Abstract
The Food and Folklore Reader combines traditional folklore-knowledge and customs passed through oral communication and examples with cultural identification of food practices. The book begins with a brief overview of folklore from around the globe including definitions where appropriate for the reader who may not be completely familiar with the topics contained in the methodology used within the manuscript. It is then broken into five parts: Part 1 Foundations and Frameworks; Part 2 Food in Groups, Communities, and Identities; Part 3 Food as Art, Symbol, and Ritual; Part 4 Food as Communication, Performance, and Power; and finally Part 5 Food in Public and Applied Folklore.
Each individual section focuses on a specific part of sociology, folklore, and the culture of food. Within each part are brief overviews for the reader unfamiliar with the topic and points given focusing on exploration of food and culture. The Food and Folklore Reader can easily be seen as an important addition to the intersection of culture and food. Additionally, considering how this specific area of academia does not have a nominal guide for interested individuals, this reader easily provides a substantial base for the uninformed.
Utilizing sources from around the globe, Long is able to intertwine current research with a passion for the art of food. The end of each chapter showcases expert opinion pieces and significant literature findings appropriate to the topics. Furthermore, sources, resources, textbook ideas and topic discussions are prompting you, as the reader, to continue stimulating the senses – not just in the intellectual portion of the brain, but to think about food differently while eating it.
Appearing to be historically accurate and derived, this seminal work would be appropriate for any individual wanting to know more about the history of food. Students would be able to envision where food has come from and what it has developed into over the many years of human existence. Appealing to many scholars across varying disciplines, this resource is an expertly laid tool for understanding the heritage of our food, culture, and folklore.
While not the usual showcase of different cultural eating habits and styles one may see on the television and travel channels, The Food and Folklore Reader focuses more on the historical identity of the food sources and how they came to travel across the globe and hierarchies of culture. As such, it may be difficult to read for individuals who are looking for a more generalized approach such as seen on the shows of Anthony Bourdain or Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.
The Food and Folklore Reader additionally has significant difficulties focusing on the heritage of the people and culture where specific foods were born and how they were disseminated across the world. As heritage and folklore can be seen as intertwined heavily, they are usually seen as inseparable to historians and culture seekers alike. This may be seen as the major drawback to this cultural artifact and how it can be used in many more disciplines. To make up for this, the book focuses on hierarchy and how food shaped the world, but lacks the cultural relevance to indigenous populations where the culture and food originated. Overall this is a solid manuscript by leaders in the blooming field of folklore and food touching upon originations, but lacking in holistic culture and storytelling folklore appropriateness.