A Woman’s Place: The Inventors, Rumrunners, Lawbreakers, Scientists and Single Moms who Changed the World with Food
12 Days of Books-Day 4
Cooking has always been seen as a thing that women do. Even today, women are seen as domestic. So much so, that there are still debates happening about whether or not little boys should play with kitchen sets. It’s ironic. In the restaurant industry, you see many men praised and highlighted in the kitchen. Yet, it’s still a woman’s job to cook at home. Make it make sense!
Women have been invaluable within the professional kitchen. The book, A Woman’s Place, highlights women who have made an impact in the culinary landscape. You have your well knowns: Julia Child, Edna Lewis, M.F.K. Fisher, Betty Crocker, Lena Richard, Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor, and Leah Chase. We know what they have done for the food world and reading it again highlights some new thoughts. But it is interesting to learn about the other innovators, instigators, and inventors.
Women deserve so much more than what the world currently gives us ( and has always given us). This book is what should be taught in culinary schools, women's studies, and food writing. What I hope y’all take away from this book is that it pays to go against the status quo. Some of these women had to deal with major obstacles such as racism during the time of slavery and the Jim Crow era, sexism ( we still deal with this but we have made huge strides), and ageism.
Our stories deserve to be told and celebrated; not lost to history because man has been in charge of writing the history books. This is why we must share our stories, loud and often! I hope this book inspires you to share those stories and do the things that scare you, not just relating to food. We would not have some of the great food stories if these women didn’t say, “fuck it. I’ll do what I want”. Tell yourself that daily. You can be the first one but you don’t have to be the last one.
If you want to add this book to your bookshelf or gift it to a friend, you can click the link above.
Xoxo~Christilisa
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