Food Folklore

A birthday cake ... a holiday feast ... a wedding reception ... the Christian Communion rite -- all these are examples of food folklore. Sharing a meal does far more than simply provide nourishment for our physical bodies. Food acts like a sort of language, a language that is sometimes more powerful than any spoken or written words. Food Folklore will tell you more about food's deeper meanings, including the traditions behind: vegetables and fruits. meat from field and forest, sea and stream. bread and grains. flavorings and seasonings. food as a symbol of group identity. food as celebration. Across North America, many folk stories and traditions have grown up around food. This folklore is fascinating, fanciful, and sometime humorous. Food conveys many messages about our relationship to each other and to life's deepest meanings. Book jacket.