Food culture in colonial Asia : a taste of empire / Cecilia Leong-Salobir.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Leong-Salobir, Cecilia.

Series:

Routledge studies in the modern history of Asia (2005) ; 69.

Routledge studies in the modern history of Asia ; 69

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Food--Social aspects--Asia.

Food.

Cooking, Asian--Social aspects.

Cooking, Asian.

Colonial influence.

History.

Food habits.

Social aspects.

Food--Social aspects.

Asia--Social life and customs.

Asia.

Manners and customs.

Food habits--Asia--History.

Asia--Colonial influence--History.

Physical Description:

xi, 191 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2011.

Summary:

"Presenting a social history of colonial food practices in India, Malaysia and Singapore, this book discusses the contribution that Asian domestic servants made towards the development of this cuisine between 1858 and 1963. Domestic cookbooks, household management manuals, memoirs, diaries and travelogues are used to investigate the culinary practices in the colonial household, as well as in clubs, hill stations, hotels and restaurants. Challenging accepted ideas about colonial cuisine, the book argues that a distinctive cuisine emerged as a result of negotiation and collaboration between the expatriate British and local people, and included dishes such as curries, mulligatawny, kedgeree, country captain and pish pash. The cuisine evolved over time, with the indigenous servants consuming both local and European foods. The book highlights both the role and representation of domestic servants in the colonies. It is an important contribution for students and scholars of food history and colonial history, as well as Asian Studies"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

1 What empire builders ate 12

2 The colonial appropriation of curry 39

3 Servants of empire: the role and representation of domestic servants in the colonial household 60

4 Leisure and segregation: clubs, hill stations and rest-houses 87

5 Dirt and disease 114.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780415606325

0415606322

9780203817063

0203817060

OCLC:

663439814