eating the present, tasting the future: exploring india through her changing food

India’s food is one of her most remarkable features: its countless tastes and styles reflect the nation’s history, enduring traditions, and diversity of people and place.

But it is changing at a rapid rate beyond anyone’s imagination.

Eating the Present, Tasting the Future ventures ’off the plate’ to journey through India’s contemporary foodscape to discover the myriad forces transforming what, how and where Indians are producing, trading and eating their food. At a time when food and our relationship with it are topics of increasing global interest, this is a timely, and important, work, offering unique insight into a complex society.

Charmaine O’Brien has been researching and writing on the history and culture of food and eating for more than two decades, specifically Indian and Australian food and is internationally recognized for her work on both. Her publications include The Penguin Food Guide to India, the first comprehensive guide to Indian regional food. Her work won the Best National Food Writing, Gourmand International Cookbook Awards 2016. She also holds a PhD in creative writing, with a focus on the psychology of creativity and creative development.