Column: Food, culture, politics

There is a joke that says in heaven the police are British, mechanics German, cooks  French, lovers Italian and women Swedish, and in hell the police are German, mechanics are French, cooks are British, lovers are Swiss and women are Russian.
I love this joke not only because I have predominantly Swedish heritage but also because I despise English food almost as much as I love French cuisine. 

From a sociological standpoint, national cuisine can define a country. There is a definite correlation between a country that values fine arts and a country that values fine cuisine.

According to Baron de Montesquieu, a 17th century political philosopher, the climate of nations has a great influence on the spirit of laws governing their citizens. This is why legislators in lands of extreme heat or cold must make laws that fight against citizens’ natural negative tendencies.

Montesquieu argues it is because of Russia’s freezing weather that citizens are naturally introverted and tend to live in fear of conspiracy and under strict rule. Due to Italy’s warm climate, citizens are extroverted and more likely to favor leisure activities, which have led to their republican values.

Montesquieu’s insight made him one of the first sociological thinkers of his time and raised interesting points.

I think a similar theory can be made about the effect climate has on the crops, and therefore, cuisine of a nation.  

In Italy and France, citizens place a high value on national cuisine and treat culinary expertise as an art form. The customary large daily meal gatherings of these nations might also have something to do with the importance they put on freedom of thought, which has led to many influential artists coming from these countries.
 
As pointed out in the joke earlier, it’s important to play upon a country’s strengths. So, while we might not turn to the Mediterranean for economic advice, Americans can certainly learn a thing or two about their elegant cuisine.

­— hsspence@indiana.edu