I am beyond excited because my book has finally been published! 8 years of on the ground research, data analysis, writing, editing, re-editing and re-re-editing have come to an end, culminating in (what I believe is) an engaging volume on the innovation of cuisine, identity and nationhood that I hope will join the canon as must-read literature on global food studies. If you like reading about food, travel, and/or culture, you will probably enjoy this book. I am super happy that one of the first reviewers said that Bite Yu Finga is "wonderfully written and engaging".
From the back cover: Bite Yu Finga takes culinary explorers far beyond the restrictive parameters of western European-derived fine dining. This engaging ethnography traces the path of national cuisine formation in the young post-colonial country of Belize. With captivating anecdotes and solid data, Spang describes the important role of tourism in driving culinary innovation in Belize and the powerful influence of cultural politics on the process of deciding whose food is considered Belizean. Spang champions gastronationalism as a patriotic imperative, calling for further research on culinary innovation and development in post-colonial nations. She challenges the Belizean tourism industry to embrace a creative, diverse and inclusive cuisine that fairly represents the country. If you want to read it for yourself you can buy a copy here: University West Indies Press.
Labels: Belize Stories, Belizean Recipes, Book Reviews, Food Politics, Food Studies, Research
