Asian Culture

O M E O F T H E M O S T R E P R E S E N T A T I V E
S
E A S T S A N D F E S T I V A L S
F
- Cindy Duran Beltran - Luis Miguel González Cifuentes - Daniel Andrés Guevara Barbosa - Sammy Tang
R E C I P E S • P E O P L E • F E A S T S A N D F E S T I V A L S
ASIAN CULTURE
24 MAY 2017 • CULTURE OF THE WORLD II
Olivares Tang - Gabriela Orjuela Cardozo - Laura Marcela Ospino Garcia - Laura Ximena Perilla Gamboa -

CONTENTS • GRILLED
Table of
Contents
03
07
Chinese New Year
The indian Maha-Prasada
festivity
10 Tsukimi
13
20
22
Diversity and tolerance:
New year's celebrations in
Thailand
Japanese New year
Have you ever been to a
lantern festival, or have you
ever wished upon releasing a
sky lantern into the dark
starry night?
Korean Thanksgiving
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R E C I P E S • P E O P L E • G O O D F O O D
FOODNOTES
ISSUE NO. O2 • SEPTEMBER 2020 • $6.OO
T H E N E W F A C E O F B A K I N G
Guilt-free Brownies • Five Fresh grocery Picks • Top Organic Restaurants in the Metro
Whole food marketing • Sweater Weather Recipes • Organic Farms up North
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Tsukimi
⽉
By Luis Miguel González Cifuentes
Japan’s Harvest Moon Festival,
autumn moon Festival Customs and
traditional foods. It´s a long-held
Japanese tradition.
It’s really a traditional festival here in
Japan, you can see all the
preparations that the people do
celebrate that.
The Japanese custom of moon
viewing is held in mind-autumn and is
called Tsukimi or O-tsukimi (the
honorific term). It is also referred to as
the Mid-Autumn festival. It is widely
celebrated all across Japan.

Tsukimi
dango
The Tsukumi moon viewing custom was the
first introduced to Japan by China, during
the Heian era (794 – 1185), where it was
among a handful of seasonal celebrations of
the beauty of nature. Court nobles
celebrated O-tsukimi by indulging in
banquets, musing and composing poems
dedicated to the moon. Today, it’s
celebrated at temples and shrines, such as
Shimogamo shrine in Kyoto, where dances
are performed in Heian-era dress to period
music.
It takes place on August 15th of the lunar
calendar, and it’s also referred to as Jugoya.
When I stayed in Japan, had the opportunity
of witness this beauty festival, I was in a roji
(dewy path”, a small Japanese tea garden)
on my way to my friend’s tea house.
However, as you round a bamboo fence, the
tiny and simple thatched roof teahouse
comes into view, and you notice that the
windows are dark, and find this a just a little
odd. In the tokonoma and there a scroll
painting of a moon, barely visible
against the palest grey sky, and a bold
arrangement of pampas grass and
autumn flowers are displayed. It’s
grown chilly in recent days, so you’re
happy when your host invites you to sit
close to the coals as he prepares the
kettle for tea.
Then, the light begins to grown brighter
to the east, and you look out of the open
shoji doors to see the moon, barely
visible at first, rising past the trees in
the distance. The sky is cloudless and
the air, clear, rendering the outline of the
moon in crisp detail. As the moon
appears, impossible huge and dazzling
orange. As the moon scatters golden
reflection on the garden pond below,
you watch, speechless, as it rises, past
the sweeping branches of the pines.
11 PAGE

