Transcript chapter13

People of the Balkans
and the
Middle East
Chapter 13
Cultural Perspective
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Balkan Nations
Greece
Albania
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Montenegro
Serbia
◦ Kosovo
◦ Vojvodina
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Macedonia
Croatia
Slovenia
Bulgaria
Romania
Middle East
 Bahrain
 Egypt
 Iran
 Iraq
 Israel
 Jordan
 Kuwait
 Lebanon
 Oman
 Saudi Arabia
 Syria
 Turkey
 United Arab Emirates
 Yemen
Cultural Perspective
Temperate in
climate and suited
to agriculture
 Aridity limits
cultivation
 Greek and Turkish
influences
throughout
 Very diverse in
religious affiliation
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History of People of the Balkans in
US
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Greek immigrants
came in late 1800s
and early 1900s and
then after WWII
◦ Early immigrants
came to America for
economic
opportunities
◦ 1940s after a civil war
and then in 1967 after
a military coup
History of People of the Balkans
in US
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Croatians came in 1850-60s to
southern and western regions of US
◦ Oyster fisheries of the Mississippi
◦ Fruit horticulture in northern California
Serbs were unskilled laborers who
obtained industrial jobs in the
northeast
 Immigration for both increased after
WWII
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History of People of the Balkans
in US
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Slovenians arrived between 1880 and
WWI but many listed as Austrians
◦ Farmers seeking economic opportunity
◦ Settled in Midwest with self-sustaining
ethnic communities
History of People of the Middle
East in US
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Statistics are inexact
Until 1900s all were called “Egyptians”
Later termed “Syrians” or “Turks from
Asia”
Early Arab immigrants came at the turn
of the 20th century for economic
opportunity
Most Christians from Lebanon and Syria
Settled in the Midwest and New England
More came after WWII
◦ Many Palestinian Christians fleeing Israel
Current Demographics and
Socioeconomic Status: Balkans
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NYC has largest concentration of
Greek Americans
◦ Unemployment rates are low
◦ Families living below poverty is below
average
Croatians and Serbs were originally in
mining regions of the Midwest
 Slovenians in Ohio
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◦ Incomes close to the US average
Current Demographics and
Socioeconomic Status: Balkans
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Bosnian refugees came in the early
1990s seeking refuge from ethnic
cleansing
Left homeland suddenly
Most Muslim and live in Bosnian Muslim
neighborhoods
◦ St. Louis
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Strong work ethic
Lack of English skills or credentialing
difficulties
Average income is low
Current Demographics &Socioeconomic
Status: Middle Easterners
 Demographic data problematic
 One of the fastest growing ethnic
groups in America
◦ Most are now Muslim
◦ From 15% in 1970 to 73% in 2000
◦ Appear to prefer to be called “Arab” as
opposed to national affiliation
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1/3 have settled in CA, NY, and MI
◦ Detroit has largest concentration of
Muslims
Current Demographics &Socioeconomic
Status: Middle Easterners
 Many are entrepreneurs
 High school graduation rate exceeds
US average
 College graduation rate exceeds US
average
 Median family income above average
◦ Lebanese and Syrian below average
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Poverty rates are high for some
◦ “Arabs” and Iraqis
Current Demographics & Socioeconomic
Status: Middle Easterners
Iranian Americans and Turkish Americans do
well with income, education
 Immigration from Israel began in the 1950s
after independence of the nation
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◦ Jewish Israelis settled in established Jewish
communities
◦ Arab Israelis settle in urban areas with other
Arabs
◦ Come for educational and professional
opportunities
◦ Some due to political unrest
◦ Average earnings and education are above the
US norm
Worldview: Religion – People of
the Balkans
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Greeks and Greek Americans
◦ Greek Eastern Orthodox Church
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Serbs
◦ Serbian Orthodox Autonomous Church
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Croatians and Slovenians
◦ Devout Roman Catholics
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Some Slovenians are Protestants
◦ Windish
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Bosnian Croats were Catholic
Bosnian Serbs followed the Eastern Orthodox
Recent Bosnian refugees are Sunni Muslims
Worldview: Religion – Middle
Easterners
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Early Arab immigrants were Christian
◦ Eastern Orthodox
 Egyptian Coptic Church
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Recent immigrants follow Islam
◦ Sunni Muslims
 Friday Sabbath has been moved to Sunday
◦ Iranians
 Shi’ite Muslims and other religious minorities
 Baha’i Faith is a Muslim offshoot that renounced ties to
Islam
◦ Turkish Americans are Sunni Muslims
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Israeli Americans typically Jewish
Worldview: Family - Balkans
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Greeks strongly patriarchal
◦ Unquestioned authority with numerous
responsibilities
◦ Women focus on home, family, church
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Croatian and Serbian families patriarchal
◦ Extended families the norm
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Bosnians did maintain extended family
homes but this has changed
◦ Men and women both work but women retain
responsibility for the home
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
