Australian Journal of Adult Learning Volume 52, Number 3, November 2012

Throw your napkin on the floor: Authenticity, culinary tourism, and a pedagogy of the senses

Lisa Stowe and Dawn JohnstonUniversity of Calgary

This article explores the educational objectives of a University of Calgary short-term travel study program (Food Culture in Spain 2011). A combination of secondary research and primary data collected through in-depth interviews with former program participants, as well as student reflective essays written in the field, shows that the sensory experience with food is an important pedagogical tool. Focusing on questions of intentionality, sensory learning, and the meaning of authenticity, we explore the complications inherent in a formal education program built around culinary tourism. We argue that by the end of the three-week program in Spain, students identify as informed culinary tourists who recognize the complexity of authenticity and understand how sensory experiences can inspire and motivate both a bodily and an intellectual understanding of food and their relationship with it.

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 461

Introduction

May13,2011.ItisDay5,andourgroupisinCordoba,twohourssouthofMadrid,tovisitanoldalamazara,anoliveoilpressinthecountryside,andtoexperiencetheArabicandMoorishinfluencesonthefoodcultureofthisregion.Wearestayinginasmallhotelinthemiddleoftheoldtown,acrossthestreetfromthetouristattractionthatmakesCordobafamous,theMezquita.It’sanearlyrisethismorningandevenatthishourwefindourselvesweavinginandoutofcrowdsoftourists.Wepasssouvenirshopsfilledwitht-shirtsandcolddrinks.Somestudentsstoptoperusethewaresandplanforareturnvisitlaterthatday,onlytohaveusshepherdthembackintoline,asthebusiswaitingandwecannotbelate.Wemakeourwayacrossthebridgeconnectingtheoldtowntothe newer section. The streets in the old town are too narrow for ourtourbustomanoeuvre,butthispopulartouristtownhasaccountedforthat,establishingatourbusparkingareaacrossthebridgewherethemanygroupsoftouristscanmeettheirguides.AsweboardourbustotheNuñezdePradooliveoilpress,wepassatleastfiveotherbuses,filledtocapacitywithtourgroupsofvariousnationalitiesandages.Withinfiveminuteswepassanindustrialpark,clearthecityandaredrivingthroughtherollinghillsandorchardsofAndalucia.Veryfewcarscomethiswayandtheroadsarenarrow;atpointsitfeelsasifthebuswon’tbeabletomakethecurve.Ourgroupischatting,watchingthesceneryfromtheirwindows,andmakingplansforthedayahead.Andthenthesmellhits.Atfirstmoststudentsaren’tsurewhattheyaresmelling--intense,fruity,onlyvaguelyfamiliar.Butthenitdawnsonthem.It’soliveoil.Morespecifically,it’sthesmellofolivesgrowingontrees;somethingthatmostofthem,bornandbredinCanada,haveneversmelledintherawstate.Theyareshocked.Andcurious.Someask,“Areolivesafruitoravegetable?”Afruit.Theygrowontrees.“Sooliveoilisafruitoil?”Sortof.“Dopeopledrinkit?”Yes.Waituntilwegettotheoliveoilpress.We’llsee.Andsmell.Andtaste.

ThesestudentswerethethirdgrouptovisittheNuñezdePradoalamazarawithus.Since2007,wehavebeenco-teachingtheUniversityofCalgary’s“FoodCultureinSpain”groupstudyprogram.

462 Throw your napkin on the floor

Thisthree-weektravelstudyprogram,offeredeverysecondyear,engagesundergraduatestudentsininquiry-basedresearch,writing,andgrouppresentationsonglobalisation,culinarytourism,andthepopularpracticesoffoodproductionandconsumptioninSpain.Withagroupof27studentsandaprogramassistant,we,thetwoinstructors,travelfromwesternCanadatoSpain,wherewespendthreeweeksexploringthecountryconsideredbysometobethemodernculinarycapitalofEurope.

Theprogramisintellectuallyintense,andencouragesstudentstothinkandfeeldifferentlyaboutfood;assustenance,asexpressionofcultureandregionalidentity,andasamodeofcommunication.Foremostinourminds,asteachers,isthecomplexitythatliesattheheartofculinarytourism,whichhasemergedasanenticingandprofitableleisureactivitythroughouttheworld.Culinarytourismoffersthepromiseofanauthenticengagementwithanotherculture;atthesametime,asmanyculinarytouristshaveseen,itseemstoencouragehostcountriesto“package”theirfoodandcultureintodesirableandpalatable“experiences”fortourists.Spainhasbeenextraordinarilysuccessfulonthisfront,establishingitselfwithinpopularmediaasaseriousdestinationfor“foodies.”Itisthesiteofmanywell-knownexperimentsineating:fromartisanproduction,tomoleculargastronomy,toMichelin-starredrestaurantsinoff-the-beaten-tracklocations.Italsohasentireneighbourhoods–eventownsandvillages–whoseprincipleraison d’etre seemstobeanaggressivelymarketedtouristexperience.Byorganisingagroupstudyprogramaroundthevarious(andsometimecompeting)practicesoffoodandeatinginSpain,weendeavourtoexplorethediversityofSpain’sfoodculture,alwaysquestioning,butjustasoften,embracing,thepleasuresandchallengesofourexperience.

Ourprogram,whilequiteclearlyrepresentativeofaconstructed,formallearningexperience,alsomakesspaceforandencouragesinformalandincidentallearning,particularlyasinspiredbysensory

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 463

experience.Itisnotourgoaltoromanticiseinformalorsensorylearning;rather,wewishtoacknowledgethatmanystudentsfeeldiscouraged,afteryearsofformaleducation,frompayingattentiontotheirsensoryexperiences.Thisromanticisationisdifficulttoavoid;asSwan(2012:59)suggests,“Experience,particularlyinitsemotionalandbodilyrepresentationsissometimesissometimespresumedtobeun-mediatedandun-ideologicalasemotionsandbodiesareoftenthoughttobemorereal,morenaturalandmoretruethanrationalityorcognition.”Throughassignments,lectures,anddiscussions,weencouragestudentstovaluesensorylearningwithoutdisproportionatelyprivilegingitovercognitivelearning;afterall,foodandeatingareintegrallyconnectedtothesenses.Wehopethatthatonitsbestdays,ourprogrammakesaspaceforstudentstoincorporatesensorylearningintotheirmoreformalacademicworkwithoutcreatingabinarybetween‘thelived’and‘thestudied’orthesensoryandthecognitive.

