📘 Part 3: Food

This episode's vocabulary

Haggis (noun) - a dish from Scotland consisting of different sheep's organs cut up with onions and spices and cooked inside a sheep's stomach.

Unappetizing (adj.) - not attractive or pleasant.

To ferment (verb) - if food or drink ferments or if you ferment it, it goes through a chemical change because of the action of yeast or bacteria, which may cause it to produce bubbles or heat, or turn sugars in it into alcohol.

Spread (noun) - a meal, especially one for a special occasion with a lot of different dishes arranged on a table.

Host (noun) - someone who has guests.

Hygienic (adj.) - clean, especially in order to prevent disease.

Table manners (plural noun) - the way you eat your food, or the socially acceptable way to eat your food, especially when eating a meal with others.

Dietary (noun) - relating to your diet.

Slaughterhouse (noun) - a place where animals are killed for their meat.

Kosher (noun) - (of food or places where food is sold, etc.) prepared or kept in conditions that follow the rules of Jewish law.

Microbiome (noun) - the microorganisms (= living things too small to be seen) that exist in a particular environment or in the human body.

Springboard (noun) - something that provides you either with the opportunity to follow a particular plan of action, or the encouragement that is needed to make it successful.

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Questions and Answers

M: Rory, is there any food in your country eaten at special times or special occasions?

R: You mean aside from birthdays? Like everywhere else. I suppose we always have haggis on Burn's night. And that's a celebration of our national poet who wrote a lot about our national dish, actually, which is what haggis actually is. Lots of people have turkey at Christmas. But I think that's actually an artifact from American culture that's been imported. Other than that, I'm not quite sure.

M: What are the differences between special food in your country and other countries?

R: Well, it's funny because there seems to be a thing about unusual foods in northern European countries in particular. So in Scotland, it's haggis, which is made from sheep organs. But this fits in with a general trend of foods, which are typically seen as unappetizing, like fermented shark and fermented fish in Nordic countries. So in some ways, this is a difference. And in other ways, it's something that we actually share with others. So these things are actually quite difficult to separate.

M: Why are some people willing to spend a lot of money on meals on special days?

R: As with many other things, I think social status plays a role. You want to put on a good spread for guests to show that you can provide, so they aren't left feeling hungry, which is a sign that you're a bad host, and no one wants that. Beyond that, I think there might be an idea in their heads that this is a strong connection to culture and tradition, which makes sense, since some people would literally die for their culture. So splashing out to bid on a meal doesn't seem so bad by comparison, does it?

M: So you think it's mostly depends on the culture?

R: I would say so, yes.

R: Is it important to have a meal together with your family?

R: Maybe not all the time. But at least sometimes, assuming that you have a reasonably well balanced family. It's a chance to share good news, get advice and enjoy being with the people you love. I suppose if you're a very young person, you also don't get much of a choice in the matter, either, do you?

M: And what can we do to encourage people to have meals together with their family?

R: Well, just suggesting it would be an idea. I don't know what you mean by we, if you mean the government, then I suppose the government could show that in adverts, for example, and show how it's beneficial. But if you talk about individuals, then it's just a case of suggesting it and being willing to support it.

M: Do you think it's good to communicate when eating with your family to talk about politics?

R: Well, possibly not when you're in the middle of eating? I think talking with your mouth full is a bit disrespectful. And also, it's not very hygienic. But if you mean speaking at the time you're having the meal, then I suppose it should be fine. Assuming the topic isn't too off putting. Another thing to consider would be how you're communicating and who you're communicating with. Generally, sitting on your phone at the dinner table isn't considered particularly good table manners, for example.

M: Do people care about where products are from?

R: I think that will depend on individual dietary and moral preferences, don't you? I mean, if you're a vegan, you might want to know that the food at the table didn't come from a slaughterhouse. Similarly, you might only prefer ethically sourced foods. Religious people might also have various requirements. So like Jews and eating kosher, none of this is terribly common in my family, but it is something to keep in mind, especially these days.

M: Do you think in the future people will be more concerned about where products come from?

R: I don't know. If I were to guess then I would say yes, probably because there's this increasing awareness, or at least there seems to be, but that's just my impression.

M: Are people fully responsible for what they eat?

R: Assuming they aren't children, or people with a disability, I think most people are reasonably in control of their of choice of food, though maybe some more than others. Although actually, now I think about it, I've recently read that everybody has their own microbiome in their gut, and that can influence what people eat. So maybe none of us are really in control and it's the bacteria doing all the thinking.

M: Is it important for people to learn about foreign foods?

R: That's a good question. And I think the answer will depend a great deal on how often you mix with people of other cultures or encounter new food. So if it's very often then it's probably important to know at least a little bit, about the ingredients and recipes and cultural aspects behind it. If it's just a fleeting encounter, it's really your choice. Oh, it could be a springboard to find out more about something like that.

M: Thank you Rory, for your answers! They were delicious!

R: Excellent!

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