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Arab families have a strong patriarchal
family whose honor must be
maintained
◦ Demand conformity and subordination
◦ In turn family is protected
◦ Can identify with family status
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Extended family members live in
single home or a family compound
◦ Exception in Egyptians who live
traditionally in nuclear family groups
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
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Men and women are equal but with different
roles and responsibilities
Children are valued
Men obligated to provide economic security
for children
Women are to socialize them including the
preservation of religious and cultural values
Women provide love and comfort in the home
◦ Strong bond between mothers and children
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Views in US are changing
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
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Marriage contracts often arranged
◦ Many marry cousins
 Egyptians and Arab Christians do not
◦ Date after engagement announced
◦ Chastity and modesty of the women
related to family honor
 Mother is responsible for daughter’s chastity
◦ Interethnic marriages discouraged
 Not Egyptians
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Iranians and Turks similar to Arabs
Worldview: Family – Middle
Easterners
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Israelis live in nuclear families
◦ Rural settlement cooperatives in Israel
called kibbutzim where families live and
work communally
◦ Children raised by age-level
◦ Community meals
◦ Homes typically patriarchal but women
are well-educated and many employed
◦ Ethnic identity preserved by enrolling their
children in religious training and other
activities
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: People of the Balkans
Physical fitness essential to good
health
 Necessary for development of
character
 For Greeks
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Eating a good diet
Relaxation
Adequate sleep
Keeping a positive attitude
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: People of the Balkans
Most care provided by mothers or
grandmothers
 Many kept an herbal pharmacy for
therapeutic teas
 Cupping includes blood-letting
 More severe conditions by midwives
and bonesetters
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Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: People of the Balkans
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Belief in “evil eye” prevalent
◦ From envy
Causes accidents and illness
 Wear garlic, blue amulets with eye in
the center
 When receiving a compliment will spit
two or three times to keep harm away
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Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Cleanliness, diet, keeping warm and
dry maintain health
 May believe wind or air cause illness
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◦ Lebanese Muslims believe women are
especially vulnerable to wind after
childbirth
 Avoid showers and baths
◦ Babies vulnerable through the umbilicus
 Wrap babies stomach with band called zunaad
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
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Iranians practice traditional humoral
medicine
◦ Hot and cold only
◦ People are born with a physiological
temperament
 Women colder than men
 Younger people hotter than older people
 Influenced by diet, climate, geographical
location, certain conditions
◦ Sickness can be caused by too many hot
items or too many cold items
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
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Iranians also concerned about how much
blood they have
◦ Thinness, weakness, irritability, lethargy,
headaches, excessive bleeding from injuries,
etc.
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Narahati is term used for feelings of
physical and emotional discomfort
◦ Usually private and nonverbal
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Naharati qalb (heart distress) is fluttering
of the heart from strong expression of
anger or sadness
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Long-standing tradition of home health
 Folk remedies common
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◦ Use ko’hl
 Dark powder from antimony used in cosmetics
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Herbal remedies prevalent
◦ Yarrow for diabetes
◦ Khella for kidney disorders
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Palestinians use traditional remedies
as food and medicine
◦ Mallow as a laxative, etc.
Traditional Health Beliefs and
Practices: Middle Easterners
Cupping to cure chronic leg pain, paralysis,
headaches, obesity
 Wasm or cauterization
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◦ Heated rod places symbolic burn marks on a
patient
 Below anus for diarrhea
◦ Burns then treated with herbal poultices
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Evil eye is feared
Mental illness may be possession by the devil
Place health in the hands of God
Illness may be seen as punishment from God
Biomedicine well established
Traditional Food Habits
Origins of dishes
unknown
 Wheat, olives,
dates
 Sheep
 Rice, chickpeas,
lemons
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Traditional Food Habits
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Significant differences due to dietary
restrictions and proximity to other
cuisines
Pork popular in Christian populations
that neighbor Europe but not in Christian
areas in Greece where lamb is preferred
as in the Middle East
Alcoholic beverages banned for Muslims
but widely consumed in Turkey possibly
because of proximity to Russia
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Loaves and
flatbreads
◦ Pita or pocket bread
◦ Lavash or cracker
bread
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Wheat doughs to
make pies and
