FPFVA101 Culinary Geography

Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Winter 2020
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Pavol Plesník, PhD. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Pavol Plesník, PhD.
Faculty of Philosophy and Science in Opava
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main aim of the course is to provide students with the basic information concerning gastronomy of particular European countries. The individual lectures will briefly introduce individual European countries and their culture; main attention will then be focused on gastronomy of particular countries in broad historical, geographical, demographical and cultural contexts. Emphasis will be put on ingredient basis, production and relation to quality. The main attention will be focused on typical dishes and drinks of particular gastronomies as well as on their preparation or production. The illustrative nature of the lessons will be supported by own visual material.
Syllabus
  • 1. History of Gastronomy (development of human diet; oldest civilisations; invention and development of beer and wine production; distillation; origin of coffee and tea)
    2. Diet and Religion (bans, orders and restrictions of the oldest and most widespread religions; nature of religious belief and habits in Judaism, Islam and Christianity; historical development; changes in perception from ancient times until modern days)
    3. The Czech Republic and Its Gastronomy Phenomena (gastronomy phenomena of the CR; beer, wine, wine-growing and wine-making; favourite alcoholic drinks; traditional Czech dishes versus their world origin; habits and traditions; regional dishes as a modern trend)
    4. Italian gastronomy - the Basis of European Cuisine (Italian gastronomy and its influence on the world; phenomena of Italian gastronomy; foodstuffs, ingredients, dishes and drinks)
    5. France, the Mecca of Gastronomy (French gastronomy - the UNESCO world cultural heritage; the factors of the French gastronomy success; basic features and benefits to the world; lifestyle; system of quality; French alcoholic drinks and wines)
    6. The gems of French cuisine (typical dishes of French gastronomy; benefits of French gastronomy to the world - the list of dishes according to the composite menu; appetizers, soups, main dishes, desserts, cheeses, smoked products, pastry)
    7. Spain and Portugal - the Features of Mediterranean Cuisine (the features of the Mediterranean cuisine; historical context; wine-growing and wine-making; chocolate, brandy; Spanish dishes; Portugal and its relation to tourism and gastronomy; phenomenon of port wine)
    8. Russian Cuisine, Typical Dishes and Drinks (traditional foodstuffs, dishes and drinks; Russian dining - Russian table; phenomenon of vodka and tea; menu composition, list of dishes)
    9. Gastronomy of Great Britain (benefits of English gastronomy; whisky and whiskey, gin, British and Irish beers; typical dishes; blending of English and colonial gastronomy; social events - picnic, afternoon tea)
    10. Austro-Hungarian Cuisine and the Present; Germany and Its Gastronomy Phenomena (linking items of Czech, Slovak, German, Austrian and Hungarian cuisines; Hungary - ingredients, dishes, wines and spirits; Austria - rural, mountain and Viennese cuisines; traditional dishes, important drinks; German dishes and drinks)
    11. Belgium and the Netherlands (Belgium - ignored culinary gem and beer power; Michelin, pralines, waffles, fries and seafood; Netherlands - the country of jenever, beer and cheese market)
    12. Gastronomy of the Balkans (countries of the Balkans; traditional ingredients - meat and vegetable preparation; coffee, spirits, wine; dishes of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, countries of former Yugoslavia; influence of the Ottoman Empire and Islam)
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Teacher's information
" 70% attendance in classes (minimum)
" active participation in discussions
" essay debating a topic assigned by the lecturer
The course is also listed under the following terms Summer 2014, Summer 2015, Summer 2016, Summer 2017, Summer 2018, Summer 2019, Winter 2019, Summer 2020, Summer 2021, Winter 2021, Summer 2022, Winter 2022, Summer 2023, Winter 2023, Summer 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Winter 2020, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.slu.cz/course/fpf/winter2020/FPFVA101