You have to wonder why we Americans don’t worship this plant as feverishly as the Aztecs; like they once did, we make extraordinary sacrifices to it.
(Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma)
I mentioned in my previous post that I am currently reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan’s universally acclaimed investigative expose/focused history/personal travelogue about food production in the United States. I recently finished the first part, which tells the sordid story of how corn came to be so ubiquitous in American food and other consumer products, often in sneaky and perturbing ways.
The book has its flaws, but so far I am very impressed with just how detailed and revealing Pollan’s account of King Corn’s coup d’etat has been. Specifically, the way he tracks and synthesizes various cultural, biological, economic, and especially political developments that all have led to corn’s rather ridiculously powerful grip on the United States foodscape is engrossing. It’s an excellent work of literary journalism, and more than that, it’s a brilliant work of food scholarship.
One of Pollan’s most interesting points about corn comes early on in the book, when he discusses how the Aztecs associated themselves and their culture with maize so strongly that they called themselves the “corn people.” (more…)
