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Global Village
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Food and Wine Equals Culture
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Enlarge textIt should be no secret now that food and cooking programs (generally) rate well. Staggeringly well in one well publicised instance! So I am dismayed by the few people who complain about cooking segments in Global Village.
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They argue that cooking segments have no place in this series which deals with faraway people, places, traditions and cultures. I'd argue that food is an integral part of a people's culture and history. Seeing how they prepare the food is no less so.
It is true that over the years much of the content in GV did not deal with cooking. That was purely incidental rather than a calculated decision by the SBS Program Purchasing Department to omit programs dealing with cooking.
Indeed the mainstay of GV was a series from France which dealt with people in faraway places. There were over a thousand of these short documentaries which would see it on air for at least three years, not counting the repeat screenings or 3, so it is natural that viewers, being creatures of habit, may have assumed that Global Village would continue in this mould.
As the years progressed and this type of series was no longer to be found in the international TV marketplace GV began to broaden its horizon and started to include programs devoid of people such as the long-running series featuring Word Heritage Sites. As we evolved, shorter series were acquired for inclusion. Some dealt with the horsemen of the world others concentrated on the surprising stables that are to be found globally. Another one focused exclusively on the big festivals that take place annually.
At the moment we are running a repeat series which looks at the Coastlines of Europe as seen from the air. Elsewhere we had short series dealing with Moroccan and Turkish cuisine and their relevance in their country's history and culture.
Then for something completely different we introduced a series of 36 episodes called, The Exccentriiiks, a Dutch co-production that featured zany, quirky and eccentric people of the world. It sat well in GV as it also dealt with people around the globe and the things that made them tick.
Then came two long running series that were, yet again, a variation on the Global Village theme; each one dealing with journeys around a country and featuring a potted history of each, sprinkled liberally with examples of its cuisine. These are the 'Flavours of Italy' and 'Flavours of France' series currently screening on Global Village in their repeat mode.
These series rate very highly for us, the French one more so as it is more recently filmed than the Italian one (although filmed before they introduced the Euro in Europe!). Nevertheless the food that's presented has always struck me as being an important and relevant part of that country's history and tradition. I mean, If I said "Pizza" would you think, China? Sure as eggs you'd think, Italy. And if I said, "croissant" I'm sure you wouldn't think Bulgaria but France. Get my point?
And for those of you, who still don't like cooking segments, be warned! The Flavours of Italy and the Flavours of France will dominate weekly from now until the end of the year. Not because we want to scare you off GLOBAL VILLAGE but because we have contractual rights to them and they must be screened before these rights expire.
Buon appetito!
PLEASE NOTE THIS EPISODE CAN BE SEEN ONLINE FOR A WEEK AFTER ITS TELECAST - click on VIDEOS on blue bar above.
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Comments (32)
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16 Nov 2010 3:43 AEST
From: NSW
What a show!!
I love GV and there is not one episode that has not educated,inspired or entertained me.Thank god for shows like this that make us think and feel,that delight us with views sublime and take us on the best of arm chair travels.Congratulations on reaching 2000,I'm with you for the next 1000! and more.
14 Nov 2010 9:43 AEST
From: Queensland
global village
What a great series and congratulations to silvio and crew for a not to miss program, i have travelled to more places, seen a staggering amount of recipe"s every culture imaginable, and all from my arm chair. Thank you sbs and crew.
30 Apr 2010 7:13 AEST
From: Canberra
Flavours of France
This is what I expect from a worthwhile documentary, regional photography, a little historical background and above all the inhabitants illustrated just as they are today. My interest is in food and method of cooking so I am an avid recorder of the episodes. Old memories are evoked from past visits to many of the French regional towns. I am woefully missing in most of the episodes. where can I buy the complete DVD?
23 Apr 2010 10:18 AEST
From: sydney
gv
i pity the fool that is not a foodie!
21 Apr 2010 21:24 AEST
From: Perth WA
Global Village
Hi Silvio, I really appreciate the cooking segments on the show. It is great to see that these segments will continue to be broadcast. Food and cooking is such an integral part of all cultures, so it is very enriching to experience that by seeing such segments that are bizarrely being disputed- I assume by people who eat sandwiches for dinner.
13 Mar 2010 18:20 AEST
From: Latrobe Tas
GV Flavours of France
Hi Silvio My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the cooking segments in both France and Italy. We tried one of the recipes from France for a potato pie we have since lost it (the recipe that is not the Pie!!!) Is there anywhere we can get recipes from past programmes?
13 Mar 2010 18:20 AEST
From: Latrobe Tas
GV Flavours of France
Hi Silvio My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the cooking segments in both France and Italy. We tried one of the recipes from France for a potato pie we have since lost it (the recipe that is not the Pie!!!) Is there anywhere we can get recipes from past programmes?
08 Mar 2010 16:43 AEST
From: Warrnambool
Global Village
Enjoy all the French, Italian, Austrian, Swiss and Scandavian shows in particular. Also the historical adventures to most Countries. Could do with less cooking or reduce the detail and just cover the one or 2 main dishes. Would appreciate more on the Cheese and wine of each region but not all the detail on production and post the recipees rather than lengthy descriptions. Leave that to Mauve on her programs. Cheers
31 Jan 2010 16:04 AEST
From: brisbane
please no more cooking shows
i dislike cooking shows.We have more than enough of this on screens. I love culture and history,scenery-variety of places. Silvio's commentaries are good and informative.Most tourists love to come to visit Europe because of cutural heritage and beautiful cities,art galleries. Not tours of gastronomy. Please dispense with cookery and leave it to others tv presenters who have nothing else interesting to tell or show.
07 Dec 2009 21:07 AEST
From: North
Cooking Shows
I love the diversity of Global Village and especially love the cooking shows. It is nice to sit back and enjoy authentic preparation of cuisine which also gives a microscope view into villages and insight into a culture.I particularly love the way these shows are presented, no icons or frills, basic and real. Keep them coming please.
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About this Blog
Join Silvio Rivier as he spotlights one of the episodes each week relating to cultures, traditions and lifestyles of people around the world.
Silvio Rivier has been an integral part of SBS since the station first went to air. He is currently the presenter, narrator and producer of the series Global Village.
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