VCE Food Studies – Material Test |

Area of Study 1: Food around the world (extract below taken from the VCE Food Studies Study Design

In this area of study students explore the origins and cultural roles of food, from early civilisations through to today’s industrialised and global world. Through an overview of the earliest food production regions and systems, students gain an understanding of the natural resources, climatic influences and social circumstances that have led to global variety in food commodities, cuisines and cultures with a focus on one selected region other than Australia. The practical component explores the use of ingredients available today that were used in earlier cultures. It also provides opportunities for students to extend and share their research into the world’s earliest food-producing regions, and to demonstrate adaptations of selected food from earlier cuisines.

Lesson Sample

In alignment with the content, students selected an ancient grain that they researched, tracked its historical origins and how the grain was distributed across the globe from ancient to current times. In the sample Material Test, our students focused on buckwheat and decided to have a go at making their own soba (buckwheat noodles).

The results were surprising – they concluded that the homemade noodles made in the Thermomix ^TM were equal in flavour, texture and as cost effective as the commercial variety. The home made noodles kneaded by hand remained sticky and difficult to manage when rolled through the pasta machine.