Starting with Food

Food is a marker of identity, culture, and class, and it denotes power, routine, leisure, and celebration. Despite its importance to every aspect of historical research, this topic has not been sufficiently exploredin Ottoman history. This volume places the study of food in the mainstream of Ottoman history by analyzing major issues-origins, identity, minorities, Ottomanization, the"golden age," foreign relations, the nature of modernity-all from the perspective of food.Each chapter relies on elements such as food, foodstuffs, recipes, eating habits, utensils, and vessels as the starting point to explain an aspect of Ottoman history, thus showing how the study of food contributes to the study of the Ottoman Empire in general.AMY SINGER is an associate professor in the Department ofMiddle Eastern and African History, Tel Aviv University. She is the authorof several books, including "Charity in Islamic Societies" (2008).