Biology 101: Reflecting on My Most Memorable Meal - Christmas Cake

This biology essay details a student's most memorable meal, the Christmas cake, and its significance. The essay explores the cultural and familial traditions associated with the cake, tracing its history from medieval times to its modern variations across the globe. The student describes their personal experience with the cake, including the process of preparation, the ingredients involved, and the emotional connection to the family tradition. The essay highlights the importance of food in connecting people, creating memories, and celebrating cultural heritage. The student reflects on the effort and joy involved in preparing the cake, emphasizing the role of family and the creation of lasting memories. The essay also touches on the nutritional aspects of the cake and its role in festive celebrations, offering a comprehensive view of the Christmas cake as a symbol of family, tradition, and personal experience.

RUNNING HEAD: Biology 0
Biology
(Student Name)
1/30/2019

Biology 1
Food is one of the greatest creations which humans have
introduced and it has an ample amount of varieties
according to different cultures, traditions or demographic
regions. All the dishes are unique from each other in taste,
presentation but all the dishes are prepared with such love
and affection that consumers feel delighted and it makes
them happy. For some people, food is just a necessity to
survive the basic needs and for some, it is more than basic
needs. By food, individual can know the cultures and
traditions with history of specific people of the part in the
world. Eating habits of the people depend on the
demographical and cultural values and beliefs. It changes from time to time or as per the climatic
changes food changes (Flowers and Swan, 2016). Today, due to the development of various
resources each cuisine from a different part of the world can be tasted or obtained easily and
popular dishes across the worlds are now in awareness of the consumers which helps them to
taste the new varieties. Few of the recipes are passes on, from generations to generations which
help in creating a history more value and authentication to the originality of the dish that at a
time becomes the legacy of the generations (Bradley, 2016). Food is one of the fineness things
by which two strangers can talk or it can be a conversation starter or an ice breaker. Any
individual who has eaten something extraordinary items then he/she tries to publicize that by
sharing their experience with one another. Good food is one of the basic elements which human
body requires attaining a normal growth and development. The nutrition on food cannot be
ignored in getting good health. Every individual should be aware of the nutrition value which,

Biology 2
he/she needs to consume to stay healthy. Food is one of the most preferred things in life without
it life would not be such interesting. Though I have had certain good meals which can be
remembered for a long but still I had one of the greatest meals which come in the list of 1st
number that is Christmas cake (Fox, 2017). Christmas cake is also one of the favorite foods
which I like the most and it is the time of new start or beginning all the family members share the
love and happiness of being together. It is a time when all family members prepare and share the
warmth (Salonen, 2016).
In the below, I would be sharing my most memorable meal which, I have eaten so far it is the
Christmas cake. It is specially prepared on the occasion of Christmas which, connects all the
family members together and makes the Christmas night a memorable one. We share the meal
together which brings the family closer and we are able to know each more and it is not a day job
to prepare the cake. We start preparing the cake well before the Christmas and there is madness
around preparing it to perfection. It was so special that not only I ate that cake but I got the
opportunity to prepare and get to know new things and how to prepare it. It seems very easy
when my mother was doing and it really took efforts in preparing the same. But before we move
on that we would understand the tradition of Christmas cake and will try and sneak into the
history (Miles, 2016).

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The tradition of Christmas cake begins in the medieval period; wherein the popular tradition of
fasting is observed before Christmas. The self-discipline and irregular fasting is supposed to
prepare the body for the intemperance and excesses of Christmas. On the eve of Christmas, rich
porridge is prepared and eaten for the upcoming feast. The porridge contains oats, dried fruits
etc. which can be called cake (Prideaux and Glover, 2015). As time passes many ingredients is
added or customized in the current form so that more varieties can be eaten. It could also be
believed that somewhere in between 16th-century Flour was introduced and oats were
discontinued. Butter and eggs is used to make the cake more special. The batter is bound in cloth
and cooked in a pot of water for a couple of hours. Every family customizes their recipes
according to the taste (Kenny and Sage, 2018). This cake is prepared weeks before Christmas. It
is served with a garnishing of holly after the celebratory meal. Approximately on the same
period, families working in British colonies in Australia, USA, Canada and rest parts of the