turnovers
◦ Phyllo or filo
◦ Makes savory pies or
desserts
 Baklava or paklava
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Burghul or bulgur
◦ Cracked whole wheat steamed and crushed
◦ Tabouli
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Rice
◦ Pilaf or pilav
◦ In Iran called polo and has a crunchy crust
◦ Basmati, a fragrant rice
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Many legumes
◦ Ground chickpeas for hummus
◦ Fava beans in pita bread with raw vegetables
 Falafel
◦ Lentils
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Many vegetables
Popular cooking method is called yiachni
Eggplant is most popular
Thinly sliced cucumber or tomato for salads
Vegetables often stuffed with meat or rice
◦ Moussaka minced lamb, eggplant, onions,
tomato sauce
Stuffed grape or cabbage leaves
 Potatoes
 Vegetables often eaten raw, mixed together
or preserved
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Traditional Food Habits: Staples
The olive
 Extremely important in Greek and
Middle Eastern dishes
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◦ Stronger flavor
◦ Accompany meal or served as an
appetizer
◦ Source of olive oil
◦ Generally in dishes to be eaten cold
◦ Used to deep fry fish, not other foods
Olives
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
Fruits preferred fresh
 Used as desserts or snacks
 Add fruits to savory dishes
 Served dried or as jams or compotes
 Slatko is fruit simmered in thick syrup
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◦ A Balkan specialty
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Fruit juices and syrups often used to
flavor foods
◦ Especially lemon
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Fresh milk not widely consumed
◦ Used in puddings or custards
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Dairy products fermented into yogurt
or cheese
◦ Yogurt is a side dish
◦ Cheese made from goat’s, sheep’s, or
camel’s milk
 Feta
 Numerous others
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Most meat and seafood consumed
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Pork avoided in Muslim countries
Shellfish avoided among observant Jews
Lamb is most widely used meat
Pork is popular in Balkans
Grilling, frying, grinding, stewing
◦ Kabobs
◦ Souvlaki is thin slices of lamb layered onto a
rotisserie, grilled, carved, served
 May be made into gyros
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Whole roasted lamb/sheep prepared for
special occassions
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Numerous spices and herbs from former
spice trade
Dill, garlic, mint, cardamom, cinnamon,
oregano, parsley, pepper
Sumac is sprinkled on salads
◦ Mixed with thyme to make Arabic seasoning
called za’atar
Verjuice is from unripe lemons and gives
sour taste to dishes
 Sesame seeds used frequently
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◦ Crushed to make a thick paste called Tahini
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Fruit juice popular
beverage
◦ Fruit syrups or flower
extracts mixed with ice
to make sharbat
(sherbet)
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Coffee flavored with
cardamom, lots of
sugar
◦ Turkish or Serbian
coffee
◦ Made in briki
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Tea also consumed
Traditional Food Habits: Staples
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Wine and distilled spirits in the Balkans
◦ Civek – a rosé served throughout Slovenia
◦ Sljivovica - A high-proof brandy made from
plums available in both Serbia and Slovenia.
◦ Retsina - white wine with resinous flavor
◦ Ouzo and arak - anise flavored apertifs
 Raki is a Turkish version
◦ Metaxia is orange-flavored brandy
Regional Variations: Balkans
Combine European and Middle
Eastern elements in cooking
 Northern nations more influenced by
Europe
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◦ Includes Romania
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Southern nations more influenced by
the Middle East
◦ Greek is considered Turkish
◦ Includes Albania
Regional Variations: Balkans
Northern Balkans
 Pork and veal with German-style
sausages
 Pljeskavica are large, thin beef or
lamb patties that are grilled
 Potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, wild
mushrooms
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◦ May be stuffed with meat and rice
◦ Bell peppers, onions, potatoes, or
cabbage leaves give a Balkan flavor
Regional Variations: Balkans
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Fruits are cooler weather
◦ Desserts such as dumplings and strudels,
compotes
Buttermilk frequently consumed
Fresh cheese often combined with herbs
Cream in soups, stews, casseroles
Sour cream or whipped cream tops many
dishes
 Treat is a sweet yeast bread rolled with
walnut, butter, cream and egg filling called
potica
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◦ With dried fruits or savory
Regional Variations: Middle
Eastern
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Three (or five) culinary areas
◦ Greek/Turkish
◦ Iranian
◦ Arabic
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Plus
◦ Israeli
◦ North African (Moroccan)
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Every region has unique recipes and
cooking methods
Similarity is striking
Regional Variations: Greece and
Turkey
More meat, fish and seafood, cheese, butter
and olive oil
 Use flatware instead of fingers
 Common dishes
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◦ Filo dough with spinach & feta: Spanakopita/
ispanakli
◦ Caviar dip – taramasalata/tarama
◦ Salads with fresh greens, tomato, cucumbers,
olives, lemon juice-olive oil vinaigrette
Greeks like pastries while Turks like fruit
compotes or rich custards and candy
 Fasting rules vary drastically between
Eastern Orthodox and Muslim
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Regional Variations: Arab
More grains, legumes, and vegetables
 National dishes