Inthispaperweutiliseacombinationofsecondaryresearchandprimarydatacollectedthroughwrittenassignmentsandin-depth,post-programinterviewswithparticipantsfromthe2011“FoodCultureinSpain”program.Throughanalysisofthisdata,weaimtohighlighthowasensoryexperiencewithfoodcanbeanimportantpedagogicalstrategythatoftenconnectsformalandinformallearning.Specifically,wewishtoexplorethefollowingquestions:Howcanthe‘intentionality’ofculinarytourismbemobilisedtofosterempowered,critical,reflectivelearning?Inwhatwaysdoesthedesireforan“authentic”foodexperiencemotivatelearning?Finally,towhatextentcansensoryexperiencecontributetoastudent’sunderstandingof authenticity?

464 Throw your napkin on the floor

Culinary tourism and authenticity: Defining the terms and reviewing the literature

Thefirststepinunderstandingthepedagogicalsignificanceofashort-termtravelstudyprogramdedicatedtothestudyoffoodisadefinitionofculinarytourism;afterall,theroleofthetourististhemostprominentrolemanyofthestudentsplaywhileinthefield.Culinarytourismandtheexperienceofunderstandinganotherculturethroughfoodconstituteasignificantfieldofinquiryinfoodstudies.Culinarytourismisdifferentfromotherformsoftravellinginthatthereisapre-determinedmotivationforseekingoutfoodexperiences.LucyLong(2004:21)definesculinarytourismas“theintentional,exploratoryparticipationinthefoodwaysofanother”andsheemphasisesthe“individualasanactiveagentinconstructingmeaningswithinatouristexperience.”ForLong,culinarytourismcannot be accidental. Intentionality is crucial. In an educational tourismcontext,itistheintentionalityor‘eatingwithapedagogicalpurpose’thatcanpushthetouristfromeatingasaformofsustenanceto eating with a critical eye.

Itisimportanttoacknowledgeherethattheculinarytouristexperiencecultivatedaspartofauniversitydegreeprogramofstudyisdistinctfromtheculinarytouristexperiencedesignedforleisuretourists.Whilethereismuchoverlapbetweenthetwogroups,wehaveseen,firsthand,thedifferencesbetweentouringwiththeprimarymotivationofpleasure,combined,perhaps,withinformallearning,andtouringwiththejointmotivationofpleasureandformallearninginanacademicdiscipline.Themotivationforourdevelopmentofthisgroupstudyprogramwasaculinarytourwetookin2004withagroupofchefsandculinarystudents.Onthattour,asculinarytourists,weweredrivenbyadesiretoseewhatothersdon’tsee,dowhatothersdon’tdo,andeatwhatothersdon’teat–classic“foodadventuring,”inLisaHeldke’sterms(2007).Wewereawareofthe‘risks’ofculinarytourism–ofslippingintopatternsofcolonialism

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 465

andculturalappropriationthatcanoftenaccompanyadesire,toborrowthewordsofbellhooks(2000),to“eattheother”.

Threeyearslater,whenleadingourownprograminourdualroleasguidesandteachers,weweredrivenbysimilardesires,but those desires were coupled with a deliberate and intentional pedagogicalgoal.WewantedourstudentstoengageinLong’s“intentionalexploration”offoodandculture,andwecoupledthatwitharequirementforequallyintentionalscholarlyreflectionontheirexperiences.Inadditiontomoretraditionalassignmentssuchasresearchpapersandseminarpresentations,wecraftedreflectionquestionsandareflectivefinalexambasedonboththeformalcomponentsofourprogramandtheinformalexperiencesthat students had on their own and in groups. The questions asked studentstoframetheirfoodandtravelexperiencesinlightoftheirownbackgrounds,theirupbringing,andthesocio-culturalvaluesthathaveshapedtheirlearning.Wehopedthatthroughthisintentionalexploration,ourstudentscouldreflectonthehegemonictraditionsofculinarytourismwhilesimultaneouslyembracingtheopportunitiesprovidedbyculinarytourism–toexperience,toshare,andtointeractinthoughtfulandmeaningfulways.

JennyMolz(2007:78)furthersLong’sdefinitionofculinarytourism,explainingthat,“foodactsasatransportablesymbolofplaceandofculturalidentity,”oratangiblereminder,forthetourist,ofageographiclocationandexperienceofculture.BothLongandMolzemphasisethatitisnotsomuchthefooditselfthatisanobjectofculturalexperiencebutratheritisthesubject’sexperiencewiththefoodthattakesittoahigherlevelofsignificantmeaning.Fooditselfdoesnotchangedependinguponcontext;aValenciaorangeisaValenciaorange,whetheritispulledoffasupermarketproducedisplayinCanadaorpickeddirectlyfromatreeinSpain.

ForLongandMolz,themeaningor“symbol”ofplace,culture,andidentityliesinthepersonexperiencingthefood,whoisquite

