Sustainable Food

Eating is a daily activity, and yet all the world’s religious and spiritual traditions have seen something extraordinary in this basic action, something that links us to the transcendent. The fact that there is no life without food, and that eating is therefore essential has led humankind to give this activity a form of symbolism that goes well beyond mere survival. Religious traditions provide the framework for survival to become living to the full and have consequently included food in the transcendent, charged with symbolism. There is always a common nexus within the diverse approaches and forms of worship: food as a bridge between the earthly and heavenly worlds.

This series is the continuation of what was started in 2019, and centres on the relationship and links between food and religious and spiritual practice in Barcelona. It is a dynamic way of learning about different beliefs while learning more about a topic that, one way or another, affects everyone: what we eat, and how we eat.

This year’s edition returns to the original format. Last year changes were introduced due to the health crisis. The opening session was held online, and the tasting presentations were substituted for interviews with the speakers in video format, which you can watch HERE.

THIRD “EVERYDAY AND EXTRAORDINARY”, AS PART OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD WEEK IN BARCELONA:

Barcelona’s year as the World Capital of Sustainable Food in 2021 is therefore a catalyst for a transition towards food sustainability that strengthens local sustainable economies and improves people’s health, as well as that of the Earth itself.

The third “Everyday and Extraordinary: food in religious traditions” is part of this year’s Sustainable Food Week, an opportunity for Barcelona to talk about this key issue. Although sustainability and balance (environmental and personal) are always present in the link between food and religious tradition, this edition wishes to delve deeper into this relationship. Both in the opening session, of a more theoretical nature, and in the tastings that have accompanied the other talks, it has been possible to see how various religious traditions speak of the importance of respecting and conserving the environment without forgetting the spiritual sphere. Therefore, when we speak of food and religion, we also speak of the relationship between matter and spirit and the body-earth-cosmos triad, bringing a holistic view to the environmental struggle.

OPENING SESSION:

The opening session took place on Friday 15 October in the multi-purpose room at the Mercat de Sant Antoni, and this year was organised in collaboration with Mercats de Barcelona i Espai Avinyó – Llengua i Cultura. Marta Ruiz Pascua, historian and anthropologist, Juan José Plasencia, poet, writer and therapist, and Dídac P. Lagarriga, organiser of the series, were the protagonists of this opening session. Khalid Ghali, Commissioner for Intercultural Dialogue and Religious Pluralism, opened the session by highlighting the collaboration with Mercats de Barcelona, the first collaboration between the Department of Interculturality and Religious Pluralism with this organisation, and also stressed the values underpinning Barcelona as Sustainable Food Capital.

Curator of the series Dídac P. Lagarriga, introduced this year’s theme, “Food and Religious Traditions”, by speaking about the links between food and religions. He stressed that “religions are collective ways of not panicking when faced with what seems horrific, absurd or unfair”. In his view religions have “a label with multiple definitions”, a label that encompasses “in general terms those attempts to understand and to live that are considered ‘sacred’”. In today’s world, gripped by the climate emergency and a social crisis of global proportions, the idea of conscious consumption is gaining strength. It means “being conscious of what it that we eat, and the fact that we are what we eat” and it is here that “bridges with religions” are created. Dídac P. Lagarriga’s talk is posted on the OAR blog, and you can read it HERE.

Marta Ruiz Pascua talked about the links between identity and food. Eating is an everyday activity on which Marta Ruiz Pascua invited us to reflect. Why do we eat what we eat? How is the relationship between food and identity constructed? Although eating is a biological necessity, different societies and cultures have chosen to fulfil this need in very different ways. What is considered edible depends on context. Food is a channel of communication and one of the ways that we relate to each other. This means that eating is also a symbolic action connected with identity, one that is related to a particular place, certain values, etc. Furthermore, it is a ritualised activity, particularly when it comes to meals linked to celebrations and festivals. Food is also linked to class, gender, identity, religion and other social constructs. It is often said that certain foods or beverages are more appropriate for men/ women/ young people etc. Therefore different ways of eating may lead to social inequalities, for example to sexist attitudes that insist that men should eat first, receive a larger portion, etc.

