I am reviewing Sue Grafton’s Food is Never Just Something to Eat: A Culinary Critique of Mainstream America. This article is aimed toward the middle class and to Americans in general. In the article she references gender specific issues. She evaluates the use of food in the Alphabet detective – fiction series. For example, Grafton states “the masculine detective would drink whiskey, eat fast food, or in a diner, while the feminine version would be eat salad, and drink chardonnay. The male individual should be out looking for a murderer and the female should be in the kitchen fixing a nice meat and potato based meal” (Matheson, 2008).
I think this article is not about food in general, but how it addresses Americas cultural norms and values. How these affect the food we choose, and how it represents us. This article references the Alphabet Series of detective fiction novels. In each of the books the detective Millhone, which is a female, is referenced. She crosses the American norms, and values of women. According to Grafton, women are represented as being in the kitchen, cooking, baking, properly using a plate, knife, and fork when eating. Men on the other hand are more likely to grab something on the go, eat with their hands, and may drink hard liquor. Women more typically have a nice glass of wine. Millhones character however, violates the female picture. “She is hard core, individualistic, and radical. Her relationship with food emphasizes her inability to conform to any principles or ideals” (Matheson, 2008). She eats McDonalds. Likes finger foods, not salads. She likes sandwiches on the go and loves whiskey. She doesn’t spend much time in the kitchen.
Grafton feels food is gendered, that” men treat food like it is an opiate” (Matheson, 2008). The series makes several references in “I” is for Innocent . Henry Pitts prepare a tuna salad that looks similar to a flower. Typically in the American view of values and norms, a women would be doing this, not a man.
Next, Grafton points out that in the Alphabet series, food is used as a seductress and as a murder weapon. In the series, statements are made in sexual context. One such comment was fast women eat fast food, and one other was in relation to Millhone not being able to resist Cheney’s concoction of salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. She bites her lip and moans. The other statements Grafton addresses are that food is used to accentuate murder.
In this article I found it difficult to understand at first. I read it about five times before I became to understand it. The main points that I took from this article include, food is used in many ways. Grafton used the Alphabet series to reference how middle class Americans have changed in the type of food they eat, how they eat, and who prepares it. What it all comes down to is what are our values and our cultural norms.
Previously, it was unheard of for a man to be in the kitchen, however, now it is perfectly normal. The same goes for what type of food we eat. Now it is more likely that we grab something to go versus a sit down meal that was previously the norm. What type of food and drink we choose has also changed and it is perfectly normal for a women to choose a whiskey or malt beverage or a man to choose a glass of wine. I think the moral of the article is that Americans values and norms are always changing and who knows what we will be eating and drinking next. Our food states so much about who we are !
Reference
Matheson, Sue. 2008. Food is never just something to eat. Sue Grafton’s culinary critique of mainstream America. Journal of Popular Culture. October 2008. Vol 411(5), 809-822 Retreived October 29, 2008 from ebscohost