466 Throw your napkin on the floor

likelytohaveadifferentexperienceeatingthesameorangeintwoverydifferentcontexts.Long’s“activeagent,”then,isthekeytounderstandingtheeffectofculinarytourism,specificallyonstudentswhoareeatinganddrinking,notsolelyforpleasure,butwithintheformalcurriculumrequirementsofanacademicprogram.BothLongandMolzarerelyinguponJohnUrry’snotionofthetouristgazeasfundamentaltothewayculinarytouristsintentionallyseekoutfoodexperiences.Urry(UrryandLarsson,2011:1-2)suggests,ashedidforthefirsttimein1990,that“theconceptofthegazehighlightsthat looking is a learned ability and the pure and innocent eye is a myth.”That“learnedability”is“conditionedbypersonalexperiencesandmemoriesframedbyrulesandstyles.”LikeLongandMolz,Urryseesthesubject,orinourcase,thestudent,asthemeaningmaker,particularlywhenitcomestomakingsenseofthewaysinwhichtheirtravelexperienceisframedbytheirsociallyconstructedunderstandingsofrace,class,gender,andothercomponentsofidentityandcommunity.Ourstudents,aslargelywhite,largelymiddle-classCanadians,easilyfallintothetrapofpaintingtheOtherwithbroadstrokes;theyspeak,inadvanceofourtravels,of‘Spanishfood,’‘Spanishpeople,’and‘Spanishculture’asthoughthedifferencesbetweenCanadaandSpainwillbefarmoreprofoundthananydifferenceswithinSpain--andasthoughthey,asCanadians,willhaveaunifiedculturalexperience.WetrytocomplicatethesepresumptionsbyaskingstudentstoidentifyandbecognisantofthewaysinwhichtheirownbackgroundsinfluencetheirinteractionwiththeOther,aswellasthewaysinwhichtheyseeevidenceofOtheringinthecountrytheyarevisiting.

The further students get into analysing and unpacking their relationshiptofoodandtheirroleasatourist,themoredeterminedtheybecometoavoidwhattheyseeasthetrappingsofheavilyconstructedtouristexperiences.Theybecomefixedonthepursuitofwhattheydefineasanauthenticfoodexperience.Authenticityisacomplicatedterm–notjustforundergraduatestudentsstudying

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 467

foodinSpain,butalsoforthosetheoristswhoattempttodefinethetermfortourismstudies.JohnTaylor(2001:8)suggeststhatforalongtime,authenticityposedas“objectivism”andthat“It[held]thespecialpowersbothofdistanceandof‘truth’.”Thischaracterisationofauthenticitysuggeststhatthetouristmightobserveaculturaleventandthenbefilledwithsomeknowledgeaboutaparticularculture.Withthisdefinitionthereisverylittleactiveengagementbetweentouristandevent,aproblemperhapsbestdescribedbyMacCannell(1973),whosuggeststhattourists’questsforauthenticexperiencesarefrustrating,ifnotfutile.MacCannellutilisesErvingGoffman’smodelof“frontstage”and“backstage,”wherethefrontofhouseisthestagedtourist‘show’andthebackofhouseisthemore‘real’localspace.However,MacCannellisdoubtfulthattouristscanfindauthenticityineither,asthebackspacesareoftenjustasstagedasthefrontspaces–somethingthatculinarytouristscertainlyfindastheydiscoverthattheirspecial‘all-access’visitstoaward-winningrestaurantkitchensarejustasheavilyconstructedastheirexperienceasguestsinthediningroom.ForMacCannell,thereisanillusionofauthenticitythatwillinevitablyfrustratetouristsiftheycontinuetodefineasuccessfultouristexperienceasoneinwhichtheyget‘behindthescenes.’

NingWang(1999:364)isperhapsmoreoptimisticthanMacCannell,inhisanalysisofwhatconstitutesanauthentictouristexperience,suggestingthat“touristsarenotmerelysearchingforauthenticityoftheOther.Theyalsosearchfortheauthenticityof,andbetween,themselves.”Wang(1999:359)callsfortouriststohaveaconscioussenseofselfthatmakesthetouristsawareoftheirownsubjectivitywithin the world:

Thus,existentialauthenticity,unlike[an]object-relatedversion,canoftenhavenothingtodowiththeissueofwhethertouredobjectsarereal.Insearchof[a]touristexperiencewhichisexistentiallyauthentic,touristsarepreoccupiedwithanexistentialstateofBeingactivatedbycertaintouristactivities.

468 Throw your napkin on the floor

ForWang,existentialauthenticity,ortheauthenticityof“being,”reliesonabalancebetweenreasonandemotion,anddependsonactivationbyexperience--thisispreciselywherethedailyreflectivewritingassignmentsbecomeuseful.Weareencouragingstudentstophysicallyandemotionallyimmersethemselvesinexperiences,butalsotostepbackandmakesenseofthoseexperiencesbythinkingabouttheirownplacewithinthem;toreflectuponthewaysinwhichtheirpersonalandculturalhistories,theirvalues,theirbeliefs,andtheirexpectationsinfluencetheirinterpretationofanygivenactivity.Ourreflectivepromptsmovethefocusawayfromidentifyingauthenticity in the object and toward identifying authenticity in the student’sinteractionwiththeobject.Wang’snotionofexistentialauthenticity is rooted in the conscious relationship between object andsubject,makingspaceforstudentstobepartoftheconstructionofanauthenticexperience,ratherthanluckilystumblingupononeinahole-in-the-wallrestaurantoutsideofthetouristyareasofasmallSpanish town. When students interrogate the relationship between theirexpectationsandtheirexperiences,theybegintounderstandthattheirintentionalsubjectiveengagementisabettermarkerofauthenticitythananyoftheobjectivequalitiesoftheactivityinwhichthey participate.

PositioningstudentsasagentsinthemakingofanexistentiallyauthenticexperienceleadsdirectlyintoourprimarygoalinourFoodCulturetravelstudyprogram–theentwiningofformal,informal,cognitive,andsensorylearning.Here,theworkofAllisonHayes-ConroyandJessicaHayes-Conroy(2008)ontheroleofvisceralexperienceinlearningisparticularlyuseful.AstheHayes-Conroys(2008:465)pointout,“…memory,perception,cognitivethinking,historicalexperience,andothermaterialrelationsandimmaterialforcesallintersectwithindividuals’sensorygraspoftheworld.”Forstudentswhohaveoftenseentheirlearningexperiencesinbinaryterms(formal/informal,individual/group,mind/body),theintentionalenmeshingoftheseconcepts,throughourteachingand

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 469

throughtheirreflectiveessays,isanimportantstepinachievingthelearninggoalssetoutinthisprogram.

