Roasted turkey from American homes and gardens.

American homes and gardens.

Roasted turkey.

Food has been an important aspect of culture for thousands of years. It is one of the best ways to experience a local culture because almost every culture has its own foods and customs connected to it. In western cultures, cake and ice cream are associated with birthday celebrations, and Thanksgiving almost always means cooking a turkey for dinner. The Jewish Passover is connected to many symbolic foods, each eaten for a specific reason. Cultures also eat in different ways. Certain cultures use a fork and spoon, while others use chopsticks, or eating with your hands. There is also an order to food in many cultures. In cultures that eat nigiri sushi, it is important to eat the sushi so the fish touches your tongue first. In the United States, an order of a meal is separated into appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, and desserts. Eating the foods and following the eating habits of a culture can quickly help a person to better understand that culture and the people that follow it.