. Central European foods have become common in the American diet

B. Cultural Perspective

1. History of Central Europeans and Russians in the United States

a. Immigration Patterns

(1) Germans

(a) For almost three centuries, Germans have been one of the most significant elements in the U.S.; one in every six Americans is of German descent.

(b) Earliest German settlement was in Pennsylvania in 1681.

(d) Called the Pennsylvania Dutch

(e) German immigrants arrived throughout 1800s and 1900s. New immigrants often joined previous generations now living in large urban areas in the Northeast and Midwest.

(f) 1930s saw German Jews as immigrants

(g) In 1917, World War I, period of discrimination against Germans

(2) Poles

(a) Largest wave of Polish immigrants was between 1860 and 1914

(b) Polish immigrants from this phase settled in German and Czech communities

(c) 2 million Poles from areas of Russia and Austria arrived as temporary workers but many stayed and settled, especially in the developing cities of the middle Atlantic and Midwestern states

(d) Later, through the 1900s, immigrants settled in urban areas

(3) Other Central Europeans

(a) Austrians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and Swiss settled in U.S. in 1800s and 1900s

(b) Austrians and Hungarians were counted together in U.S. immigration records until 1910

(d) Austrian immigrants around 1900 often settled in the Northwest and Midwest, with many young men arriving to work in coal mines. After 1950 new arrivals tended to settle in Hungarian communities

(e) Czech immigrants initially tended to be farmers settling near Germans; Later Czech immigrants were skilled laborers and settled in urban areas of New York, Cleveland, and Chicago

(f) Slovak immigrants were your male agricultural workers who arrived before World War II

(g) Immigrants from Switzerland came to the U.S. for economic opportunities

(h) Gypsy immigrants to the U.S. come from various countries and speak various dialects

(4) Russians and People of the FSU

(a) Russians came to the West Coast and Alaska as fur traders and established forts. After the sale of Alaska to the U.S., many Russians moved to California

(b) Later Russian immigrants settled on the East Coast

(c) Several major waves of Russian immigration occur: In the 1880s, after 1917 Russian Revolution, and again in 1990 after the break-up of Soviet Union

(d) Many Russian immigrants settled in urban northeast areas of the U.S. Many arrived in New York City

(e) Ukraine, Lithuania, and Armenia provided largest immigrant populations from FSU

(f) Many Ukrainians worked in the Pennsylvania mines and settled there.

(g) Armenian immigration waves were in 1890, between the world wars, and in the 1980s.

b. Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status

(1) Germans

(a) More than 47 million Americans of German heritage according to 2010 census data

(b) As a group they are highly acculturated and have higher economic achievement levels.

(2) Poles

(a) One of the larger ethnic groups (9 million in 2011), Poles still live a middle-class lifestyle, mainly in the Northeast and upper Midwest

(b) Many have been involved in the formation and leadership of U.S. labor unions

(3) Other Central Europeans

(a) Austrian descendants are often counted as Germans but census data indicate that there may as many as 4 million Americans of Austrian descent

(b) Hungarian Americans are highly acculturated, and working in white-collar jobs

(d) Slovaks often work in white-collar jobs, have higher education levels, and enjoy strong cultural ties

(e) Most Swiss immigrants were multilingual and multicultural when they arrived and are easily assimilated into the U.S. culture

(f) Gypsies retained their tradition of roving; approximately 1 million Gypsies live in the US

(4) Russians and People of the FSU

(a) 3 million Russian Americans live in the US as of 2010, many living in suburbs, attaining higher educational levels and professional careers.

(b) Between 1971 and 1991, many Russian Jews arrived in U.S.

