EP 70 EP 70 Creating American Culture in a Casserole: The Settlement Cookbook

It would be ridiculous to suggest that one dish can represent all the mystery and majesty of human civilization, but inspiration can be a powerful force. In this episode, a single dish from the 1903 edition of The Settlement Cookbook sparked a deep conversation about the transformative power of food and its role in shaping civilizations, from the bustling immigrant communities of the late 19th century to modern-day.

Exploring the Foundation of Civilization

Inspired by her experience cooking up “Steak in Casserole” from the 1903 edition of The Settlement Cookbook, Kim finds a whole recipe as a lens through which to examine the foundations of civilizations. 

We begin with a snapshot of early 20th-century America, marked by post-Civil War reconstruction, industrialization, and a wave of immigration that transformed cities into diverse, bustling hubs. To address the challenges of rapid urbanization, a progressive movement centered on settlement houses aims to help immigrants navigate life in their new world. These houses not only provided better living conditions but also nurtured a sense of community by sharing knowledge, culture, and domestic skills.

Food and Identity

The Settlement Cookbook, also known as "The Way to a Man's Heart," was originally published in 1901 from the Settlement House in Milwaukee. Organized as a series of lessons in cooking, nutrition, and food service, the cookbook aimed to modernize traditional Jewish recipes with American ingredients and techniques, promoting assimilation without forsaking cultural heritage.

Kim takes a novel approach to recipe selection by asking her partner to pick out a dish they wanted to eat. Confronted with a recipe and a dish with which she is largely unfamiliar, she realizes that food is not just sustenance; by selecting, cooking, and sharing food, we form both an individual and collective concept of who we are.

The Cultural Significance of Cooking and Dining

From here we reflect on the idea that food and its preparation are deeply cultural, and that the act of cooking and the rituals surrounding meals are essential components of civilization, and that by embracing the culture of the host country while preserving one's own traditions contributes to the evolution of a dynamic society.

Episode Transcript

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