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world began to make their cakes weeks or even months in advance and send it to them as an
element of the Christmas basket beside with wine and presents. In the last few centuries, the
Christmas cake has reached every place on the planet. Every country, region, and family has a
different version of the recipe (Lindberg, Lawrence and Caraher, 2017). Some are made with
nuts soaked in rum, few are fed with brandy for weeks after being baked, and some have no
alcohol at all. Christmas cakes can be dark, moist, dry, heavy and light, spongy etc. They are
made in different shapes sizes, glazing, with frosting. Traditional Scottish cake is called Whisky
Dundee, which is popular. It is one of the light crumbly cakes with raisins, cherries, currants, and
Scottish whiskey. Other cakes could be apple cream cake, minced meat cake. To prepare a great
Christmas cake all we need is the correct ingredients and right timings. All the cakes for
Christmas are prepared well in advance as the demand of the cakes are higher on Christmas week
as people use to give gifts to each other and enjoy the meals with their loved ones. A small
amount of Whisky, Brandy is poured through the holes in the cake so the tenderness can be
maintained till the time it is sold. This process is known as feeding the cake. In Japan, Christmas
cake is a sponge cake which is frosted with strawberries or seasonal fruits or chocolates. And in
the Philippines, Christmas cakes are a yellow cake with a lot of nuts or traditional fruitcake. Both
cakes are dipped in rum or brandy sugar syrup (Power et al., 2017).
Christmas is a traditional festive public holiday that embraces the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christmas Eve took place the day previous to Jesus Christ was born. This is the day where family
members gather for a festive meal. All the family members share the learning and experience
while they are dining together on an auspicious day. Christmas cake is one of the cakes which
contain dried fruits, usually covered with icing. Christmas cake is a heavy meal as lots of
ingredients are poured into and blend well to have the aroma of the richness. The Christmas cake

Biology 5
is good for health and for those who don’t like much sweetness. Fruitcakes contain varieties of
nuts which can be prepared or customized according to the taste (Hybels and Hybels, 2016).
I am one of the foodie who love to eat and explore more dishes around the globe, region,
cultures, and traditions which helps me to understand the different cultures and their variety of
food which binds them together to live a happy and prosperous life. I have tried a number of
cuisines which gave me the exposure of knowing the best and not best dishes around the globe.
Sometimes experience was not so pleasant but most of the times experience was good. Hence,
today I am going to share my most memorable meal which I have eaten so far which is, of
course, Christmas cake. In our family, Preparation for Christmas
cake starts one month in advance wherein all the family members
after the dinner starts cutting the fruits, raisins are soaked into
rum, variety of ingredients are gathered together which, at times
was most difficult to search in town where we reside (Davis-
Meehan, 2016).
We tried to collect as much as ingredients for the Christmas cake,
the father use to pick the things up while he was returning home from the office. Christmas cake
is one of the specialties of my mother and she loves cooking. She herself manages the cooking
by her own, we help her in collecting the ingredients together and she ensures that consistent
taste and happiness is shared amongst all the relatives who came by every year on this special
occasion (Riley and Cavanaugh, 2017). In the cake would go, it's amazing fragrance wandering
through the backyard and she would ensure if it's done by plummeting a knitting pine needle into
the cake. It takes about an hour to prepare it and before the guest arrives on the day in the

