Fika: Taking a Break in Sweden
Students in Dr. Karen Metheny’s Summer Term course, Anthropology of Food (MET ML 641) are contributing guest posts this month. Today’s post is from Norma Tentori.
During discussions and readings in Anthropology of Food, the class delved into many different human cultures and their social traditions that surround food. A topic I found especially interesting was how cultures can have such distinctly different rituals and traditions around a certain food item. In this instance I am talking about coffee. These discussions caused me to reminisce and reflect on a recent trip overseas to Sweden when a new word that was deeply embedded in both coffee and tradition was introduced to me: fika.
Coffee in Swedish translates to “kaffe,” but pairing coffee with something to eat is defined as “fika” - both a noun and a verb. It is a part of Sweden’s tradition that many engage in at least once daily.
During my time this past summer in Gothenburg, it seemed as if every map and brochure defined the Haga neighborhood as the ultimate place to engage in fika. Haga is also one of the oldest and most popular districts in Gothenburg.
A cobblestone pedestrian street threaded through the neighborhood lined with wooden houses, plenty of shops and, most important, a cafe on seemingly every corner. Signage proved we had reached the correct destination as it stated “Haga: cosy shopping & fika.”
After receiving a recommendation from a local shop owner, we decided to have our first fika break after shopping at Cafe Husaren. The cafe is most famous for its hagabullen rolls. Hagabullen is most similar to a cinnamon roll, and the ones at Cafe Husaren are known specifically for their size and distinct flavor, most similarly compared in size to a small pizza as they barely fit on a dinner plate and are certainly a ‘meal’ to be shared.
Cafe Husaren is a Swedish cafe that also offers prepared foods and, most important for our fika break, coffee. The hagabullen are warm from the oven, and a cinnamon and clove scent wafts through the air as soon as you walk through the entrance. They have no icing compared to our traditional expectation of cinnamon rolls, but are instead dotted with pearl sugar which gives the roll an extra punch of sweetness.
As we attempted to get through the pizza-sized hagabullen and drank our coffees on one of the cafe’s outdoor tables, we enjoyed watching the people who walked through the city and completely disconnecting ourselves from the otherwise busy parts of the city.
For Swedish social engagements, fika is the ultimate food custom as it represents their love and passion for coffee. Fika symbolizes tradition. The comfort of fika therefore does not simply lie in the warm cup of coffee and baked treat you are eating, but in the emotional connection that is tied to slowing down and truly taking a break. Asking to grab a coffee with someone in English does not carry the same meaning as asking someone to fika. Fika does not exist for the purpose of having a snack or an afternoon caffeine pick-me-up, but rather exists to appreciate slow living, spending time with others and simply taking a break. The coffee and food that come along with it are a bonus.
Whether we choose to engage in fika on our own or with others, we can all take a little bit of inspiration from this Swedish tradition by making our daily coffee break a designated time to slow down, relax or socialize with others.
Works cited
Brones, Anna, and Johanna Kindvall. 2015. Fika: the Art of the Swedish Coffee Break, with Recipes for Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats. Ten Speed Press.
Commensality at the Lunch Table
We continue with our series from our summer class, Anthropology of Food (MET ML 641), with this post from Meghan Russel.
If you read popular newspapers or magazines, you may have seen that the American lunch hour is being threatened. More and more Americans are working through their lunch hour, skipping it altogether, or eating at their desk as they continue to work. One place where lunchtime is still alive and well, however, is in the school cafeteria. While I won’t be speaking to the cafeteria per se, I will be examining elementary school lunch-time as experienced during a class field trip to an area farm. I work as a Farm Educator at this farm and therefore have the opportunity to observe many students interact as they each lunch at their end of their field trip.
Field trips offer an interesting look into school lunches because there is no hot lunch option provided by the school. Everyone is eating something brought from home. This creates immediate differences between each of the students that can be broken down and analyzed at various levels. For one, each student brings his or her lunch in its own unique receptacle. While the classic brown paper bag is still a popular option, the simple plastic lunch box with a pop culture icon on the front is gone. These have been replaced by a variety of nylon and zip-up options in a variety of sizes and colors, often with matching water bottles. Some students have individual compartments built into their lunch box to separate out their items, while others have individual plastic containers that hold the various pieces of their lunch within. In addition to these fancy, sustainable, and eco-friendly options some students also use a simple plastic grocery bag or a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.