(d) During the 1950s, many Russian Americans quickly acculturated due to the tense political relations between the USSR and America

2. Worldview

a. Religion

(1) Germans

(a) Major religious affiliation is Lutheran with a minority of Jewish and Roman Catholics

(b) Rural Germans from Germany still adhere to the Mennonite religion

(2) Poles

(a) Many are Roman Catholics

(b) Many established parish churches

(3) Central Europeans

(a) Austrians, Slovaks, Ukrainians often are Roman Catholics

(b) Some ethnic parishes established

(4) Russians and People of the FSU

(a) Except for the Soviet Jews, the Russian Orthodox Church plays a central role in the Russian communities

(b) Most Armenians are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church

b. Family

(1) Germans

(a) Large families were the traditional family structure. Children often worked in the family business

(b) Pennsylvania Dutch, particularly the Amish, have large families

(2) Poles

(a) Traditional families were patriarchal with father providing financial support

(b) The wives and children seldom worked outside the house

(3) Other Central Europeans

(a) Traditional Czech and Hungarian families have church activities, fraternal societies, and political organizations that serve as an extended family

(b) Slovaks maintain strong family ties

(4) Russians

(a) Russian families were large traditionally but in the U.S. the Russian family structure is smaller than the average American family

(b) Armenian families are often tight knit, passing traditional customs down to the next generation

c. Traditional Health Beliefs and Practices

(1) German Americans use botanical remedies extensively. Health beliefs include the concept that illness is due to personal health behaviors, including stress and doing hard work

(2) The Pennsylvania Dutch use traditional folk practices and believe in a strong religious foundation to healing practices

(3) Polish Americans have religious and faith-based attitudes towards healing

(4) Gypsies believe in a system of purity and pollution, marimé, which may be related to Asian Indian beliefs. Illness may be due to contact with non-gypsies and also due to supernatural causes. Home remedies and gypsy healers are used

(5) Russia and the FSU nations have healing practices that are an integration of the biomedical therapies and traditional cures such as herbal teas. Supernatural causes may be associated with illness and magical cures may be used

(6) In Siberia, shamans may be used to treat health problems

C. Traditional Food Habits

1. Ingredients and Common Foods: Staples and Regional Variations

a. Regional variations in central European and FSU cuisine are minor. The often cold, damp climate limited foods that could be grown. Armenia is the exception; Armenian cuisine is more like that of the Middle East.

b. Common ingredients:

(1) Potatoes, beans, cabbage, beets, eggs, dairy products, pork, beef, fish, apples, rye, wheat, and barley

(2) Foods were often dried, pickled, or fermented for preservation.

c. Grain-based dishes

(1) Bread, often made with rye flour and other grains, is a staple item; over 100 varieties exist.

(2) Dumplings are one food in common among Germany, Russia, and Czechoslovakia Dumplings might be stuffed with a variety of meats and vegetables.

d. Meats and seafood

(1) Pork, smoked hams (with regional variations), beef dishes, poultry

(2) Traditionally, meat was scarce and expensive; therefore, many recipes include ways to stretch the meat by including breadcrumbs, grinding the meats, chopped meat dishes, stews

(3) Sausages are an important meat product with specific sausage types produced in each country

(4) Fresh- and saltwater fish and seafood are eaten fresh, smoked, or cured. Caviar is eaten.

e. Dairy Cheese, fresh milk, butter, sour cream, fresh cream are all common ingredients

f. Sweets and desserts

(1) Bakery products include regional specialties associated with countries.

(2) Austrian strudel, German Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cake), Russian kisel

g. Beverages

(1) In central Europe coffee is common

(2) Strong tea is drunk in Russia. Vodka is a popular alcohol

(3) Beer is popular in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia

(4) In Russian and other FSU nations a sour beer called kvass is popular

h. Table 7.1 Cultural Food Groups: Central European and Russian/FSU – Includes comments on the regional variations of each food group and how these have been adapted in the U.S.

2. Exploring Global Cuisine: Armenia – Cuisine has been influenced by Greeks, Turks, Persians, Syrians, and other Arabs (Muslim influence)

a. Staple foods include lamb, yogurt, and breads such as pita

b. Many fruits and vegetables common to warm areas

3 Meal Composition and Cycle

a. Daily Patterns

(1) Central Europe – In the past, five or six meals a day would have been eaten by the rich, while the poor often had meatless meals

(a) Germans usually ate a small breakfast, a small midmorning meal, a lunch that was the main meal of the day, a coffee break, and a light evening meal

(2) Russia and the FSU – Traditionally the rich ate four meals a day and the poor ate less. Today, three hearty meals a day are typical and lunch is the largest meal of the day

