Food Studies and Italian Studies:an Appetizing Possibility?

American Association of Italian Studies National Conference 2015

Presenters:Denise Caterinacci, Case Western Reserve University: Special Topics in Italian: The Slow Food MovementCarol Chiodo, Yale University:

Tutti a tavola a imparare  Elise Magistro, Scripps College:

Savoring The Past: Memory and Food in Sicilian Life and LiteratureChristopher E. Renner, Kansas State University:

Italia in Bocca: Food Studies as scaffolding for language learningTeresa Lobalsamo and Joanne Granata, University of Toronto, could not make the conference

Italia in Bocca: Perché?

“the alimentary history of the recent past is one of unsafe food and pervasive acceptance of the primacy of profit for the produce and savings for the consumer, summed up in the shameful slogan ‘low cost and minimal quality’” - Carlo Petrini

industrialization of farming, loss of contact with producers, and the disconnect of “eating to live” vs “living to eat”

loss of biodiversity by monocultural farming and standardization

long-term impact of global climate change

long-term effects of the insertion of genetically modified substances

Il percorso di studiContemporary Italian dietary habits and the culture of food

Overview of the history of the Italian peninsula from the decline of the Roman empire to the emergence of the unified Italian state in the 19th century and the impact of the WWI and WWII on Italian culinary traditions

The History of Taste - from the publication of Liber de coquina from the Angevin court of Charles II of Naples to Pellegrino Artusi to Futurism to Il Cucchiaio Argento.

Contemporary issues in modern food production: industrial agriculture, the Slow Food Movement, urban farming, local vs chain restaurants.

Cooking labs in which basic Italian recipes are taught

Il percorso di studiThe course is supplemented by the 35,000+ volume cook book collection housed at the K-State Hale Library, including copies of such historical tests as Liber de coquina, Scappi’s Opera, and others.

The course connects with the Kansas Farmers Union, permaculturalists, and local artisans of cheese making, bread making, wine making, and local organic producers.

Students conduct research on a topic of their choice and make presentations to the broader public.

Percorsi linguisticiLexis: cibo, processi alimentari, linguaggio della cucina - gli elettrodomestici, gli inserimenti, le azioni

Grammatica: L’imperativo.

Sviluppo di abilità culinariaStudents engage in eight cooking practiums in which students learn basic kitchen

hygiene, cooking methods and have to choose the dishes to be made and prepare a complete meal.

Members of the local Italian community engage with he students by teaching them traditional family recipes.

Libri di corso: Il cucchiaio argento e La scienze in cucina e l’arte di mangiare bene

La valutazioneThe course has 2 quizzes, a mid-term and final exam.

Students self-evaluate themselves for each practicum.

Students produce a 10 - 15 minute presentation on a research topic.

Students write two critical reviews for the films: Dirt and Food, Inc.

InterdisciplinaritàConnecting L2 to other content:

Global issues of food and access to water

Impact of industrial farming on the environment:

bee die offs; depletion of soils and aquifers; loss of faming farming

provide opportunities for service learning by engaging students with local food banks, farmers, and soup kitchens

reconnect people to the soil and food production

teach critical thinking skills regarding consumerism