Within these various lunch receptacles are a wide range of food items. Some students still bring the classic sandwich with a bag of chips and a piece of hand fruit. The old stand-by of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, however, has been replaced by sunbutter and jelly or a lunch meat sandwich to accommodate for allergies. Some students have expensive berries, organic squeeze poaches, and Lunchables. Others have ethnic items representative of the immigrant status of the parents, the student, or both – a bag of sushi, a noodle dish with chop sticks, or a Vietnamese sweet cake.
In addition, a student’s choice of seat for lunch impacts his or her lunch experience. This particular area consists of multiple picnic tables placed around a square of wooden benches. If a student decides to sit on the bench, she must either hold her lunch on her lap or place it down next to her. This orients her lunch experience. Will she engage in one-on-one conversation with the student sitting next to her, who may have also placed her lunch down on the bench so that they are facing each other in a mini-conversation? Will she face forward in silence? Or will she try to yell across the open space to someone on the other bench? Sitting at one of the picnic tables creates larger conversations involving the upwards of eight or ten students that can fit at the table.
Among all these differences, the students are all hungry, and it is lunchtime. After being split up in groups all morning for their field trip, the students are happy to be back together. Watching them eat lunch, there doesn’t seem to be any acknowledgement of differences between what they are eating for lunch or what their lunch came in. Each is engaged in his or her own experience yet they are also all eating lunch together. To engage in commensality, it doesn’t matter what any one individual is eating. What matters is the socialization that is occurring, the sharing of space and time.
Recreating the Taste of Mexico in a Crowded Cambridge Kitchen
Students in Dr. Karen Metheny’s Summer Term course, Anthropology of Food (MET ML 641) are contributing guest posts this month. Today's post is from Sam Dolph.
In April, my partner and I decided to finally take the frozen banana leaves out of our freezer—purchased many months before —and to dedicate a whole day to making “authentic” Mexican tamales. Having moved to the U.S. three years ago, my partner, who is from Mexico, is very understandably unsatisfied with the Mexican food here in Boston. Anywhere that puts rice inside of a burrito is a mockery of her cuisine, not leaving many options available. Thus, her cravings for Mexican food—tacos, chilaquiles, mole—are only truly satisfied when she makes the dishes herself. So, knowing the labor-intensive process that lay ahead, we made a list of the ingredients we needed and set out to recreate one of her most beloved meals.
Making the tamales was not as easy as finding the ingredients, which we secured at Market Basket and La Internacional Foods, a small Latin American market, both in Somerville. In addition to the banana leaves, we needed achiote paste, salsa ingredients, chicken, and masa dough. After purchasing all of the ingredients, we came home and immediately blended up the salsa ingredients, which we threw into the slow cooker with the chicken and achiote paste. Next, we made the masa dough, which just meant adding the right amount of water, lime juice, and salt to the flour. Despite following a recipe, our proportions were off so we ended up having to add more of everything until we reached the desired consistency.
We then prepared the banana leaves, which was the most difficult part of the process. Banana leaves must be cleaned well before cooking, but they are so delicate that one must clean them very slowly and carefully. We soaked them in water and then softly scrubbed each leaf with a sponge before laying them to air dry. Afterwards, we had to gently rub each leaf with a paper towel to ensure total dryness. We then had to carefully cut the damaged edges of the leaf and then snip them further so they were the correct size. Because the leaves are so fragile, all cuts must be made slowly and deliberately or the entire leaf could be ruined (which we did, multiple times). Needless to say, the banana leaf process lasted the entire four hours.
Finally, it was time to put the tamales together. We first had to warm the clean banana leaves straight on the burner so they could soften, and then we added a layer of masa dough, followed by a layer of the slow cooked chicken, which was then covered by another layer of masa dough. We carefully wrapped the rest of the banana leaves around the chicken-filled dough, and tied each tamale together with a thin string of banana leaf we had cut from the ends of the bigger leaves. We then piled all the tamales into a steamer basket and steamed them for one hour. Altogether, the cooking process lasted around 6 hours. By the time we pulled the tamales out of the steamer, we were starving, cranky, and tired.
