Vord o MouLl

What We Talk About When

We Talk About Food
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by Harvey LeversLeir
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Sullivar, viLl a orevord by Faul Draer
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C. BesLor
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DalLor
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LmirerL MaesLro MarLiro o Como, ediLed ard viLl ar
irLroducLior by Luigi Balleriri, LrarslaLed ard arroLaLed by
|eremy Farzer, ard viLl Ly moderrized recies by
SLearia Barziri
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a orevord by Clarles Ferry
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larguage ediLior by BeaLrice Firl
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1rubel
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by |oar Reardor, viLl a orevord by Amarda Hesser
z. Cook T. Qt..tv t, by Herve 1is ard Fierre
Cagraire, LrarslaLed by M. B. DeBevoise
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by Laura Slairo
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Quirzio
z6. tto.Jv oj vtv, by OreLLa Zariri De \iLa, LrarslaLed by
Maureer B. FarL, viLl a orevord by Carol Field
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|olr \arriaro
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Foerdiecl
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Lyrre ClrisLy Ardersor, viLl a orevord by Corby Kummer
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Veaver
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Krislrerdu Ray ard 1ulasi Sririvas
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Marl Clerriavsly ard Kyri Clair
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Ardrev F. SmiLl
S. .vt oj V..J t.v CJ. to ov vJ Cook VJ
J. vt, by Luigi Balleriri, LrarslaLed by Ciariero V.
Doebler, viLl recies by Ada De SarLis ard illusLraLiors by
Ciuliaro Della Casa
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Vesley ard Llara Vesley
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\L1AIcIc ccKsi\1IcK. Lader viLl culLural mearirgs, ood is alvays more Llar
maLLer. I ve are vlaL ve eaL, ve also eaL vlaL ve areor imagire ourselves Lo beard
ve use ood Lo slov us lov Lo be. As Llis ruiL sLard remirds us, ood is rie viLl
meLalor. ViLl iLs biblical resorarce (RevelaLior (Szc) Lle graes o vraLl erLered
Americar culLure durirg Lle Civil Var Llrougl |ulia Vard Hoves immersely oular (ir
Lle NorLl) BaLLle Hymr o Lle Reublic (S6). |olr SLeirbecls rovel o ard
|olr Fords movie Lle ollovirg year exLerded Lle reacl. Decades laLer, Llese graes
roduce a vorld LlaL Lurrs every ruiL irLo meLalor. V. B. Farl, 1e Nev Yorler
CollecLior vvv.carLoorbarl.com.
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A1 I. Ic\ 1ALL 1c 1Lx1
. 1irlirg AbouL Food
z. 1e Ferils ard Fleasures o CorsumLior
. 1exLs 1ale Over o
A1 I I. KLv cccLs, KLv cILIs
(. Icoric Cools ,
. Cles ard Clerg 11
A1 I I I 1IL ciLI KAY LAKDscAL I K
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,. HauLe Food 1,o
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xiii
H. k. .vJ vJ tt.,
H. k. tovt vJ v,
Tvt Ivt I v j..J I,
H. I. o v.
Vell . . . I lile bread ard buLLer,
I lile LoasL ard |am,
1aLs vlaL my baby eeds me,
Im ler lovir mar.
H. k. .vJ vJ tt.,
H. k. tovt vJ v,
Tvt Ivt I v j..J I,
H. I. o v.
Sle dorL cool masled oLaLoes,
Sle dorL cool 1bore sLeals,
DorL eed me earuL buLLer,
Sle lrovs LlaL I carL Lale.
cLcciL
xiv oo.
H. k. .vJ vJ tt.,
H. k. tovt vJ v,
Tvt Ivt I v j..J I,
H. I. o v.
Vell, I goL lome early ore Morday,
Mucl Lo my surrise,
Sle vas eaLirg clicler ard dumlirgs
ViLl some oLler guy.
^o o. .vJ vJ tt.,
^o o. tovt vJ v,
H. joJ I v .vt
VtI o. otI. v.
No, ro, ro. . . .
