Examining your subject area through food opens up new depths of understanding and a rich appreciation of the past and present. I provide research services that serve as a complement to your work, for example by taking larger social and geographic information about the communities you are studying, and using it to help you understand what was being eaten, how it was prepared, and how you can approximate it at home.
I have a doctorate in Library and Information Studies, have published multiple books and many articles in multiple fields (including food history, of course), and have built a successful career that has focused heavily on researching across disciplinary borders, and to consider the context of the story I’m telling and the subject I’m researching.
My current life as a food historian and fermenter takes me in many research directions (both inside and outside academia), and I love using what I’ve learned to help others research their projects, scholarly or creative.
To see samples of my writing, head to this link.
If you’d like to see my complete research background, please visit my CV.
Who I help (you don’t have to be an academic, but you can be!)
In many cases, I work with folks researching personal and professional projects outside of the world of academia.
I use my interdisciplinary academic training (and all that publishing experience–it comes in handy!) to help with anything from defining a research problem, to taking projects that are not only about food, and helping you figure out where food fits in.
One of my favorite examples is genealogy research: Genealogists often have a wealth of information about who people were, where they came from, and what their lives were like. Using that, I can apply my knowledge as a food historian to help genealogists determine what foods might have been eaten or grown by their families. In some cases, I can ever offer recipes to help recreate those meals in the modern day!
I also work with academic researchers and journalists, helping to locate material you need, serving as a source, or offering feedback on manuscripts.
Get in touch with me to talk about how I can help with your research project!