Could we have just bought a package of frozen tamales from Trader Joe’s instead, which would’ve taken 30 minutes at most? Maybe. But this wouldn’t have truly satisfied my partner’s craving for Mexican food. The 6-hour process of making tamales meant connecting with her culture as a whole, rather than simply eating it. Filling our bellies with tamales was an added bonus (they were, obviously, delicious), but this entire process was more of an exercise in finding home through food and affirming her Mexican identity in a new setting, than it was about simply eating tamales.
Reflections from the 2018 AFHVS/ASFS Conference
We’re back from the big annual food conference, hosted this year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The conference is hosted by two academic organizations: The Agriculture Food and Human Values Society and the Association for the Study of Food and Society (hence, the conference is called AFHVS / ASFS). Current BU Gastronomy students attended and presented at the conference, and we asked them to share about their experience; read on to learn about how this conference experience is a great experience for any gastronaut, and tips and tricks for attending future meetings. Thanks to Alex Cheser, Esther Martin, and Ariana Gunderson for their comments.
What was your favorite moment of the conference?
Alex: Oh, gosh, this is hard. I can narrow it down to three moments that are my favorite for different reasons. First, I had never been to a university or program so vocal and inclusive about the area’s connection to its native peoples. From the Land Acknowledgement in the program to the amazing banquet dinner menu, the influence and presence of the Hooçak Nation was visible, revered, and welcomed in collaboration. Second, I was so happy that the LGBTQ social event I planned went so well. I just reached out to the organizers at UW on a whim and they were so receptive and excited. This kind of meet up hadn’t happened at AFHVS/ASFS before despite the visible presence of queer folks, so it was quite rewarding to feel the solidarity among the tiny group. Finally, and more selfishly, I revere the feedback I got from my presentation. I submitted it and presented it as a work in progress hoping to get constructive feedback and that’s exactly what I got and I kept getting it over the conference, even during the last event of the conference - two days after I’d presented. This is my second time at the conference and it’s such a supportive and uplifting environment.
Esther: My favorite moments were interacting with people I'd only admired from afar. I met and
spoke to some of my foodways/folklore heroes. Additionally, I got to bounce my ideas of other, more experienced scholars and get feedback, while connecting with peers going through the same grad school process as myself.
Ariana: At the welcome dinner, as I sipped local craft beer with a new friend, he reached out to a person passing our table. He cried out, “Lisa! How have you been?” and I realized which Lisa this was – Lisa Heldke, one of my favorite food studies authors. She turned to introduce herself to me and I said, “Hello! I’m Ariana Gunderson from BU’s Gastronomy Program. I’m quoting you in my presentation tomorrow!” Then we discussed the article I referenced in my talk - how often do you get to discuss a published text with its author!? Apparently, at AFHVS / ASFS, all the time!
How did this conference implement skills or themes from your Gastronomy degree?
Ariana: Amazingly, I was able to literally implement my Gastronomy work by presenting my research from my Introduction to Gastronomy course! But interacting with other scholars was the best way to apply my degree: In round-tables and post-panel Q&As, I watched other scholars work through questions and research findings just like we do in class. I could put faces to names of so many people whose work I’ve been reading since I started this program. Honestly, I was a little star struck! But Food Studies is such a welcoming discipline, everyone is open and friendly. Leading scholars listened thoughtfully as I described my research and joked with me about kombucha. Just go up and introduce yourself!
Esther: The conference emphasized the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to food studies. Nothing is ever just about food, and all parts of food intersect. Food policy can learn from food history while food justice can utilize skills of food folklore. We are not isolated in our specializations, but rather united in the common theme of food as a form of education and social change.
Alex: Most of the sessions I attended focused on food policy or restructuring the food system and agriculture. Having taken all three of Dr. Ellen Messer’s food policy courses in the program, I felt very prepared as I heard each presentation and could easily contextualize it within the current food policy landscape. I definitely would have felt a little overwhelmed without that knowledge. I also felt empowered to ask specific, in-depth questions which, if you’ve had class with me maybe isn’t a surprise haha, but at a conference with ~professional academics~ I would normally be a bit quieter.
