CHEW: "What Do We Know About Food—So Far?" June 23

Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin (CHEW),

"What Do We Know About Food—So Far?"
A conversation with Jeffrey Pilcher, editor of the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Food History
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 @ 7:15 PM

Over the past thirty years, along with growing general interest in and concern about food, scholars from a variety of disciplines have increasingly pondered its significance—so much so that we can now talk of a new, if interdisciplinary, field devoted to “Food Studies.” But whether one is a seasoned scholar, a new graduate student, a food professional, or someone interested in how what we eat defines us, getting a handle on the range of knowledge about and approaches to food to date can be a daunting task. The handbook aims to bring together what’s been done so far and suggest new routes for future thinking about food.
Prof. Pilcher will catch us up on the recent history of food scholarship and where he sees it going. Some contributors to the volume will also be in the audience and we hope that everyone will bring questions and ideas to the conversation.

Jeffrey Pilcher is Professor of History at the University of Minnesota. His publications include "Food in World History" (Routledge, 2006), "The Sausage Rebellion: Public Health, Private Enterprise," "Meat in Mexico City, 1890-1917" (University of New Mexico Press, 2006) and "¡Que vivan los tamales! Food and the Making of Mexican Identity" (University of New Mexico Press, 1998). He is also at work on a book on the globalization of the taco.

Meeting Venue: Goodman Atwood Community Center, Bolz Room A; 149 Waubesa Street, Madison 53704; 608-241-1574.

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