Southern Craft Food Diversity : Challenging the Myth of a US Food Revival

Driven by consumers’ desire for slow and local food, craft breweries, traditional butchers, cheese makers and bakeries have been popping up across the US in the last twenty years. Typically urban and staffed predominantly by white middle class men, these industries are perceived as a departure from tradition and mainstream lifestyles. But this image obscures the diverse communities that have supported artisanal foods for centuries. Using the oral histories of over 100 people, this book brings to light the voices, experiences, and histories of marginalized groups who keep Southern foodways alive. The larger than life stories of these individuals reveal the complex reality behind the movement and show how they are the backbone of the so-called new explosion of craft food.Driven by consumers’ desire for slow and local food, craft breweries, traditional butchers, cheese makers and bakeries have been popping up across the US in the last twenty years. Typically urban and staffed predominantly by white middle class men, these industries are perceived as a departure from tradition and mainstream lifestyles. But this image obscures the diverse communities that have supported artisanal foods for centuries. Using the oral histories of over 100 people, this book brings to light the voices, experiences, and histories of marginalized groups who keep Southern foodways alive. The larger than life stories of these individuals reveal the complex reality behind the movement and show how they are the backbone of the so-called new explosion of craft food Front Cover Series Southern Craft Food Diversity: Challenging the Myth of a US Food Revival Copyright information Dedication Table of contents Acknowledgments Series Editor Preface Introduction Modern Southern foodways Craft and authenticity A brief note on methods Book layout 1 Terroir in a Glass: The Rise of Southern Winemaking Southeastern wine Virginia wine North Carolina and Georgia wine Family history Farm wine Wine markets Inequality in the vineyard Conclusion 2 Water and Waves: The Rebirth of Coastal Fishing Communities The fishing profession The fishing industry The fishing community Gender and race in commercial fishing Conclusion 3 Local Markets: Value-added Products at Farmers’ Markets The path to farming Community Race, gender, and class Southern traditions Conclusion 4 Smokehouses: The Art of Curing Meats The evolution of country ham Heritage breed pigs Country ham as a craft product Community and family The future of country ham Conclusion 5 Beyond Popeye’s and KFC: The Whitewashing of Southern Food Restaurants Race and food Blended foodways Discrimination Family-owned restaurants Place-based foodways Conclusion Conclusion Shared craft The impression of craft The future of Southern food in a post-pandemic society Appendix: Oral History Participants Chapter 1: Winemakers, 18 Oral History Participants Chapter 2: Saltwater, 56 Oral History Participants Chapter 3: Farmers, 38 Oral History Participants Chapter 4: Curing, 19 Oral History Participants Chapter 5: Restaurants, 48 Oral History Participants References Index Back Cover "Driven by consumers' desire for slow and local food, craft breweries, traditional butchers, cheese makers and bakeries have been popping up across the US in the last twenty years. Typically urban and staffed predominantly by white middle class men, these industries are perceived as a departure from tradition and mainstream lifestyles. But this image obscures the diverse communities that have supported artisanal foods for centuries. Using the oral histories of over 100 people, this book brings to light the voices, experiences, and histories of marginalized groups who keep Southern foodways alive. The larger than life stories of these individuals reveal the complex reality behind the movement and show how they are the backbone of the so-called new explosion of craft food"-- From ProQuest Ebook Central product page Using oral histories, this book highlights the voices, experiences and histories of marginalized groups from diverse communities who are the backbone of the artisanal food movement in the US