Question: What common bond unites various food cultures, and how have events in a nation's history shaped and defined their culinary identity?
Working Thesis: National food culture is primarily driven by a staple starch, which creates analogous structures between culturally and geographically disconnected societies; invasion, famine, and technology are largely responsible for differentiation between regional food identity.
"If you do something incorrect at table with a certain arrogance, as if you knew perfectly well you were doing it properly, you can get away with it and no one will think you are bad mannered or poorly brought up. They will think you are original and very witty."
-Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar-
Topic: Nutritional Anthropology and Food Culture
Question: What common bond unites various food cultures, and how have events in a nation's history shaped and defined their culinary identity?
Working Thesis: National food culture is primarily driven by a staple starch, which creates analogous structures between culturally and geographically disconnected societies; invasion, famine, and technology are largely responsible for differentiation between regional food identity.
"If you do something incorrect at table with a certain arrogance, as if you knew perfectly well you were doing it properly, you can get away with it and no one will think you are bad mannered or poorly brought up. They will think you are original and very witty."
-Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar-