As We Eat
As We Eat Podcast 🎧
EP 36 Feminism at the Kitchen Counter
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EP 36 Feminism at the Kitchen Counter

From Betty Crocker to Julia Child

To kick off Women’s History Month, Leigh and Kim discuss the intersection of food and feminism.

Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian photo by RadioFan

Feminist Theory to Fresh Perspectives

In this episode, Leigh and Kim discuss the history of feminist food studies and how this particular critical lens offers uniquely modern insights into how we view traditional roles held by women in the realm of food. We discovered that until recently, topics relevant to feminism have not been addressed in depth - such as discussions about the value of food preparation in creating family identity, how community cookbooks both preserve culture and function as tools of resistance, and power dynamics behind how food is produced, distributed, cooked, and eaten. 

Both of us were particularly inspired by Laura Shapiro titled “I Guarantee”: Betty Crocker and the Woman in the Kitchen which unpacks the cultural impact of a famous but fictional figure - Betty Crocker of General Mills - from packaged foods to cookbooks to television and radio. We previously covered Betty’s origins in Episode 20: Grain Empires,  but dig deeper into how this character influenced the cooking habits of American homemakers as well as their perceptions about the value of their contributions to the home - especially in contrast to culinary great Julia Child.

Betty Crocker TV Show

Along the way we discuss the nature of creativity in the kitchen, and how feeding others performs the critical work of defining and creating “family life.” Leigh and Kim share perspectives on the personal work of cooking and how that dynamic can shift whether one is cooking for self or for others.

Finally, we discuss efforts by a now-defunct USDA Bureau of Home Economics between 1925 and 1960 to quantify the often invisible work performed by home-makers in farm and rural communities.

Is The Modern Housewife a Lady of Leisure, USDA Bureau of Home Economics
Hildegard Kneeland, University of Chicago Photographic Archive

What does it mean to be the designated “cook” in your family?

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Feminism at the Kitchen Counter Transcript

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Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode 

Books We Think You’ll  Enjoy Reading

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As We Eat
As We Eat Podcast 🎧
Food lovers, Kim Baker and Leigh Olson, invite you on a storytelling journey exploring food memories, family recipes, food traditions, cuisines, cookery, and food history to discover how food connects, defines, and inspires us.