What's for dinner? Not just in America, but around the world? And how is it cooked, what's the historical significance of that food, how is it served and consumed, and who gets to clean up? This book provides fascinating insight into how dinner is defined in countries around the world.
Almost universally, "dinner" is a key meal in most countries around the world, whether it be a simple dish of rice and beans, a slice of pizza on the go, or a multi-course formal meal. What do the specifics of how a meal is eaten—by hand instead of with utensils, for example—say about a specific culture? This fascinating one-volume reference guide examines all aspects of dinner in international settings, enabling insightful cross-cultural comparisons and an understanding of the effects of modernization and globalization on food habits.
Some 50 countries are covered in chapters focusing on present-day meal habits in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North and South America. The commentary covers everything about the meal, such as the time, the cooking and preparation, shopping for ingredients, the clean-up process, gender-based participation roles, conversation or other social interactions, and etiquette—just about everything that happens at the table. The book is ideal for classroom teaching and learning, as the entries and photos are conducive to teaching students about other cultures, directly supporting the National Geography Standards. Students will be able to make informed comparisons between their own lives and the various cultural experiences described in the book.
Table of Contents:
Preface
The Family Dinner: An Introduction
Afghanistan, Helen Saberi (Independent Scholar, UK)
Australia, Lara Anderson (University of Melbourne, Australia)
Austria, Katerina Nussdorfer (Independent Scholar, Austria)
Belgium, Charlotte De Backer (University of Antwerp, Belgium)
Brazil, Scott Barton (New York University, USA)
Canada, Judy Corser (Independent Scholar, Canada)
Chile, Sally M. Baho (Independent Scholar, USA)
China, Willa Zhen (Culinary Institute of America, USA)
Denmark, Caroline Nyvang (Royal Library, Denmark)
Ethiopia, Alessandra Grasso (U.S. Borlaug Fellow in Global Food Security, Kenya)
France, Jonell Galloway (Independent Scholar, USA)
Germany, Ursula Heinzelmann (Independent Scholar, Germany)
Great Britain: Wales, Annie Levy (Independent Scholar, Wales)
Greece, Nafsika Papacharalampous (University of London, UK)
Iceland, Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir (Independent Scholar, Iceland)
India, Colleen Taylor Sen (Independent Scholar, USA)
Indonesia, Amanda Katili Niode (Omar Niode Foundation, Indonesia)
Iran, Saman Hassibi and Amir Sayadabdi (University of Canterbury, New Zealand)
Ireland, Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire (Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland)
Israel, Jennifer Shutek (University of Oxford, UK)
Italy, Judith Klinger (World-Eats.org, Italy)
Japan, Shawn M. Higgins (University of Connecticut, USA)
Mali, Stephen R. Wooten (University of Oregon, USA)
Mexico, Cristina Potters (Independent Scholar, Mexico)
Netherlands, Karin Vaneker (Independent Scholar, the Netherlands)
Nicaragua, Jennifer Moran (Independent Scholar, USA)
Poland, Dorota Dias-Lewandowska (Jagiellonian University, Poland)
Puerto Rico, Melissa Fuster (Independent Scholar, USA)
Romania, Simona Dinu (Independent Scholar, Romania)
Russia, Katrina Kollegaeva (Independent Scholar, UK)
Senegal, Chelsie Yount-André (L’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales)
Slovenia, Ana Tominc (Queen Margaret University, Scotland)
South Africa, Suburban, Yael Joffe (Independent Scholar, South Africa)
South Africa, Urban, Lexi Earl (University of Nottingham, UK)
Spain, F. Xavier Medina (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain)
Sweden, Gabriela Villagrán Backman (Independent Scholar, Sweden)
Turkey, Aylin Öney Tan (Independent Scholar, Turkey)
Uganda, Diana Caley (New York University, USA)
United States, Ken Albala (University of the Pacific, USA)
Recipe Index
Index
About the Editor and Contributors
About the Author :
Ken Albala is Professor of History and Director of Food Studies at the University of the Pacific, USA.
Review :
Overall, this work educates readers on what it means to be 'at the table' throughout the world. It is accessible to everyone—and all who love to cook . . . . Summing Up: Recommended. All levels of students; general readers; professionals/practitioners.
This tasty roundup of global meal rituals (including recipes!) will be a welcome addition.
This is an interesting introduction to world culinary traditions that will be a useful resource for students of anthropology, sociology, food studies, and culinary arts.
This is a fascinating work that contains much valuable material. . . . [I[t will be welcome in large collections and those specializing in the culinary arts.