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◦ Kibbeh from cracked wheat, onion, lamb in Syria
and Lebanon
◦ Mansef in Jordan – flatbreads layered with yogurt
and then topped with rice pilaf, lamb or chicken
◦ Ful medames in Egypt - cooked fava beans with
oil, lemon, garlic, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs
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Tharid - a casserole of layered flatbread with
meat stew
◦ Reportedly Mohammed’s favorite dish
Regional Variations: Arab
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All areas use variety meat
◦ All parts of the animal
◦ Breads, heads, feet, chitterlings are a
specialty
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Pacha an Iraqi soup
◦ Sheep heads, stomach, trotters (feet)
served with bread and pickled vegetables
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Syrian food is spicier
Regional Variations: Iran
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Well suited climates for many fruits and
vegetables
◦ Spinach, pomegranates, saffron
Area dominated during Persian Empire
 Trade brought rice, tea, eggplants, citrus,
tamarind, garam marsala (for curry)
 Called Persian cuisine
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◦ Sophisticated rice dishes and use of fruits for
flavoring
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Bread called nan
Regional Variations: Israel
Food and culture probably most varied
 Blends Middle Eastern with the many
Jewish immigrant groups
 Many adhere to kosher laws of the
Jewish religion
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Exploring Global Cuisine:
Romanian Fare
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Romania is between the West and East
Food has Turkish and Hungarian
overtones
Also Italian and central Europe
influences
Most Romanians are Eastern Orthodox
Regional discord and shifting boundaries
Influence of Greece, Turkey, Italy,
Armenia and Russia
Exploring Global Cuisine:
Albanian Fare
Poorest areas farmers and shepherds
live on cornmeal bread, cheese and
yogurt with lamb or mutton when
affordable
 Vegetables are only pickled as side
dishes
 Fruits are only eaten fresh as desserts
or preserves
 Always prepared separately and not
mixed
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Exploring Global Cuisine:
Moroccan Cooking
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Part of the Maghreb, a region of North
Africa
Cooking is Berber in origin
Notable for exquisite seasonings
◦ Spices, herbs, medicinal herbs
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Flavored by the preferred fats of the
region
Couscous is a staple
◦ Crushed grains of semolina
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Foods eaten with first three fingers of
right hand
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – The Balkans
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3 meals per day
Light breakfast
Main meal at midday
◦ Short nap afterwards in hotter climates
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May have afternoon visitors for sweets,
coffee, or ouzo
Dinner is lighter and later in the evening
Snacking is prevalent
◦ Mezze are small dishes of various items
widely available from street vendors and
cafes
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
Coffee or tea served early about 7 or 8
Then a light meal of bread, cheese, beans,
eggs, olives, jams, yogurt
 Lunch is main meal eaten early afternoon
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◦ Bread, rice or bulgur, casserole, stew, salad,
desert of fresh fruit or pastry
◦ Dilute yogurt drink or water to drink followed by
sweet tea or coffee
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Dinner in early evening is light
◦ Foods similar to those eaten at breakfast, soup
or leftovers from lunch
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Served all at once except in Jordan,
Lebanon, Syria where courses are served
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
Turkish meals vary slightly
 Breakfast is served a little later but is
often substantial
 Lunch eaten about noon
 Dinner between 6 and 8
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◦ Dinner is main meal of the day
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Served in courses
Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
Iranian breakfast includes flat breads
with cheese, whipped cream and jam
 Lunch and dinner are similar
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◦ Stew often served over rice
Fruit is typical dessert
 Yogurt drink or tea as beverages
 Dishes served all at once
 Eaten communally
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Meal Composition and Cycle:
Daily Patterns – Middle East
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Israel breakfasts are light
◦ Sabbath breakfasts are heartier
 Traditional breakfast buffet associated with Kibbutz
life offered at some restaurants
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Midday meal is largest
Evening meal is light with cheese,
yogurt, salads, eggs
◦ Eaten at 8 or 9
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May serve all at once or in courses
Street stands are popular
Fruit juices, soft drinks, beer are popular
Etiquette
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Hospitality is a duty
Family’s status measured by how
guests are treated
Guests are always made to feel welcome
and automatically offered food and drink
Refusal is an insult
Invited guests bring a gift which will be
served
Hospitality offered even in an office
setting
Etiquette
What food and in what order food is
served expresses the recipient’s status
 Guests entertained first in a separate
room
 Hands washed with scented water
 Status based on sex, age, family, social
rank
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◦ Honored seat
◦ Best portion served to dignitary or head of
household
◦ Women may eat separately from men
Etiquette
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Dining table
◦ Large round metal tray low on a stool or
platform
◦ In Iran, food served on a rug
◦ Western-style dining is found
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After the meal, all leave the table,
wash hands, have coffee or tea
Etiquette
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Always wash hands before eating
In Muslim areas Allah will be thanked
before and after the meal
3 fingers of the right hand used if forks
and spoons are not offered
◦ NEVER use the left hand to eat or pass
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Women should never touch food that is
to be eaten by a Muslim man who is not
her immediate family member
Rice taken from communal bowl and
rolled into ball then dipped into sauce
Etiquette
Lick your fingers
 Eating noises express appreciation
 Don’t fill your cup but do refill your
neighbors’
 Don’t stop eating until everyone else is
finished
 Leave a little food on the plate to indicate
you are full
 Conversation before and after the meal
 Compliment the host and hostess
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Special Occasions
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Eastern Orthodox Church has many
feast and fast days
Most important Greek holiday is Easter
◦ Red-dyed Easter eggs
◦ Easter bread called lambropsomo decorated
with eggs
◦ Easter soup called mayeritsa made of lamb’s
intestines
◦ Easter cookie called koulourakia
◦ Roast lamb
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Also celebrate Greek Independence Day
in US
Special Occasions
Croatians celebrate Easter similar to
the Greeks
 Christmas Eve features meal of cod,
stuffed cabbage and sauerkraut
 Serbians celebrate Patron Saint’s
Day
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◦ Each family honors its self-chosen patron
saint with feasting and dancing
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Also celebrate St. Nick’s Feast and St.
Martin’s Feast
Special Occasions
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Ramadan
◦ Month Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset
◦ Break the fast with iftar
 Dine with relatives and neighbors
 Water, odd number of dates, coffee, tea
 Then a large meal
◦ Dawn meal is light
 Avoid salt as water is not allowed during the
fast
Special Occasions
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Eid al-Fitr
◦ Follows end of Ramadan and is a cross
between the feasting of Thanksgiving and
the festivity of Christmas
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Eid al-adha
◦ Feast of Sacrifice held with the annual
pilgrimage (Hadj) to Mecca
Special Occasions
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In Turkey, Seker Bayram is Eid-al-Fitr
◦ Sugar Festival
◦ Gifts and sweet treats exchanged
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10th day of the first lunar month Turks
celebrate the martyrdom of Mohammed’s
grandson and the day Noah was able to
leave the ark
◦ Noah’s pudding (asure) made from fresh and
dried fruits, nuts, legumes
Kurban Bayram is day of remembrance for
when Abraham almost sacrificed his son
 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
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Special Occasions
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Iran’s most significant holiday is
Muharram
◦ Commemorates the martyrdom of
Mohammed’s grandson
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Time of communal mourning and
penitence for Shi’ites
Nau Roz is a spring festival with a
special meal and ceremonial table
setting
◦ Seven foods that start with “s”
◦ Then a traditional meal
Special Occasions
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Israel observes traditional holidays of the
Jewish calendar
Sabbath is from sunset Friday to sunset
Saturday
◦ All businesses close and work prohibited
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Friday meal served on white linen and
serves a traditional cup of wine
All foods on Saturday must be prepared
Friday
Also celebrate Independence Day with
barbecues
Therapeutic Uses of Food
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Fresh foods considered best
◦ Canned and frozen may be avoided
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Amount of food of special concern
◦ Ample meals prevent illness
◦ Poor appetite is a disease itself
◦ Food deprivation causes illness
Therapeutic Uses of Food
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Hot cold shift may cause illness
In Iran:
◦ Too many hot foods may cause a headache,
cured by cold foods
◦ Too many cold foods may cause dizziness,
cured by hot foods
◦ Temperature, not spiciness, causes shift in
body from hot to cold, and vice versa
◦ Digestive system must have time to adjust to
one extreme
◦ Certain conditions are not hot or cold
Therapeutic Uses of Food
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Certain food combinations are
damaging to health
◦ Egyptians won’t eat fish with dairy
◦ Others avoid eating sour foods with milk
or legumes with cheese
◦ Iranians won’t consume melon with
yogurt as it causes wind in the stomach
and GI disorders
Therapeutic Uses of Food
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Special foods with childbirth
◦ When a woman gives birth to a girl in Iran,
coldness is neutralized with a diet high in hot
foods to ensure a male child in the next
pregnancy
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Division between food and medicine blurred
Many foods will have multiple therapeutic
uses
◦ Turnips good for the kidneys and urinary tract
◦ Cauliflower good for the respiratory system
◦ Palestinians consider garlic good for many, many
things
Contemporary Food Habits in the
US: Adaptations of Food Habits
Very little data
available
 Assumed that length
of stay correlates with
Americanization of the
diet
 Traditional meals
prepared and eaten for
main meal or special
occasions
 Religious dietary
practices probably do
not change
significantly

