E33.2252.095 - Global Food Cultures: Mexico
New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture Education and Human Development
Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health
January 3-16, 2010
Credits: 4 points
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Professor Amy Bentley
Grace Choi, Teaching Assistant
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This Master’s level course explores the food and foodways of the culturally and historically rich
culinary landscape of Mexico. In the city of Puebla, considered to be the birthplace of modern
Mexican cuisine, students will be fully immersed in traditional Mexican culinary and nutritional
practices through classroom instruction, guest lectures, cooking classes, and a wide variety of
field trips to markets, local farms, restaurants, and production sites.
COURSE OBJECTIVE
1. To explore the relationship between food and identity through an examination of
Mexico’s culinary history;
2. To identify and understand the foods, spices, beverages, and preparatory techniques that
constitute the rich and diverse Mexican cuisine;
3. To examine the implications of social and economic changes on contemporary diet and
nutrition;
4. To investigate the role that food plays in the construction of Mexican American identity
in the U.S.
CLASS REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION POLICY
Class Participation: 25%
Students are expected to attend and actively participate in all lectures and in-class exercises,
discussions, debriefing sessions and field trips. Any conflict associated with religious holidays or
personal obligations should be discussed with the professor; all other absences will be considered
unexcused and will impact the final grade (see section on Grading). In addition, students are
expected to come to class/field trips on time to prevent disrupting the lecture and activities.
Reading/Class Reflections: 25%
Two weeks after returning to the U.S., students will submit eight 1-page reflections that integrate
course readings to classroom discussions, lectures, or activities.
Final Project: 50%
Students have the option of working independently or in pairs on a 15-page research paper,
accompanied by an oral presentation, as the culminating project. This paper will require you to
reflect on your experience in Mexico, as well as apply what you have learned in the classroom
and beyond to your research topic of choice. You may choose to expand on a particular topic
covered in class, or design and pursue an original, but still relevant topic pertaining to Mexican
food and culture. You may also choose to further explore Mexican food and foodways in the
United States (or elsewhere). Students are highly encouraged to select a topic as quickly as
possible; paper topics will also be discussed throughout the two-week program.
The paper must be typed, double-spaced, paginated, and stapled, as well as free of grammatical
and typographical errors. The paper must state a clear thesis, with the content of the paper
focused around it. Provide specific examples to support the thesis, including scholarly works,
interviews, internet sources (particularly from academic databases), and/or first-hand
observation. Your final paper must also include a reference section with a minimum of ten
scholarly works (journals, articles, books), using either the MLA or Chicago Manual of Style
citation format. Keep in mind the rules of plagiarism, and be sure to cite all quotes and
paraphrased information. The paper will be due on February 26th, approximately six weeks
after returning to the U.S. Students will present their projects to the group on this day, as
well as hand in a hard copy of their paper.
Grading:
A “C” grade demonstrates adequate work or participation: a “B” grade demonstrates above
average participation and work; an “A” grade demonstrates superior participation and mastery of
the material via thoughtful synthesis and analysis.
Grading Scale (out of a possible 100 points): 100-93=A; 92-90=A-, 89-87=B+; 86-83=B; 82-80=
B-; 79-77 = C+; 76-73 = C; 72-70 =C-; 69-65 =D+; 64-60=D; No=D-; 60 or below = F
REQUIRED READINGS
Please read the following books before the first day of class:
Esquivel, Laura. (1989). Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with
Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies
Pilcher, Jeffrey. (1998). Que Vivan Los Tamales: Food and the Making of Mexican Identity.
University of New Mexico Press.