saidai no aki
BY JAPANESE CHEF JINO AKIHIRA
So, basically, you make offering and enjoy food
and drink while everyone looks at the pretty
moon. The offerings you give have various
meanings to them. The most traditional food
associated with Tsukimi are known as tsukimi
dango, or small white dumplings made of rice,
it look similar to a moon, so they symbolize
thanks for the rice harvest. The tsukimi dango
are typically displayed in an alter to represent
an offering to the moon.
Other foods wich are associated with tsukimi
include chestnuts, known as “kuri” in Japanese,
and taro, known as “sato imo”, in Japanese, as
wells as kabocha (Japanese pumpkin).
Boiled soba or udon noodles topped with nori
and raw egg, then covered with broth are
known as Tsukimi soba or Tsukimi udon. In
Kitakyushu an egg served atop yaki udon is
known as Tenmado, another name for
Tsukimi in the local dialect. Similarly when a
raw quail egg is used to top sushi, like
battleship sushi gunkanzushi or a handroll
temaki it is referred to as tsukimi style.
Confectionary, such as Mooncakes, are also
enjoyed.
At some fast food restaurants in Japan a
special Fall Menu is offered during September
and October featuring fried egg sandwiches
known as the Tsukimi burgers.
12 PAGE

AND TOLERANCE:
DIVERSITY
YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS
NEW
THAILAND
IN
By: Laura Ospino García
Thai Women
celebrating Songkran,
traditional Thai New
Year Eve

Something that can be very disconnecting and even impressive
about Thailand, is that there are three different new year
celebrations throughout the year: according to western Christians
traditions, Songkran of Hindu origin, and the Chinese New Year.
These demonstrates the diversity of cultures and beliefs present
in the territory, in addition to the tolerance and respect that exist
with different practices and rituals.
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Firstly, regarding to western New Year’s
Eve, it is only celebrated in areas with
high concentration of tourists. It began
to be held until a few years ago, with
the influence of tourists and
commercial importation. Thus, the best
places to celebrate this date are the
main regions of the tourist circuit, such
as Koh Tao and Koh Phangan islands.

As for the Chinese New Year celebrations, and considering the
roots of Chinese culture present in much part of the Asian
continent, this festival is celebrated with the arrival of the first full
moon, especially in the Chinatowns of Chiang Mai, Phuket and
Had Yai, however, it is important to mention that it tis in Bangkok
where most people joint to the celebration.
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Thai New Year, or Songkran is
one of the main festivities in
Thailand, usually coincides with
the days between April 13th and
15th of the Gregorian calendar.
This celebration has its origins in
a traditional Hindu festival, the
Sankranti. The Songkran is a
great water festival, which
symbolizes purification and
renovation, so when people
throw water at each other on the
streets, it signifies the renewal of
each person for the beginning
year. It is also a tradition that the
day before the beginning of the
celebrations, people clean their
houses very well.
The Songkran has three stages,
distributed in the three days that
the celebration lasts. On the first
day, it is a tradition for women to
prepare traditional recipes that
will be eaten over the next few
days. It is worth highlighting the
role of the female figure in this
ritual, as is them who must know
and follow recipes that their
mothers and grandmothers have
taught them, in order to reproduce
these preparations, which will be
offered to the monks in the
temples.

Followed to this, families go to the banks of the
rivers to lift sand pagodas decorated with
flowers, this is done with the aim of atoning
guilts and attract good luck for the coming year.
For the second day, there are offering
ceremonies in the Buddhist temples of each city,
in addition, water battles take place this day,
where both tourists and natives unite to throw
water to each other, as purification and
cleanliness of the spirit. Originally the Songkran
was not as festive as it is today, previously the
water was used only to wet the most revered
statues of the Buddha, because it was believed
that this water had beneficial and curative
properties.
In many parts of the country the
celebrations of the Songkran
ends on April 15th, however, in
certain towns and cities these
festivities extend until one
week. This day is called the day
of Wan Parg-bpee, and honors
are rendered to all ancestors
and to the oldest people. Water
is usually spilled over older
people as they ask for good luck
for the next year. This
ceremony is known as the Rohd
Nam Songkran.
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Songkran trips:
1. Wear eye protection and
waterproof all your belongings.
2. When buying a water gun make
them test it first.
3. Cover your ears as you’re passing
when people are shooting water.
4. Don’t shoot people in their ears nor
eyes with a high-powered gun, most
trouble starts from this.
5. Spraying motorbikes or dry people
can be fun to get wet, but be aware
that this could cause trouble.
6. Make reservations well ahead of
the celebration.
References:
Wright St-Clair, V., Bunrayong, W.,
Vittayakorn, S., & Hocking, C. (2011).
Offerings: Food Traditions of Older Thai
Women at Songkran. Journal of occupational
science .