Contemporary Food Habits in the US:
Ingredients and Common Foods
 Greeks still use lots of olive oil
◦
◦
◦
◦

Consumption of beef and pork increased
Consumption of legumes decreased
Consume more milk
Dinner now main meal
Egyptians continue traditional wheat
bread consumption
◦ Intake of legumes, fava beans lower
◦ Snacking and eating out more prevalent
◦ Soft drinks more popular
Meal Composition and Cycle

Greeks maintain traditional meal patterns
◦ Main meal is now dinner in the evening
Recipes adapted to be less time consuming,
to include fewer fats and spices
 Assume that Americans of Croat, Serbian
and Slovenian heritage are similar
 Many Arab American still eat meal at mid-day
 Extended family dine together daily, women
at home cook for other employed women

◦ Egyptians now have main meal as evening
dinner
Nutritional Status: Intake

Traditional diet of nations bordering
the Mediterranean
◦ Low in saturated fats
◦ High in monounsaturated fats
◦ High in omega-3 fatty acids
Lowered risk of CVD and cancer
 Diet is becoming more westernized
 Role of alcohol consumption not fully
understood

Nutritional Status: Intake

Obesity rates for Greeks
◦ 50% for women, 75% for men

Lebanese young adults eating fewer
fruits, vegetables, legumes
◦ Eating more meat, sugar, soft drinks,
alcoholic beverages