Other articles will be posted on Blackboard or distributed in class. You can access newspapers
and magazines through the NYU Library online system, or at the library itself. Since the topics
of this course are constantly evolving, articles listed here may be substituted for more current
ones. Such changes will be announced in class, and by email, with links posted on Blackboard.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
Sunday, 3 January
Arrive in Puebla (via own transportation). Check into hotel. Evening
Orientation Reception (with PH and N programs)
Monday, 4 January
Breakfast at hotel
8:15 am
Depart for UPAEP (meet in lobby)
9:00
Welcome and Introductions, UPAEP staff Monica Ramos and Armando Garcia
9:30-11:00
Seminar (FS only): Intersections of Food and Identity in Mexican History
Readings: ∙ Lauden, R. and J. Pilcher. “Chiles, Chocolate, and Race in New
Spain: Glancing Backward to Spain or Looking Forward to Mexico?”
∙ Pilcher, J. “Tamales or timbales: cuisine and the formation of
Mexican national identity, 1821-1911”
11:00-11:30pm Coffee Break
11:30 - 1:30
Lecture (FS/N/PH) : “Meaning of Culture and Differences Between Culture
and Ethnicity” Guest lecturer, Arqig. Eduardo Merlo Juarez
1:30-3:00
Lunch on your own
3:00-5:00
Seminar (FS) Food, Spices, and Beverages
Readings: ∙ Gaytan, M. “Fermented Struggles and Distilled Identities: How
Tequila became Mexico's Spirit.”
∙ Brandes, S. “Ritual Eating and Drinking in Tzintzuntzan: A
Contribution to the Study of Mexican Foodways”
5:00-8:00
Free Time
8:00-10:00
Dinner at Cantina de los Remedios (NYU sponsored)
Back to hotel on own
Tuesday, 5 January
Globalization and Health Issues
Breakfast at hotel
Depart for UPAEP
9:00-10:30a.m Lecture (FS/N/PH), “Major Factors Affecting the Poblanos’ Health, Including
but not Limited to Emigration, Labor, Poverty, Nutrition, Family, Housing, and
Gender.” Lecturer, Dr. Abel Cruz Garcia
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∙ Abarca, M. “Cocinas Publicas: Food and Border Consciousness
in Greater Mexico”
∙ Pilcher, J. “Industrial Tortillas and Folkloric Pepsi: The
Nutritional Consequences of Hybrid Cuisines in Mexico"
Readings:
10:30
Coffee Break
11:00-12:30pm Seminar (FS): Contemporary Mexican Cuisine
∙ Monrreal, S. “`A Novel, Spicy delicacy': Tamales, Advertising,
and Late 19th-Century Imaginative Geographies of Mexico”
∙ Avila, R., and Tena, M. “Changes in Food Habits in Puerto
Vallarta”
Readings:
12:30-2:00
Lunch on your own
2:00-5:00
Depart for Santa Rosa (where Mole Poblano was believed to have been created)
Tentative (FS)
Free evening and dinner on your own
Wednesday, 6 January
Day in Cholula (FS/N/PH)
7:00 am
Breakfast at hotel
8:00
Rosca de Reyes (traditional round bread for Three Kings Day) with Monica
Ramos in the UPAEP campus dining facilities (FS)
10:00-11:30
Visit Cholula Market
11:30-12:30pm Free Time
12:30-2:00
Lunch at Cholula’s Portales
2:00-5:00
Cultural Tour of Cholula (museum, Pyramids Church, Zocalo)
5:00
Return to Hotel
Free evening/Dinner on your own
Thursday, 7 January
Free Day in Puebla (FS)
Optional visits: Palafoxian Library, Cathedral, Zocalo, Municipal Palace, Rosary
Chapel, Victoria Market, Theater, Artists’ neighborhood, Parian (crafts market),
Los Sapos (flee market) and Amparo Museum. Also a good day to do research on
your projects.
