Recipitation

It was one of those days that started out beautifully, and ends in a smashing bustle of head pain. Nevertheless, here are today’s musings and spendings:

$33.00 (credit–guarantees I get a receipt, which is necessary since I will be reimbursed for this) to Sugar Sweet Sunshine for 22 cupcakes to feed to whichever brilliant MA students show up on Friday to discuss Democracy versus Distinction.  You want to read this paper. It will change the way you think about mediated food consumption.  The authors argue that media, specifically print media, frames the way that food is discussed using 2 themes: authenticity and exoticism.

To demonstrate authenticity, food writers employ cues such as “geographic specificity, ’simplicity,’ personal connections and historicism” (pg 179).  To demonstrate the exotic nature of food, writers note “unusualness and foreignness” (pg 189) in foods, and may highlight foods that “break the norm” (pg 192).  As noted in my “Me and my alter ego” section, I love all things food. That, of course, translates into a healthy overdose of food writing through blogs and magazines.  Gourmet magazines may have started this dialogue, but blogs are certainly carrying through with it. I’ll highlight some examples from my favorite reads. Geographic specificity? Chocolate and Zucchini highlights chocolate from El Ceibo Simplicity? Green Fork serves up a variety of “simple” producers. Personal connections? Chez Us takes us to dinner with Anthony. Historicism? Curd Nerds remind us that the best cheeses come from the Alpine heights of history. These themes pop up everywhere! Are they invalid? I think not, but it is worth questioning when we place a value on something WHO is creating that value, and what are the social pressures pushing us into a belief system.

$9.10 (cash, no receipts) to two vendors in the Essex Street Market for 5 lbs of tomatillos, one bunch of cilantro, 5 heads of garlic, one can of chipotle peppers in adobo, one mango, 1 poblano and 2 serranos.

$40.00 (cash, no receipt) for my portion of January and February’s internet bill. We do internet cooperatively here. It’s wonderful.

This entry was posted Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 at 6:08 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.