Food History: When Research Paths Diverge

Researching food history does not often land you on particularly well-worn paths.

For much of the history of historical inquiry, the topic of food was relegated to the category of daily existence and rarely considered as a valid or robust subject. However, we do often see that history records food as a commodity—as it was moved or traded—but those were usually records of the state. We are more likely to bring into focus the picture of private daily existence through archeological evidence.

So studying food can be a bit tricky. But it also has its advantages. One great advantage is that when you do pick up one golden thread of information, you are often able trace it to far bigger stories that surprise and often delight you. This is because at the core, food connects us all.

Read the rest of this article at the Santa Cruz Heritage Food Project.