Week 1

Jan 23: Class introduction and also introduction to WordPress. Also “How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation in Food” and how to “decolonize our love for food”: 

Free-write about Mexican food and appropriation. Opening your Instagram account for class, and follow @tacoliteracy. 

Homework: Finish registering for WordPress and Instagram, and complete your first posts for both. Your posts should be adapted from your free-write in class, but I also ask you to embed an image and short video. If you have problems, try troubleshooting on YouTube. 

Read over this report from The Salt and listen to the episode of the podcast The Sporkful embedded in the article. Last, please email me your WordPress URL at alvares1@stjohns.edu. 

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Week 2

Jan 27: Discussion of “When Chefs Become Famous Cooking Other Cultures’ Food” and thinking about appropriation and ethics about foodways. Searching for images and reviewing food experiences. Different foodways accounts to follow on Instagram, and food photography practice, with this short CNet tutorial: 

Also Google map search of Mexican restaurants in Queens and greater NYC. Looking for research for your first writing.  

Homework: Start reading the epic United States of Tacos by Eater.

Read 1) “Welcome,” 2) “Anyone Saying New York’s Mexican Food Sucks . . .,” 3) “Meet the Women Behind New York’s Most Perfect Tortillas,” and 4) “How Mexican Restaurateurs Are Taking the Lead on Immigration Activism in NYC.”

Review also this map, places for your research.

*The deadline for going to one of these places for IG and WordPress posts is on 2/6. Plan on locating two locations to conduct your research. We will create a list next class of locations from everyone. 

Jan 30: Maps and search terms for locations. Review of the articles from Eater, and also watching the film Mexington by the Southern Foodways Alliance. 

Homework: Continue with The United States of Mexican Food, “California’s Lost (and Found) Punjabi-Mexican Cuisine” and Taco USA, Introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2. 

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Week 3

Feb 3: Review of “Punjabi-Mexican Cuisine” and Taco USA. Practicing close reading of Taco USA and composing PIE paragraphs. Also some Instagram research. 

Homework: Review locations for your food of focus via Instagram. You should also include five images for your blog that you will use for Assignment 1. Your first six posts are also due. The posts should offer compliments to the images you collect, whether they are images you published on Instagram or not. One of your WordPress posts must be a PIE paragraph from Taco USA.

Read Taco USA, Chapter 3. 

Feb 6: 15 images due published on Instagram and 6 posts on WordPress. We’ll be reviewing classmates’ posts and also further into Taco USA. 

Homework: Taco USA, Chapter 4, Chapter 5 Chapter 6, and Chapter 7. 

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Week 4

Feb 10: Further discussion of Taco USA. Last questions for Assignment 1.   

Homework: Read Taco USA, Chapter 8, Chapter 9. Also Assignment 1 due next class.  

Feb 13: Assignment 1 due, 8 pm. We’ll be joined by the taco crew from the High School for Community Leadership. Watching a bit of Ugly Delicious from Season 1. Discussion of Taco USA and back to the theme of appropriation. 

Homework: Continue with Taco USA, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13. 

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Week 5

Feb 17: NO CLASS. 

Feb 20: Last discussion about Taco USA and major themes in the book. Preparing for Planet Taco. 

Homework: Read Planet Taco, Introduction and Chapter 1. Also read “A History of Mexico City in 10 dishes.” 

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Week 6

Feb. 24: Diving into the history of Mexican food with Planet Taco and the dishes in the Roads and Kingdoms article.  

Homework: Your next set of blog posts and IG posts are due next class. Two of your WordPress posts must be PIE paragraphs. Also, check out this short Eater piece in preparation for the episode of Parts Unknown for next class.

Feb. 27: 15 images due published on Instagram and 6 posts on WordPress. We’ll be joined by the taco crew from the High School for Community Leadership. We’ll be watching Parts Unknown Queens episode.

Homework: Read Planet Taco Chapters 2 and 3. 

