I’m not sure if the title of this post is a famous quote (it could be), but in any case, many people take it for granted that a country’s food allows us to understand it better. You will know a country by its food.
Cooking and eating are basic human needs and therefore an essential part of society and daily life. Gastronomy has developed over thousands of years, providing incredible insights into people and their culture.
In this post, I’ll write about how a country’s culinary heritage can be influenced by societal changes, specifically through the lens of labor migration.
Thinking of Spanish gastronomy, I still remember the first time I walked through La Boquería market. I had never seen anything like it. I should mention that I’m referring to a time when La Boquería was more of a local neighborhood market and not the food-themed attraction it has become in recent years.
There were mountains of fruits and vegetables, some of which I recognized and others not so much, stacked in a seemingly endless maze of stalls, along with a large selection of seafood sold by fishmongers who called out to passersby. But the stall that imprinted itself in my memory to this day was the offal stand, displaying shiny cow livers, yards and yards of coiled intestines, and right at the center of the display, staring back at you, were skinned sheep heads with glazed eyes that seemed to follow your every move.
My experience shopping for food back in the UK was nothing like this all-encompassing experience. I was used to large, odorless supermarkets that did everything they could to distance themselves from the origins of the products they sold: the vegetables were pristine, the meat and fish always packaged neatly in polystyrene trays. There was no trace of blood or intestines.
How can these differences be explained? Well, some time ago, I came across an article in a newspaper that offered a compelling explanation. It argued that one of the main factors affecting food production and eating habits in the UK was the Industrial Revolution of the late 19th century. It explained that the rise of industry and factory work led to a decrease in the number of people working in agriculture. Many people left the hard, low-paid labor of farming in search of better conditions and opportunities in the cities.
The side effect of this major shift in labor was twofold: first, agricultural production decreased due to reduced labor in the fields, and second, the need for quick, convenient products to feed the growing urban population increased the popularity of foods that could be easily prepared and consumed.
In Spain, however, the impact of the Industrial Revolution was less intense than in other European countries. This helped maintain the connection between the origin of the product and the end consumer. People knew what they were eating and where it came from, understood the seasonality of fruits and vegetables, and if an animal was raised for food, it made sense to try to use as much of it as possible.
Therefore, we could say that the Industrial Revolution had a negative effect on traditional British food culture—an effect that has been long-lasting. Only in recent years have there been conscious efforts to look back and reclaim traditional British dishes, with chefs like Heston Blumenthal or Tom Kerridge doing remarkable work to restore long-forgotten glories. This has drawn the attention of people interested in what they eat and has been a revelation for a generation raised on a diet rich in processed foods.
I get the impression that British food is improving, returning to its roots, but it will take even more time to overcome the preconceived notions of some people who are quick to dismiss British food as bland and limited. It’s true that there’s still much work to be done, but the process is underway. And who knows—perhaps in a few decades, British cuisine will stand alongside the best options from our European neighbors.
Recent Comments