Cate and O'Donnell

In O’Donnell’s study, food defined economic status and region of the country you were from. The northern part of the country was considered “dumber” because they simply raised cows and chickens, which were easy to raise and kill, so they would always have food. This lead to a more socialist society. The southern part of the country was considered wiser as they had to be more cunning to successfully catch fish. The more fish one caught the better off they were, a more capitalist society. By simply looking at the food someone ate, his or her economic status could be determined. As china industrialized, the government rationed food to those who promoted economic growth. This lead to larger growth as the more you contributed the more food you received. Those in rural farms though received no rations, they were expected to grown grain for the government and eat off the extra they produced. As it became more industrialized, traditional foods of different groups continued to be sold at new restaurants and people went to the restaurants they traditionally identified with. Cate looked at inmates and their food. Inmate’s created spread to relate to meals they once had. The spreads each inmate made was very much based off their ethnic background. The spreads were to provide a tasty meal that normal jail food does not. The inmates took pride in creating a new spread that tastes like a meal they remember. The spreads were also a social meal as inmates would collaborate to make them and enjoy them together. The spreads were treats they could make off little food they could buy or save from meals. It was their highlight to have a couple times a week. Its amazing how creative they can get with the little resources they have. No one outside jail would ever consider mixing the ingredients in a spread, but to an inmate the spread is a delicacy, and not something they can eat everyday. Both these communities came together around the food they had and related their food to the past they once had.