The History of the American Stomach
02/25/2008 at 9:00 a.m.
Americans think a lot about food. We often eat too much, and in rare cases too little. We subscribe to a new diet plans and ogle the recipes of celebrity chefs. We conduct studies to determine balance diets, while eating organic and kosher. Why are we so obsessed with what we eat? Maybe it's because we always have been. Today we explore the history of the American stomach, from the fasting Puritans to the ravenous Wild West. How has eating influenced our culture, art, faith and medicine?Guests:
Frederick Kaufman is a professor of English at the City University of New York and CUNY's Graduate School of Journalism. He has written about American food culture for Harper's Magazine, the New Yorker, Gourmet, Gastronomica, and the New York Times Magazine. He new book is A Short History of the American Stomach.
Related Event:
Frederick Kaufman is speaking tonight (Monday) at Seattle's Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.