BY: LAURA XIMENA PERILLA GAMBOA
is a major celebration worldwide, but
This
and manners change depending on
traditions
is a very large country, full of diversity, with
Japan
culture in which respect is more important than
a
New Year, also known as Shogatsu, is
Japanese
by one main tradition, followed by
characterized
that symbolize the same amount of worldly
rings
committed by the human race. These bell
sins
also mean that those sins, if committed
rings
the year that is about to end, are forgiven,
during
that people can start the new year being free
so
any bad behavior, and may continue their path
of
in order for everyone to share. This
displayed
is developed on December 31st, as well as
ritual
more different than what we are used to in
way
westernized world. For starters, not receiving
the
is considered a very rude act, because it
food
that you reject them and their culture.
means
families on new year´s eve gather around
When
table, everyone´s legs are covered by a sort of
the
that comes from underneath the table, so
blanket
everyone is comfortable. This is used mostly
that
that time of the year, because of winter´s cold
at
There´s no such thing as an
temperatures.
plate for each person at this table, all
individual
are arranged so that everyone shares, and
plates
a wide variety of food displayed. The only
there´s
that are served individually, for obvious
things
reasons, are beverages. But, you must never serve
own beverage, it must be poured onto your
your
by someone else, as well as you are
glass
to serve others. To serve one´s beverage
expected
not considered polite nor thoughtful. This rule
is
for house-held meals, as well as those
applies
at restaurants.
held
interesting fact that Pablo shared, is that
Another
must never offer a bite of the food you´re
you
to someone else. Meaning, you cannot pass
eating
from your chopsticks onto someone else´s,
food
this symbolizes death. This is due to the
because
that when someone dies, at the ceremony
fact
person´s ashes are passed around, hand by
the
in order to say goodbye – so to do that with
hand,
food, is not just rude, is to wish for that person´s
JAPANESE
NEW YEAR
FOOD AND MANNERS
the territory, especially when we talk about Asia.
Or at least that´s how I heard it from
anything.
a young Colombian who had the pleasure
Pablo,
from what he told me about food and every
Now,
that comes along with it, their traditions are
ritual
of living there for five years.
People usually visit temples and
others.
in the ritual that involves 108 bell
participate
towards reincarnation.
Pablo told me about the importance of
Also,
visits to the family. This is made by going
paying
every single house of the family, and eating -
to
receiving the food is considered extremely
not
but we´ll talk about that later on. Every
rude,
hold prepares the same dishes, and food is
house
on January 1st.
death.
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the other hand, the amount of food in
On
plates is also very important. You´ll
the
see, for instance, four sushi rolls in
never
plate. For the Japanese, the number
one
also symbolizes death, because of
four
similarity of the phonetics between
the
words. On the contrary, number
both
is a symbol of good luck, so it is very
eight
to see eight elements arranged
common
one plate. Although that doesn´t mean
in
food is always displayed in this exact
that
amount.
beginning to eat, people must say
Before
masu, which is grace, it means
Itadaki
grateful for the food about to be
being
This too, applies for every single
eaten.
deshita, which is also a
Gochisousama
of thanking the ones who took the
way
to prepare the food. During the
time
chopsticks must never touch the
meal,
table, it´s considered unsanitary
dinner
impolite.
and
for the food, one of the main dishes is
As
which is a sticky rice made by
mochi,
it and then pounding it with a
cooking
of hammer. In the pounding
sort
be eaten instead of the 12 grapes at
to
This buckwheat noodles are
midnight.
what people usually eat on January
also
garnished with different proteins for
1st,
every person in the house must
process,
is traditional for everyone to
collaborate;
help preparing all foods.
the other hand, as Pablo told me,
On
is very important – it is considered
soba
lunch and dinner. Lastly, these
breakfast,
foods are usually accompanied by
festive
any kind of beer and/or sake.
not just homemade ones. Also, at
meal,
end of the meal, the phrase used is
the