What advice would you have for a gastronaut considering attending future ASFS conferences? Any dos or don’ts?
Esther: Definitely submit a proposal, even if you don't have an idea for a paper yet. Almost
everyone changes a bit beforehand, and many people present new research ideas that aren't finished or fully formed. If you can, meet the people you admire. Use social media as a way to reach grad students and young professionals. And have business cards! Even if they're quick ones from Zazzle, they'll have all your contact info on them so people can follow up with you.
Alex: Go! No matter where you are in your degree tenure and no matter if you plan to pursue academia or not, if you are able to attend this conference, you will not regret it. Presenting your own research is great practice and this is not an environment where you will be beat down if you haven’t considered something or read a specific work. Even if you don’t present your data, this is one of the two conferences (so I’m told) where the major academic work of re-figuring the food system to be more just, equitable, and sustainable is presented and teased out. (The other one is the Rural Sociology conference apparently). Anyone who is wanting to delve into food policy or food justice work will benefit to know what’s on the cutting edge of this research.
Ariana: Go if you can! Make it happen, you won’t regret it. Here are some tips: Before you go, look through the program of presenters and highlight any panels you know you want to attend (look for names you recognize). Bring business cards if you have them (but if you don’t do not worry). Prepare a three-sentence description of your research interests (vague is okay!) because people will ask you when you meet them. There are (limited) funding sources available from ASFS and BU (reach out to me or Barbara for more details) to help defray costs. If you join ASFS this year (2018) you are eligible to apply for funding from ASFS to attend the 2019 conference!
Guinea Pigs and Salchipapas and Potato Soup, Oh My!
Students in Dr. Karen Metheny's Summer Term course, Anthropology of Food (MET ML 641) are contributing guest posts this month. Today's post is from Madeline V. Long.
In March, I traveled to Vilcabamba, Ecuador, to visit my parents who were living there with friends for the winter. In regard to food, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew from talking to my dad that there would be plenty of guinea pig to eat, but beyond that offering, which I politely did not try, I had very few preconceived notions on what Ecuadorian food and cuisine comprised.
Vilcabamba is a small village in the southern region of Ecuador and is a sort of melting pot of expatriates. Because of this, there are a broad range of foods available to please many palates. When my parents picked me up from the airport, they had Pain Au Chocolate from the local French bakery for us to enjoy on our ride back to the village. For lunch, we went to a café that offered falafel and curries among other vegan and vegetarian things. That evening, we dined at a sort of western cowboy themed restaurant where I had surprisingly good pizza margherita and my mom had pasta primavera. Needless to say, these were not the kinds of foods I expected to be eating.
While in Vilca, as the locals call it, the most traditionally Ecuadorian dish I had was Salchipapas, a hot dog on top of French fries served with ketchup and mayonnaise. This dish is actually a popular street food originating from Lima, Peru, and has spread to other parts of Latin America like Ecuador and Boliva over the years.
It wasn’t until we were in the larger city of Cuenca that we would visit Tiesto's, one of very few restaurants in the country that offers Ecuadorian food. After we decided on the tasting menu, our waiter brought out ten small dishes, each filled with different varieties of stewed hot peppers, pickled vegetables, and other condiments to be eaten with bread and the meal we were about to have. Aside from these delicious accompaniments, the highlight of the meal was the Ecuadoran Potato Soup made with potatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, annatto, milk, cheese, and cilantro. We also had scrambled eggs with corn, sweet potato dumplings, and grilled meat.
While this restaurant is considered one of the best in Cuenca and Ecuador, it did not seem to be frequented by locals, most likely because it was more expensive than most places. How authentically Ecuadorian of an experience was eating at this restaurant if the only Ecuadorian people there were the ones working? I found myself thinking about the differences in culture and wondering if a local wanted to go out for traditional Ecuadorian food, would they be able to? Or, is that kind of food something they would only enjoy in their home, made by themselves, friends, or family? Here in New England, if someone wants to go out for dinner and enjoy regional cuisine, the options are endless. Why is it that in some countries, going out to eat means enjoying a cuisine different than your own and in others it might mean enjoying something familiar?