(a) Zakuski, meaning “small bites,” is still a part of Russian dinners today. These are an array of small appetizers eaten before the meal

b. Etiquette – Central Europeans are more formal than Americans

c. Special Occasions – The majority of central European holidays have a religious significance. Christmas and Easter are celebrated and many of these traditions are seen in the U.S. Examples include the Easter egg hunt and the Christmas tree

(1) Germany – Oktoberfest is a popular, annual festival the lasts for 16 days in the fall Christmas Eve and Christmas day have traditional foods associated with them. Easter egg hunts on Easter Sunday originated here

(2) Poland – Christmas and Easter are celebrated. On Easter babka, a rich yeast cake, is eaten

(3) Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia – all celebrate Christmas, Advent, Lent, and Easter and specific foods are traditionally served

(a) At Christmas Czechs eat carp four different ways

(b) Slovaks break the Advent fast on Christmas Eve by eating oplatky, a small waferlike Communion bread spread with honey. A traditional Easter dessert is paska

(4) Russia and the FSU – Easter is the most important of the holidays and desserts include pascha. The Butter Festival precedes Lent

d. Therapeutic Uses of Foods

(1) Germans use soups and teas for many common ailments. Other therapeutic food uses include avoidance of cold beverages by the Pennsylvania Dutch and Polish Americans using sauerkraut for colic

(2) Gypsies believe fresh foods are nourishing and leftovers are avoided. Certain lucky foods need to be included in the diet for health

(3) Russians consider butter good for eyesight. Full, hearty meals are needed for good health

D. Contemporary Food Habits in the U.S.

1. Adaptations of Food Habits

a. Ingredients and Common Foods

(1) The central European and Russian diet is not significantly different from American fare

(2) Meats in the diet have increased for most central European immigrants

(3) German Americans of eastern Pennsylvania eat many traditional dishes

(4) Many American dishes have German names and history

b. Meal Composition and Cycle

(1) Central European, Russian, and FSU Americans tend to eat meals similar to traditional American meals

(2) More dairy products are eaten

(3) Little dietary acculturation was found in a study of recent immigrants from Russia and other FSU countries

(4) Special occasions are associated with more traditional meals and traditional ingredients are eaten

2. Nutritional Status

a. Nutritional Intake

(1) There has been very little research specifically focused on the nutritional intake of the central Europeans after acculturation

(2) Recent European-wide studies show the diets of central Europeans are among the highest in animal products, potatoes, sweets, and refined or processed items in Europe

(3) Recent immigrants from Russian and FSU nations may suffer some nutritional deficiencies due to inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables

(4) A study of recent immigrant Russian mothers found strong support for breastfeeding

(5) Heavy alcohol use has been reported in Russia, certain FSU nations, and Poland

(4) Gypsies have high rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and vascular disease

b. Counseling

(1) Communication difficulties may occur with recent or older central European or Russian immigrants

(2) Acculturated immigrants have communication styles typical of dominant American culture

(3) Germans expect good manners and formal relationships

(4) Poles tend to speak quietly

(5) Self-reliance in health care is assumed

(6) Gypsies assume weight gain is a measure of stature and wealth

(7) Russians expect formality

II. Scandinavians

A. Cultural Perspective

1. Introduction

a. The Scandinavian countries include Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.

b. These countries are located north of the Baltic and North Seas. The warmer southern areas have the larger populations.

2. History of the Scandinavians in the U.S.

a. Immigration Patterns

(1) The majority of Scandinavian immigrants arrived to the U.S. in the 1800s, peak years of Scandinavian immigration were between 1820 and 1930

(2) Norwegians and Swedes homesteaded in the Midwestern states, especially Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin

(3) The Danes developed 24 rural communities between 1886 and 1935 in which properties were only sold to other Danes

(4) Second and third generation Finns are highly acculturated

b. Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status

(1) According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are approximately 1.4 million Danes, 4.1million Swedes, 4.5 million Norwegians, and 650,000 Finns and their descendants now living in the United States

(2) Scandinavians assimilated rapidly into American society

(3) Most descendants are white-collar workers and professionals with some Norwegians and Swedes still farming in the Midwest

3. Worldview

a. Religion – Majority of immigrants from Scandinavia were Lutheran

b. Family

(1) Large, nuclear families with strong family ties were typical

(2) Family size decreased with increasing acculturation

c. Traditional Health Beliefs and Practices

(1) Although information is limited, the sauna is used therapeutically

(2) Fish is eaten for good health

(3) Finns believe in natural health care

(4) Swedes practice therapeutic massage

B. Traditional Food Habits

1. Most Scandinavian cooking and food processing reflects preservation methods of previous centuries. Fish was dried, smoked, or pickled. Milk was often fermented

2. Ingredients and Common Foods: Staples and Regional Variations

a. Fish and shellfish are the hallmark of the Scandinavian diet

b. Lutefisk is a dish made of dried salt cod that has been soaked in a lye solution before boiling. This dish is still eaten in some rural areas

c. Fermented dairy products such as sour cream, cheese, and buttermilk are common and many specialty cheeses are eaten

d. Meats were often prepared with vegetables or breadcrumbs added to stretch the meat. This is the origin of Swedish meatballs

e. Bread is often prepared from rye flour. These may be hard, cracker-like breads

f. Desserts are often rich but not overly sweet

g. Beverages include aquavit and beer

h. Table 7.2 Cultural Food Groups: Scandinavians – Food groups and specific comments regarding foods for each country are included

3. Meal Composition and Cycle

a. Daily Patterns

(1) Three meals a day plus a coffee break are typical

(2) A smörgåsbord is a large variety of hot and cold dishes arrayed on a table, where each diner makes individual selections

b. Etiquette

(1) As with many other Europeans, the fork remains in the left hand, and the knife remains in the right one

(2) When not eating, keep your hands above the table with the wrists resting on the edge

c. Special Occasions – The biggest, richest, most lavish meal of the year is eaten on Christmas Eve. Traditional foods include a rice porridge dish, lutefisk, and many traditional Christmas cookies.

C. Contemporary Food Habits in the U.S.

1. Adaptations of Food Habits – The diet of Scandinavians is typical of the American majority, including three meals a day and many dairy and protein dishes. Traditional dishes are eaten at holidays

2. Nutritional Status

a. Nutritional Intake – Scandinavian Americans may be at increased risk of developing heart disease

b. Counseling – Communication styles include control of emotions, silence (which is comfortable), and avoidance of unnecessary discussion of illness

Answer Key for Textbook Review Questions

1. The Germans traditionally believed that sickness was caused by infection or stress. Health is maintained by dressing properly, staying away from drafts, taking cod liver oil, and doing hard work. Home remedies such as chicken soup commonly treat illness. Charms, spells, and blessings are used as healing methods to cure disease.

Russians are also afraid of drafts or cold and believe that staying warm is the way to avoid illness. In addition, full, hearty meals are considered important to staying healthy. Certain foods are considered to provide health benefits: butter for eyesight, honey for flatulence, gogomul for respiratory infections. Vodka has been used as a traditional remedy for many illnesses including the common cold.

Knowledge of traditional Scandinavian beliefs and health practices is limited. We know that they focused on eating fish for good health and natural health care including use of a sauna to cure respiratory and circulatory problems.

2. Common staples were those foods that could be grown in the cold climate. These included potatoes, beans, cabbage, beets, and many varieties of bread from rye, wheat, and barley. Common ingredients also included dairy products, eggs, pork, beef, fish, and seafood. Foods were preserved by drying, pickling, and fermentation.

3. Prepared Foods:

Germany: sauerkraut, black forest cake

Poland: kielbasa, pierogi

FSU: borscht , chicken Kiev

Norway: smoked salmon, marzipan

Austria: Wiener schnitzel, Sacher tort, apple strudel

Three sausages from Germany or Poland: Teewurst – raw, spiced pork sausage spreadable like pate, Knockwurst – smoked or cooked and sold like a cold cut, kielbasa – garlic-flavored pork sausage from Poland

Four American foods descended from Eastern European Countries: bagels, hot dog, beef stroganoff, goulash

4. Zakuski are hors d’oeuvres served as small plates that are part of the evening meal. There may be only one or two small plates served or there may be many. These small plates may be simple, such as cucumbers in sour cream or small open-faced sandwiches, or more extravagant, such as caviar. Other foods that might be included would be marinated or pickled vegetables, ham, salami, eggs, or hot meat dishes. Smorgasbord is a lunch or supper buffet with as many as 20 or 30 hot and cold dishes and may include dessert. Traditional cold foods include smoked and pickled fish such as herring, salmon, and eel, cold meats, cheeses, and salads. Hot foods include hot meats such as ham and meatballs.