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Week 7

Mar 2: SPRING BREAK.

Mar 5: SPRING BREAK.

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Week 8

Mar 9: Reviewing Planet Taco, back to discussions of indigeneity and appropriation. 

Homework: Continue Planet Taco Chapter 4. 

Mar 12: Assignment 2 due, 8 pm. Further discussion of Planet Taco and using Instagram to seek out taquerias around the globe. 

Homework: Continue Planet Taco Chapters 5 and 6. 

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Week 9

Mar 16: Continue discussion of Planet Taco and researching further themes from the book online. Using Google scholar and library databases to research Mexican foodways. 

Homework: Complete Planet Taco Chapter 7. Also watch “The Tamale Queen of New York”:

Mar 19: We’ll finish up with Planet Taco. We’ll also be joined by the taco crew from the High School for Community Leadership, and we’ll review “The Tamale Queen” and watch a bit of Taco Chronicles. 

Homework: Start reading Eating NAFTA, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.  

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Week 10

Mar 23: Monday class, cancelled. Instead I will be doing this digital talk Tuesday evening. Event is free to sign up, and I will count this as one of our classes. You can also watch the lecture later. It’s about this class!

https://event.newschool.edu/tacoliteracy

Homework: Listen to episode of Latino USA featuring Dr. Gálvez, “The NAFTA Diet.” 

Mar 26: Discussion of Galvez’s book, and checking in on everyone.

Homework: Read Eating NAFTA Chapter 3 and Chapter of 4.

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Week 11

Mar 30: Discussion of Eating NAFTA, further on corn, trade, and the migration of people. Also watching The Fruits of Mexico’s Cheap Labor about transnational labor:

Homework: Read Eating NAFTA, Chapter 5. Also watch this episode of Tacos of Texas focusing on the Rio Grande Valley

We’ll watch an episode of the taco journalists’ national show next class, and speak to Mando Rayo. 

Apr 2: We’ll be joined by the taco crew from the High School for Community Leadership. We’ll watch an episode of United States of Tacos and briefly speak with Mando Rayo who will Skype in. 

Homework: Read Eating NAFTA, Chapter 6. Your next set of blog posts and IG posts are due next class. Two of your WordPress posts must be PIE paragraphs. 

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Week 12

Apr 6: 15 images due published on Instagram and 6 posts on WordPress. Continue discussion of Eating NAFTA and what current trade policies with Mexico look like. 

Homework: Finish reading Eating NAFTA, Chapter 7 and Chapter 8. Also examining Yum brands, the home company of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC: 

Apr 9: NO CLASS.

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Week 13

Apr 13: NO CLASS. 

Apr 15 (Wednesday): Final discussion of Eating NAFTA. We’ll be joined by the taco crew from the High School for Community Leadership and doing a team-class project with video. Also introducing everyone to José Ralat’s work at the Texas Monthly.

Homework: Begin reading American Tacos, Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3. 

Apr 16: NO CLASS. Assignment 3 due 5pm. 

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Week 14

Apr 20: Final discussion of Eating NAFTA and introducing the final assignment.

Apr 23: Discussing American Tacos, and watching “South LA’s African American Taco Movement”: 

Homework: Read American Tacos Chapter 4, 5, 6, and 7.  

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Week 15

Apr 27: Discussing American Tacos. Also watching an episode of “All the Tacos” focusing on Puebla: 

Homework: Finish American Tacos, Chapter 8. Upload your next images on your blog that will be included for your next project. Your next set of blog posts and IG posts are due next class. Two of your WordPress posts must be PIE paragraph

Apr 30: LAST CLASS. 15 Instagram photos due and 6 WordPress posts due. Author José Ralat will also be Skyping in to speak with us about his book. Also watching “Mexican People Try Taco Bell for the First Time”

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*May 6: Taco Camino de Queens. We will be meeting in Jackson Heights, TBD. 

Final Assignment 4 projects due May 12, 12pm.