Emergence of Republican cooking (la cuisinière rèpublicaine)

Transforming gender ideals

Significance of food and language in the Revolution

Thoughts/Interesting takeaways
- I found the political nature of food and dining establishments quite fascinating. It was harder to grasp because I don't have much context about the French Revolution and French history, but it seemed like political changes did manifest itself in culinary culture
- Based on what I have seen in the media, it appears that French cuisine and cooking is very much still dominated by men (at least within the public sphere)

I learnt about gender and cuisine and found it interesting how much influence politics has over food. I can relate this to Italy and the influence fascist politics had on food. As far as remaining questions - what happened next? How far is there left to go for women in the culinary arts? The readings made me think perhaps Remy in Ratatouille was a reflection of barriers in French cooking - past and present. 

§  -The introduction of potatoes brings with it new economic and social order This allows for women to become more part of the culinary sphere. People now have a sustainable food source for hard times bolstering the thought of the revolution for the people by having the humble potato as a symbol of change in the country. 

-The recipes show the changing times in French cuisine as they are the most efficient and cost-effective ways to prepare meals and also have a viable way to make it last for as long as possible. The potato symbolised the joining of classes having both use potatoes for various uses. The rise of women to power in France through the bridge of cooking

-Who should prepare the revolutionary cuisine?

-Post-revolutionary cookbooks promising to educate women on different styles of cooking whilst others thought that males should keep their roles as the high-class cooks to an elite whilst integrating women into the cooking scene with basic recipes, allowing them to take over the domestic cooking scene from men.

 

Thoughts

With the power of the revolution women were given a chance to amerce themselves into the French culinary sector through the works of authors of cookbooks allowing them to share in part with the male chef scene, only with basic recipes though which used the most cost efficient ways of cooking. With the political sphere, we see that politics plays a dynamic role in the way food in cultures can change and give way to new ideas. 

However, I still see this transition in culinary spheres especially in countries such as France where there is still a male dominated chef community which is shown in media today in shows such as Masterchef and MKR with mostly male judges.

- A new space emerged in France after the revolution with new national discourse on food allowing male cooks to become ‘independent entrepreneurs’. Food and dining became accessible for the public, not just the aristocracy, however a woman’s place in society became more cemented with the ideology of ‘domesticity’, and so they became excluded from labour within public dining establishments.

QUESTIONS:
Where did these new foundations lead France's culinary scene and in particular women's roles in society into the 19th Century?

Consumption of rice and beans was a result of social and economic factors

Uniqueness of food as a symbol of national identity

Gallo Pinto was the result and clear expression of hybrid culture in Latin America

Thoughts
- I liked how thoroughly this article analysed the history of gallo pinto and clearly explained the social, political and economic factors that drove its popularisation and acceptance as a national dish. I would not have thought that a dish that simple and straightforward would have had such complex roots
- This reading reinforces what we've talked about so far, regarding the power of food to distinguish or unite social classes, and construct a national identity

Standardising a national dish specific to that region allows for social, cultural changes within a country the Costa Ricans using el gallo pinto shows this as it went from a dish eaten by peasants to a national dish eaten by all classes and brought tourism with it creating economic favour for Costa Rica.

Wheat was the main grain of choice as it allowed separation of the other (other being the natives) natives chose the alternative of rice due to growing conditions with the Spanish soon following ordering rice to be harvested instead of maize to ensure there was enough food produced.

Afro-Caribbean influences of rice and bean dishes due to workforce immigration-  brought new recipes to the country allowing for Costa Rica to adopt new flavours and food creating a fusion food of different cultures and identities

National cuisine develops ground up, National identity does so top down

Thoughts

The reading seemed to emphasise the idea of social change coming from the introduction of migration and distancing oneself from the other from yesterday’s lecture and how a national dish can be part of the country’s identity through foreign influences and taking advantage of the geopolitical sphere of the time. Such as rice being used as a staple food overtaking maize

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