5. Central Europe

Germany: Stollen – a fruit cake served on Christmas, pfeffernusse, lebjuchen

Poland: Babka – a rich yeast cake served on Easter or makowiec – a Christmas cake shaped like a jelly roll and filled with black poppy seeds, honey, raisins, and almonds

Slovakia: Babalky – pieces of bread sliced, scalded, and rolled in ground poppy seeds, sugar, or honey served on Christmas

FSU: Kulich – a cake made from sweet yeast dough baked in a tall, cylindrical mold served on Easter

Scandinavia: Norway: cookies and cakes including gingerbread, sarina kakor, and rosettes

6. The Gypsies, also known as Roma, are an ethnic group found throughout the world. They are a very mobile population. The Gypsies derive their spirituality from the Asian Indian religions, such as Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. The Gypsies’ world view is romaniya. They believe that persons and things are either pure or polluted and purity is preserved by forbidding contact with non-Gypsies. Public places where non-Gypsies go may be are avoided. This view influences their unique health beliefs as well. Health is maintained through marimé, a system of purity and pollution. The upper half of the body is considered pure; the lower half is dirty and shameful. Illnesses are either a) Gypsy illnesses, which are caused by spirits, ghosts, the devil, or breaking cultural rules, and are treated by home remedies or Gypsy healers; or b) non-Gypsy illnesses, which arise from contact with nonGypsies and may be treated by a non-Gypsy physician. Health is maintained by weight gain; weight loss implies an illness. Food is meant to be shared in Gypsy culture and banning a person from sharing a meal is a form of punishment. Food prepared by non-Gypsies is considered impure.

Discussion Questions

1. The geopolitical country borders change over time. The countries that are grouped under the “Central European” area of this text include those previously known as Eastern Europe—a term used to describe East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary. The borders of Austria and Poland have changed over time. When the Soviet Union was dissolved, many countries with very different food cultures were independent.

Today, throughout these countries there are new patterns of immigration. For example, in Germany they are currently struggling to assimilate a large number of Muslims from the Middle East. Are new cuisines being developed as we speak? How will German food be defined or interpreted by these new immigrants? In the U.S. we have experienced waves of immigration from the beginning of this country. How is a country like Germany’s assimilation of new immigrants different from America’s integration of new immigrants?

2. The Amish and Mennonites are referred to as the “Plain People.” They till the soil and shun worldly vanities such as electricity and automobiles. Increasing rates of obesity in the U.S. are being blamed on the modern world of plentiful, tasty, processed foods and a general lack of physical activity.

Are the rates of obesity different in the Amish children than they are in other children of these areas of Pennsylvania? What about the adults? How would someone go about studying this question? What measures of diet and exercise might be used?

Points to Consider

1. Armenia has a mélange of cuisines influenced by a succession of conquerors from Rome to Russia and geographical proximity to many nations, including many Muslim nations. The Armenian cuisine includes dishes such as hummus, tabouli, kebabs, meatballs, meat turnovers, stuffed vegetables, pilaf made with bulgur, and a type of Armenian pizza. Armenia has one of the oldest cultures in the world. But the Armenians have undergone extreme periods of discrimination, including an alleged genocide attempt on the part of the Turks in the early 1900s. It is amazing that as an ethnic group, in every country in which they live, including America, they maintain a rich and unified cultural identity.