To conclude, Marta Ruiz Pasqua talked about the applied anthropology projects that are being carried out by the L’Etnogràfica co-operative. “Locally sourced food for all” is a project that involves growing foods that are in high demand in migrant communities, with the aim of achieving greater sustainability.

Juan José Plasencia talked about the body and the emotions through the eyes of Chinese traditional medicine. Chinese traditional medicine is based on the Tao, which seeks balance between heaven and earth. Human beings, between these two dimensions, absorb their energies. The Tao speaks of five forces which correspond to the five elements. By seeking to balance these five elements, we will be healthy. Each element is also related with one of the organs in the body.

In considering the relationship between the body and the emotions, Juan José Plasencia also spoke of the importance of what is often called mindful eating, stepping away from the stress and distractions of today’s society. Many religious traditions have a way of giving thanks before eating. Plasencia showed the audience the principles of pranayama breathing techniques, as mindful breathing supports mindful eating. Lastly, he talked about health in the autumn, when our bodies are adapting to a new season, and gave some advice.

TASTING PRESENTATIONS:

After the opening sessions there were four tasting sessions in which guest speakers talked about their experiences, and the relationships between food and their beliefs at a personal level:

“Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, sustainable roots”:

Rahel Berhe, owner of the restaurant Abissínia and expert on how the human body works, talked about Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, an very old form of Christianity dating back to the 4th century AD that due to historical circumstances, developed largely in isolation from other Christian areas. She also explained the link that exists between Judaism and her country, Ethiopia, a relationship that means that dietary stipulations are very similar to those of kosher cuisine.

With regard to food, she spoke of the importance of coffee in Ethiopian society. Drinking coffee is a ritual, and an occasion to meet and chat, as it is made using dried beans, roasted and prepared as an infusion. No sugar is added, and it is drunk with a traditional type of bread. Those present were able to try this way of drinking coffee. Finally, Berhe explained how five tastes (sweet, salty, spicy, sharp and bitter) are used in her cooking, how they must be combined to achieve not only optimum taste, but also a balanced pH to promote good digestion.

In terms of eating as ritual, she talked about the importance of the traditional way of serving and eating food. Food is served on a single tray, with no cutlery, no tablecloth, and no napkins. Food is eaten with the hands so that it tastes better, can be digested more easily and so that we can connect more closely with what we are eating.

Among the foods to be tasted were injera, a traditional kind of flat bread made from a gluten free grain called tef. It was served with a variety of vegetarian dishes based on vegetables, lentils and textured soya protein.

“The Christian Adventist Church, vegan tradition”, session organised with the collaboration of Mercats de Barcelona:

In the aula gastronòmica at the La Boqueria market, Sandra Patrone, an expert in healthy eating with a master’s degree in public health and the director of the ministry of health of the Spanish Union of Adventist Churches, gave an introduction to her faith, explaining its roots and the value that it places on the body and on health. The Seventh Day Adventist Church is a Protestant denomination some eighteen million followers around the world. It originated in the USA as a result of the preaching of William Miller and Ellen G. White, who predicted the second coming of Christ. The word ‘advent’ refers to the coming of the Lord. The reference to ‘seventh day’ highlights a distinctive element, the strict observance of Saturday as the day of the Lord. Adventists believe the Bible to be the inspired revelation of God to men. Hope with regard to the parousia (the triumphant return of Christ) and selective immortality (for those chosen by Jesus on the basis of merit) are some of the core beliefs of the Adventist Church.

