ABSTRACT
Terroir, the idea that there is an intimate connections between the place where a particular food is produced and its taste, has become almost a given in the modern food landscape. In this chapter I examine the history of the idea of terroir while also examining the histories of a number of products that supposedly showcase the place-taste connection. I argue that tastes are difficult to bound, and that traditional food products have lasted through time because they have changed, not because they have stayed the same. I review the spread of the idea of terroir across the globe, and discuss some of the economic and political pressures that have helped its spread.
