11 / 52
Beyond the Books
Economics and biology coalesced for students in the
Fermentation & Re-localization of Food course in
Portugal this J Term
.
The idea took hold in 2012 when Professors Mary Allen (biology) and Carli
Ficano (economics) received funding to develop a J Term course they
titled Microbes, Markets, and Food. After twice offering it on campus, the
professors felt ready to take the concept abroad. “We wanted to provide
students an opportunity to study the deep connections between food and
cultural heritage present in countries much older than our own,” Allen
explains. “Portugal has many fermented products — sausage, cheese, wine —
that are an integral component of the Portuguese heritage.”
Biochemistry major Rachel Utegg ’19 was intrigued. “The food industry
depends on both science and economics, and this course demonstrated how
that balance works on different scales,” she says, referring to craft, local,
national, and international frameworks. “A textbook could not capture the
passion and pride that the Portuguese have for their food. That was truly
special to experience.”
“I now realize how important it is to support small-scale providers of our
food,” says Allison Brody ’20, a nursing major who earned the Florence
and George Hutman Scholarship for International Study. “It was a unique
experience to have cheese and wine makers explain how they make their
products right after we had learned the concepts in class.”
Elijah Hernandez ’18 learned “the taste of the food depends on the region.
Every farm or winery we visited had their own special process that
contributed to their product.” This business administration major values his
experience, which was supported by the Brian Wilcox ’87 and Kristen Wilcox
J Term Scholarship.
The professors were a draw for business administration major Kyle Kickle ’18.
“I already had an awesome relationship with Dr. Ficano,” he says, “and Dr.
Allen blew my mind every time she talked about how microbes interact and
affect all foods and beverages we consume on a daily basis.”
Allen explains. “Fermentation is a biochemical process linked intrinsically
to a necessary human action — eating — and so is a great system for
introducing the relevance of science to our everyday lives,” she says. “We
explored the science behind fermented foods; the challenges of increasing the
scale of this production; and the impacts on society, including food security,
of moving beyond local production to commodification.”
The course “focused on the important role that local food systems play
in the sustainability of regional economies,” explains Ficano, citing the
class’ visits to the ancient town of Évora and the Cartuxa Winery of the
Eugénio de Almeida Foundation. “Proceeds from Cartuxa’s operation are
directed towards small business development, education, and culture in
the communities proximate to the winery’s operation,” she explains. “The
foundation is a model of public-private partnerships that can revive and
sustain communities.” And, adds Allen, “That’s a key example of the social
responsibility component of our course.”
n
Spring | Summer 2018
9