These three readings have a lot to unpack! Mintz introduces ways to think about and define food vs cuisine that were new to me. Linking cuisine to political and social change, as well as social class, provides a context for understanding its history. I was much taken with his observation of Americans’ “obsessive notions of individual freedom.” Increasingly in our current political climate, this has become the mantra and justification for every decision. Ray’s look at Mintz’ hypothesis was a fascinating delve into newspaper articles. I especially liked his definition of cuisine as a produce of taste and talk, that you must include both food and words. His point-by-point analysis of Mintz’ claims were eye-opening.
Mintz 2&3 &Restaurants
