Food and History In the News This Week

Frederick Douglass Opie Professor of History and Foodways at Babson College suggested downloads for engaging, entertaining, and intelligent food related stories on online news and information outlets this week. 

Last weekend I went to a Memorial Day picnic and heard a friend complaining about just how depressing it was for her to listen to news in the morning as she got ready for work. I said, why not review stories in news outlets that you follow and download what want to ear on a MP3 player or your smart phone? As a Professor of History and Foodways I look for stories in my lane, that is topics in the news that I teach, blog, and write about professionally.  I decided to start posting links to what I found to be the most interesting food in history related stories in the news that I've listened during the week as I bike to work, work out, and do monotonous chores around the house. Here is the first installment that you can download and enjoy at your leisure. Let me know what you think and share your food stories in the news  in the comment section below. 

New Great Tasting Vegan Chicken Substitute: [Listen 4 min 11 sec] http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/05/17/152519988/a-farmer-bets-better-fake-chicken-meat-will-be-as-good-as-the-real-thing

Chocolate and Dollar Currency In Zimbabwe: [Listen 3 min 57 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/05/25/153425459/how-crumbling-u-s-dollars-bailed-out-zimbabwe

Culinary Tourism in Cuba: [Listen 8 min 13 sec]: http://www.npr.org/2012/05/29/153719234/guillermo-pernot-not-grandma-s-cuban-cuisine

Ben and Jerry’s Ice Creams Nostalgia: [Listen 3 min 48 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/05/28/153602928/the-graveyard-of-shelved-ice-cream-flavors

Railroad Dinning Cars and Jim Crow: [Listen 7 min 47 sec] http://www.npr.org/2012/05/30/153725362/with-one-wish-banishing-memories-of-jim-crow

BBC Food Podcast, History of the English Breakfast: [Listen 28 min 15 sec] http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/foodprog/foodprog_20120527-1300b.mp3