Food, Gender and Cultural Hegemony - Kennesaw State University

Cualli 139
wheat for bread, the staff of life. Grapes (for wine) were also essential for religious
and cultural reasons. Finally, olives for olive oil to develop the savory taste of
Mediterranean foods were of passionate interest. In these three foods we see major
elements of the Spanish diet. First, a major noun, the bread, that was the center of
every meal for all classes of Spaniards. Second, another major noun, wine, the
most desired beverage, which also carried major symbolic value and distinguished
the elite classes. Thirdly, olive oil can be viewed as a kind of seasoning and
blending element for a dish, or following the linguistic analogy, as a syntax that
serves to blend the elements of their diet together. In the case of these elements the
Spanish went to extraordinary lengths to obtain these foods in the New World. On
the other hand the Nahua peoples were adamantly attached to maize (their bread),
beans, and chiles for both religious and cultural reasons. Chocolate and maguey
(for pulque) fit into a special category since they were highly prized foods, but
reserved for particular groups.
The early period (Stage I: 1519-1550) was one in which acceptance of
foreign food occurred primarily when there were no options (i.e. the preferred
Spanish food could not be had), and the foods accepted were usually main
ingredients. In these cases the Spanish would most easily assimilate a food similar
to the one they were used to. For example there are many varieties of beans and
onions, some native to the New World, others to Europe. Thus beans and onions
were somewhat familiar and easily incorporated into the colonial diet (Crosby
172). There was no wine and the Spanish were generally forced to make do with
pulque, made from the maguey cactus for dining and for communion. For
example, what has been called the first Spanish banquet in Mexico took place
about 1524. Pigs were brought in from Cuba and wine as a gift to the triumphant
conquerors. Pork with chile was served in tacos, with hot tortillas. Wheat bread
was not yet available. Still, the banquet (apart from the corn tortillas and some
chiles) was essentially Spanish (Novo 29). At the same time the Nahua did quite
easily adapt poultry and pork to their diet, incorporating them into tacos and
tamales.
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