CNF Annals of Contemporary Gastronomy: American Soul Food
by Charles Holdefer
Commonly considered a folk favorite but also savored by a slice of urban elite and, more recently, by a new style of religiously-minded devotee, this dish is typically consumed fresh and steaming hot and sometimes more than once in a day, courtesy of the President of the United States, since it comes directly out of his ass.
For many it is delivered more quickly than pizza into the privacy of their homes, packaged in surprising—yet characteristically incontinent—spellings. On other occasions it is served in public venues like racetracks or stadiums in the presence of hungry, eager crowds. Whatever the numbers in attendance, people share a common meal, à la loaves and fishes.
Is it good for you? Or quite the opposite? Is it merely a nostalgic frisson or a taste of the future? Is it foul or authentic, or authentic because it is foul?
These questions are sources of debate, especially among Americans who dislike it. But even critics appear to become habituated and capable of consuming larger and larger doses, thereby adding to its ubiquity.
Whether you are an aficionado or a detractor, it is a fact that this dish is impossible to avoid. And this raises another, oft-discussed practical matter. Can you consume it without getting some of it on you?
Or is that OK, like barbecue?
Amid today’s concerns about the obesity epidemic, type 2 diabetes, LDL cholesterol and compromised gut flora—all worthy subjects—and the debates about local versus imported, and questions of purity—also very timely—it is necessary to keep in mind the larger picture, too.
What are the dietary consequences of this dish, in its peculiar nourishment of the American soul?
Charles Holdefer is an American writer based in Brussels. His work has appeared in the North American Review, New England Review, Chicago Quarterly Review and in the 2017 Pushcart Prize anthology. His recent books include Dick Cheney in Shorts (stories) and George Saunders’ Pastoralia: Bookmarked (nonfiction). Visit Charles at www.charlesholdefer.com.
What surprising, fascinating stuff can you tell us about the origin, drafting, and/or final version of “Annals of Contemporary Gastronomy: American Soul Food”? Is it true that you are what you eat? Sure, interpretations differ about traditions or the significance of sardines. But lately I wonder about the toxic effects of a product I spend a lot of time consuming: the words of a public figure who very much likes the sound of his own voice and who presently dominates the news cycle. Am I informing myself as a citizen by listening to him? Or is this a pointless sugar rush? Or worse, snacking on poison?
Check out the write-up of the journal in The Writer.
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