The act of eating is simultaneously personal and prosaic. Perhaps because of this, stories about food reveal much of what we might otherwise miss. What do (and don't) we eat, and when, and how? Who must shoulder the task of food preparation, and why? What foods do we turn to for convenience? Is communal eating always inclusive? These were some questions we sought to answer in this mini-series on food in Southasia. More specifically, we tried to fill in gaps, with an eye for stories that are often glossed over, or otherwise rendered invisible.
At Himal Southasian, we have always believed that stories about food can be used to illustrate larger socio-cultural issues. In 2013, we produced a print quarterly and web package titled 'Farms, Feasts, Famines' that tackled everything from food sovereignty to inequality to disappearing foods. Over the years, we have also commissioned stories on food security, fast food and entrepreneurship, shifting eating habits, and even on what food makes it onto our Instagram feed.