Methodology

This class had a strong experiential learning component to it. Students were instructed in how to write fieldnotes and these were required for all our food-related fieldtrips. In addition to reading books and articles about food in Italy, students were encouraged to do their own ethnographic fieldwork using observation, participant observation, and semi- structured interview guides.Our ethnographic project was hampered by the fact that students were living together and not with Italian homestays and they had very rudimentary Italian language skills. We adapted by taking careful fieldnotes and choosing Italian informants  who spoke English.

Italian Foods: Students chose a particular ingredient/food to focus their independent research on at the beginning of the term. They used both class readings and independent sources, supplemented with ethnographic work. The topics chosen are wine, pasta, foraged foods, heritage breed cattle, and herbs/spices

Italian Foodways: The primary sources for this section were the ethnographic interviews that we conducted. The topics we explore are: the Slow Food Movement, regionalism, Italian meals, food and health, and food for special occasions and seasons.

Food and Migration: Given the importance of the circulation of food around the world, students each chose a particular American ingredient that has become central to Italian cuisine. The ingredients chosen are maize, tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin and peppers. The information is from Parasecoli's Food and Culture in Italy.

Agriturismo: Here you'll find some information on agritourism in Italy and some edited student fieldnotes taken after visits to farms that participate in this type of rural development. Three farm visits are described: Poggio Alloro, Fattoria di Bacchereto, and Spannocchia.