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Dear Readers, 
 
 
We are excited to bring you issue two of the new series of Digest. Just as in the first issue, the papers 
here represent directions of emerging foodways scholarship; all of the articles and research notes in 
this issue are contributed by graduate students or recent graduates. In bringing together a range of 
diverse food communities including Gullah, Chinese American, Southeastern Louisianan and Italian 
Canadian, and in considering the complex intersections of traditional and popular culture, the authors 
document and celebrate the complexities of food traditions that mingle and morph to create new 
forms with new meanings. They also record the challenges of moving forward to create sustainable 
models; the often flamboyantly elaborate groom’s cake of Southeastern Louisiana weddings that Cherry 
Levin writes about stands in stark contrast to the modest seeds nurtured by an earlier generation of 
Italian immigrants described by Cristina Pietropaolo. Yet the papers here hold clues to the future, from 
Anna Ralph’s model for feeding Philadelphia’s homeless to the recognition that emerges from Nancy 
Yan’s exploration of the regional dish, Wor Sue Gai, and Katie White’s examination of Gullah foodways, 
that food’s deep connections to identity travel across space and time. Importantly, the papers speak of 
hope and justice. 
 
The Amuse Bouche section in this issue picks up some of these themes in somewhat playful ways, 
embodied in historical food ads, photographs of spicy chicken feet and temple oranges, and a recipe 
for sweet orange marmalade that originated in a British manor house kitchen. 

 

This issue marks the end of Caitlin Bethune’s time as Editorial Assistant. Caitlin’s contribution to these 
first two issues has been invaluable and we will miss her sharp eye. This issue also sees a change in our 
Web Designer. Emily Snyder’s work on the initial issue was excellent, and we thank her as she moves on 
to new challenges. We would like to welcome Jolee Main to the Digest team. Her design skills have 
kept our journal looking professional and beautiful in the current issue. 
 
 

 
 
Michael Lange and Diane Tye, editors 


