Classroom The Media Made Me Eat It
cookie recipe while cam Cook, points out the lack paigning for her husband of emphasis on healthful in 1992, toughened up her meals in the book’s recipes. commander-in-chief image When it comes to preparing during her presidential bid a well-balanced diet for a this year by downing shots family, “that’s what your of whiskey with voters at wife is supposed to do,” she an Indiana bar. And Barack conjectures. Obama was ridiculed by Palmer, who is finishing tough-talking Republicans his own master’s thesis in for his alleged preference gastronomy at MET — he for the fancy arugula over also holds a Ph.D. in film less expensive — and pre studies from UCLA — takes sumably manlier — greens. a turn, discussing books “Food is symbolic,” with titles like A Man, A Palmer says. “It’s always Can, A Grill and A Wolf in something more than mere Chef’s Clothing, which target nourishment. It’s cultural, bachelors as consumers who it’s social, it’s political.” cook either out of necessity That might as well be or to woo their dates. the mission statement for “It looks like a children’s MET’s gastronomy program, book, like it’s for a four-year- whose interdisciplinary old,” Palmer says, holding curriculum offers a chance up one of the books. “These to study food as a rigorous books play on the ineptitude academic pursuit. While stereotype — that men are working toward a master of intimidated in the kitchen.” liberal arts, students learn Except when they’re the Learning how America sells about a range of subjects, ones doing the intimidating, food to men. And to women. from ancient agriculture as Tacy Taylor (MET’10) to global food distribution says after class. “I’m one of “Now you’re about Not every instance to professional cooking to a limited number of female to see the thing men fear of pop-culture gender culinary media and adver cooks in professional kitch most,” says Potter Palmer, stereotyping is so heavy- tising, says Rebecca Alssid, ens, which tend to be a a Metropolitan College handed, of course, but MET director of lifelong man’s world,” says Taylor, lecturer in gastronomy. He in a wide survey of films, learning, who designed the a line cook at the upscale hits the play command on cooking shows, food writing, program with legendary North End restaurant Mare. his laptop, and a commercial and cookbooks, Palmer’s chefs Jacques Pépin and “I’ve found that if you’re for Mike’s Hard Lemonade course makes clear that rolls: the character, an the influence of gender on “Food is symbolic. It’s always something employee in the company’s food — its meanings and its more than mere nourishment.” marketing department, marketing — is pervasive. pitches two new drinks, “The world of food is Julia Child (Hon.’76) in the not ‘one of the guys,’ you Mike’s Light Lemonade very gendered, and the me- early 1990s. won’t last long in a restau- and the fictional Mike’s dia shape this relationship,” Tonight, Palmer’s stu rant kitchen, and I was Hard Double-Caffeinated Palmer says. “I want my dents are presenting their intrigued by a class that Soy Lemonade. His boss students, whether as cooks, final papers — analyses of could offer insight into the interrupts him, scolding, academics, or just people gender representations in reasons.” “We don’t do soy.” who eat, to understand a cookbook of their choice. Student Charles Shelton “How do you sell a light the role that media play in One of these students dis (MET’09) puts his interest drink to men?” Palmer asks forming that relationship.” cusses an all-beef recipe in the class more simply: students in his graduate Real-world examples book for women that offers “Food, media, and gender seminar on representations abound, especially in this advice, she says, on how are all bound by the practice of food and gender in the year’s heavily scrutinized to “disguise the beef in of creating our ‘selves,’” he media. “You compare it to campaign season. Hillary a vegetable.” Another stu says. “The food you eat is an the least manly food there Clinton, once goaded into dent, who wrote about the expression of who you are.” is — soy, apparently.” sharing her chocolate chip father-oriented Real Men Katie Koch (CAS’09, COM’09)
8 BOSTONIA Fall 2008 Illustration by melinda beck