University of Memphis History of Food Essay

For this project, students will research the history, or roots, of a specific food

and/or “dish.” Ideally, that food item inspires some intellectual curiosity or

has a personal resonance. You will trace the history of that food or dish

through your research and writing. Because your selection needs to possess a

“history,” a dish composed of a random amalgamation of ingredients

without any meaningful past won’t work. Rather, find a food (or drink) item

that has a discernable historical trajectory, one that is related to American

history. Thus, your item of choice can have global connections, i.e. General

so’s chicken, but it must have a specific history of consumption within the

United States.

What is the end result of this research project??? Students will write an

essay of five to ten pages examining their specific food item.

Because you’re all historians in training, you will need to build a solid

research foundation for this essay, using a mix of secondary (peer reviewed

print/ebooks and journal articles) and primary sources (historical documents)

for your essay. You may also include visual images, although be mindful

that I will require at least five pages of written material. You may

incorporate digital material, but I will also require a minimum of five peer

reviewed sources and at least two primary sources.

We will talk more about the other dimensions of this project, particularly

what questions you might examine, and how to find sources as we move

forward.

Due: April 17, 11:59PM

Submit via Canvas. Please include a works cited page.