If you are at all interested in regional foods, the shifts and trends that change consumption and culture, or really cool maps, click right here, right now.
To accompany a review of the book Renewing America's Food Traditions by Gary Paul Nabhan, the New York Times created an interactive map of the US (with a bit of Canada and Mexico thrown in). The country is divided into regions defined by their cuisine, with mouseovers for each area explaining what foods native to the region are in danger of one day disappearing.
No big surprise, I live in Crabcake Nation (though what is a bit of a surprise is that Delaware, which is culturally so like Maryland, is in Clambake Nation).
I found this via Mr. Henry, who reminisces about the different foods he's had that might one day be gone. Sort of sadly, I couldn't really do the same, since the only food on any of the lists that I'm absolutely positive I've eaten is...you guessed it...Chesapeake Bay blue crab.
This so perfectly ties into all of my concerns about the globalization of cuisine and the simultaneous disappearance of regional flavors and dishes.
Even though, as I just mentioned, I've got a mile-high stack of books to read, I just might have to actually buy this one. It just hits too close to home.
3 comments:
Hey there! I recently started a blog of my own about food and social issues in particular. One of my last posts was also about regional foods and I am so glad I just read this post of yours. I hadn't seen this map, but it would be great to link to my site as well. Thanks for the inspiration!
Speaking of crabs- I saw on the FoodNetwork last night "Rachel Ray's Ballpark Cafe". She went to Cal Ripken's Aberdeen baseball stadium, where they apparently have crab feasts during the game. Sounds like the perfect combination to me!
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