M A Y 2 0 1 7
Have you ever been to a lantern
festival, or have you ever wished
upon releasing a sky lantern into
the dark starry night?
BY: GABRIELA ORJUELA CARDOZO

E X C L U S I V E
TAIWAN
LANTERN
FESTIVAL
31 | Steam
“…If there is one festival that I
simply have to experience in my
life, then the Taiwan Lantern
Festival together with the Pingxi
Sky Lantern Festival is it! A
festival that is based on lights,
lanterns and loads of firecrackers!
This Lantern Festival is actually
one of Taiwan’s tourism
highlights…”
When my dear friend Nicolas had
the opportunitie to travel to
Taiwain, his visit coincided
Save.
with both Yuan Xiao Jie as well the
sister Ping Xi sky lantern festival.
The Taiwan Lantern Festival is
celebrated on the first full moon of
the Chinese New Year. In 2017,
the Taiwan Lantern Festival
started from February 11th to
19th, so he could experimented
that incredible culture.

During the time he staied
there,he learned so much about
this festival, its history, its
importance and its costums.To
begin we must know that this
festival also recive the name of
‘Yuan Xiao Jie’. It is one of the
more spectacular of the festivals
in Taiwan and celebrates the end
of the Lunar New Year, is
centred around festivities such
as lantern making, lantern riddle
games, light shows, lantern
parades……together with a
beautiful display of decorative
lanterns.is relevant to know that
the lunar calendar is extremely
important in Taiwan so it should
come as no surprise that the first
full moon of the year is a
considered an auspicious time of
the year and here are many
traditions surrounding this
special night. in that important
momento, both young and old,
venture out to celebrate the
world-renowned Lantern
Festival. Featuring everything
from handheld children’s
lanterns to huge floats bedecked
Steam | 18
in paper lights.

folklore. They decided to hold a major lantern
small hillside town of Pingxi, is home to a
The
tradition that has made it a hugely
breathtaking
tourist destination. Around the time of
popular
first full moon sky lanterns are released to
the
heavens. These were once used as signals for
the
to let their families know they were safe
villagers
sound but now carry people’s wishes and
and
for the new year into the night sky. The
hopes
Xi Sky Lantern Festival is such an amazing
Ping
destination that it made it to the list of 10
festive
Winter Trips released by National
Best
Geographic.
a numerous amazing festivals around the
There
but lantern festivals has got to be one of
world,
world’s most amazing ones. You simply
the
miss out on an event such as this! Here
cannot
will fill your life with light! Here, together
you
releasing an illuminated lantern into the
with
sky, you will let go of your worries and your
starry
of everyday life. Here you will find a true
stresses
of unity, love for all with a power of
meaning
See you all there!
light!
NOW, ABOUT HOW IT BEGAN?
As Nicolas say: “Yuan Xiao Jie has got it all.
Magic show of lights that will put a smile on
the grumpiest faces. And for those with a
curious appetite for Taiwan cuisine; you can
enjoy in the traditional festival food. Among all
the goodies on offer you will find: tangyuan
(also called yuansiao), which are rice
dumplings with either a sweet or savoury
stuffing
.
Every year the festival is centred around a
theme that is based on the zodiac of the year!
In the year of 2016 the festival was based on
the Year of the Monkey. The main lantern
depicted a ‘’Golden Monkey Offering Peaches.
2017 is the Year of the Rooster, it was an
extraordinary spectacle.
Now, about how it began?
In 1990 the Tourism Bureau devised a plan to
hold an event that would help celebrate local
festival to coincide with age-old customs such
as the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

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