Author: halpinj (Page 1 of 3)

by John Daugherty

I just finished reading Pepper Travers’ excellent blog entitled “Unpacking Racism in Ethical Eating”. In it she refers to the same articles that prompted my post.

Pepper begins her blog by saying that food ethics is a much more complex theme than she had previously expected; but she did a great job of outlining many of the competing forces in this discussion. I want to riff a little more on that idea with a brief reference to “Intersectionality”.

This term, introduced by Kimberle’ Crenshaw in 1989, explains how various social identities, like race, class, gender, and sexuality, overlap and interact to create unique experiences of privilege and oppression. These intersections compound the disadvantages created by existing power structures for all marginalized groups. I learned about this term in a hip hop culture lecture here last semester, discussing discrimination against women. She built on statements made by Audre Lorde in the 1970’s, when at a meeting of women’s rights activists, she berated the academic arrogance of ignoring the many differences among women, along lines of the various social identities, by not bringing such representatives to the table.

“As women, we have been taught either to ignore our differences, or to view them as causes for separation and suspicion rather than as forces for change. Without community there is no liberation, only the most vulnerable and temporary armistice between an individual and her oppression.” Also, “What does it mean when tools of a racist patriarchy are used to examine the fruits of that same patriarchy? It means that only the most narrow perimeters of change are possible and allowable.” (Lorde. 1979)

In their exhaustive article “Notes on the Practice of Food Justice” Slocum and Cadieux endeavored to bring many men and women to the table with their interviews, but we (in the U.S.) haven’t done that in the structuring of our food systems. Indeed, we find only a dearth of that in the structuring of our own government. We see fits and starts of inclusiveness in our decision making and although we forgive the use of language and cling to the ideals expressed in our Declaration of Independence (“all men are created equal”) and Constitution (…establish justice, …promote the general welfare”) we now are experiencing the fit of ”universality” of chauvinist neoliberal white men. It is now decreed that what is good for such people is good for everyone.

We see this happening in many spheres. Quoting from the last paragraphs of Slocum and Cadieux (2015), “ The elements we have proposed are not a recipe; they are a process whereby people with greater privilege know, perhaps feel, and definitely act on the way that food is situated within systemic processes that disadvantage people of color, women, the impoverished and disabled. In her book on climate justice activism, Naomi Klein provocatively argues: …fighting inequality on every front and by multiple means must be understood as a central strategy in the battle against climate change”… “[t]hat means that a fight for a minimal carbon tax might do a lot less good than, for instance, forming a coalition to demand a guaranteed minimum income” (Klein 2014: 94, 461).

We see her proposal as applicable to the U.S. food movement as well. And the path forward will be hard. In a recent interview, Ken Burns, author of “The American Revolution” (PBS) stated that although he hopes he would have stood with the first patriots of our country, “would I be willing to fight for a cause, die for a cause? I think it is important to say we don’t actually know who we’d be at that moment”. Consider our present moment; and the Presidential attacks on everything DEI and on the great institutions which encourage our reading of articles such as those above. I believe that, for us, the time for such decisions may soon be coming. In our preparation for November, we can hone our questions and arguments to include marginalized members of our society in our planning to improve food justice.  We can support those running for elective office who demonstrate concern about our need to support implementation of sustainable ways to improve access to nutritious food for all members of our local, regional, and national communities.

Citations:

1. Britannica AI, “Intersectionality”

2. History is a Weapon.com, “The Master’s Tools will never dismantle the Master’s House”, Audre Lorde, 1979.

3. Slocum, R., & Cadieux, K. V. (2015). Notes on the practice of food justice in the U.S.: Understanding and confronting trauma and

inequity. Journal of Political Ecology, 22(2), 27–52.

Throughout the semester, we have focused on a variety of perspectives and understandings of food and food studies. Rather than looking at food through a scientific or cultural lens, today’s class with Professor Adrienne Su focused on the incorporation of food as a theme in her art. Professor Su is a poet and professor of creative writing with five published books of poetry (Poetry Foundation, n.d.). She came to our class to discuss how food has “infiltrated her poetry” (A. Su, personal communication, December 5, 2024). As a creative writing minor, I was curious to see what Professor Su was going to discuss in class. I do a lot of creative writing in my spare time, but almost none of it is poetry and, prior to today’s class, I thought none of it was about food.

