Shennong and the Five Seeds: The History of Chinese Food (In Person)
Taught by Andrew Coletti
ndrew Coletti is a staff writer for Atlas Obscura whose work has also appeared on Tasting Table and in Eaten magazine. He holds degrees in Classics and Museum Education, and has cooked recipes from around the world and throughout time for TikTok and Instagram at @PassTheFlamingo (because the Romans ate flamingos). His favorite Roman author is the poet Martial.
This is an old class! Check out the current classes, or sign up for our mailing list to see if we'll offer this one again.
"Chinese food" is not just one cuisine; in fact, with dozens of regional cuisines in China, and dozens more in Chinese communities across the world, It's hard to think of a broader topic. Our global culinary landscape would be drastically different without the numberless innovations of Chinese chefs, and the widespread popularity of tea, dumplings, noodles, and other iconic staples.
But to fully understand just how vast and important Chinese food is, we have to look at how it has developed over time: from the ancient origins of agriculture along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, to the rise of Imperial haute cuisine, to the world-spanning trade networks that introduced a pattern of exchange and influence that continues today.
In this class, we will use archaeology, literature, and art to follow the historical development of food in China, from prehistory to the early modern era, when the Chinese food we know and love began to take shape. No prior knowledge required!
