Food History

I renamed my food in history course. The new name was sexy and the university was very impressed at the number of students the course attracted. When I saw the list of names on my class list I wondered, though, whether the sexy new name had actually played a part at all.

This is where I admit I am totally intimidated by the first class of any session. I want my students to enjoy and learn from the first minute and there’s a bunch of stuff that must be done and it’s never easy. It’s especially not easy with 16 students.

This time was simpler than most. The names were familiar and the faces even more so. Half my students had attended other courses I’ve taught. There were three from my Medieval London course, for instance. They had said they wanted more food history and that they would turn up this year, and they have.

The stuff at the beginning, where I talk through the possibilities of the course and make the students choose their favourite topics so I can address their preferences still took time, but not as much as usual. What was really cool is that everyone was relaxed enough so a couple of new topics were added to the list and, just for once, the Middle Ages isn’t everyone’s highest priority. This may have something to do with five members of the class having taken Medieval courses with me earlier.

I love it that they’re making their interests known early this time round. I can’t meet all of them. I gave them a bit of background in why food history covers mainly Western food in this country and I refused point-blank to teach any country for which I can only manage a pop history approach. They were very understanding. They were also understanding of my need to teach about coffee at some time, and a couple have asked could I please bring some Prohibition banquet test recipes along because they might like to do a bit of testing, too.

We spent nearly an hour on Ancient Roman stuff and I wasn’t nearly as vitriolic as usual. I was almost mellow, in fact. This doesn’t mean that Roman cuisine has suddenly become my all-time favourite or that I think Apicius was a source of common sense. This was because the class is so very nice.

They even help me fill out gaps in my knowledge. I had thought calamus was a lily, for instance, but it turns out it’s like an iris. The plant bit is going to be fabulous this time round, now I stop to think about it, because at least two of the students know way more than me about plants and we have a farmer coming from next week, to boot. I shall bring them in some old herbals to delight them. I think I shall also bring in my list of Medieval herbs and their uses, even though I never quite finished it.

This history course is going to be the best kind of give and take. It will be fun.