Students in the 360° Food and Communication traveled to Barcelona last week for a week of reading about food, talking about food, and eating both traditional and non-traditional Catalan cuisine.
They traveled with Assistant Professor Shiamin Kwa, Associate Professor Rosi Song and Associate Professor Kate Thomas.
Song’s course, Food Identity in Spain, was highlighted most during the trip. But throughout the week, lectures and discussions also touched on topics from Kwa’s Food in Translation: China to Chinatown and Thomas' Eating Empire: Food, Diaspora and Victorian Britain.
Students experienced different Spanish cuisines on each night of the trip, and had interactive lectures during the days to reinforce ideas learned during specialized tasting menus and a range of food experiences.
Anna Riera, a local food journalist and professor, brought the group to the Alícia Foundation, an hour outside of Barcelona. The Foundation is a center dedicated to technological innovation in cuisine and the improvement of eating habits. A chef from the foundation did a cooking demonstration on creative techniques, and significant concepts in the revolution of Catalan cooking.
Another highlight of the trip was a visit to La Boqueria, a famous food market, with Chef Iker Erauzkin to taste special, local ingredients, and shop for what would be an unforgettable tasting lunch. The lunch that followed was at Uma, Chef Erauzkin’s space, and students were served over a dozen dishes brought out by Erauzkin and his wife, Anna. Dishes ranged from liquefied foie gras, to plankton-infused white clay.
The week ended with a traditional meal on the beach of tapas and paella.