2. The breakup of the FSU also created major changes in the foods available to the countries that once comprised the USSR. Due to this, social epidemiology research on this area has produced interesting results. Many more fruits and vegetables were available in the countries of Eastern Europe due to the huge territory with which the USSR traded. Heart disease rates skyrocketed in Hungary and Czechoslovakia after the breakup. Fruit and vegetable intake was very low and the diet became very monotonous during the economic hard times that followed. There were other changes in society as well, including changes in health care and daily stress levels. Of interest, from 1990 to 2000, heart disease rates declined slightly (World Health Organization). However, fruit and vegetable intake is still considered to be low and FSU Americans may be at risk of developing CVD and other conditions associated with a high-fat items (red meats, processed meats, and dairy products) popular in their traditional cultures. The question of interest is still being studied how has the decreased rates of fruit and vegetable intake affected health and illness in the countries of the FSU?

3. The Scandinavian diet is traditionally high in fats and meats. The countries of Scandinavia supported themselves with hunting during the whole year and agriculture during the warmer summer months. Many of the traditional foods are meat based. Other aspects of interest in the diet are that preserved foods such as pickled vegetables, hard, dense breads, and fermented dairy products form the basic dishes and cooking methods. The Scandinavians settled very successfully in the Midwest, and especially in the northern states such as Minnesota and North Dakota. Who else but the Scandinavians would have known how to successfully grow grain in the harsh winters and hot summers, and would have known how to raise cattle and produce such a successful dairy industry?

Suggested Classroom Activities

1. Cooking activity. The goal is to have the students prepare a holiday meal for guests. If a cooking lab is available, this could be done in a kitchen classroom. Otherwise, have the students prepare the dishes at home and describe how the activity progressed. The students can work in groups or alone depending on the class size. Students will choose a country of interest. Next have the students choose a specific holiday.

The students should research the holiday. Next, the students should prepare a meal of traditional foods that might be served on this holiday occasion. Students could serve the holiday meal to others in the class if size and time permits. The meal could be prepared for someone at home otherwise. If so, a video log or photos could be used to record the event and the project could be presented to the class.

Additional project activities. Have the students decorate the room for the occasion. Have the students find out what the appropriate manners are for serving a guest and serve the other students or guest using “correct” manners. Have students perform a nutrient analysis of the foods. Students can create a recipe handout, decorated with the theme of the holiday. Other ideas for the handouts might include a blessing used over the meal or “fun” food facts or food-related folk tales typical of the region.

As different groups in the class present holiday meals for the different countries, eventually everyone in the class will have a set of recipes and handouts of cultural facts.

2. Bring in a chef or someone who is expert in cooking in the cuisine of one of the countries or regions covered in this chapter. Discuss the following points: What are the foods most typically prepared and how are they prepared? What are the typical seasonings used in baking, boiling, sautéing, or roasting? What are some traditional starches that would be prepared? How would the restaurant cuisine compare to the cuisine eaten at home? What are some of the most exotic dishes this cook

makes? In this cook’s own viewpoint, what distinguishes this country’s flavor profile and what would be the most typical seasonings?

3. Flavor profiles are specific to a region as well as to a country. For this activity, various recipes, cultural experts, and textbooks can be used. Have the students create a spice and seasoning chart for a country, or create charts for specific regions within a country that has a heterogeneous terrain (north versus south or mountains versus coast). List the different seasonings and spices used in baking breads, in baking desserts, in cooking poultry, meat, and fish, and in cooking vegetables.

Self-Study Exercises

1. Draw your family history tree; compare it with the family trees of other class members. How many students are descendants of these countries?

2. Perform a nutrient analysis that compares each of the “Sample Menus” for Germany, Russia, and Sweden that are given in the text. How do the nutrients vary? Are there any nutrients that are especially high or low?

3. Go to a restaurant that serves the cuisine of one of the countries reviewed in this chapter. Order a traditional dish. Find a recipe for the dish from a cookbook or from the Internet.

4. Interview someone who grew up in and lived in one of these countries. Ask, “What was your favorite meal as a child?” and “What foods were you given when you were sick?”

5. Find a movie based in one of these countries that includes family interactions around food. What can you find out about the value food has for them? Write a review of the movie that focuses on food as a reflection of cultural values.

6. Find a market that specializes in the ingredients from one of these countries. What are some of the foods that would not be found in the average American supermarket? How big is the store? Who is shopping there? Are the labels in the language of the country?

Handout 7: Selected European Botanical Remedies