Lecture 36: The Past as Prologue?
Intrepid souls will still venture into the kitchen, especially on
holidays or special occasions, but the kitchen as we know it may
become increasingly obsolete, just as the burning hearth or the
coal stove did. Maybe smart kitchens will take stock of our fridge
contents, offer recipes, and even cook food for us. Perhaps the microwave will be the cooking implement of choice,
but given our track record through history, we probably will fi nd
new fuel sources and harness them in ways that will once again
transform cooking technology: perhaps in the form of more effi cient
solar ovens or by harnessing the power of thermal vents to heat our
stoves. Food will be preserved much more effi ciently as well, so
maybe we’ll do away with refrigerators altogether—or change how
they are used.Albala, Food Cultures of the World.
Belasco, Meals to Come.
Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
Schlosser, Fast Food Nation.
Warde, Consumption.
Warman, Corn and Capitalism.Take a lesson you learned from this course and apply it to the preparation of a
meal—whether using a new ingredient, a technique you’ve never tried, a recipe
from some place we mentioned, or even a ritual we discussed. Wendell Berry
said that knowing where your food comes from and even the history of a food
increases your awareness and appreciation of the food; notice whether that’s
the case with the dish you try. Refl ect not only on foods, unfamiliar as well as
familiar, but also on your own habits and customs. How has the material in this
course affected—and how might it further affect—the way you eat?Suggested ReadingCulinary Activity