Description
Mamaliga, maize porridge or polenta, is a universally consumed dish in Romania and a prominent national symbol. But its unusual history has rarely been told. Alex Drace-Francis surveys the arrival and spread of maize cultivation in Romanian lands from Ottoman times to the eve of the First World War, and also the image of mamaliga in art and popular culture. Drawing on a rich array of sources and with many new findings, Drace-Francis shows how the making of mamaliga has been shaped by global economic forces and overlapping imperial systems of war and trade.
The story of maize and mamaliga provides an accessible way to revisit many key questions of Romanian and broader regional history. More generally, the book links the history of production, consumption, and representation. Analyses of recipes, literary and popular depictions, and key vocabulary complete the work.
About the Author
Alex Drace-Francis is Associate Professor of Modern European Cultural History at the University of Amsterdam.
Reviews
"This is not only a masterfully written account of Romanian modernity seen from a 'mamaligocentric perspective,' but also a thorough analysis of the interrelations between gastronomy, politics, economics, national identities, and social perceptions." https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/10.3828/jrns.2023.6 -- Constantin Ardeleanu * Journal of Romanian Studies *
"The extent of the research is fantastic. Drace-Francis covered so many different aspects, from old recipes, to the 1848 Irish famine and their refusal to eat corn (so they don't turn out black), to the Crimean War, and to different revolts. The links between corn and the Ottoman and russian occupation are covered too. It's a short book, but filled with interesting facts and presented in an easy to follow and nice narrative." https://www.coffeeandbooks.co.uk/the-making-of-mamaliga-by-alex-drace-francis/ -- Coffee and Books * Coffee and Books *
Book Information
ISBN 9789633866245
Author Alex Drace-Francis
Format Paperback
Page Count 226
Imprint Central European University Press
Publisher Central European University Press
Weight(grams) 310g