- This is a Text investigation. Consider your essential question in the context of at least two outside sources you have identified that connect to your essential question. How do these ideas resonate with or challenge your own beliefs, experiences, or practices? Be sure to give concrete and specific examples. You may want to address: ways the sources answered parts of your Essential Question, what additional questions were raised, or how your essential understanding of your project was altered or confirmed by the readings you did. Make sure to cite your sources.
While reading my textbook I’ve come across a consistent message regarding Greek food. Most Greek foods are not originally from Greece. While of course some of the foods are from Greece but a large chunk of recipes originated in Turkey or the Middle East. The reason for this is the major geographic changes of Greeces boarders throughout the years. If you don’t know Greece and Turkey have been rivals for hundreds of years. Turkey used to be under Greek rule, and eventually Greece was under Turkeys rule. While Greece was under the occupation of the Ottoman Empire in the early 15th century, Greek cuisine and Turkish cuisine merged. The reason for this is because while under occupation, the Turks wouldn’t let the Greeks practice their culture and traditions. The culture ban extended to Greek cuisine. This practice was very common for occupied countries. Greece was under Turkish rule for over 300 years. In this timespan certain Turkish/ottoman dishes were adopted. Some of these assimilated recipes that you might know are Baklava, Dolma, and Doner Kabob which was renamed souvlaki.
This taught me a lot about my essential question. Through cooking Greek food I’m learning about cultures and traditions that aren’t Greek. Ive realized that most Greek traditions are shared or are similar to the practices of another culture. That idea extends to food. Certain parts of every cuisine has been borrowed from another cuisine usually in the same region. That left with the question: is Turkish Greek food still Greek food? My answer would be yes. Although these recipes originated in other places, Greeks have been cooking them for hundreds of years. What was originally a forced assimilation is now a staple part of Greek culture.