Biology 6
afternoon all the preparation completes and dining table and plates arranged so that guest could
enjoy the meal without hustle (Mackenzie, 2016).
Last year Christmas cake was one of the most memorable meals which I have eaten and cooked
for the first time. Many years have passed wherein I used to help my mother in preparing for the
Christmas cake and last year I decided that “I should try cooking now”. Initially, it was a tough
decision as it is one of the major festivals in which all relatives, friends come by and eat and
enjoy the meal and I did not wanted to be the one who ruins the night or evening for the day.
Hence, when I initially thought of doing so I was scared and shared the same with my mother at
first she laughed out loud and she motivated me to do the preparation and boosted my confidence
to start the work (Salonen, 2016). From many years, I was seeing my mother how she is doing
the preparations hence, I was well versed with the ingredients. While preparing the cakes I
realized that preparing Christmas cake is not an easy job it requires a lot of efforts and
ingredients and timings are crucial when to put something. From years, I was farsighted it being
prepared which seems quite easy and when I was preparing it took a lot of efforts. I had to take
help from my mother as when all the ingredients put together I was having difficulty in putting
the cake in the oven as the quantity was more a couple of friends/relatives were expected to
come. My mother helped in that, also while I was preparing I had something prepared specially
for my mother a small piece of cake which she was not aware (Younginer et al., 2015). When we
were serving to all I served that special cake to mother and after seeing that she was speechless
and was amazed to see the efforts which, I have put into. In addition to that, I have prepared a
speech for my mother as we use to do every year. The efforts which I had put in preparing were
well deserved as everyone in the family appreciated me for the efforts which I have putted into it
and the way I have carried all the things (Walker, 2017).

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Therefore, the ceremony also marks the arrivals of the harvest season. During such period, lots of
fruits, as well as nuts, were harvested and used in making of the traditional plum cake. The
stirring ceremony is one of the parts of an old-age Christmas tradition of cake mixture and one
making wishes for the New Year. The ingredients of the festive fruit cake are mixed with wine as
well as liquor in advance so that the ingredients that can develop aroma as well as taste.
Originally a family affair, it is for many years celebrated within the organizations to spread
camaraderie as well as goodwill (Power et al., 2017). The celebration of Christmas brings joy
and anticipation among those who celebrate this event. These are such time when the friends,
family and even complete strangers can come together in harmonious enthusiasm. Lots of events
are connected with such festivals such as decorations, gifts, folklore, flowers, games, traditions
and so on. It is westernized occasion that may contain different significance and symbolic
meanings to those who celebrate it rather than those who celebrate the New Year. Such a festival
brings the people together and accepted towards all cultures and beliefs (Campbell, 2017)
Christmas cake is one of the special dishes which, are prepared and shared with others in the
auspicious festivals that brings harmony and happiness amongst all the friends and family
members. It gives opportunities to the family members to come together and enjoy an evening in
such a manner that everyone remembers it. It is one of the traditions which are being followed by
ages now and every generation is sharing with the next one and helps them to celebrate in a most
memorable manner. Christmas cake is one of the most memorable meals that I have taken so far
especially last year when I got the opportunity to prepare the meal by myself. From years my
mother uses to prepare the cakes in a most delicious manner and everyone loved it hence, I
thought of greeting the same to my mother as she is one of the best cooks and to greet her, it was
a little effort from my side to appreciate my mother. Christmas is one of the festive wherein all

Biology 8
the friends and relatives come by to our place we share the life moments and what all we have
done in this year and what all things we would love to accomplish in future. It helps in building
up strong bond and relationship. The recipes of the Christmas cakes are so unique that it passes
from one generation to another which enhancing the importance of this festival. The preparations
of the Christmas cakes begins well before the Christmas eve as all the ingredients are put in such
a manner that its aroma captures the right amount of taste which gives happiness to the person
eating it.

Biology 9
References
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Springer.
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Davis-Meehan, S. (2016) St John's Care 25th anniversary. Anglican Historical Society
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Flowers, R. and Swan, E. (2016) Food pedagogies. London: Routledge.
Fox, R. (2017) Participant Observer: A Memoir of a Transatlantic Life. London: Routledge.
Hybels, L. and Hybels, L. (2016) Rediscovering church. New Jersey: Zondervan.
Kenny, T. and Sage, C. (2018) Obstacles to re-introducing food as a commons. Routledge
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Mackenzie, E. (2016) Throw a ripper Christmas party people actually want to go to. B&T,
(2816), p.94.

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