Review and Commentary by D. Vour
Gourmand, & Food Critic, at “The Home"
“In The Devils Garden - A Sinful History Of Forbidden Food”
by
Stewart Lee Allen -- Ballantine Books
Chapter One of Four
*
I just finished reading one of the most interesting books I've ever come across.
I found it completely by accident as these things usually do, I was looking for another book with a similar title, but mis-typed the search, and by pure synchronicity, 'The Devils Garden' popped up. I saw that it was a history of forbidden food .. which immediately caught my fancy, how fascinating .. !?
I checked it out from the library, and started reading the prologue. I was instantly... hooked -- line and sinker too !
I could see that I was going to be caught up in an exciting maelstrom of swirling new ideas to me about food: Taboos !
Food as social engineering – who knew?
How could we not be fascinated with forbidden foods? What foods are forbidden? I quickly wondered to myself – hmm … religious food bans of course,(or curse?) - but nothing else came immediately to mind.
After reading a few paragraphs, I realized that this was covering way more than just ... 'don’t eat pork'!
I saw a comment about a taboo to enjoy, and a taboo to not enjoy, whilst eating ?!? This begs the question, if it's a taboo or sin to enjoy food, and a taboo or sin not to enjoy food – which side are you on: Saint, or Devil ? hehehe ;) With food, don’t both views have allure?
I love food preparation and cooking stuff, and have always had a curiosity about foods people have eaten in bygone days. What did a Roman soldier eat? What was the palette of the ancients ?
Likewise, I've been curious why certain foods are always identified with people or places; think of sauerkraut, and Germany comes to mind, think wine – et voila, La Belle France, and pasta is “Italian”. Of course today, these stereotypes are of no consequence as items come from everywhere, but we still think of them as things associated or related to those people, cultures, or places.
What do you think of first, if I say 'watermelon', 'garlic', curry, or 'sweet potato pie' ?
I suspect that cultural factors reflect your personal view of these; Chinese food was only for special occasions. Garlic, when I was a kid, was avoided in school as being just for 'Italians, as was the dreaded salami sandwich – garlic breath brought ostracism and social 'death'.
Curry was a weird 'foreign food'. I didn’t eat curry 'til I got to college.
Watermelon somehow ascribes to poor southern culture, as does 'fried chicken' – even while both are readily available anywhere around the world, and equally popular or famous in Beijing and Beirut ! What about the poor and oft maligned sweet potato, (and sweet potato pie, which is not quite as popular as its' pumpkin pie cousin)?.
The lowly sweet potato was once a product allowed for european royalty only, and now in modern times, it is thought of as something more for 'poor folks'. In spite of this, the sweet potato is becoming respectable and trendy with modern foodies again. The sweet potato, and other veggies are seeing a re-surging popularity among the hip young organic crowd.
You could not give kale away 10 years ago. Its only use was decoration on a salad bar. Now kale is everywhere, and in everything !?
Our ideas about food are constantly evolving!
We do assign our belief structure to our foods. Would you eat a live baby octopus ? Apparently, this is quite popular in Korea – but not so much here in USA.!? ... my point exactly!.
One mans meat, is another mans throat choker - err - I mean 'poison'!
Snail, grubs, brains, offal, sweetmeats, organ meat, wild game, bush meat : how do you feel about eating these ?
What emotions are stirred pondering a bite of fried insects or bush meat?
These emotions are used to control us, by making certain foods "approved", or "taboos".
This tale is brilliantly told with compactness and alacrity. The scope is remarkable, making connections, and contrasts with the ancient and modern views on our constantly evolving and changing attitudes, rules, and laws about food, and food items. There are amazing and incredible histories and anecdotes into the whys and wherefores of how these taboos, superstitions, and traditions have come about … and usually not what you previously expected or believed !
End of part 1 ... to be continued..
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