FST 3301 - Mediterranean Culinary Culture

Credits: 4
Food is perhaps the most distinctive expression an ethnic group, a culture, a nation. It is an essential aspect of our identity and consciousness. Food is not only cooking and eating. Food has social meaning and emotional significance. It touches upon issues of class, gender, religion, race and ethnicity. Food is a product of geography, historical development and societal changes involving food production and consumption. This course considers the food cultures of the Mediterranean from an anthropological and historical perspective. Topics of study include: food in Ancient Mediterranean societies, the regional cuisines of various Mediterranean nations, food as a defining characteristic of culture, religious practices and taboos involving food, and Mediterranean food in American society and culture. Each week students will enter the kitchen where they experience various regional cuisines, learn the techniques of Mediterranean cooking, organize meals, and critique their culinary creations.
McDaniel Plan: International Nonwestern