like, totally…..

i’ve known this for a long time (maybe not intellectually, but definitely in my stomach)….and then i read massimo montanari’s wonderful book food is culture …..in which he explores the idea that absolutely everything to do with food is a cultural act.
hunting it, growing it, cooking it or not cooking it, sitting down to eat it…..these things are all complex rituals that are deeply and particularly informed by our culture (whatever it happens to be).
anyway
it’s a very fabulous book and well worth the read; especially as you can then quote good bits at dinner parties and sound like a real gastropod.
i mean gastronome, of course.

but i digress.
text is all very well, but a picture does tell a thousand words.
the clever peter menzel has cut right to the heart of the matter with his wonderful book of photos: hungry planet.
in this, he stages families from all over the world, together with their food for an entire week of meals. some pix here.
the contrasts are startling, the details are fascinating and at the end of it all you can truly say: show me what you eat and i’ll show you who you are ~~~jean-anthelme brillat-savarin.

jean anthelme also said:
the discovery of a new dish confers more happiness on humanity, than the discovery of a new star.
i have to agree with this too….have you ever seen how excited most people get over a new kind of chocolate cake?