An article by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Doğan, Vice Dean of Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) and an academic member of the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, was published in Hotel Restaurant & Hi-Tech Magazine. The article was titled “Cultural Codes of Gastronomy” in the magazine. The text of the relevant article is below.
An article by Assoc. Prof. Murat Doğan, Vice Dean of Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) and an academic member of the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, was published in Hotel Restaurant & Hi-Tech Magazine. The article was titled “Cultural Codes of Gastronomy” in the magazine. The text of the relevant article is below.
Cultural Codes of Gastronomy
Today, gastronomy has become the most important and inseparable part of culture. In ancient times, it ceased to be a purely physiological need. Today, it has become one of the most important elements of cultural codes.
Gastronomic Life
Throughout history, gastronomic life has transformed significantly with the transition from hunter-gatherer periods to settled life. From ancient times to modern times, the sociocultural and economic structures, historical processes and religious beliefs of every society have shaped its gastronomy. From family tables to international cuisines, food has also been an indicator of social interaction, cultural identity and economic status. Today, issues such as healthy nutrition and sustainability are among the important factors shaping the future of food culture. The historical process of the cultural codes of gastronomy and the role of religions, wars, migrations and discoveries in this process are very important.
Historical Journey of the Cultural Codes of Gastronomy
Nutrition is a basic form of survival that provides the energy that people need. Throughout history, food has been an indispensable part of human life. During the hunter-gatherer period, women were gatherers while men hunted. Later, methods of food production and storage began to be developed. This led to settled lifestyles.
Archaeological excavations give us many clues about the historical journey of gastronomy. It is useful to give a few examples. Kitchen tools and ovens were used in ancient settlements such as Çatalhöyük. Animal depictions considered sacred were discovered in the Alta Mira cave in Spain. When societies are examined, it is seen that different culinary cultures emerge, each shaped by their own sociocultural and economic structures, history, eating habits and religious beliefs. Religions have determined which animals and plants can be eaten, how they should be prepared, sacrifice rituals and foods for special occasions. Religions have prescribed many rules that shape eating habits and thus food culture. In essence, gastronomy and food culture are deeply intertwined and can never be separated.
Food culture has been shaped by factors such as wars, climate change, migrations and voyages of discovery throughout history. The socioeconomic and cultural traces of food culture in Europe date back to Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, the Hellenistic period, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In ancient times, civilizations such as the Babylonians, Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Greeks stood out with their eating habits and culinary cultures.
Roman cuisine, which is considered the origin of European cuisine, used heavy sauces, spices and exotic ingredients. In the Middle Ages, the Migration of Tribes and interactions with the Andalusian Umayyad State enriched Europe's food culture. Europeans acquired new knowledge about food, beverages and cooking techniques through translations from Arabic sources. With the beginning of the New Age, the invention of gunpowder, the compass and the printing press transformed the food culture of Europe. Cookbooks became widespread thanks to the printing press. The discovery of America introduced foods such as potatoes, tomatoes and corn to European cuisine. The Renaissance was a period of significant changes in art, science and culture, which were reflected in the culinary culture. During this period, cuisine made significant advances in the variety of ingredients, cooking techniques and presentation.
The Industrial Revolution transformed food production from agricultural activities to industrial processes, which led to a decrease in nutritional values and a radical change in consumption habits. The roots of the overwhelming majority of today's food problem date back to this period. Colonialism and labor migrations in the 19th and 20th centuries contributed to the globalization of food cultures. Immigrants brought their own food cultures to new settlements and created hybrid cuisines. Chinese and Italian cuisines are important examples of this process. Migration allowed food to maintain its unique flavors despite the changes it experienced between generations and led to the spread of global tastes.
Migrations in the 19th and 20th centuries played an important role in the globalization of food cultures. With labor migrations, people brought the food of their own countries to new places and blended it with local cuisines, creating a great diversity in world cuisines. In this process, the tastes of different cultures merged, and new and original tastes emerged. Fast food culture spread rapidly after the First and Second World Wars. Foods such as canned meat and biscuits, developed to feed soldiers during wartime, laid the foundations of fast food. After the war, fast food culture became a global ritual with the spread of chain restaurants such as McDonald's. However, this culture had negative consequences such as unhealthy nutrition, obesity and environmental problems.
The Historical Journey of the Cultural Codes of Gastronomy: Turkey
In order to understand today's Turkish food culture, it is important to examine the migration routes of the Turks from Central Asia to Anatolia and the social and cultural changes they experienced during this journey. These migrations and cultural interactions played an important role in the enrichment of Turkish cuisine. The origins of Turkish cuisine were influenced by the food cultures of the Hittite and Urartian civilizations, and the central role of water and bread was adopted by the Turks.
The development of Turkish cuisine can be examined in four main periods: Central Asia, Seljuk, Ottoman and Republic. During these periods, social, economic and cultural changes affected the development and transformation of the cuisine. During the Central Asian period, the Turks were engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry and hunting, and their diet consisted mostly of horse and mutton. Beverages such as kumiss also had significant importance during this period.
During the Seljuk period, Turkish cuisine settled in Anatolia and became rich. Hospitality played an important role and feasts were widely organized. Kaşgarlı Mahmud's work "Divanu Lugati't-Türk" provides information about the food preferences, cooking methods and recipes of the Seljuks. Various dishes such as pilaf, borani, güveç, kebab, halva and kadayıf held an important place in Seljuk cuisine. During this period, the consumption of vegetables, fruits and grains increased, and lamb, goat and chicken meat was widely used.
Ottoman cuisine was built on the foundations of Turkish cuisine and Islamic culture. This cuisine, dominated by meat and dairy products, did not include alcoholic beverages. Ottoman cuisine can be divided into two categories: palace and public cuisine. While palace cuisine is known for its magnificent tables, public cuisine is modest but rich in flavor and variety. The vast geography of the Ottoman Empire added diversity to the culinary culture, and Westernization movements also influenced this culture. During the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, palace cuisine developed, the use of vegetables and fruits in meals and the consumption of seafood increased. Palace banquets became important events that strengthened socioeconomic status and fostered social solidarity. Ottoman cuisine, which continued the traditions inherited from Byzantium, was also influenced by various ethnic groups.
Cookbooks written during the Ottoman period are valuable sources documenting culinary culture. These books, written from the 13th century onwards, are very important for understanding the transformation of food culture. Western influences increased after the Tanzimat period, and 19th-century cookbooks reflected these changes. Western food and food habits were adopted especially in high society and cookbooks of the period captured these transformations. Turkish cuisine has coexisted with many cultures throughout history and has been enriched with the various products offered by various geographies. This culinary richness is a result of the journey of the Turks from Central Asia to Anatolia and the cultural interactions they experienced along the way.
Stay healthy…
Assoc. Prof. Murat Doğan
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
