No other food is as nutritionally crucial, symbolically important or controversial as fat. Butter, oil, tallow, lard, schmaltz – culinary fats have not only shaped world cuisines, they are themselves steeped in cultural and symbolic meanings. From Palaeolithic times to contemporary popular culture, fats have been simultaneously essential to life and a decadent indulgence. Alternately reviled and revered, fats have been linked to both power and poverty, and associated with sex and death. Fats: A Global History tells the story of this extraordinary substance. In her engaging and wide-ranging account, Michelle Phillipov considers the changing fates and fortunes of fats across time and around the globe. From their past associations with prestige and social authority, to their links to the food industry practices and health scares of the twentieth century, to fat’s current renaissance in media and popular culture, she explores the complex meanings, debates and controversies that have surrounded this most basic of foods. Featuring a selection of recipes from around the world, Fats reveals the sometimes surprising history of the cultural life of culinary fat.
Distinct practices of eating are at the heart of many of the world's faith traditions―from the Christian Eucharist to Muslim customs of fasting during Ramadan to the vegetarianism and asceticism practiced by some followers of Hinduism and Buddhism. What we eat, how we eat, and whom we eat with can express our core values and religious devotion more clearly than verbal piety. In this wide-ranging collection, eminent scholars, theologians, activists, and lay farmers illuminate how religious beliefs influence and are influenced by the values and practices of sustainable agriculture. Together, they analyze a multitude of agricultural practices for their contributions to healthy, ethical living and environmental justice. Throughout, the contributors address current critical issues, including global trade agreements, indigenous rights to land and seed, and the effects of postcolonialism on farming and industry. Covering indigenous, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish perspectives, this groundbreaking volume makes a significant contribution to the study of ethics and agriculture.
Distinct practices of eating are at the heart of many of the world's faith traditions―from the Christian Eucharist to Muslim customs of fasting during Ramadan to the vegetarianism and asceticism practiced by some followers of Hinduism and Buddhism. What we eat, how we eat, and whom we eat with can express our core values and religious devotion more clearly than verbal piety. In this wide-ranging collection, eminent scholars, theologians, activists, and lay farmers illuminate how religious beliefs influence and are influenced by the values and practices of sustainable agriculture. Together, they analyze a multitude of agricultural practices for their contributions to healthy, ethical living and environmental justice. Throughout, the contributors address current critical issues, including global trade agreements, indigenous rights to land and seed, and the effects of postcolonialism on farming and industry. Covering indigenous, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish perspectives, this groundbreaking volume makes a significant contribution to the study of ethics and agriculture.