Summer Course Spotlight: Local to Global Food Values: Policy, Practice, and Performance
Local to Global Food Values: Policy, Practice, and Performance will be offered through Boston University’s Summer Term 2. This class will meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings, beginning on July 2 with a final class on August 8. To register, please visit http://www.bu.edu/summer/courses/gastronomy/ .
What are "good" foods and trustworthy standards and measurements of value? Who regulates or labels claims such as "local," "natural," "sustainable," or "(non)GMO" and why should consumers care? These are the basic policy (government), practice (food-industry), and performance (case study) issues course participants systematically probe and debate during this six-week Summer Term II BU Gastronomy seminar. Each week clarifies and compares distinct environmental, economic, cultural, political, and nutritional frameworks of value. Readings, discussions, and hands-on exercises aim to develop professional and personal knowledge and skills for those working in food research, production, marketing, or advocacy, or more generally interested in understanding the science and technology, language and cultural politics, guiding U.S. and global food systems. The course is open to master's level or advanced undergraduates.
Ellen Messer is an anthropologist and culinary historian with an extensive background in food policy and food justice issues. Her research interests encompass cross-cultural perspectives on human right to food; biocultural determinants of food and nutrition intake; sustainable food systems (with special emphasis on the roles of NGOs); and the cultural history of nutrition, agriculture, and food science, including the impacts of biotechnology on hunger. She has authored and co-authored several books on food policy, including Who’s Hungry? And How Do We Know? Food Shortage, Poverty and Deprivation (United Nations Free Press, 1998). Previously she was Director of the World Hunger Program at Brown University and a Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Messer is a Lecturer in Gastronomy at Boston University and has current faculty affiliations at the Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and at Brandeis University’s Department of Anthropology.
Anthropology of Food: A Selection of Final Projects
Food Mapping: Revealing the Unseen
Written by Sarit Sadras Rubenstein for Anthropology of Food
“Food mapping is an image-based approach to research that pays attention to the way people relate to food in the interaction of senses, emotions, and environments” (Marte 2007).
Food mapping is an interesting assignment students take during “Anthropology of Food” class. Food Mapping is a tool, that even though it is relatively simple to apply, reveals many interesting things, much of which would not be revealed otherwise.
For my mapping assignment place I chose a local Target store, one that I know pretty well. That specific store has a Target-cafe corner with two vendors: Starbucks and Pizza Hut. Every time I bought coffee at Starbucks I always wondered if and when people buy at the Pizza Hut place. It always seemed empty… That is why when we had the chance to observe a place and map it, I chose to observe this specific cafe corner. In my observation I was hoping to learn more about how people interact at this specific cafe corner, in relation to the two vendors, the environment and to other people in general.
It is good to start with a description of the area being mapped. Examples of such description can include where each vendor is located, how many sitting tables are there, what colors are being used as decorations, and anything that can help the researcher get familiar with the space. In my specific observation the cafe shop is located at the edge of the store, as with most of Target’s cafes, where one can walk in and go straight to the cafe without walking through the aisles. Facing the cafe space, Starbucks is placed on the left side and Pizza Hut on the right (see a map and pictures attached). Overall I would argue the environment is not as inviting as it could have been. The tables and chairs are made of metal, giving a ’cold’ and unpleasant look and feeling. It seems as it matches the decor of the Pizza Hut spot more than it fits the Starbucks one.
For the process of the observing, I arrived at the cafe around 10:45 am. I chose the table that is furthest away from the entry, which gave me a great view of the whole cafe space. I started to map the cafe area, making three copies so I would have extra copies in case I needed it. By the time I finished, it was almost 11:15, the tables were available and no people at either the coffee or the pizza lines. That didn’t last too long though, since at that very minute new customers started to show up, so I started my observation. All the people interactions I observed that morning were detailed by the order they arrived to the cafe, and were drawn on the maps I have created, as you can see at the example attached.