Food, as it is one of the most basic elements of human life, integrates itself into almost every aspect of our daily lives, including into our stories. Professor Su was gracious enough to show us the process of writing one of her poems, Lychee Express, during class. She described the inspirations behind the poem as a part of her desire to go through ordinary life “imagining the journey of fruits at the grocery store” (A. Su, personal communication, December 5, 2024). She also led the class through a ten-minute writing exercise where we used phrases from our oral history podcast assignment to free write prose or a poem and then discussed it.

Professor Su’s writing incorporates a great deal of what we have learned so far this semester. In her writing, she draws connection between food and her own history, her identity, and world history, with a particular emphasis on experiences from her daily life (Poetry Foundation, n.d.). As we discussed in class, Professor Su uses food to discuss historical comparisons and social/societal norms in Lychee Express (Poetry Foundation, 2019).

As I reflected on Professor Su’s use of food in poetry, I began to think about food as a theme in my own writing. In general, my fiction writing stems from a similar place to Professor Su’s talk: imagining a journey, process, or archetype that already exists in my life or in history, then expanding on it or imagining a different reality for it. Like Professor Su’s journey of grocery store fruits, my writing, which is often set in fictional worlds, usually incorporates food to explain the conditions of the world to the reader. Learning about Professor Su’s process, and how she thinks about food and poetry, led to the realization that food is a significant theme in my own writing. Professor Su’s talk emphasized how dynamic and important the field of food studies is, in that it is so often incorporated into art.

 

Works Cited:

Poetry Foundation (n.d.). Adrienne Su. Poetry Magazine. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/adrienne-su

Poetry Foundation. (2019, January). Lychee Express. Poetry Magazine. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/148684/lychee-express

In today’s class, we reflected on our recent field trip to the Hamilton Restaurant in downtown Carlisle. We discussed how the owner, Tom Mazias can create a friendly and nostalgic place for his customer base through his small restaurant and the personal relationships he made with recurring Dickinson alumni customers. This nostalgia comes from the restaurant having the same menu the older alumni had when they attended Dickinson. His dedication to having an unchanging restaurant is also seen in his employees, some of whom have been working there for around 40 years. Wow!

Our class discussion transitioned to comparing Dickinson Dining Hall’s and the restaurant’s customer bases. One of the main things we discussed was their different business models. Hamilton Restaurant focuses on its loyal customers through nostalgia and preserving heritage, while the dining hall focuses on student preferences with a changing menu. The Insider Higher Ed surveyed what students want in their dining hall experience. They found that “students emphasized a desire for accessibility, selection in food options and technology that aids in their dining experience” (Mowreader, 2024). For the Dickinson dining hall, there isn’t a way for the students to easily give feedback to the staff about the food and their experience. This differs significantly from my previous college, where there was an accessible way to provide feedback and even displayed student comments on their experience.

I could not attend the visit to the Hamilton restaurant, so I couldn’t see how Tom Mazias ran it, but I do have experience working at a family-run bakery back home. What we discussed about the restaurant was similar to what I also remember noticing at the bakery. From what I know, the bakery has had the same items since it opened, with some new items added occasionally. Working at the bakery, I noticed that we had many recurring customers who I hear have been going there for years. Because of that, the owners developed personal relationships with them. The customers sometimes gift flowers to the owners and stay and chat with the owners. Sometimes, I have helped customers who got their wedding cake made there and are returning to have their anniversary or their children’s wedding cake made.

Works Cited:

Mowreader, A. (2024, January 17). What college students want from their dining provider. Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/student-success/health-wellness/2024/01/17/what-college-students-want-their-dining-provider

Walking into The Hamilton Restaurant is like getting a warm hug from Carlisle’s history—except this hug comes with chili, mustard, and a lot of diced onions. As the self-proclaimed “Home of the Hot-Chee Dog,” The Hamilton has its status far beyond your one-stop place to grab lunch, it’s a local legend with a side of fries.

