Thank you for joining me here, where I intend to intersect the study of history, food, and culture. I aim for this blog to share a snapshot of my research interests alongside topics outside my immediate subject area. While I am particularly fascinated by fast-food history, I will explore a variety of topics within food and drink study through academic-led research.
I grew up in a small town on the Cape Cod peninsula of Massachusetts, where clams, lobster, cranberries, and root vegetables are plentiful. My immediate paternal family emigrated to the US from Italy in the post-war years, and from them, I tasted delicious pasta, sauces, breads and vegetables growing up. My father and aunt still grow a cucuzza squash each summer, the preferred plant of Sicily that is harvested just before it reaches three feet in length. [1] Meanwhile, my mother prefers hearty, traditional American fare, and of course, the summer barbecue.
In the garden with the cucuzza plant.
Following an ambition to study abroad, I moved to the UK in 2016 for my undergraduate degree at De Montfort University, where I now continue to study at a PhD level. Here I am fortunate to experience the multicultural city of Leicester, which is identified by an array of delicious foods such as curries, cheeses, and my favourite, the boba tea. I have come to love British cuisine in its own regard; there is something comforting about a pastry pie, roasted parsnips and carrots, green peas, and rich gravy after a cold day out on a Sunday evening.
Eating plays an essential role in connecting us to one another; it can forge a deeper empathy with those who we elect to share it with. We all interact with food daily, and we nearly all have an opinion to share about it. For me, I have come to view food firstly as the fuel for my day-to-day activities, both physical and mental. I further appreciate the memories of a certain food item, and by extension, the emotion behind its flavours, textures, and appearance. My favourite meals, including Mexican chilli, sourdough bread, tea, and lentil soup (not all at once!), affectionately connect to a core memory.
This appreciation underpins my desire to examine the foods around us, and by extension, to consider the history and culture of the modern world.
[1] Chicago Tribune, 13 October 1996.