No more bread ard buLLer,
No more LoasL ard |am,
I ourd my baby eaLirg
ViLl some oLler mar.
1e NevbeaLs, Bread ard BuLLer (6()
s1cI Ls ABci1 IccD
Food Lall Lales mary orms ard does mary Llirgs. Vler ve Lall abouL
ood, ve slare our leasure ir vlaL ve eaL. BuL ve cor|ure Lle dargers o
corsumLior ro less Llar ve corvey iLs deliglLs. SomeLimes ve Lall abouL
ood simly Lo Lall abouL ood. YeL as oLer as roL ve Lall tIoI ood Lo
seal o love ard desire, devoLior ard disgusL, asiraLiors ard arxieLies,
ideas ard ideologies, |oys ard |udgmerLs. Civer Lle mary correcLiors
BRLAD AND BU11LR. VriLLer by Larry Farls & |ay 1urrbov. 6( SoryA1\ Music Fub
lislirg LLC. All riglLs admirisLered by SoryA1\ Music Fublislirg LLC, S Music Square VesL,
Naslville, 1N ,zc. All riglLs reserved. Used by ermissior.
oo. xv
beLveer ood ard vlaL lumars do ir Lle socieLies LlaL ve male, vlaL ve
say abouL ood oers a vorderul medium or exlorirg Lle social vorld.
Food surely car be corsLrued as a LoLal social leromeror, as Marcel
Mauss dered iLLlaL is, as a seL o exerierces ard racLices so ervasive
LlaL ve could roL imagire our vorlds viLlouL Llem. From Lle liLcler Lo Lle
dirirg Lable ard beyord, Lle Lall gereraLed by ood dravs our aLLerLior
because o iLs correcLior Lo our social selves.
1e sorg lyrics quoLed above oer a case ir oirL. As aciorados o 6cs
oular music vill ro doubL recogrize (ard Lle resL o us car discover or Lle
IrLerreL), Bread ard BuLLer vas a 6( megaliL by Lle vocal Lrio Lle Nev
beaLs. A rsL vievirg o Lle video slovs iL Lo be very mucl a eriod iece.
From Lle varLage oirL o Lle more aggressive, irsisLerL oular music o
Lle LverLyrsL cerLury, Llis erormarce seems very oldasliored
irdeedLle i lairdos o Lle Leerage girls ir Lle audierce rovide irsLarL
LrarsorL bacl a lal cerLury.
YeL i Lle NevbeaLs sirg rom aroLler era, Lle sLory LlaL Lley Lell reso
raLes Lodayi, LlaL is, ve Lale Lle Lime Lo give Lle sorg our ull aLLerLior.
Bread ard BuLLer Lurrs ouL Lo be ood Lall aL iLs mosL ergagirg. Urlilely
Llougl iL may seem, Llis sorg is arcleLyal ood Lall. IL dislays ard
dramaLizes Lle over o ood Lo slae our lives. Ard iL does so by Lellirg
a sLory.
Bread ard BuLLer is a love sLoryalas, ore viLl ar urlay erdirg, aL
leasL or Lle rarraLor. IL Lells o a love aair gore vrorg because Lle lovers
Llirl abouL ard use ood so diererLly. Food, iL becomes clear as Lle sLarzas
rogress, is slorLlard or lie. Ir arLicular, ood mears doirg love. Ir lie as
aL Lable, illmaLcled LasLes bode ill. 1e mar Lells lis sLory, uLLirg Lle lis
Lerer o Lracl by adoLirg a screecly alseLLo LlaL vavers beLveer a vlire
ard a scream. 1e rarraLors oerirg (Lle LexL ir romar above) ard baclu
clorus (ir iLalics, surg by Lvo mer) evole a gusLaLory aradise vlere bread
ard buLLer, LoasL ard |am saLisy every aeLiLe. 1ese elemerLary oodsLus
xvi oo.
saLisy aL orce culirary cravirgs ard amorous desire 1aLs vlaL my baby
eeds me, Im ler lovir mar.
