Ways of Eating - (California Studies in Food and Culture) by Benjamin Aldes Wurgaft & Merry White

About the Book

"From the origins of agriculture to twenty-first century debates over culinary authenticity, Ways of Eating introduces readers to world food history and to the practice of food ethnography. By engaging ethnographic vignettes and historical chapters, the authors offer new ways to think about food in relation to its natural and cultural histories. In addition to offering new intellectual tools, starting-points are provided for future reading ina wide variety of subjects, from the European spice trade to the Columbian Exchange, from food and gender to ethnographic methodology. Food studies are made vivid by stories like the ones in this book--stories of Scottish peat-cutters, women beer-makers, and Japanese knife-forgers"--

Book Synopsis

What we learn when an anthropologist and a historian talk about food.

From the origins of agriculture to contemporary debates over culinary authenticity, Ways of Eating introduces readers to world food history and food anthropology. Through engaging stories and historical deep dives, Benjamin A. Wurgaft and Merry I. White offer new ways to understand food in relation to its natural and cultural histories and the social rules that shape our meals.

Wurgaft and White use vivid storytelling to bring food practices to life, weaving stories of Panamanian coffee growers, medieval women beer makers, and Japanese knife forgers. From the Venetian spice trade to the Columbian Exchange, from Roman garum to Vietnamese nớc chấm, Ways of Eating provides an absorbing account of world food history and anthropology. Migration, politics, and the dynamics of group identity all shape what we eat, and we can learn to trace these social forces from the plate to the kitchen, the factory, and the field.

From the Back Cover

"The intricate ways in which human history is formed by food are catacombs full of stories, waiting to be exposed, unraveled, and told. Benjamin Wurgaft and Merry White's vignettes and chapters are full to the brim with food and drink, which are the facts of life. Ways of Eating is a thrilling ride into the human spirit."--Yotam Ottolenghi, James Beard Award-winning author

"Who better than a historian-ethnographer team to illuminate the multiple roles that eating has in our lives? Readers will find the authors' juxtaposition of vivid descriptions of specific cooks, artisans, and farmers with a fast-paced history of food engaging and illuminating."--Rachel Laudan, author of Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History

"This thoughtful and original book invites us to see food through culture and culture through food. Wurgaft and White--son and mother--make delightful company as they guide us through everything from the birth of agriculture to the lamination in a croissant in modern-day Tokyo. I was informed and entertained in equal measure."--Bee Wilson, author of Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat

Review Quotes

"Here is a snapshot of Ways of Eating as a whole: challenging how we take food traditions for granted when, instead, we should recognize that food traditions evolved from ever-changing traditions of empire (trade, conquest, globalization) and environment (climate, agronomy, hybridization)."-- "Gastronomica"

"Timely and thought-provoking."-- "Food and Foodways"

"Ways of Eating, a broadbrush history written for a general readership, is full of fascinating stories."-- "Inside Story"

"Striving to answer questions as prosaic (or lofty) as 'Who makes the wine, and who does the dishes?' White and Wurcraft embark on an informative and approachable journey, touching upon themes of survival, desire, power, and identity--including the tools we use for eating and how food is packaged--in this very readable volume."-- "Culinary Historians"

"As gripping and entertaining as it is edifying, Ways of Eating shows how profitable the conversation between historian and anthropologist can be."-- "TLS"

"Ways of Eating is a beautifully written, accessible book that will appeal to students of food studies and the general public alike. . . . its engaging narrative and rich descriptions make it a delightful journey through the history and culture of food. For those new to the subject, it provides a fascinating entry point into the world of food studies, illuminating how food has shaped--and continues to shape--our societies and identities."-- "Asian Anthropology"

"[A]t its heart, Ways of Eating is a love letter to the anthropology and history of food."-- "Current"

"Food has always provided ways of expressing cultural identity, regional differences, degrees of sophistication and economic status. Wurgaft and White trace these processes over centuries and across the globe. Their conclusions are both celebratory and thought-provoking."-- "Inside Story"

"In a study that arcs gracefully from our changing understanding of the Neolithic Revolution to the era of genetically modified organisms, fast food, Slow Food, and environmental depletion, the focus is forward-facing."-- "World of Fine Wine"

About the Author

Benjamin A. Wurgaft is a writer and historian. His previous books include Meat Planet: Artificial Flesh and the Future of Food and Thinking in Public: Strauss, Levinas, Arendt.

Merry I. White is Professor of Anthropology at Boston University. Her previous books include Coffee Life in Japan and Perfectly Japanese: Making Families in an Era of Upheaval. The Japanese government has honored her work in the anthropology of Japan with the Order of the Rising Sun.