Abstract
The so-called gastronomic boom and the interest in the conservation of the Mediterranean food heritage as a tourist resource highlight the existence of processes of rediscovery and revaluation of some foods that are undergoing a change in social status. This is the case of carob in the context of the Balearic Islands. Based on the traditional uses of this legume and the changes that have occurred in its production and consumption in recent years, this article analyzes its gourmetization process and its introduction into haute cuisine. The use of a qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews and observation has made it possible to study, firstly, the role of carob and its fruit as elements of the biocultural memory of the islands' society; secondly, the recent changes in value that carob is experiencing; thirdly, the strategies and actors that are contributing to the rediscovery and revaluation of this food; and finally, its introduction into haute cuisine. This article shows how the revaluation and gourmetization of carob is linked to discourses that emphasize the "local" condition of the products and that bet on the recovery of traditional gastronomy, as a "sustainable" production model and as a symbol of "authenticity".
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Archives on Food, Culture and Nutrition (AFOCUN-ICAF)
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