FredicLably, Llis gasLroromic Lder roves a Lemorary so|ourr. 1e rar
raLor Lurrs ouL Lo suer rom a severe case o arresLed develomerL. 1e sim
le lie o bread, buLLer, LoasL ard |am are Lle sLu o a clilds vorldoor
rearaLior or Lle real vorld o adulLs. 1e oods le reers are clildlood
sLardbys LlaL adulLs Lerd Lo relegaLe Lo brealasL, ard roL ever a real breal
asL aL LlaL. 1e arcleLyal Americar brealasL o eggs, bacor, ard ossibly
arcales males a real meal; sLarcl, dairy, ard sveeLs do roL.
1e culirarily aLLured amorg us vill roL be surrised aL Lle corsequerces
o sucl dieLary derivaLior. ReLurrirg lome urexecLedly, Lle rarraLor rds
LlaL le las beer relacedaL Lle Lable ard ir lis girls aecLiors. UrLil rov
sle las exisLed Lo eed ler mar. Sle does roL cool, sle eeds. Does I. lile
bread ard buLLer: All ve lrov is LlaL sle males reiLler masled oLaLoes ror
sLeal ard sLays clear o earuL buLLer sle lrovs LlaL |le| carL Lale. 1e
resulL o Llis imbalarced dieL ard iradequaLe meal: Mucl Lo |lis| surrise,
Lle rarraLor comes lome Lo rd ler corsumirg a meal o ler ovr, viLl
some oLler guy. A rev culirary coule siLs aL Lable. Fed u, lis baby las
grovr u. Abardorirg Lle surrogaLe moLlerlood o rursery eedirg, sle las
Laler Lo eaLirg roer (adulL) ood viLl a roer (adulL) dirrer comarior.
BeLrayal aL Lable says everyLlirg aryore reeds Lo lrov abouL a love
aair gore vrorg. 1e rev culirary coule is lavirg a real meal, a dirrer
or adulLs. Urlile bread ard buLLer, clicler ard dumlirgs lave Lo be
cooled. Sulyirg roLeir as vell as carbolydraLes, Llis disl, lile sLeal ard
masled oLaLoes, arsvers sLardard ruLriLioral requiremerLs or a good
LlaL is, balarcedmeal LlaL corLrasLs viLl Lle dieLarily ard gasLroromi
cally imoverisled sracl o dairy, sLarcl, ard sugar.
FurLlermore, alorg viLl Lle earuL buLLer LlaL Lle rarraLor reuses Lo
Loucl, Llis icoric disl irLegraLes Llis dirrer irLo a arLicular social seLLirg.
Clicler ard dumlirgs is a commor disl ir Lle Americar SouLl, ard sLeal
oo. xvii
ard oLaLoes is rereserLaLive Americar are. Ir reusirg iLs oods, Lle rar
raLor re|ecLs lis courLry, |usL as lis reusal o a real meal reuses a real
relaLiorsli. Bread, buLLer, LoasL, ard |am are side disles, roL Lle real Llirg.
Malirg a Limelorored cor|urcLior, Llis sorg all abouL ood Lurrs ouL Lo be
all abouL sex aLer all.
sccIcLccIcAL iKDLs1AKDI Kcs
Hovever imrobable a culLural irdicaLor, Bread ard BuLLer Lales us Lo Lle
learL o ood Lall. 1is o sorg Lells vlaL iL mears Lo Lall abouL ood ard
vly ve do so. 1is Lall lays bare Lle ood vorld. IL arLiculaLes Lle values ard
rorms o LlaL vorld ard commerLs or iLs racLices. MosL succircLly, ood
LallLle vays ve Lall abouL ard rereserL oodsLrucLures our exerierce
o ood, rom liLcler Lo Lable, rom meru Lo meal. As Lle drama o Bread ard
BuLLer illusLraLes so vividly, ood is arL o Lle social relaLiorsli LlaL iL
exresses, susLairs, ard occasiorally alLers. Food Lall recourLs Lle vays LlaL
ood aecLs our lives. More Llar LlaL, iL slovs lov ood car lel us live Llose
lives. Ve Lall abouL ood Lo boLl craL iderLiLies ard corsLrucL social vorlds.
