To know the meaning of the term at hand, it is first necessary to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can point out that it is a word that derives from Greek, it is exactly the result of the sum of several components of said language:
-The noun “gaster, gastrós”, which can be translated as “stomach”.
-The word “nomos”, which is synonymous with “rule”.
-The suffix “-ia”, which is equivalent to “quality”.
The concept of gastronomy is used with reference to the skill and knowledge to prepare food . The term can refer to the art of preparing food , to the set of culinary traditions and recipes of a place or to the attachment to good eating .
For example: “I really like gastronomy, I am always looking for new recipes to prepare for my family,” “Mexican gastronomy is characterized by the use of spicy ingredients,” “I spend a good part of my money on gastronomy and traveling.” ” .
It is important to mention, therefore, that the notion of gastronomy has a very broad meaning. At a general level, it is linked to the relationship between people and their food . That is why the word is associated with the preparation of food , the way it is served and its cultural relevance, among other issues.
Given this breadth of meanings, it is possible to classify gastronomy in multiple ways. This idea is often used to name the typical dishes of a country or region: German gastronomy , Japanese gastronomy , Andean gastronomy , etc.
The usual thing is that each country and even each population commits to promoting and praising its gastronomy as a way to attract more tourism or to make one of the attractions of the place known. Precisely for this reason, their salmorejo or flamenquín are known from Córdoba (Spain), their empanadas are famous from Galicia, or their migas stand out from Castilla la Mancha.
The fact that more and more tourists choose a destination taking into account its gastronomy has led Spain to establish what is known as the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy. The Spanish Federation of Tourism Journalists and Writers (FEPET) was the one that encouraged the Spanish Hospitality Federation to choose a city in the country each year to act as its representative at a culinary level and to publicize its wealth in that sense.
La Rioja, Burgos, Vitoria, Cáceres, Toledo, Huelva, León and Almería are the cities that until now have had the honor of being chosen as capitals of gastronomy.
Depending on the type of ingredients used, on the other hand, a distinction can be made between vegan gastronomy , vegetarian gastronomy and fruitarian gastronomy , to name a few possibilities. Regarding the way of preparing food, it is possible to differentiate between molecular gastronomy , industrial gastronomy and others.
There are many professionals who specialize in some facet of gastronomy. Anyone who is an expert in different aspects of this art is known as a gourmet .