Food for Thought: You Are What You Eat

Everything important and memorable in my life has revolved around food. It’s been my enemy, friend, and salvation. From being allergic to almost everything as a baby to becoming a “raccoon foodie” who eats anything as an adult, it’s a classic love-hate relationship. The personal has also been political. If you, insult my food, you insult me, my family, and and culture.

If you’ve ever witnessed the tension that arises in a debate among Southerners over which barbecue style is superior, then you get the picture. Grab your hoe and be ready to fight to the death defending the merits of your favored style whether it's Carolina spice and vinegar mop versus Texas smoked brisket or a Memphis dry rub.

You Are What You Eat

In their habits they are most depraved and vicious, they are also gross gluttons; everything that runs, walks, creeps, flies, or swims, in fact, everything that will supply the place of food, whether of the sea, or the land, and articles most disgusting to other people, are by them greedily devoured.

--Edmund Roberts, American diplomat, 1832, on the Chinese people.

Do you ever feel judged by the food you eat...or don't eat?

What is "poor people's food" anyway?

Movers, Shakers, Eaters: Anthropology professor Daryl White hopes to introduce Spelman College's first minor in food studies.