Ecogastronomy is
the art and science of food shopping, preparation, cooking, and presentation –
with an awareness of the cultural, social, and physical environment in which
all of the above occur. Cooking is an integral piece, whereby the students can
marvel at both the chemical mélange and the artful timing, the real differences
in cooking times and textures as a result of the maturity of the raw
ingredients, and the high quality of the wondrous concoction (when the cook
tastes it throughout).
Students in my
Ecogastronomy class cook. They shop and they cook. And they eat – together. One
of the most important components of the course is our rather large potlucks
(the class next winter will boast 120 students). What this means is that each
week, 30-40 students are cooking for themselves, as well as 5-6 others. They do
this three times during the quarter, being careful to label their foods when
they present them to the class.
Students are
encourages to ascribe to one or more components of farmer-writer Henning
Sehmsdorf’s FLOSS (Fresh-Local-Organic-Seasonal-Sustainable) or my WISE
(Whole-Inexpensive-Slow-Experienced), in the production/selection/cooking of
the foods. These delightful potlucks are a tribute to the ingenuity around and
the commitment to real food -- that the
students create each week.
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| "Smaller" potluck, in the discussion sections |
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