7:30-10:00
Food Studies Group Dinner
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Friday, 8 January
Religion, Spirituality, Ritual and Food
Day in Cuetzalan (FS/N/PH)
Boxed breakfast for traveling
7:00am
Depart for Cuetzalan del Progreso
10:30
Check into hotel
11:30-1:30 pm Visit Hospital Integral con Medicina Tradicional (traditional medicine and
healing). Guide: Dr. Juan Manuel Tetitla Munive
2:00
Lunch at La Pena
5:00-9:00
Visit the Temazcal
Dinner on your own
Readings (FS): ∙ Wessel, A., and A. Jones. “Reading Religion and Consuming
the Past in the Feast of Guadalupe”
∙ Ayora-Diaz, S., and G. Vargas-Setina. “Food, Beer, Music and
the Yucatecan Soul”
Saturday 9 January
Back to Puebla
8:30am
Breakfast
9:00-11:30
Free morning
11:45
Check out of hotel
12:00pm
Travel back to Puebla (arrive at 4ish)
Free evening, dinner on own
Sunday, 10 January
Food Production (FS)
9:00am
Breakfast at hotel
10:00-7:00pm
Field trips and workshops: trout farm, pulque workshop, tortilla making
Reading:
∙ Poole, D., and Rascon, B. “Eating to Dream: A Tortilleria in
Oaxaca”
Free evening and dinner on your own
Monday, 11 January
7:45am
Food Production (FS)
Depart for RYC Ranch, Atlixco
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8:30-1:00pm
Visit the RYC Ranch
1:30
Lunch
3:00
Visit to RYC meat packing factory
4:30
Depart for UPAEP
Free evening and dinner on your own
Tuesday, 12 January
Markets and Distribution
8:00am
Breakfast
9:00
Depart for visit to the main distribution wholesaler of produce
12:00pm
Lunch
1:30-2:30
Guest Lecture (TBA): Mexican Cuisine and Culture
2:30-4:30
Culinary experience at culinary school facilities
4:30-6:30
Free time
6:30
“Antojitos” hops (street food in Puebla’s historic downtown)
∙ Long-Solis, J., et. al. “Cooking”
∙ Long-Solis, J., et. al. “Major Foods and Ingredients”
Readings:
9:00
Back to hotel
Wednesday, 13 January
9:00am
Depart
10:00-12:00pm
IPODERAC Street children’s house
12:00-1:00
Lunch
1:00
Return to Puebla
2:00
Visit to Santa Clara, typical Poblano candy street
3:30
Seminar (FS): Food and Gender
Readings:
Thursday, 14 January
4:00am
∙ Austin, D. “The Camotes de Santa Clara”
∙ Abarca, M. “What’s for Breakfast? Los Chilaquiles de mi ‘ama,
of course!”
∙ Abarca, M. “A Place of Their Own: Appropriating the Kitchen
Space”
Tlaxcala
Depart for Tlaxcala
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5:00
Arrival at barbacoa preparation
7:00
Breakfast
8:30-12:00pm
Cultural tour of Tlaxcala
12:30
Lunch (Barbacoa)
2:30
Depart for Puebla
Free evening and dinner on your own
Friday, 15 January
Breakfast at hotel
Depart for UPAEP
10:00-12:00pm
Seminar (FS) Mexican Food in America/ Food and Ethnic Identity: The
Immigrant’s Experience
∙ Ferrero, S. “Comida Sin Par: Consumption of Mexican Food in
Los Angeles: Foodscapes in a Transnational Consumer Society”
∙ Healy, P. “Far From Mother, A Mother’s Touch: Making Meals
for Immigrant Workers, One Dormitory at a Time”
∙ Bustillo, M. “Hold the Tacos, New Orleans says – Mexican
food trucks are outlawed in a Parish. Is racism wrapped in a
health issue?”
∙ Salazar, M. “Public Schools, Private Foods: Mexicano
Memories of Culture and Conflict in American School
Cafeterias”
Recommended: ∙ Akhtar, S. “The Immigrant, the Exile, and the Experience of
Nostalgia”
Readings:
Afternoon on your own
Class Dinner/Celebration at Mi Ciudad
Saturday, 16 January
Breakfast and check out
Departure to US (on own)
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