Being an Altruistic Scholar for Janae

I don't know all that much about food. So when I see Janae's posts on awe in food (this post and presentation post), all I can think is this clip from Ratatouille:

Then I decided I would do some additional research on the idea that food can create awe. I've at least learned to appreciate food more, and definitely marvel at those who dedicate their time and efforts to studying and understanding health and/or culinary arts.

1. Natural Health

Janae had a Google+ update talking about juicing vegetables and fruits. There I mentioned a little about the properties of honey. This article lists more than 80 uses for honey as a DIY product. Natural foods have demonstrated over and over their healthy and revitalizing qualities. Eating healthy means our bodies will be healthy. The fact that the natural earth provides what can sustain human health is quite awe-inspiring.

2. Culinary Arts

Glasses made from fish scales by Erik de Laurens

The amount of time and dedication behind not only making food, but then having it look presentable can be awe-inspiring. There is a lot of creativity, patience, and skill. If 90% of restaurants fail in their first year, no wonder those that survive are impressive. There are plenty of cooking shows with chefs who do challenges under "x" time constraint. To be able to know food and its composition, the tastes and power behind each taste, which flavors go together and which don't, etc all off the top of your head and then be able to cook it perfectly AND make it look good is incredible. Then you have artists like these designers who take the presentation side of food and make it into another type of art.

3. Science

The science behind the human body is something we are still exploring. Taste is associated with smell. There are ten thousand taste buds on your tongue. Our sense of taste protects us from unsafe foods. The human body's chemistry is fascinating. This entire website is based on research done by Jeannine Delwiche, Ph.D on taste and smell.

I suppose my biggest question now is how can we reach a state of the sublime when thinking about food? Has it become such an instinct part of survival that we can't appreciate or reverence it? Maybe we should be considering the health, art, and science of food like we would think of an artwork inspiring awe or the question of endless space would inspire awe.

Maybe there is the "fear of the sublime" in food too. Food can be apart of health, regeneration, art, science, and a whole manner of good things. But we've come to undervalue it. When I watch a documentary like Super Size Me, or see on the news how there are plenty of people without proper nutrition (or any food at all), and others living off food stamps, it makes you wonder how much we take away the value of food by eating whatever we want all the time. There are medical conditions like obesity, anorexia, or bulimia where food becomes something terrifying instead of reviving. So food can be a source of awe, but it can also be the cause of a lot of terrifying awe.

Hope this helps at least a little, +Janae Rivera! Even if its only use is to give you some other things to think about when writing your paper. Good luck!