The intentionality of culinary tourism

Asprogramcoordinators,curriculumdesigners,andteachers,wewereexplicitinourdesireandintenttopositionstudentsasthemeaningmakers,andtohavethemapproachtheirtravelwithintentionality–tobedeliberateinacknowledgingandchallengingtheirframesofreference,theirassumptions,andtheirobservations.Inourtriptotheoliveoilpress,studentsbegantoseethemselvesasactiveconstructorsoftheirownexperience,ratherthanpeoplewhosimplystepintopre-existingsituations.Insteadofwalkingintoaready-madetouristscenariowhereinformationwasfedtothemunprompted,theywereresponsiblefordirectingdiscussion,askingquestions,andthinkingaheadtothewaysinwhichtheymightwriteabouttheexperience.Inbothreflectivewritingandinterviews,manyofthestudentsreferredspecificallytotheirintentionaladoptionofthestudent-touristrole,suggestingthattheywantedtoexperienceeventswithadepthofawarenessthattheyassociatedasbeingdistinctfromwhattheyunderstandtobethetypicaltouristgaze.Studentsspokeofseeingthestudent-touristroleaslesspassiveorsuperficialthanthetypicaltouristrole,atleastforthemselves.Mostofthemacknowledgedthatthistravelexperiencewasdistinctlydifferentthanpastsituationsinwhichtheyhadconsideredthemselvestobeleisuretourists.Lauren,athirdyearMusicstudent,describeshereffortsinapostprograminterview:

[Wewere]notjustacceptingthingsexactlyasyouseethem,butlookingdeeperintoit.AndIamspecificallythinkingoftheoliveoilpresswherewedidn’tjustsay“OK,that’showhedoesit.”Thereweresomanyquestionsthatpeopleasked…“Oh,whydoyoudothis?”and“Howlonghaveyoudonethatfor?”andyouarejustinterestedinsomanyotheraspectsofitandalwaystryingtosearchforsomethingdeeper.

470 Throw your napkin on the floor

Thatdeliberatenessingainingasmuchdepthofknowledgeaspossibleabouttheprocessesandpracticesofthisfamily-runoliveoilpress–muchlikeMacCannell’snotionofgetting“backstage”–wasindicativeoftheattitudeofmostofthestudents.Weurgedstudentstotakeadvantageoftheirlocation,theirsurroundings,andtheopportunitytoaskquestionsofeveryonetheymet.Severalofthestudentstalked,monthsaftertheprogramhadended,abouthowpowerfullytheirownquestionsandreflectionsofthefieldtripplayedintheirmemoryoftheexperience.

ForAlyssa,athirdyearCommunicationStudiesstudent,thisexperienceisaturningpointasthestudents’inquiry-basedlearningbecamethesubjectoftheirsocialdiscussions:

ThefieldtripthatIalwaysrememberisgoingtotheoliveoilpress...wewerelookingoutthewindowandeveryonewaslike,‘Wherearewe?Thisistotallydifferentthananythingwehaveseenbefore’soitalreadystartedoffasanewexperienceandwewereallreadytoengagewithsomethingdifferentthanwehadbefore...onthebusridebackwewerealltalkingaboutthatexperiencethewholetime.Wedidn’tstarttalkingaboutourlivesorallthatkindofstuff.Wereallywantedtocontinuetalkingabouttheoliveoilpress and the different things we learned there and how we were soexcitedforeveryonetotrythisoliveoil.

Asteachers,wewereentirelyaware,onthatsamebusride,thatthiswasthefirsttimethatwe’dheardthestudentstalkingabouttheirlearningatatimewhentheyweren’t‘required’to.Itwasamomentatwhichthestudents’owndeterminationtoengage,head-on,withthecoursecontent,becameobvious.Lauren,inherpost-programinterview,mentionsthefieldtriptoafamily-runwineryintheRiojaregionasanotherinstanceinwhichshewantedtobe‘morethan’atourist.Inhermind–consciouslyreflectingonexperienceswassomehowdifferentthansimplyrackingupexperiencesforthesakeofsayingshehaddoneorseensomething.Shedescribedtherealisationthatevenasshewasparticipatinginanactivitythatsheprimarily

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 471

associateswithleisure,shekeptthinking“Oh,whatwouldIwriteaboutthis”or“howwouldIthinkaboutthisifIwasgoingtowriteareflectivepaper?”Thisdeliberatereflectionbecamecommonplaceastheprogramwenton.Whenstudentswroteabouttasteandsmell,theybegantousemorecomplexlanguage.Insteadofdescribingthetasteofamealas“good”or“bad”or“different,”theybegantomakeconnectionstomemory,place,andtime.Theirreflectionsdemonstratedanintersectionofthesensoryandthecognitivewithincreasingcomplexitythroughouttheprogram.

Justasfrequentlythroughouttheprogram,studentsdemonstratedintentionalityinthewaytheyspokeoftheirplansforbackhome,thinkingaloudofwaystheymightapproachtheirdailylifewiththeintentionalityofaculinarytourist.OneofthemostpopulartopicsofconversationintravelstudyprogramsisthecomparisontodailylifeinCanada.Butratherthansimplynotingdifferenceorengaginginsimplisticbetter/worsecomparisons,studentsexpressedanexplicitdesiretotakecomponentsoftheirdailylivedexperienceinSpainandfindawaytoinsertthesecomponentsintotheirlivesathome.Inareflectiveessay,Laurenspeaksofthetriptotheoliveoilpressgivingher“apersonalconnectionwiththeoliveoil”andmakingher“consciouslyawareofallotherproductsaswell.”Dena,athirdyearCommunicationsStudiesstudent,seesherexperiencesinSpainprovidingherwith“amorefullyroundedperspectiveonhowImightattempttore-createthefullestpleasureofeatingwhenIreturnhome.”Perhapsmostinsightfully,Amy,afourthyearCommunicationsStudiesstudent,writesofhernewfoundawarenessoftherelationshipshecanhavewithfood:

IhavelearnedthatIcan’tbepassive[aboutfood].IfIwantgoodfoodorhealthyfood,thenIhavetotakethestepstoearntheknowledge.ThenIcanmakeinformeddecisionsaboutwhatI’meating,whereit’scomingfrom,andisitgoodforme.OnceIhavetheknowledge,thenIhavethepower,andeverytimeIuseit,itistomyadvantage.NotonlydoIhaveamore“accurate

472 Throw your napkin on the floor

consciousness”(Berry,1992,p.234),butIwillgetmorepleasurefromeatingbecauseIknowthatIamtakingthestepstobeaninformedeater.

