Ambiguous Appetites

Abstract

Debates about the tasteful date back to ancient times, and stretch far beyond the kitchen. Not only do such debates reflect the ambiguity of the term “taste” itself, they also tell us much about different eras' anxieties and social hierarchies. From the creators of a cuisine based on le goût naturel in the eighteenth century to the advocates of “real” food in the twenty-first century, arbitrators of culinary taste have long celebrated the fresh, simple and pure. At the same time, they have tended to obscure the history that has made these qualities appealing yet unevenly accessible.

Keywords:

• freshness
• taste
• natural foods
• refrigeration