[ L]inking the individual to the collective is an overarching topic addressed in the fifteen chapters in Making Taste Public, edited by anthropologists Carole Counihan and Susanne Hųjlund. Drawing from the scholars rich ethnographic case studies from Denmark, the Solomon Islands, Italy, France, Japan, and Sweden, the broad question of how does taste become part of the culture? (1) is explored. * Food, Culture & Society * A vitally important part of culture, taste has been a peculiar blind spot in social science and food studies. These original contributions by many of todays best food scholars is part of a renewed interest in human senses. With vivid case studies, it reveals the crucial importance of taste as a connection between individuals, cultures, and the complexities of everyday life. * Richard Wilk, Indiana University, USA * If you not before were convinced that taste is a social and public matter that takes place between people, you will be after having read this remarkable and timely book. Its message is as necessary as it is obvious. * Ole G. Mouritsen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark * Preferences for food and drink are frequently regarded as private to individuals or, more generously, determined within families or ethnic groups. This collection demonstrates how taste is actively public, detailing examples of how place, community, and education affect taste choices and experiencesall timely matters for our changing global societies. * Carolyn Korsmeyer, University at Buffalo, USA * A great project. Just what is needed in food studies - and sensory studies - at this juncture. * David Howes, Concordia University, Canada * This is an excellent project. It is the book that all of us who are interested in the cultural and social aspects of food and food experience have been waiting for, for a very long time. * Kaori O'Connor, University College London, UK * Counihan and Hųjlund have produced a landmark volume that advances the field of Food Studies while remaining highly accessible to students. The essays use taste to rethink wider food cultures and systems, answering critical questions about identity, health, justice, and sustainability. * Jeffrey M. Pilcher, University of Toronto, Canada *
