WASHINGTON 鈥� This year, the country has heard a lot about lost emails and 鈥渂ad hombres,” but drama surrounding聽the 2016 presidential election has buried a topic that鈥檚 been at the forefront of politics since the dawn of time: food.
鈥淎t the broadest level of politics, every regime since 10,000 years ago has had to provide a safe, and at least sufficient, food supply for its population; otherwise, they go under,鈥� said , professor emeritus of American Studies at University of Maryland Baltimore County.
鈥淏ut there鈥檚 so much else going on in the debates right now that we haven鈥檛 quite thrown in the kitchen sink as well.鈥�
That will change Oct. 27-29 when the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Museum of American History highlights the politics of what鈥檚 for dinner at the museum鈥檚 second annual . This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥淧olitics On Your Plate.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking at the relationship between food, people and power,鈥� said Susan Evans McClure, director of food history programs at the National Museum of American History.
Those themes will come to light through a series of free events, including a day full of and a that will have live cooking demonstrations, cookbook signings, 鈥渄eep dish discussions鈥� and kid-friendly activities.
Politics may not be the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of food, but what we eat and how it gets to the plate penetrates nearly every sector of government, from health care to labor laws and even nutrition policies in international development.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something we need every day 鈥� and there鈥檚 a huge industry that鈥檚 been created to provide it for us,鈥� Belasco said.
And that industry, including those who make and sell food, spends millions of dollars lobbying the federal government each year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the largest segments of political gamesmanship in town, but it鈥檚 not often noticed; it鈥檚 kind of behind closed doors,鈥� Belasco added.
During his time on the panel, Belasco will discuss various periods in history where food was at the center of intense political concern, like when major food companies bought into the 1960s counterculture and turned traditionally healthy foods, such as granola and tea, into big business.
鈥淚t created what I call the 鈥榗ounter cuisine,鈥� and we鈥檙e living with the consequences of that to this day,鈥� he said.
In addition to the weekend鈥檚 free activities, the museum will also host a honoring the James Beard Award-winning chef Rick Bayless for his innovations in Mexican cuisine, as well as an that taps into America鈥檚 history of beer and brewing.
Book signings include Molly Birnbaum and Dan Souza, authors of 鈥淐ook鈥檚 Science,鈥� along with Dorie Greenspan, author of 鈥淒orie鈥檚 Cookies.鈥�
鈥淲e have discovered that food is a very accessible way for our large audience to think about various issues and themes in American history,鈥� said Paula Johnson, curator in the Division of Work and Industry at the National Museum of American History.
鈥淲e really think it鈥檚 a great opportunity for us to 鈥� bring people around from across the country who have different perspectives and viewpoints on food, history and politics.鈥�
The Food History Roundtables and the Food History Festival are free and open to the public, however some events require advanced registration. for information on dates, times and locations.