Perhapscontrarytotheirprevioustravelexperiencesinwhichtheycordonedofftraveltimeaspleasure-oriented‘specialoccasion’time,thesestudentsweretreatingtheirtravelsastheinspirationfornewwaystoeat,shop,cook,andengagewiththeirdailylivesathomeinwaysthattheyhadn’tdoneintheirprevioustravelexperiences.

Quest for authenticity: The impossible dream

Forthestudent-tourist–muchasformanyculinarytourists–thereisapervasivedesiretodistinguishtheirtravelexperiencefromthatofothersbyseekingout‘authentic’localfood.Authenticity,alongwithbeingamajorthemeinouracademicinquiry,hasbecomesomethingofarunningjokeinourtravelstudyprogram.MonthspriortoleavingforSpain,studentsstarttalkingaboutexperiencing‘theauthenticfoodcultureofSpain,’andtheyareconvincedthattheywillavoidthetourist‘traps’andfindthatlittle‘holeinthewall’cafewherethe‘real’Spanishfoodisserved.TheyallhavedifferentideasaboutwhatisrealSpanishfood--paella, rabo de toro, tapas--butfindingitistheirmission.Bymidwaythroughtheprogram,theirideasaroundauthenticityhaveshiftedcompletely.Restaurantsoutsidetouristareasarenotinstantly,inherentlymore“authentic”thanthoseinmajortouristcentres,andsomeofthebestfoodtheyeatisn’tSpanishatall.Theyareconvincedthereisnosuchthingasauthenticity,andlikeMacCannellsuggests,theydiscoverthatasearchfortheauthenticfood culture of any society is a search fraught with tension and frustration.

Inevitably,bythesecondweekofourthree-weekprogram,wehavetostageaninterventionwithourstudentswhohavebecomefrustratedand discouraged in their search for authenticity. We ask students to considerWang’sideaoftheexistentialtouristwhocanparticipate

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 473

incultivatinganauthenticexperience.Weprovidepromptsthataskstudentstoexaminehowtheirresponsestoanexperiencemightbe,asWangsuggests,bothrationalandemotional,andhowdelicatethatbalancecanbe.Weaskthemtostepbackfromtheirexperiences,andtocriticallyanalysethesocio-culturalinfluencesthatinformandshapetheirinitialreactions.Fromapedagogicalperspective,thisisanimmeasurablyvaluableapproachtodiscussing,positioning,andunderstanding authenticity as it relates to food pedagogy. Students whoareactivelyengagedinfindinganauthenticfoodexperiencewhilesimultaneouslybeingawareofthefutilityofsuchasearcharestudentswhoarecriticallyevaluatingtheirrelationshiptofoodbyengaging,daily,withfoodandeatingasobjectsofinquiryratherthansimplyasproductsoractivitiesnecessarytodailylife.

WithindaysofarrivinginSpain,studentsrealisehowdifficultitistofindanythingresemblingtheirpre-conceivednotionsof‘authentic’Spanishfood.TheirfirsttriptoMadrid’sPlazaMayorbombardsthemwithplacardsadvertisingapopularprocessed‘OKPaella’beingservedinmostoftheplaza’srestaurants.InthestreetssurroundingourhotelinCordoba,restaurantsandcafesallposta‘touristmenu’nexttotheirmenu del dia,usuallyconsistingofahighlyAmericanisedversionofaSpanishmaindish,accompaniedbyFrenchfriesandapre-madedessert.Studentsfeelcheatedbythisfood,andbytheassumptionthattouristswillwantadifferentmealthanthatwhichofferedtoSpaniards.Asaconsequence,studentsbecomeincreasinglyfrustratedintheireffortstoavoidthetouristlabel.Inapost-programinterview,Amyexplainsthefrustrationoftheearlydaysintheprogram:

Theword[authentic]cameupsomuchanditwassuchastruggleforeverybodytowraptheirheadaroundandallofthedifferentwordsthatwentwithit,andwewereconstantlylookingintorestaurants….‘wellthatplacecan’tbeauthentic,lookhowmanytouristsarethere,wecannotgothere.’Andthenwewouldgotothenextplace,‘wellthisplacehasnobodyinit,itmustbe

474 Throw your napkin on the floor

authentic’...Itriedsohardwhenweweretherenottobethetypicaltourist…

AnotherfourthyearCommunicationsStudiesstudent,Lacey,saysthatauthenticitybecame“anenemyofaword,”suggestingthatattimes,theobsessionthatsheandherfriendshadwithfindingauthenticmealsandexperiences“overshadowedourabilitytoexperiencepleasure.”Erica,athirdyearCommunicationsStudiesstudent,articulatedthefrustrationbestinareflectiveessay,sayingthat“Authenticityisanintangibleconceptofidealismthatwegraspat.Itisalmostlikethemorewetrytomakeourexperiencesomethingauthentic,themoreitbecomescontaminatedbywellintended,butcounteractiveefforts.”

Ourgoalwastohavestudentscomplicatetheirearliestusesoftheword“authentic”andtoquestionwhatitmeanstoengage,authentically,withameal,oranexperience,or,indeed,withaculture.Thepurposeoftheexercisewasnottodestroyallpleasureorjoyforthestudents--onthecontrary,itwastohelpthemunderstandthatauthenticitywasnotanobjectiveconcept--thatitdidn’tliveinaparticularfood,oraparticularrestaurant,butrather,intheiremotional,sensory,andthoughtfulengagementwithanexperience.WeaskthemtotryandexplainhoweatingpaellainthemiddleofPlazaMayorsurroundedbyothertouristsmightstillbeanauthenticexperience;howauthenticitymight,asWangsuggests,belocated“ofandbetweenthemselves”ratherthaninthepaellaortheplaza.And,so,inthesecondweekoftheprogram,westarttalkinginmoredepthabouttherolethattheyplayinhavinganauthenticexperience.

