The Diversity
of Foods
Why is food important in the Lao
Culture?
• Lao eating customs is crucial for effective communication and
cultural respect
• Food in Laos is a way to connect with others as Traditional Lao
meals are often shared family style, fostering togetherness and
emphasizing the important of relationships
• Lao has table manners emphasizing respect, sharing, and
harmony
- Respect for elders is a big respect as you let elders start
eating first, offering them food before serving yourself.
Lao Culture
• Spirits play a significant role in Lao culture, and offerings of
food and drink are made to appease them
• Food also holds a special place in Lao weddings,
symbolizing the union of two individuals
• Cooking during Lao weddings symbolizes the preservation
and continuation of traditional food practices that have
been passed down through generations
- It is a way to honor and respect the cultural heritage
of the Lao people
Pad See Ew
• Today I have made Pad See
Ew in other words it is called
Asian Stir Fry Noodles
• A Thai noodle dish, originally
came from China, specifically
the Guangdong province.
Teochew immigrants brought
their noodle stir-frying
techniques to Thailand, where
the dish was accommodated
to suit the Thai palate and
became a staple in Thai
cuisine.
Sticky Rice
• Sticky rice is a fundamental
traditional food in Laos,
often served in a bamboo
basket and rolled into neat
hand-held balls
• It is a key accompaniment
to various dishes like
curried meats, fish, soups,
and dips.
• This cultural symbol
represents togetherness
and heritage in Laos
Laab "Lucky" (Minced
meat salad)
• Lao people consider laab to be a
lucky/wealthy dish because the dish consists
mostly of meat. The meat is known to be
expensive.
• Most Lao people would normally eat laab at
special occasions, such as weddings, new
year celebrations, and festivals.
Food in Thai Culture.
• Food shows hospitality to the guests, to share good luck, and
to also share gratitude to one’s ancestors.
• Thai food is about balancing the five distinct flavors. Sour,
sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy.
• Unlike Western food where it is served chilled, or hot, lots of Thai
dishes are served to room temperature. They say serving food
at room temperature is a more relaxing dining experience.
• Dining is meant to be shared and not rushed. It is a time to
come together as a community and family. Rushing the meal
is disrespectful.
Pad Thai
• Pad Thai is the national food of
Thailand and happens to be
famous all around the world. Pad
Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish.
• Pad Thai was invented in the
1930s in the city of Bangkok. Pad
Thai was made by Pleak
Phibunsongkhram. He decided to
invent the dish to bring the nation
together and symbolized the
people’s love for their country.
Nab Vam
• Nab Vam is a drink made
with coconut syrup,
tapioca pearls, sugar and
water.
• Nab Vam is a traditional
drink that is occasionally
served during special
events. Nab Vam also
happens to be a Hmong,
Thai, and Lao’s drink. Nab
Vam is also known as TriColor in English.
Thai Coconut
Balls
(Khanom tom)
• Khanom tom, also known
as Thai coconut balls, is a
Thai dessert. The dessert
consist of boiled rice
flowers, coated with
shredded coconut stuff
with a sweet filling.
Food in German Culture
• German cuisine includes a lot of potatoes and sauerkraut,
but it is very diverse and has many other cooking
traditions.
• Polish, Turkish and Jewish cooking inspires a lot of German
dishes as well.
• German cuisine used to have a reputation as being bland
which was true in early Germanic tribes a long time ago
• Now Germans diet are more diverse and include so many
ingredients.
German culture
• German people tend to be sensible
and respect one another’s privacy,
and they respect structure and laws
of society.
• Beer plays a huge role in Germans
lives, and it has for many generations.
• Also known for bread, over 17,000
bakers in the the country with 300
different styles if bread
• Today, Christians, Catholics and
Muslims coexist happily in Germany.
• They typically have string family
values as well and have a
commitment to protecting the
environment.
Schnitzel
• A slice of meat, pounded thinly
then breaded and fried.
• Comes from the German work
schnitt, which translates to “cut.”
• Often the meat is made with veal
or pork, but can also be made with
chicken or turkey.
• Super popular dish from German
culture but is made all around the
world.
Brot & Brötchen
• Tasty bread from German culture and super
easy to make.
• Traditional German brötchen contains
whole milk, water, yeast, flour and salt
• It is eaten with butter, sweet jams, local
honey and thinly sliced meats
• “Brot” is bread in German and the ending
“-chen” is added to talk about something
smaller, which this is a small roll.
Diversity in
food
• Learning about diversity in food
is good because you get to
learn all about another ethnic
group.
• You also get to learn how other
cultures eat, and what they
can’t eat.
• You also get incorporate the
traditions and significance
behind the food.
• You see the gender roles in
preparing and serving the meals
• You see the impact of religion
• You see the importance of
family
They added a reference slide afterward