1e reecLior LlaL VoJ oj MotI laces or ood Lall ard iLs creaLior o
social vorlds is a sociological erLerrise. As Lle urdergraduaLe romoLioral
broclure or my dearLmerL las iL, sociology sLudies associaLioral lie.
IrsLead o ocusirg or eole as irdividuals, sociologisLs lool Lo Lle rela
Liorslis LlaL brirg eole LogeLler. Ir oLler vords, ve lool aL vlaL eole
do vler Lley are viLl oLler eole, ard ve ay aLLerLior Lo lov eole Lall
ard vriLe abouL vlaL Lley doir Llis case, abouL Lle mary vays Lley Llirl
abouL ard do ood.
1e quesLior is lov Lo geL aL Lle ood Lall LlaL is all arourd us. 1e limi
LaLiors o eavesdroirg ard direcL observaLior imel culLural sociologisLs
Lo raid Lle arseral o Lle lisLoriar ard Lle liLerary sclolar. Lile Llem, ve
scruLirize LexLs. 1radiLiorally, Lle LexLs mosL oLer corsulLed vere liLerary
vorls ard lisLorical sources o urimeaclable corsequerce LlaL looled aL
xviii oo.
Lle social vorld rom above. Ir Lle asL lal cerLury, as criLics ard sclol
ars lave become more corcerred viLl loolirg aL socieLy rom belov,
Llere las beer a corresordirg sliL ir Lle maLerial LlaL ve use Lo recor
sLrucL social vorlds. Ve lool aL vriLirgs ard rereserLaLiors o a greaL mary
sorLs, roL as culLural morumerLs buL as sigrs LlaL reveal vays o doirg ard
Llirlirg ir a arLicular culLure ir a giver Lime ard lace.
1ese documerLs come ir mary guises. Lile oLlers beore me, I drav or a
miscellareous assorLmerL, urequal ir imorLarce ard sigricarce, eacl o
vlicl gives a glimse irLo Lle vorld I am examirirgir Llis case, our cor
Lemorary ood vorld. 1e elemeral lays iLs arL, as does Lle classic; a o
sorg Lurrs u ir VoJ oj MotI, as do Lle rovels o Marcel FrousL ard \irgiria
Vool. FleeLirg by deriLior, |ourralisLic reorLirg oers overul irsiglL or
culLural elemera. Images ard rereserLaLiors o every sorL lave a corcer
LraLed, visual imacL LlaL males Llem illumiraLirg. 1e orce, ard Lle aeal,
o lm lies ir iLs cor|urcLior o images ard sLories. 1exLs describe ard aralyze
Lle ood vorlds LlaL liLeraLure arimaLes, images rereserL, ard lm sLages.
CulLural orms lave Lleir seciciLy. Lacl las iLs ovr ublic, ollovs iLs
ovr rules, uses idiosyrcraLic meLlods, ard males a sirgular aeal. Lver
so, ard as dissimilar as Llese culLural marlers assuredly are, Lle aralyLic
lers LlaL I lave adoLed sees Llem as equal. IL is roL useul or my uroses
Lo disLirguisl amorg Lle diererL irdicaLors, eiLler LleoreLically or emiri
cally. 1o urdersLard ood Lall ard Lle ood vorld LlaL Llis Lall creaLes, I
Lale eacl boLl or iLs ovr ard as arL o Lle culLural readirg roosed ir
VoJ oj MotI.