Formanystudents,theoliveoilpressprovedtobeanexperiencethattheycouldeventuallyembraceasexistentiallyauthentic.Inthisfieldtrip,thestudentswere,forthreehours,immersedintheworldofamulti-generationfamilyrunbusiness,organiclongbeforeorganicwasabuzzword,wherecateringtotouristswasaverylowpriority.HavingcomedirectlyfromCordoba,whereweweresurroundedby

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 475

souvenirshopsandtouristmenusandendlessaccommodationsforthrongsoftourists,wenowfoundourselvesinanenvironmentwithnopromotionalmaterials,notouristinformationcentreandnotevenashopinwhichtoproperlydisplayandselltheiroliveoil.Formanyofthestudents,thesuddendeparturefromhavingeverythinghandedtothemmadethemmoreinterestedandengagedintheexperience.Amygaveagreatdealofthoughttothesubject,andcameupwiththefollowingfinalexamreflection:

Foodcanbeanincredibleinsight,butonecan’tsimplyeatSpanishfoodandbelievethattheybetterunderstandtheSpanishwayoflife.Forme,ourvisittotheoliveoilpresswasanauthenticexperience,andIlearnedfromthistripthatthistypeofauthenticexperienceisparticularlyimportant.Actuallylearningaboutthehistoryofoliveoil,seeingwithmyowneyesthemachineusedtomakeitandhearingthepassionandpridein[theowner’s]voicehaschangedthewayIlookatoliveoilforever.Iwillneverbeableto go to Safeway and buy the cheapest brand without thinking abouthowitwasmade,whereitisfrom,etc.IwouldneverhavegotsuchanexperienceifIhadjustusedoliveoilinarestaurant.IknowthatwhenImakethedecisiontoresearchwheretheoliveoilI’mbuyingisfrom,whenIchoosetospendtheextramoneyonaqualityproduct,thatIwillgetmorepleasurefromwhatI’meatingbecauseI’llbethinkingabouthowIamsupportingatraditionalfamilybusinesslikePaco’s.ThatiswhatIbelieveanauthenticexperienceis,andwhyIknowitisimportant.

Inthesamewaythattheabsenceoftouristsdoesn’tinherentlyrenderaplaceoreventauthentic,thepresenceoftourists,suchasinourvisittotheoliveoilpress,doesn’timmediatelyrenderanexperienceinauthentic.Whenstudentshadtheopportunitytotouchtheolives,seethepress,tastetheoil,andtalktoitsproducer,theyconnectedwiththisfoodexperiencebothcognitivelyandviscerally,andbegantounderstandthevalueoflearningthroughboththeirmindsandtheirsenses.Thisexperienceisnotunmediated;itdoesnotexist,independentofthosewhovisit,assomesortofquintessential,pure,authenticmarkerofSpanishlifeandculture.Butformany

476 Throw your napkin on the floor

ofourstudents,thiswasoneofthefirstmomentsinwhichtheysaw and articulated relationships between their past beliefs and behaviours,theircurrentexperience,andtheirintentionstothinkandactdifferentlyinthefuture.Itwouldbeeasytodismissthisparticularfieldtripasanuncomplicatedexperiencethatrequireslittleintellectualinterrogationonthepartofourstudents--thisis,afterall,preciselythekindofexperiencethatmostculinarytouristsdesperatelyseekwhenvisitingSpain.Butwewouldarguethattheintentional,thoughtfulreflectionofthesestudents,astheyquestionhowandwhytheyunderstandthisexperiencetobeauthentic,ispreciselywhatmakestheexperienceexistentiallyauthentic.AsTheovanLeeuwen(2001:396)sousefullysuggestsinhisessayonauthenticityindiscourse,itisourjob“toask,not:‘Howauthenticisthis?’,but‘Whotakesthisasauthenticandwhodoesnot?’.”Inourunderstandingofwhatauthenticitymeans,noexperience,nomatterhowaccessibleorhowobscure,isinherentlyauthentic.Itisthepracticeorinterrogationoftheexperienceinwhichauthenticityresides.

Pedagogy of the senses

Itbecameincreasinglycleartous,throughoutthedurationofourprogram,thatstudentsrespondedmostprofoundlyandthoughtfullytotheexperiencesinwhichtheirsenseswerereallyengaged.Thefirsttimetheytastedafreshanchovy.Thefirstbiteofthesalty,paper-thinjamonthatSpainisfamousfor.Themildfruitinessoftheoliveoilthatwaspouredliberallyonmostoftheirmeals.Thecacophonyofvoicesinaplazabar,wherepatronsrangedfromnewborntoelderly,andnooneseemedtoseekouta‘quiettable.’Theverynotionofwalkingintoacrowdedbar,eatingoneperfectbiteoffood,andthrowingtheirnapkinsonthefloorbeforemovingontothenextstop.Weheardabouttheseexperiencesfromstudentsagainandagain,anditbecameabundantlyclearthatthisphysical,sensualengagementwiththefoodofSpainwascomingtodefineourstudents’experience.

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 477

Atravelstudyprogramhasverylittlevalueifitdoesnomorethanreplicatethepracticesandpurposesofaregularhomeclassroominthemidstofanothercountry.Sowhileweweredemandinginourexpectationsthatstudentsread,write,andpresentaspartoftheprogram,itwasalsocrucialtousthattheydo,see,andfeel.Thecriticalandanalyticallensofculinarytourism,afterall,isnottheonly way students learn through food. In order to appreciate the pedagogicalvalueofsuchfood-centredstudyabroadprogramsweneed to understand how the senses play a role in student learning.

LucyLong(2004:21)highlightstheimportanceofsensoryexperienceinunderstandingculinarytourismwhensheencourages“anaestheticresponsetofoodaspartofthatexperience.”Othertheoristsseesensoryreactions,specificallytaste,ascriticaltofoodstudiesandtoalongtermmemoryofexperiencesofbothfoodandtravel.Heldke(2007:386)suggeststhat:

Thoughitwouldbehyperbolicandunverifiabletoassertthatgustatoryencounterswiththeunfamiliararethemostprofoundperceptualexperiencesthetravellercanhave,anecdotalevidencesuggeststheterrorsanddelightsofthetongueaffectsodramaticallythattheirmemoriesremainsharpevenyearslater.