Bosnian immigrants need counseling
for diet and exercise
◦ Dental problems and alcohol abuse
◦ Hypertensive disease in refugees
Nutritional Status: Intake

Arab men in Arabian Peninsula
◦ Metabolic syndrome

High prevalence of undiagnosed
problems
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Type 2 diabetes
Hypertension
Insulin resistance
Low HDL
Tendency towards abdominal obesity
Nutritional Status: Intake

US Arab research shows similar
trends
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

Obesity and central obesity
High blood pressure
Type 2 diabetes
Metabolic syndrome
Low HDL
Leading cancer deaths in Arab
Americans are lung, colorectal and
breast
Nutritional Status: Intake

Effects of Ramadan fasting
◦ No significant changes in body weight
◦ Increases in uric acid blood level noted
 May correlate with high rates of kidney stones
and angina pectoris
◦ Pregnant women without medical risk
factors can probably safely go through
Ramadan
◦ Immigrant women fast on average more
days than those born in the US
Nutritional Status: Intake

Exclusive breastfeeding rates very high
◦ Strong social network of support
◦ Turkish women nurse sons longer than
daughters as breast milk believed to increase
strength

Celiac disease considered primary cause
of diarrhea in Iran
◦ May contribute to iron deficiency,
malnutrition, rickets, short stature in children
◦ Thalassemia syndrome may be prevalent
Counseling
Cultural differences contribute to
considerable discomfort and irritation
between health care practitioners and
Middle Eastern clients
 Language and communication problems
may be significant
 Body language and general atmosphere
as important as words
 Misunderstandings are common
 High context relationship that is time
consuming and intensive

Counseling

Get to know each other before
discussing business
◦ Ethnic background, socioeconomic status,
religious affiliation, etc.





Coffee or tea offered establishes a warm
and hospitable atmosphere
Direct eye contact expected
Personal space further with strangers
Greeks may smile when angry
Head nods may be opposite of what is
expected
Counseling
Touching between same sex frequent
 Touching between opposite sex
prohibited
 No extended eye contact between
opposite sex
 Left hand not used for ANY social
purpose including passing things
 Wait for them to extend their hand in
greeting

Counseling
Proper posture shows respect
 Do not cross legs, point with foot, or
show sole of shoe
 In Turkey, stand when an elder enters
the room
 May be more receptive to verbal
information than written
 Allow for questions about family,
general interests, etc., at beginning of
interaction

Counseling
Speak kindly, soft, respectfully
 Keep options to a minimum
 Family members may insist on
participating in all conversations
 Value biomedicine
 Have respect for authority figures
 May be hesitant to answer questions
or give answers to please provider

Counseling
Provider may have to assess and give
advice without much input from client
 Privacy strongly protected
 Confidentiality concerns
 Suspicion about questions regarding
religion or socioeconomics
 Shame about certain conditions may
cause noncompliance in public

◦ Diabetes associated with impotence,
infertility
Counseling
May expect provider to make
decisions for them
 Female health care providers may
have problems due to gender
 May believe the more intrusive the
procedure the more effective
 Poor prognosis discussed first with
family

◦ Only God can make final decision about
death
Counseling
Muslim client may feel most
comfortable with providers of same
gender
 Bosnian clients may not understand
importance of taking prescribed
medicines

◦ May use traditional therapies
Counseling

Concerns with therapeutic ingredients
in home remedies
◦ Ko’hl used on umbilical cords of
newborns is high in lead
◦ Foxglove used by some Iranians is where
main ingredient in digitalis comes from

May need to pray during medical visit
◦ Don’t walk in front of them while praying
◦ No talking
Cultural Controversy:
Is Coffee Beneficial to Health?

Still suspect in
◦
◦
◦
◦

Bladder cancer
Spontaneous abortion
Impaired fetal growth
May aggravate some GI disorders
These groups most susceptible to
adverse effects:
◦
◦
◦
◦
People with hypertension
Children
Elderly
Pregnant women
Cultural Controversy:
Is Coffee Beneficial to Health?
Coffee does not cause GI disorders,
cardiovascular conditions, or cancer
 Coffee may reduce the risk of

◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Metabolic syndrome
Coronary heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
Several cancers
Rheumatoid arthritis
Possibly Alzheimer’s disease