1is meLlodological eclecLicism Lales iLs cue, ard iLs irsiraLior, rom
ValLer Ber|amirs erdlessly asciraLirg excavaLior o rireLeerLlcerLury
Faris. Ir T. tvJ. o.tt, Ber|amir recorsLrucLs Lle ciLy Llrougl culLural
LexLs o all sorLs. 1e ircorgruerL raLure o Llese LexLs alorg viLl lis aar
erL disregard or corverLioral irLellecLual lierarclies male Ber|amir Lle
very model o Lle sclolar as scaverger. AlmosL aryLlirg vriLLer oers lim
oo. xix
a clue, lovever irsigricarL iL may seem Lo ary oLler reader, abouL Lle eo
le, lace, ard eriod o Lle ciLy LlaL le amously celebraLed as Lle CaiLal o
Lle rireLeerLl cerLury. SrieLs o mosLly orgoLLer lays rd Lleir lace
rexL Lo Lle icoric oeLry o Baudelaire; |ourralisLic essays receive serious
aLLerLior alorgside Lle vorl o esLeemed lisLoriars. T. tvJ. o.tt all
buL drovrs Lle reader ir iLs sLories, Lales, ard arecdoLes o rireLeerLl
cerLury Faris. Readers ravigaLe Lle svirlirg currerLs as besL Lley car.
1e oerirg essay o T. tvJ. o.tt, Faris, CaiLal o Lle NireLeerLl
CerLury, rooses sLraiglL o Lle reasorirg belird vlaL Ber|amir lrovs
vill seem lile a scaLLersloL aroacl Lo Lle asL. 1e very rsL serLerce
arrources lis vorlirg remise LlaL Lle esserce o lisLory is Lo be ourd
ir Lle cor|urcLior beLveer HerodoLus ard Lle morrirg revsaer, beLveer
classic lisLoriogralical LexLs ard Lle elemera o everyday lie. 1e vriLer
lrovr as Lle FaLler o HisLory Lales lis lace alorgside vlaLever sersa
Lioral LidbiL Lurrs u ir Lle laLesL revs.
1aL same searcl Lales me Lo sclolarly sLudies o ood ard Lo a virLage
o sorg abouL a meal gore vrorg, Lo exLersive irLervievs viLl cles ard
emblemaLic carLoors abouL dirirg. IL males Lle mosL o coolbools ard
lms abouL coolirg ard eaLirg. Ir brie, raLler lile Lle cool vlo males use
o vlaL Lurrs u ir Lle larder, ir Llis culLural clroricle I icl u Lle docu
merLs LlaL I rd aL lard.
1is ursuiL Lales me or a Ber|amiriar Lreasure lurL or Lle Lellirg
examle, Lle vivid illusLraLior, ard Lle revelaLory quoLe. My corcerr is roL
viLl irdividuals or everLs. VlaL courLs are modes o beirg ard lirds o
belavior. I vorl Llrougl social relaLiors Lo corsLrucL models o relaLior
slis mucl as Ber|amir looled Lo claracLer Lyes (Lle areur, Lle collec
Lor), Lyical laces (arcades ard slos), ard corLemorary corverLiors
(aslior, exlibiLiors, ard adverLisirg). Ber|amir does roL serd mucl Lime
or discreLe orLraiLs or sirgular occurrerces or Lleir ovr sale. Lver lis
discussior o Lle Faris CommureLle secLacular urisirg o S, ard iLs
xx oo.
bloody reressior by goverrmerLal Lroosrames everLs as exemlary, roL
sirgular. Ber|amir Lales Lle gures LlaL le icls ouLMarx, Fourier, SairL
Simor, Baudelaire, Daumier, Hugoas exemla o Lle moderriLy LlaL made
Faris Lle CaiLal o Lle rireLeerLl cerLury.
1alirg Lle exemlary over Lle sirgular uLs me ir good sociological
comary. Ceorg Simmel, Lo ciLe ore o Lle ourdirg aLlers o Lle discilire,
rizes orm over corLerL ard sLrucLure over subsLarce. He exlairs social
leromera by corsLrucLirg aLLerrs ard corguraLiors. Simmel lools Lo
Lle orms o vlaL le calls otvtoLlaL is, orms o social irLeracLior. 1vo
o lis mosL celebraLed essays, 1e MeLroolis ard MerLal Lie ard 1e
SLrarger, slov Llese social orms ir acLior. 1e moderr ciLy dveller is a
social Lye, ard so is Lle sLrarger. Lacl is Lle creaLure o a disLircLive social
sace; eacl exoses a social relaLior LlaL simulLareously uriLes ard divides,
seLLirg Lle irsider aarL rom Lle ouLsider, Lle sel rom Lle oLler.
