Comments on: Why Have We Forgotten the Servants? A Hole in Our Understanding of Food: Part I http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html A Historian's Take on Food and Food Politics Fri, 5 Dec 2008 09:17:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Rachel Laudan http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html#comment-635 Rachel Laudan Fri, 02 May 2008 18:17:40 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=308#comment-635 Fascinating that the use of servants is actually on the rise in India. And yes, wives can be used as servants. And many thoughts to share on having servants, though my focus in the following posts will be on their role in food history. And very best wishes for tomorrow and for the days and years thereafter Bob. And to Gina too. Fascinating that the use of servants is actually on the rise in India. And yes, wives can be used as servants. And many thoughts to share on having servants, though my focus in the following posts will be on their role in food history.

And very best wishes for tomorrow and for the days and years thereafter Bob. And to Gina too.

]]> By: Bob Mrotek http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html#comment-634 Bob Mrotek Fri, 02 May 2008 15:18:04 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=308#comment-634 My experience with servants in Mexico is that having servants is hard work. Centuries of machista oppression have given many servants a slave mentality and for that reason they don't work well unless closely supervised. If you have one servant you really need to be there with the servant at all times to make decisions for them and if you have more than one servant you will also need a competent and trustworthy housekeeper (or keeper of the keys) to supervise them. After several unhappy experiences with servants I finally decided to do for myself, just like my mother taught me, and tomorrow I am getting married so at least I won't always have to eat my own cooking any more :) My experience with servants in Mexico is that having servants is hard work. Centuries of machista oppression have given many servants a slave mentality and for that reason they don’t work well unless closely supervised. If you have one servant you really need to be there with the servant at all times to make decisions for them and if you have more than one servant you will also need a competent and trustworthy housekeeper (or keeper of the keys) to supervise them. After several unhappy experiences with servants I finally decided to do for myself, just like my mother taught me, and tomorrow I am getting married so at least I won’t always have to eat my own cooking any more :)

]]> By: Kay Curtis http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html#comment-633 Kay Curtis Fri, 02 May 2008 11:29:05 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=308#comment-633 There are servants everywhere. Even in the 'relatively egalitarian United States' for most of the 20th century nearly half the adult population was 'in service' but the shift was from paid service to unpaid service and broke sharply along gender lines. Just reading an American novel from the 1950's by John Williams I ran across the sentiment that "... he should marry..." followed by the explanation that he needed "... someone to do for him..." and the further explanation that a wife would cook and clean and do up his shirts. Much of my life I was a household servant. I did cooking, cleaning, laundry and such and managed other servants. Only, I wasn't called a manager; I was called a wife and those I managed were called "the hired help." For me, a few times a week, cooking went from being a maintenance service to being a creative outlet and a meal would become an artistic achievement. There are servants everywhere. Even in the ‘relatively egalitarian United States’ for most of the 20th century nearly half the adult population was ‘in service’ but the shift was from paid service to unpaid service and broke sharply along gender lines. Just reading an American novel from the 1950’s by John Williams I ran across the sentiment that “… he should marry…” followed by the explanation that he needed “… someone to do for him…” and the further explanation that a wife would cook and clean and do up his shirts. Much of my life I was a household servant. I did cooking, cleaning, laundry and such and managed other servants. Only, I wasn’t called a manager; I was called a wife and those I managed were called “the hired help.” For me, a few times a week, cooking went from being a maintenance service to being a creative outlet and a meal would become an artistic achievement.

]]> By: rajagopal sukumar http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html#comment-631 rajagopal sukumar Fri, 02 May 2008 10:07:45 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=308#comment-631 Nice article Rachel. Even today, in India, there are lots of servants - maids, cooks, drivers etc. With the rising affluence of the upper middle class the demand for servants is rising rapidly. I guess it is the latest reincarnation of trickle-down supply side economics. Nice article Rachel. Even today, in India, there are lots of servants - maids, cooks, drivers etc. With the rising affluence of the upper middle class the demand for servants is rising rapidly. I guess it is the latest reincarnation of trickle-down supply side economics.

]]> By: Rachel Laudan http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html#comment-626 Rachel Laudan Fri, 02 May 2008 00:50:29 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=308#comment-626 Old Foodie, sadly I have what seem like umpteen servants. It's not at all an unmixed blessing so perhaps that will be another post. The realities. And Judith, I'm not sure there's a connection with the denial directly but I am sure there's a connection between skinless chicken breasts and the outsourcing of servants from the home to other workplaces. More on this Old Foodie, sadly I have what seem like umpteen servants. It’s not at all an unmixed blessing so perhaps that will be another post. The realities. And Judith, I’m not sure there’s a connection with the denial directly but I am sure there’s a connection between skinless chicken breasts and the outsourcing of servants from the home to other workplaces. More on this

]]> By: Judith Klinger http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html#comment-618 Judith Klinger Thu, 01 May 2008 02:53:20 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=308#comment-618 Do you think its possible that there is a correlation between the contemporary denial of where our food comes from (nice neat packages of plastic wrapped, skinless chicken breasts) and not having servants? Do you think its possible that there is a correlation between the contemporary denial of where our food comes from (nice neat packages of plastic wrapped, skinless chicken breasts) and not having servants?

]]> By: The Old Foodie http://www.rachellaudan.com/2008/04/why-have-we-forgotten-the-servants-a-hole-in-our-understanding-of-food-i.html#comment-617 The Old Foodie Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:28:45 +0000 http://www.rachellaudan.com/?p=308#comment-617 An interesting topic Rachel. I look forward to the next instalment. P.S. Sadly, I have a servantless household. An interesting topic Rachel. I look forward to the next instalment.
P.S. Sadly, I have a servantless household.

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