Adventist churches are characterised by their intervention in the areas of health and education. Right from its beginnings, the Adventist Church highlighted the importance of improving health and well-being, creating an extensive world-wide network of hospitals, and developing a programme for health reform that is based on diet, among other factors. Adventist lifestyle centres on rest, exercise, sunlight, fresh air, balanced nutrition, temperance and hope in God. Sandra Patrone explained the story of John Harvey Kellogg, creator of Kellogg’s breakfast cereals and founder of the Battle Creek Sanitarium.

Among the dishes served, Patrone had prepared primarily vegan versions of dishes traditionally made with meat, such as burgers using soy, wheat and red rice, and versions of charcuterie products such as xoriç and botifarra negra made with pulses. She also served a potato omelette made without using eggs, and a vegan carrot cake.

“Judaism and Islam, shared ecology”:

In this session Mónica Buzali, co-founder of the Toldot Project (a culinary project aimed at encouraging enjoyment of the diversity of Jewish cuisine in a personal way), and Khadija Ouaryachi, community mediator and social and environmental educator, talked about the peaceful coexistence and the shared common experiences of Jews and Muslims over the centuries, a coexistence that is all too often forgotten; one that is reflected in gastronomy. For example, they talked about xarab, a drink that Monica’s family used to drink after the Yom Kippur fast, and that in Muslim countries is drunk to break the Ramadan fast. Marzipan was also mentioned, an ingredient that is used in both culinary traditions: after fasting, and for the sick. Food for the sick also features in medieval Catalan cuisine.

Judaism and Islam are two ancient religious traditions that both have codes and rules regarding food. In Judaism, the Halakhah is a summary of 613 commandments (mitsvot) that cover all the most important actions that human beings may carry out. Food and eating feature in these commandments. For practising Jews, the food that they put in their mouths must be appropriate or pure (kasher (in Hebrew) or kosher (in Yiddish): “appropriate” thanks to its very nature (for example, the meat of cloven hoofed animals that are also ruminants) and “pure” or “purified”, thanks to the way that they have been processed (for example, animals must be bled). In Islam, the Qur’an and the Sunna are the sources of rules regarding food. Islamic rules regarding food are based on what is considered harmful, and as such is not permitted (haram): alcohol, pork, blood, carrion and animals that have not been slaughtered in accordance with Islamic ritual. All permitted foods are termed halal.

Attendees were able to try xarab, a drink made with orange juice and almonds that is drunk to break the Yom Kippur fast, and challah, a braided Jewish bread, sweet couscous, and marzipan based desserts.

“Jainism, the Earth as sacred”:

Virk Mohinder, a chef of Indian origin, spoke about Jainism, a religious tradition from India, a country where several spiritual traditions coexist. Jainism is an ancient religious tradition that experienced strong growth in the 6th century BC, with Vardhamana Jnatiputra and Nataputta Mahavira (599 – 527 BC), known as Jina (victorious), which is where the word Jainism comes from. For the most part, it is a nastika (non-theistic) tradition, and does not recognise the authority of the Veda texts or the Brahmins. It has around four million followers, mainly in India. Although Jains represent only a small percentage of the population of India, they have a good deal of social and economic power: much of the banking, jewellery and publishing industries in the country are in their hands.

The concept of ahimsa is part of Jainism. It means something more than non-violence – it refers to the principle of not doing harm to any living being, or to oneself. This is a basic tenet that runs throughout the history of Jainism, and one that became a key virtue in a Jain way of life. Ahimsa is linked to nurturing values such as peace, benevolence, compassion and charity towards other living beings. In terms of food, Jains only eat non-sentient beings that have no nervous system, primarily plant based products. Many plant foods, such as fruit and roots, are viewed very positively within this tradition as they involve harvesting a part of the plant rather than its total destruction.

Among the dishes available to taste, naan stood out, a type of bread made in a traditional tandoori oven that people could take a look at. There was also paneer cheese rolled in chickpea flour and fried, an okra stew with rice, and rice pudding for dessert.

You will find all the videos made at the different editions of Quotidiàiextraordinari on a play list on Barcelona City Council’s YouTube channel.

Looking forward to seeing you at the next edition!

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