Once the observation is done, the interesting part starts: analyzing the data and see what can we learn from that exercise. Some conclusions from my observation were quite surprising. For example, the vast majority of the customers were women, unaccompanied. During my observation I noticed only three men, out of which only one actually bought a drink at Starbucks. All the other customers were women. This is a very interesting observation. It is worth investing more time and other observations during other days and times of the day. If this is a repeating phenomenon it can be used as a great marketing tool to the cafe and Starbucks.
Another interesting conclusion I noticed was regarding the shopping carts. I can definitely argue that there is a shopping cart parking problem while buying at the cafe. There is no organized and defined place to park shopping carts while waiting. This situation results in people blocking the line (mostly the line for Starbucks) or placing their carts in other people's way. I think it is worth investing more time and think of a creative idea to reorganize the space in order to improve this issue. These are just two single examples out of few conclusions this observation taught me
about that specific environment and the people who attend it.
One of my findings was regarding the number of tables and sitting spots at the cafe. It seems as if the number of tables is suitable for the amount of customers who choose to sit down at the cafe. That said, this note needs to be observed again, especially during times when families shop with there kids and might need more space to sit down and have a short snack break. In such times there may be shortage in tables or chairs. Also, there is a point to argue what would be the outcome if the cafe looked a little more inviting? Would this lead to people hanging out more? In a such a scenario, would the number of tables and chair suffice the location or would it need to be adjusted?
Obviously some of the questions that arise from this exercise are very interesting but still theoretical. To answer such questions, more research and observations needs to be done. Such research will probably take us outside of the academic world, since it will have to take into account the goals and objectives the organization, Target in this case, defines for itself.
As Marte (2007) claims, food maps are useful not only for food studies, but also for other kinds of research. I can surely see how food maps can come handy for such organizations as a marketing tool and a strategic tool. I wonder if and to what extent big organizations, such as Target, use such tools, as food mapping, to learn and streamline their customers’ experience.
References:
Marte, Lidia. 2007. Foodmaps: Tracing Boundaries of “Home” Through Food Relations. Food & Foodways 15(3-4): 261-289.
What is America Food?
Written by Olga Rizhevsky for MET ML 641, Anthropology of Food
When discussing ‘American Food’, it seems one of two main schools of thought is prevalent: either the clear understanding that burgers, pizza, and apple pie are emblematic of the country; or that we live in a nation with mixed cuisine from all over the world, and we create our own by borrowing from abroad. Extremists might argue there is no such thing as American food all together. Why did our cuisine become to hard to define, and is that a problem? A brief consideration of a few topics below further explores this inquiry.
The Great American Menu, Ranking Regional Foods Across the U.S.
For one, America as a country has long cultivated staple crops such as corn, soybeans, and cotton- plus a whole ton of cattle. Consolidation via industrialization of farming land and operations has increased the popularity of these foods, often at the expense of non-monoculture crops cultivated on small family farms; the biggest support of this phenomena has been through formal government subsidies. However, how often do you actually see someone consuming plain corn (whose authenticity is infact Mexican) or soybeans, perhaps in the form of tofu? The reality is that corn and soy are often ingredients in other foods, typically ones that have been processed, artificially sweetened, and would be considered ‘junk food’ by most. We are beginning to see label-conscious consumers strive to better understand what’s in their food, and many are going beyond to be educated on its origins.
Second, an emerging ‘foodie’ movement, particularly in urban areas including Boston, has lent itself to an overwhelming focus on foods that are interesting and picturesque- an attitude of discovery implying sophistication. To each their own with the definition of a foodie, but given its apparent over-use, it begs the question as to whether or not everyone is a foodie (in other words, a lover and/or consumer of food?). On this topic, in a 2014 NYT article, Mark Bittman challenges the term by advocating that it should pivot more toward those who are conscious in their food consumption, rather than just find joy in it; “it might be useful to sketch out what “caring about good food” means, and to try to move “foodie” to a place where it refers to someone who gets beyond fun to pay attention to how food is produced and the impact it has.”[i]
Third, the politics of food in the US leave consumers with much to ponder, which is constantly changing. A generally confusing climate in regard to policy, nutrition, and environmental implications is ever-growing. We are consumers and producers of foods that are internationally traded, at times when NAFTA and immigration-reform are heavily under scrutiny. We shift from loathing carbs, to fat, to sugar, at a time when obesity rates are on the rise. Perhaps conflicts within one’s ‘food identity’, compromising self-expression, are an extension of broader confusion regarding what is authentic American food.