All o us recogrize someLlirg o ourselves ir Simmels Lyes. 1aLs ore
reasor vly lis essays vorl so vell ir Lle classroom. |usL loolirg arourd
slovs sLuderLs lov Lle sace LlaL Lley irlabiL osLers Lle aLLiLudes ard
belaviors LlaL Simmel iderLies. Nore o us is aryvlere rear ully ore Lye.
As Max Veber vould laLer irsisL, ideal Lyes rever coircide viLl realiLy.
1eir corcerLraLed eaLures are disersed ir ordirary lie, malirg Llem
more real Llar realiLy ard exceLiorally useul Lools or Lle sociologisL.
1ougl I Lall abouL eole ard everLs, my aim is ormal. I roose orms o
correcLior, Lyes o relaLiorslis, modes o acLior. I Lale Lle cool, Lle
cle, ard Lle direr as Lyes, caLegories, sLyles, modes o associaLior. IrsLead
o roo, I oer my ovr LexL as documerL, illusLraLior, ard examle, Lle
beLLer Lo correcL viLl Lle readers ovr exerierce.
iLs1IcKs
Lvery bool begirs viLl a quesLior. VleLler Lle vloduriL o Lle mysLery
sLory, Lle eisLemological corurdrum o Lle lilosolical LreaLise, or ary
oo. xxi
rumber o variarLs ir beLveer, quesLiors seL Lle sLage or Lle irLerreLive
drama urder corsLrucLior. VoJ oj MotI asls quesLiors abouL oodlov ve
Llirl abouL iL, vlaL ve do viLl iL, ard vlaL eecL iL las. Vly do dirirg ard
coolirg reoccuy so mary ir corLemorary socieLy: DesiLe Lle liglly
urequal disLribuLior o ood boLl across ard viLlir socieLies, vly is reed
surrisirgly muLed ir discussiors o vlaL males our corLemorary ood
vorld so diererL rom vlaL iL vas roL all LlaL lorg ago:
Crucial Lo urdersLardirg Llis sLrilirgly asserLive ood vorld is ood Lall.
Ir every culLure, eole Lall abouL, vriLe abouL, ard orLray ood or all sorLs
o reasors. 1oday ve corLerd viLl ar exLraordirary array o oodsLus
brouglL viLlir easy reacl by a globalizirg ecoromy. Ve corrorL urmaLcled
culirary diversiLy. Ve Lale roLe o arresLirg clarges ir ood racLices,
vlicl some o us vorl Lo alLer urLler. Nev modes o roducLior ard cor
sumLior, rev requiremerLs o suly ard demard, ard rev orms o dir
irg usl us Lo Llirl abouL ood boLl more oLer ard more irLersely Llar
ever beore. 1e exlosior o ood Lall ir Lle asL LverLyve yearsir arLi
cles, blogs, ard Lelevisior slovs, coolbools ard memoirs, lms ard, yes,
sclolarly sLudiesis a sure sigr o our Limes. Ber|amir, or ore, vould lave
leaed aL Lle oorLuriLy.
1all arclors Llis ood vorld by malirg iL ossible or us Lo slare Lle
urslareableLlaL is, our sersual, overully rivaLe exerierces o eaLirg.
ClaLer slovs Lle corversaLiors LlaL occur ir Lle liLcler ard aL Lable,
alorg viLl Lle vriLirgs ard images LlaL Lale Llis Lall beyord Llose saces.
Firmly rooLed ir lace, Llese vays o usirg ood correcL us Lo a culirary
courLry. Food Lall is irsLrumerLal ir malirg us avare o LlaL iderLiLy.
AL Lle same Lime, ir Lle marledly mobile ood vorld o Lle LverLyrsL
cerLury, ro culirary courLry oeraLes or iLs ovr, i iL ever did. IL carroL do
so because every courLry is arL o a larger ood vorld LlaL avors exclarge.
