Good Reads: Munchies is a e-book about meals and consuming
Food is a basic human need, but it can also take the form of one of society's greatest luxuries. Caviar for 20,000 euros per kilo or a dry slice of bread are both things we put in our mouths either out of necessity or because we enjoy it.
As each culture has had its own diet, humanity has developed a complex relationship with food over the years. This topic is covered in depth in a new publication, Munchies, which is about the ceremonies surrounding food.
The book is the latest release from Nuda, an avant-garde publisher owned by Scandi, which publishes two hardback publications annually, each exploring a different topic through visual culture and science. Previous editions covered everything from motherhood to the afterlife.
The process of bringing Munchies to life began much like Nuda's previous editions: as a series of conversations between co-editors Nora Arrhenius Hagdahl and Frida Vega Salomonsson.
"We always just sit with Frida or talk on the phone and think about what kind of world we want to spend the next six months in," says Hagdahl.
“By the time we started working on the book, we were in the middle of the pandemic and the only way to hang out with friends or just socialize was over dinner, so naturally it felt like a growing interest . Eating can be so many things, comfortable, sexy, luxurious, sad, or just plain delicious, and it's one thing that everyone has a strong connection with. "
The publication includes interviews with Lykke Li about her relationship with alcohol and David Shrigley about his wife's native vegetables, while Honey Dijon talks to DJ Kornél Kovács about the best restaurants they dined while touring the world before the pandemic.
It's also about Wolfgang Tillman's gourmet still life, how the pandemic has limited our lives to the domestic sphere, the pros and cons of table etiquette, and even more niche issues like cannibalism.
"Hopefully it's a little bit fun, a little bit smart and a little bit beautiful," says Salomonsson. "In the book we invited artists, philosophers, designers, superstars, scientists, eccentrics, families and strangers to contribute their knowledge on the subject. I think there really is something for everyone."
Munchies is out now. Learn more and buy a copy here