Despite lack of consensus, building awareness regarding ‘what is American food’ is in itself enlightening. Consider the eateries that surround BU (Chinese, Thai, Indian) in the proximity of quintessential Fenway Park—or Quincy Market across the street from the North End. Also consider the cravings you have when seeking ‘ethnic’ food (perhaps another ambiguous term to define). Living in a nation so populated by immigrant traditions and influences, it surely is a challenge to identify with a single defining cuisine.
[i] Mark Bittman, “Rethinking the Word ‘Foodie’.” June 24, 2014. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/25/opinion/mark-bittman-rethinking-the-word-foodie.html
UNESCO: Protecting Cultural Heritages Worldwide
Written by Sarah Faith
If you’ve ever been to France, then you know that a baguette from a boulangerie in Paris, Lyon, or Provence has an air of je ne sais quoi about it. More than four hundred years of practice - and a revolution - have gone into the making of the iconic French baguette. It is a staple food, a part of daily French life - morning, midday and in the evening. A veritable symbol of the country.
The traditional baguette is protected under a 1993 French law. To truly be considered a “traditional French baguette,” the bread must be made on the premises from which it is sold, it must be made with four ingredients only (wheat flour, water, yeast and salt), it cannot be frozen at any stage, and it cannot contain additives or preservatives. Making a traditional baguette requires more than the ability to follow a recipe. It requires practiced skill.
However, times are changing. Many French are no longer eating baguette three times a day as eating patterns change. Fewer bakeries are making baguettes in the traditional manner, often relying on frozen bread in an effort to cut costs.
Now, in an effort to protect the quality of and skill that goes into the making of the baguette, President Emmanuel Macron is supporting a bid by the National Confederation of French Bakers. Their goal is protection of the baguette as a “world treasure” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Established in 2008, the UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage include oral traditions, social practices, performing arts, festive events, rituals, knowledge/practices concerning nature, and knowledge/skills to produce traditional crafts that are recognized by communities around the world as being representative of their cultural heritage. The items on the lists are passed down from generation to generation. They provide a sense of identity and community.
UNESCO has inscribed heritages from around the world, including Uilleann piping (Ireland), the Tahteeb stick game (Egypt), and the Yama, Hoko, and Yatai float festivals (Japan). These heritages help to nourish both cultural diversity and human creativity and, according to UNESCO, “can help to meet many contemporary challenges of sustainable development such as social cohesion, education, food security, health and sustainable management of natural resources.” In granting the list designation, UNESCO aims to ensure that intangible cultural heritages worldwide are better protected and awareness of them promoted.
As of this writing, there are 470 items corresponding to 117 countries on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage lists. And food plays a role, with a number of cultural foods, cuisines and practices represented. Curious to learn more, I dug a little deeper. Below you’ll find a snapshot of my food-related findings - one from each of the ten years that the lists have been in existence.
2008: Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead (Mexico)
2009: Oku-noto no Aenokoto (Japan)
2010: Gastronomic meal of the French
2011: Ceremonial Keşkek tradition (Turkey)
2012: Cherry festival in Sefrou (Morocco)
2013: Kimjang, making and sharing kimchi in the Republic of Korea
2015: Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosity (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar)
2016: Beer Culture in Belgium
2017: The Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’ (Italy)
As for whether the French baguette will be given the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation, we will have to wait and see. After the National Confederation of French Bakers submits its nomination, they must then wait for the annual meeting of the Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. During this meeting, the Committee will evaluate this and other nominations and decide whether or not to inscribe the French baguette to the lists for safeguarding.
For more information about the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage lists visit https://ich.unesco.org/.
Sarah Faith is a student in the Gastronomy program and marketing and communications professional specializing in food and agricultural at CONE in Boston.