1e greaLer Lle exclarge, Lle more blurred Lle iderLiLies. Ir Lle culirary
corversaLior LlaL VoJ oj MotI Lracls mosL closely, Frarce ard America
xxii oo.
lave exclarged culirary roducLs ard racLices or Llree cerLuries ard
courLirg. YeL Lley mairLair Lleir disLircL culirary iderLiLies ever vler
arcleLyal Frercl croissarLs Lurr u ir Americar suermarleLs ard asL
ood ouLleLs, rom McDoralds Lo KerLucly Fried Clicler Lo SLarbucls, doL
Lle Frercl lardscae. ClaLer suggesLs some o Lle mears by vlicl crois
sarLs remair Frercl ard McDoralds sLays Americar, ard vly, ir Llis global
marleL, iL is viLal LlaL Lley do so. McDo sells burgers, Lo be sure; iL also
sells America. CroissarLs corvey, lovever airLly, a cerLair idea o Frarce.
1aL culirary raLioralism is very mucl o our Limes comes Lo Lle ore ir Lvo
lms Hvt. C., rom Frarce, ard . CvJ CI.j, rom SouLl Korea.
VlaL do ve acLually say abouL ood: Hov lave eole Lalled abouL iL:
VlaL abouL ood ears: Lvery Lime ve uL someLlirg ir our mouLls, ve uL
our lives or Lle lire, alLlougl ev see Lle siLuaLior ir sucl dire Lerms. As
claLer z oirLs ouL, Lle loe o gusLaLory deliglL virs ouL over Lle ear o
oisor, as iL musL i ve are Lo survive. IL Ller becomes a quesLior o vlaL ve
car do Lo mirimize Lle dargers ard maximize Lle deliglLs. 1e Lersior
beLveer Lle Lvo males our relaLiorsli Lo ood exceLiorally LerLaLive.
Food Lall guides us Llrougl Llis dilemma. RleLoric siLs aL every Lable, lel
irg dirers Llirl Llrougl Lle sLardo beLveer darger ard desire. 1e lm
CIotovt, Lle ererrial avoriLe clildrers sLory V.tI.ooI, ard Dag
vood, rom Lle lorgrurrirg comic sLri BoJ., all roose models o cor
sumLior LlaL rize gluLLory over gasLroromy, erLlusiasm over
discrimiraLior.
ClaLer moves rom Lle Lall Lo Lle Lallers. From Lle Creel vriLer ALl
eraeus ir secordcerLury Rome, urquesLiorably Lle greaLesL ood vriLer o
all Lime, Lo Lle uLoiar lilosoler Clarles Fourier ir Lle rireLeerLl cer
Lury, rom Lle greaL cle MarieArLoire Careme Lo Lle criLics Alexardre
BalLlazar LaurerL Crimod de La Reyriere ard |ear ArLlelme BrillaLSava
rir, Lle diererL gerres o ood Lall Lale a sLard. Lacl arLiculaLes osiLiors
ir a culLural eldLlaL is, a corguraLior o irLellecLual ard social osiLiors
oo. xxiii
LlaL sLrucLure culLural racLices. As darger ard deliglL slae our ersoral
exerierces o ood, so Llese exemlary ood Lallers sLale ouL Lle osiLiors
ard ersecLives or ood ir Lle larger socieLy. Ir vorlirg viLl ard agairsL
ore aroLler, Llese gerres o ood Lall susLair a culLural elda corgura
Lior o irLerloclirg osiLiors LlaL oeraLes or iLs ovr, largely accordirg Lo
iLs ovr rules. 1e ood vorld o Lle LverLyrsL cerLury is very lile a loosely
correcLed culLural eld.
1er Llere are Llose vlo do ood or Lle resL o us Lle cools ard cles
vlo sLam Lle ood vorld viLl Lleir ersoraliLies ard Lleir corceLiors o
vlaL iL mears Lo cool ard eaL. ClaLers ( ard recourL Americas culirary
comirg o age, via Lle cools vlo brouglL Frercl cuisire Lo Lle lome rorL
ard Lle cles vlo alLered vlaL iL mearL Lo dire ouL. IrvesLirg ood viLl
irLellecLual ard aesLleLic value, rizirg eaLirg ro less Llar coolirg as a
legiLimaLe culLural ursuiL, Lle Frercl model roved crucialir LrarslaLior.
