Rachel Laudan, a historian of science and author of "Cuisine and Empire," dives into the rich intersection of food and world history. She emphasizes how cuisine shapes culture, politics, and identity, from Hawaii's diverse culinary landscape to the impact of colonialism on food practices. The podcast explores the potato's fascinating journey to culinary prominence and critiques the rise of fast food as a democratizing force. Laudan advocates for giving greater respect to 'middling cuisine,' highlighting its role in global culinary evolution.
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Hawaii's Melting Pot
Rachel Laudan discusses her experience in Hawaii, where diverse cultures like Pacific Islanders, Anglos, and Asians have shaped local cuisine.
This diverse food landscape highlights how food is mobile and adapts to cultural shifts, challenging the notion of terroir.
insights INSIGHT
Cooking: Extended Metabolism
Cooking isn't just applying heat but involves mechanical, chemical, microbiological, and biological processes.
This "extended metabolism" externalizes digestion, freeing human energy, but creates a burden of food preparation.
insights INSIGHT
Grains: A Culinary Challenge
Grains aren't readily edible; processing them is crucial for consumption.
This mastery of grain preparation precedes agriculture and city development, highlighting cooking's pivotal role.
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Rachel Laudan's "Cuisine and Empire" explores the historical development of major world cuisines, examining their intricate connections with political power, religious beliefs, and warfare. The book delves into the cultural and social factors that shaped culinary traditions across different regions and eras. Laudan meticulously traces the evolution of food preparation techniques, ingredients, and dietary practices, revealing how these elements reflect broader societal changes. Through detailed analysis, she challenges conventional narratives about the origins and spread of cuisines, offering a nuanced understanding of their complex histories. The book's interdisciplinary approach combines historical research with insights from anthropology, sociology, and economics, providing a comprehensive perspective on the multifaceted role of food in human civilization.
For as much as people talk about food, a good case can be made that we don’t give it the attention or respect it actually deserves. Food is central to human life, and how we go about the process of creating and consuming it — from agriculture to distribution to cooking to dining — touches the most mundane aspects of our daily routines as well as large-scale questions of geopolitics and culture. Rachel Laudan is a historian of science whose masterful book, Cuisine and Empire, traces the development of the major world cuisines and how they intersect with politics, religion, and war. We talk about all this, and Rachel gives her pitch for granting more respect to “middling cuisine” around the world.
Rachel Laudan received a Ph. D. in History and Philosophy of Science from University College London. She retired from academia after teaching at Carnegie-Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, and the University of Hawaii. Among her awards are the Jane Grigson/Julia Child prize of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the IACP Cookbook Award for Best Book in Culinary History.
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 
