Begin the Feast

First post! Those are always fun.

Introductions

To begin, I'll introduce myself. I have several nicknames, but here I'll go by Lady. Before entering college, I had to decided my career field... well, not in so many ways. I did have to decide what I wanted to do, but it went deeper than that. For my major, I married the two things I love - culture and politics. AH! I haven't even told you what I'm majoring in. Forgive me. It's International Politics and Policy (IR for short).

I'm getting off topic. Welcome to Eating Cultures, my foodie/culture blog. This came about after waiting (agonizingly) for my college acceptance letter. So, I began reading cookbooks and trying to make international foods. Anyway, continuing on... as I began to cook these new foods, I wanted to learn more about the countries behind the foods. So the idea of a food blog was born.

So why food? Food is the doorway into any culture. The spices, the ingredients, the preparation all say a little of the region where the recipe was born. Plus, my Irish twin is headed off to culinary arts school soon and I thought it would be a neat way to create a closer bond.

Now for a conundrum: what country do we pick first? There are so many amazing areas and cuisines to explore! So many places to eat! Where to?

Recently I was listening to NPR (yes, I am a major junkie) and hear a bit on the new Japanese government. For the first time in nearly half a century, the Democrat party won the prime ministerialship. One of his objectives is to pursue a more equal relationship with Washington D.C. Bravo to them! (As long as it doesn't turn Japan into a country of xenophobes.) In case you haven't figured it out, the first country I will be profiling is Japan. *hoorah*

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What to Expect

Now it's the fun part. What will I be highlighting?

1. Food - durh. You're probably rolling your eyes at this one. This is just to clarify in case you missed it earlier. Here's is something you need to know, and remember: I live in a rural area so it's difficult to get every exact ingredient. I will try to get as close as I can, and I will list what I replace and what I replaced it with. (I will be using alcohol substitutes. My family does not drink nor do I. Plus I am not old enough to even buy it to cook with.)
2. Language - I hope to introduce key words and phrases. Greetings, courtesy expressions, and random tidbits will all be included. If I am learning it, I will give some tips or key delineations. Baby steps.
3. Fashion - I am a girl and I do love fashion. Join in an share you opinions! Not everyone dresses the same way, and it's fun to see the way others dress. I will try to post examples and sites that sell the fashion (if I can find them ^_~)
4. Politics, Government & National News - If government is the heartbeat, politics is it's lifeblood. For my interest, I will be posting links or short excerpt of current issues. I will do my best to find accurate, nonpartisan news (or at least find the same story from each side).
5. Random and Wacky Tidbits - Each nation has it's oddities, that what helps make them fascinating. From the weird to the humorous, all will be covered.
6. Religion - The coup de grace of any culture study.
7. Anything I've forgotten? - I'm sure there will be things that will come to my mind: random links, pertinent blogs, etc.

I believe that's all for my first post! I am in college so I will post when I am able (meaning the post will be erratic). I can't wait to start!

Let the feast begin!