Food & Nutrition Scholar
I am thrilled to share that my book, Caribeños at the Table: How Migration, Health, and Race Intersect in New York City, is scheduled to come out this October 2021 via University of North Carolina Press. The book has been the result of a long and transformative process, beginning back in 2013, when I moved … Continue reading Book announcement: Caribeños at the Table
Originally posted on Repeating Islands:
A report by Hector Velasco for the Agence France Presse. From one end of the island to the other, every Cuban can be sure of one thing: Their ration book, or “libreta,” will put at least the basics on their table at dinner time. When President Raul Castro tried several…
Cuban and Puerto Rican cuisines are born out of movement, merging Spanish, African and Taino influences. Part of my recent fieldwork has looked into how these communities distinguish each other’s foods. When asked directly, New York City Cuban and Puerto Rican interviewees often have a hard time differentiating. Mostly, they talk about the beans – … Continue reading Selling Cuisines: Cuban and Puerto Rican Tables
Close to three years ago I discovered the parallel stories of Carmen Aboy Valldejuli and Nitza Villapol, the Julia Child caribeñas. These women and their cookbooks left a lasting impression in the culinary histories of Puerto Rico and Cuba, respectively. This serendipitous discovery led me to many hours interacting with their work, both in the … Continue reading Cookbooks in transitioning societies – a new publication
A quick look at two contrasting everyday food-related expressions.
A big part of what I do often is talk with others about food. Lately, these conversations have been related to my ongoing interest in how we distinguish our national cuisines in the Spanish Caribbean. On the surface, when diets are seen as just a collection of foods eaten throughout the day, Cuban, Puerto Rican … Continue reading Thinking about Breakfast
After many months of planning an educational trip to Cuba, there we were. Enjoying the warmth and sea breeze under a clear Habana sky, taking part of our first programmed activity in the land of Marti. The tour guide built up the group’s enthusiasm about our “first encounter with Cuban food.” First, drinks. It started with a refreshing … Continue reading A “First” Cuban Meal
Breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis, is a wonderful food. It is a staple in the Pacific and the Breadfruit Institute, part of Hawaii’s National Tropical Garden, highlights its potential in helping fight hunger and ameliorate environmental issues worldwide. Agriculturally, breadfruit is a high yielding tree, producing 50-150 fruits a year. Its tree can be used for construction, … Continue reading Food, Prestige and the Breadfruit
Melissa Fuster, PhD 