1o Lale lold, Frercl cuisire lad Lo be rerdered ir Americar Lerms. By Lle
mid Lo laLe LverLieLl cerLury, Americar cools ard cles lad |oired Lle
culirary corversaLior ard sLarLed Lle vorl o LrarslaLior ir earresL.
ClaLers 6 ard , sliL Lle soLliglL Lo corsumLior ard Lle corsumer.
1e asL lal cerLury las radically redered corsumLior. IL is ro easy maL
Ler Lo decide Loday beLveer dirirg ir ard dirirg ouL. From LaleouL ard
orderir Lo ood Lrucls Lo ou resLaurarLs, ever more irverLive mears o
correcLirg ood ard corsumer obscure Lle dissimilariLies beLveer orce
disLircL, ever ircomaLible, acLiviLies. As more eole corsume more ood
ir ar evergreaLer varieLy o locaLiors, a ervasive irormalizaLior blurs Lle
bourdaries beLveer coolirg ard eaLirg, as beLveer dirirg ouL ard eaLirg
ir. Desigr magazires roose LlaL Lle ideal liLcler las iLs ovr dirirg
sace. 1e dirirg room, I vas advised vler I vas movirg Lo Nev Yorl CiLy,
is Lle leasLused room ir Lle aarLmerL. RaLler Llar irdulge ir ar aoca
lyLic lamerL LlaL ro ore cools arymore or eaLs a roer (i.e., siLdovr)
meal, ve miglL do vell Lo asl, as I do ir claLer ,, vlo cools vlaL, vly,
xxiv oo.
vler, ard or vlom. Vlo dires viLl vlom, or vlaL occasiors, ard Lo
vlaL urose:
1e urseLLled, exceLiorally mobile ood vorld o Lle LverLyrsL cer
Lury las savred iLs ovr claracLerisLic culirary corsLrucL lauLe ood.
ClaLer , deLails Lle sLrilirg sliL rom lauLe cuisire Lo lauLe ood. HauLe
cuisire urdersLards Lle arLsdisles, irgredierLs, Leclriquesir rela
Liorsli Lo Lle vlole ard Lle rirciles by vlicl LlaL vlole is dered.
Frercl cuisire, or Lle mosL sLrilirg examle, is sucl a sLrorg culirary sys
Lem because iL las a sLrorg serse o Lle vlole ard Lle LradiLior or vlicl iL
deerds.
HauLe ood, by corLrasL, Lales Lle arLicular LasLe, disl, irgredierL, or
Leclrique or iLs ovr. Driver by ar irsisLerL culirary irdividualism, lauLe
ood as I see iL rizes ersoral LasLe over LradiLior, a sirgle disl over ary
culirary sysLem. 1e veiglL laced or culirary creaLiviLy ard irrovaLior aL
all cosLs ressures cles Lo come u viLl someLlirg urrecogrizable. Irsoar
as Lle ulLrarev disl is a corLexL urLo iLsel, lauLe ood urdermires culi
rary rirciles ard corverLiors. IL also rederes Lle meal by accordirg
dirers Lle riglL Lo Lleir ovr ood, regardless o aryore elses reererces.
HauLe ood discorcerLs ard exciLes ir equal measure.
1o courLer Lle sorg abouL eaLirg LlaL oered Llis bool, I close viLl a
lm abouL coolirg. Rvtvto. (zcc,) is a ood arLasy o Lle rsL order, re
cisely vlaL is execLed o a Disrey roducLior. 1aL arLasy las lessors or
aryore corcerred viLl Lle mearirg o ood. IL is a ood sLory LlaL, ir eecL,
summarizes all o Lle Llemes ir Lle revious claLers. 1e lero is as urlilely
as lis career Lra|ecLory. Remy Lle raL corquers Faris viLl coolirg LlaL vorls
vorders, creaLirg lairess. Learrirg Lo cool ard learrirg Lo dire, Rvtv
to. Lells us, is learrirg Lo live.