Our class visit felt like a backstage pass to the soul of Carlisle. We sat down with Thomas Mazias, the 81-year-old owner who took us on a verbal stroll down memory lane. Starting as a dishwasher at 11 years old after fleeing war-torn Greece, Thomas now runs Carlisle’s oldest restaurant with the passion of someone who knows that what they’re serving is tradition and a sense of comfort from the laid-back approach to cooking signature to small-town diner.

The Immigrant Narrative and Resilience

Thomas Mazias’s personal story intertwines with The Hamilton’s success. Arriving in the United States as an orphan in 1952, Mazias worked his way up from washing dishes to owning and running the business. His narrative reflects broader themes of immigrant resilience and the American Dream, where food becomes both a livelihood and a means of cultural preservation. The Greek roots of The Hamilton are evident in its long-standing family-oriented ethos, as Thomas emphasized: “It’s like paradise. It’s a small town, and I am friends with everyone like a family” (T. Mazias, personal communication, November 26, 2024). As Thomas and his family manage the restaurant, their labor reflects values of hard work and familial unity—qualities that sustain small businesses across generations. “We don’t change,” he said (T. Mazias, personal communication, November 26, 2024). And thank goodness for that, because Carlisle just wouldn’t be the same without its Hot-Chee Dogs dropping on New Year’s Eve.

The Hot-Chee Dog as a Cultural Artifact

The enduring popularity of the Hot-Chee Dog demonstrates how food can become a localized symbol of identity. Holtzman, among many food studies scholars have pointed out how food acts as a cultural mediator, embodying community values and shared experiences (Holtzman, 2006). For Carlisle residents, the Hot-Chee Dog is a ritual that links them to the town’s history and each other. Whether it’s lawyers on lunch breaks or college students nursing a case of the late-night munchies, everyone who visits The Hamilton partakes in a collective tradition.

Zoe Stopak-Behr’s assertion in an interview with Dickinson College that “Hamilton is the beating heart of Carlisle” resonates deeply (Dickinson College, n.d.). By offering a consistent and nostalgic dining experience, The Hamilton creates a sense of belonging. The “Hot-Chee combo”—a Hot-Chee Dog, burger, and milkshake—embodies the idea of place-based foodways, where cuisine and locality are inseparably intertwined.

 

Reflecting on the Role of Local Restaurants in Food Studies

Visiting Hamilton provided a vivid example of how food studies intersect with themes of identity, community, and migration. The restaurant embodies a deep sense of tradition while grappling with the challenges of remaining relevant in an ever-changing culinary landscape.

One of the ways Hamilton has adapted is by working with Warrington Farms, a local butcher, to maintain a short food supply chain (T. Mazias, personal communication, November 26, 2024). This partnership not only ensures the quality of their ingredients but also aligns with the rising emphasis on environmental sustainability in the food system. By sourcing locally, Hamilton reduces its carbon footprint while supporting another small business in the community—a reflection of the interconnectedness of local economies and sustainable practices.

However, the balancing act between nostalgia and innovation is ongoing. On one hand, Hamilton’s charm lies in its old-school simplicity, with its no-frills menu and consistent offerings. On the other hand, adapting to modern consumer habits is essential for survival. For example, the restaurant still operates as cash-only, a relic of a bygone era. But change is on the horizon: Thomas’s nephew is planning to install card payment systems, a nod to the increasing reliance on digital transactions.

 

References:

Holtzman, J. D. (2006). Food and Memory. Annual Review of Anthropology, 35, 361–378. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25064929

Dickinson College. (n.d.). Where did all the Greeks go? The Hamilton Restaurant: Home of the Hot-Chee Dog. Retrieved November 26, 2024, from https://blogs.dickinson.edu/carlislehistory/where-did-all-the-greeks-go-the-hamilton-restaurant-home-of-the-hot-chee-dog/