Somemightarguethattasteandsmellarehighlysubjectiveandthatwhatisunfamiliarforonepersonmightnotbeforanother.Indeed,manyofourstudentsspokeofeatingthingsthatwerefamiliartootherpeoplebutterrifyingforthem,likerawmeatorabarely-cookedegg.ButasCarolKorsmeyer(2007:8)suggests,sensessuchastastecancreateandactivatememoriesthatconnecttheindividualtothehistorical,thesocial,andthecultural:

Tastesaresubjectivebutmeasurable,relativetocultureandtoindividual,yetshared;fleetingsensationsthatnonethelessendureovermanyyearsinmemory;transientexperiencesfreightedwiththeweightofhistory.Andfinallytastescanprovideentertainment

478 Throw your napkin on the floor

andintellectualabsorption,bothwhentheyareexperiencedintheactofeatinganddrinking…

AsourstudentsspentmoreandmoretimeimmersingthemselvesinthefoodcultureofthevariousregionsofSpain,theybecameincreasingly liberated in the language they used to describe experiences,challengingtheircomfortzonesinacademicwriting.Insteadofrelyingexclusivelyoncarefullyconsideredanddeliberatereferencestoacademicarticles,studentsstartedtoalsospeakandwriteofthesensualpleasuresoftheirexperiences,andthesimultaneousfearanddelightthatcancomewithsensoryexcitement.Astudentwhohadbeenquiteconservativeinherwritingintheearlydaysoftheprogramspoke,later,ofadinnerwehadshared,remembering“thefresh,coldsaltinessofthetunatartare”and“thetangysweetnessoftheraspberrysorbet.”AnothertoldthestoryofbeinginapintxosbarinSanSebastian,whereaparticularlyelaboratearrayoffoodwasdisplayedonthecounter,onlytocatchaglimpse,outofthecornerofhereye,ofanotherstudent’spurse-sizedbottleofhandsanitizerperchedamidstthegorgeousdisplayoffood--forher,thiswasaperfectvisualjuxtapositionofthecultureshockthatsomestudentshadexperiencedinSpain.InastrikingechooftheHayes-Conroys’referencetointersectionbetweenthevisceralandthecognitive,Laceyrecallsthesensoryexperiencesattheoliveoilpresstoexplainwhatshecalledadifferencebetween“headsense”and“heartsense”:

WhenIreflectonthatday,verylittleofwhatIrecallis‘head.’AllIrememberistheorangesandtheoliveoil.ThehandshakethatIgotfrom[theowner]...thegraciousnessthatwefeltfromhim.That’snotreallyaheadsensebutitisaheartsense.Thesmellofwalkingintheroomwheretheydidthepress.Thefeeloftheropecirclesthattheysquishedolivesinbetween.Stilltothisdayawholeyearlaterthatkindofnylon-yrope,anythingthatlooksorfeelslikethatremindsmeofthatday…

Shegoesontotalkabouthowupuntilthen,authenticityhadfeltlikeajoke,butthatatthispoint,everyone“justgotit”.Forher,itwasthesensoryexperiencethatmadethings‘real’andallowedhertomove

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 479

fromfeelinglikeaself-conscioustouristintofeelingaconnectiontothe food culture of Spain.

ManystudentsspokeoftheirsensoryexperiencewithfoodinSpainbeingaturningpointinseeingthevalueofeatingforpurepleasureinsteadofsimplynourishmentorhabit.UponherfirstvisittoapopularandcrowdedtapasbarinasmalltownintheRiojaregion,Maia,athirdyearCommunicationsStudiesstudent,writes:

...anticipationmetitsmarkinmyfirstvisittoAsadorSagartoki.Allofthepassionandpleasurewasimmediatelyevidentintherestaurant,redefiningmynotionofcultureentirely.Theseeminglycarelesseasewithwhichtheserversproducedfood,slingingbitesfromcountertoplatewhilejetstreamsofcidershotfromthewallsbehindthembroughttolightBourdain’snotionof“terrorizing”onebarafteranother...Icanidentifywiththenotionofbeingterrified;myexperienceseatinginVitoriaandinSanSebastiancomprisethemostuncomfortableandyetamazingeatingofmylife.Thetapasculturerequiresthatyouworkforyourfood,butrewardsyouwithunendingtidbitsofdelicious(yetunexpected)combinations.Thisfeelingofhavingmycomfortzonechallengedwasessentialtoshiftingmyperspectiveonconsumerconsciousnessandthepleasuresofeating.Beingsoinvolvedintheprocess,fightingtogetuptothebar,shoutingtoorder,withoutknowingwhatyouaregetting,evenkeepingtrackofyourownbill,putsanonusandresponsibilityonthedinerthatsharpenedmyperspectiveandmademeappreciatemyfood,andthepleasureofeating,allthemore.

Herdescriptionofthephysicalexperienceofthebar--slingingfood,shootingcider,fightingtogettothebar,shoutingtoorder--thesesensoryexperienceswereentirelyunfamiliartomostofourCanadianstudents,forwhombusy,crowdedbarswereusuallyfordrinkinganddancing,noteating,andrestaurantstendedtobeadecidedlymoresedateenvironment.ThesensoryoverloadcreatedbythetapasbarsofNorthernSpainchallengedourstudents’understandingoffoodcultureinawaythatmadethemfeel–howevertemporarily–likepart of Spanish life.

480 Throw your napkin on the floor

Conclusion

Theexperienceofstudyingthefoodcultureofanothercountry(muchliketheexperienceoftravelingabroadwithagroupofuniversitystudents)isfraughtwithcomplexity.Asinstructors,weendeavourtohelpourstudentsseetheimportanceofapedagogyofthesenses–onethatvaluesandcomplicatestheirsensoryexperiences.Weknowthatindoingso,weruntheriskofromanticisingsensoryeducationassomehowmore“natural”or“pure”thancognitivelearning(Swan2012;Hayes-Conroy2008).Thisisnotourgoal.Tobesure,wearedrivenbyadesiretoseeourstudentsstopdismissingtheirsensesasomethingseparatefromcognition–tothinkabouthowtasteandsoundandsmell,forinstance,caninspireandmotivatebothabodilyand an intellectual understanding of food and their relationship with it.Wewouldneversuggestthatsensorylearningisanylessracialised,orclassed,orgenderedthancognitivelearning;indeed,wetalkaboutprecisely these issues regarding the social construction of sensory experienceonadailybasisthroughouttheprogram.Whilemanyofourstudents,intheirearlyreflectivewriting,areproducing“middle-classepiphanies”2framedbyWesternnarrativesoffood,travel,andauthenticity,theyarealsoprovidingentryintoamorecomplexinterrogationofwhat–andhow–theyknow.

