Introduction: Feeding an Identity - Gender, Food, and Survival Summary

            In Norma Bauma Joseph’s article, Introduction: Feeding an identity - Gender, Food, and Survival, Joseph discusses the many ways food has played a role in creating the societal structures we see today. She describes the links between a man and woman’s role in the kitchen and how it has been perceived as the women’s domain. Men and women are able to share a space but the balance of power shifts depending on the actions being done. Additionally, she depicts the role food has made in religious traditions, specifically in Judaism. She has yet to be seen as as strongly influential as she has been towards progressing religious and cultural traditions through food. Cookbooks and food trace roads through time as they change in complexity and spice depending on the outward influences. They can tell a lot about the impact immigration has made in a cultural way. Food has paved a story behind the journey of cultures whether it be from poverty to prosperity the food of the culture reflects its place.  Joseph also touches on how food “contains the language of nostalgia” as it contains the essence of tradition was engaging all senses to maintain a lasting impact on the consumer (8 Joseph).