Cool International Food Topics?

[faine]

I'm a undergraduate at Tulane and was chuffed to find the school offers research travel grants. I'm a foodie and food blogger. Not suprisingly, I intend to write about food and international travel for a living. (If this topic is in the wrong spot, please move it!)

I want to apply for a grant to travel back to Asia and complete a project or execute some research in a food related area. However, narrowing down the possibilities isn't exactly easy! Grants are offered through the women's studies department and thus an emphasis on women is something I'd like to include.

I figured it couldn't hurt to throw this out there and see if anyone had any insights.

What I have so far:

- Return to India and look at how food and eating is changing as India modernizes, with emphasis on cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore) and women's changing roles. IE, how is India's shift towards a always eating-in culture to an eating out culture affecting people's lives, especially women's? Are traditions being lost or preserved? Is this a positive change?

- Travel around Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to explore food culture there as a photo essay/travelouge. Again, how is food and eating changing as these countris begin to modernize? Possibly tie this into the immigrant experience in NOLA or California...somehow.

- Go back to China and explore women's roles in the restaurant and food industries there. One interesting thing I noticed is that women are not very visible working on the "street" as cooks, vendors, and saleswomen in India (except for rare exceptions), but are pretty much everywhere in China. Are they making advances in regards to men? Are they moving up and improving their lot in life through food-related endeavors?

That's what I have so far. Got til' spring to figure this out, which is comforting. Your thoughts?

[gfron1]

You seem a bit focused on Asian, but browse FXCuisine.com or read through the indices of the Art of Eating. Both will be packed with great ideas (especially the latter).

[gfron1]

HERE'S a cool story. I sell their papadum in my store and I've always wanted to meet the women.

[Abra]

My best suggestion, as a person who's writing about food in a foreign country, is to go where you speak the language. If you want an in-depth look into women's lives, which I think is an excellent idea, you'll do a lot better if you can talk with them directly.

[faine]

English is pretty widely used in India, so that shouldn't be an issue. I do speak some Chinese and it'd be nice to see if i can tighten up my skills in the process.

[Synergy]

I really like the first idea, traveling around India.

As a foodie with an Anthropology degree and a travel writting dream, let me tell you, I'm a little jealous!

Good luck, whatever you wind up doing!