Throughouttheirtravelsandstudies,ourstudentsstruggle,muchaswedointhisarticle,tomakesenseofauthenticity.Thereisagreattemptation--amongtourists,amongstudents,andThankstoElaineSwanforthisphrase.indeed,amongacademics,tosettleonatidydefinitionofauthenticitythatcanprovidesatisfactiontothetravellerinsearchofauthenticexperiences.Butsuchatidydefinitionisvirtuallyimpossible,and,inourminds,ultimatelydissatisfying,erasingthenuancesthatmakeauthenticityinteresting.AsWang(1999:353)sousefullysuggests,itiscrucialtorecognisethat“authenticityisnotamatterofblackorwhite,butratherinvolvesamuchwiderspectrum,richinambiguouscolors.Thatwhichisjudgedasinauthenticorstagedauthenticitybyexperts,intellectuals,orelitemaybeexperiencedasauthenticandrealfromanemicperspective--

2 Thanks to Elaine Swan for this phrase.

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 481

thismaybetheverywaythatmasstouristsexperienceauthenticity.”Thisnotionofaspectrumofauthenticityisexceptionallyvaluableforusasteachers--itprovidesuswithanentrywaytoproblematisethemore“obviously”orstereotypicallyauthenticexperienceoftheoliveoilpress,aswellastoinvitereflectiononhoweatingaBigMacinthemidstofthewalledcityofToledomightbeanequallyauthenticexperience.

Wewouldarguethatfoodisapowerful,butnotuncomplicated,pedagogicaltoolintheprocessofstudentlearning,whereboththemindandthebodyaresimultaneouslyengagedinunderstandingcrucialcomponentsofcommunicationandculture.Asculinarytourists,studentsarecriticallyengagedwiththefoodcultureofSpain,butassensorybeingstheyarealsoindividuallychallengedastheyexperiencefoodandeatingwithadeliberateawarenessofbothsensoryandcognitiveexperiences.Ourstudentsbecameawareoftheirownpowertocreatemeaninginexperiences,recognisingthatcriticalanalysisandintentionalreflectioncanbeappliedtoeventhemostquotidianmomentsoftheirtravels--thesensoryexperiencesthattheyhaveoftentakenforgranted.Finally,withtimeandseeminglyendlessdiscussion,theycometounderstandauthenticityasaprocessofengagementbetweensubjectandobject--asameans,rather than an end.

ReferencesBerry,W.(1992).‘Thepleasuresofeating’,inCurtin,D.&Heldke,L.(eds.),

Cooking, Eating, Thinking: Transformative Philosophies of Food,Bloomington,Indiana:IndianaUniversityPress,374-379.

Hayes-Conroy,A.,&Hayes-Conroy,J.(2008).‘TakingBackTaste:Feminism,FoodandVisceralPolitics’,Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography,15(5),461-473.

Heldke,L.(2007).‘ButisitAuthentic?CulinaryTravelandtheSearchforthe‘GenuineArticle’’inKorsmeyer,C(ed.),The Taste Culture Reader: Experiencing Food and Drink,NewYork,NewYork:Berg,385-394.

Hooks,b.(2000)‘EatingtheOther:DesireandResistance’inSchor,J.BandD.B.Holt(eds.),The Consumer Society Reader,NewYork,NewYork:TheNewPress,342-359.

482 Throw your napkin on the floor

Korsmeyer,C.(2007).The Taste Culture Reader: Experiencing Food and Drink,NewYork,NewYork:Berg.

Long,L.(2004).‘CulinaryTourism:AFolkloricPerspectiveonEatingandOtherness’,inLong,L.(ed.),Culinary Tourism,Lexington:Kentucky:UniversityofKentuckyPress,20-50.

MacCannell,D.(1973).‘StagedAuthenticity:ArrangementsofSocialSpaceinTouristSettings’,American Journal of Sociology,79(3),589-603.

Molz,J.(2007).‘EatingDifference:TheCosmopolitanMobilitiesofCulinaryTourism’,Space and Culture,10(1),February,77-93.

Swan,E.(2012).‘BlueEyedGirl?JaneElliott’sExperientialLearningandAnti-Racism’inM.ReynoldsandR.Vince(eds),Handbook of Experiential Learning and Management Education,OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford,UK,pp.202-220

Taylor,J.(2001).‘Authenticityandsincerityintourism’,Annals of Tourism Research,28,7–26.

Urry,J.andJ.Larsen(2011,thirdedition)The Tourist Gaze, London: Sage Publications.

VanLeeuwen,T.(2001).‘WhatisAuthenticity?’,Discourse Studies,3,392-397.

Wang,N.(1999).‘Rethinkingauthenticityinthetouristexperience’,Annals of Tourism Research,26,April,349–370.

About the authors

Lisa Stowe is a full time faculty member in the Department of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary. Her research areas include food studies, experiential learning, informal and formal learning situations in higher education and transformative education. Currently, she is researching and writing a qualitative case study that profiles and substantiates how undergraduate students learn while enrolled in a short-term travel study program.

Dawn Johnston holds a PhD in Communication and Culture from the University of Calgary, where she is now a full-time faculty member. Her research and teaching interests include television and film studies, gender and sexuality in popular culture, and food

Lisa Stowe and Dawn Johnston 483

culture. She co-developed and has been co-teaching the University of Calgary’s Food Culture in Spain travel study program since 2007.

Contact details

Department of Communication and Culture, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, NW Calgary, AB Canada T2N 1N4.lstowe@ucalgary.ca

debjohns@ucalgary.ca