ABSTRACT
Life in the suburban scene is a microcosm of that battle between continuity and transformation. The transformation has taken place partially because of new technologies, partially because of new lifestyles, and partially because of the millions of immigrants who have come to these shores. On the journey of continuity and transformation people began with a monotonous diet of salt pork and cornbread and traveled through technological, demographic, and intellectual revolution until their cuisine became a veritable world bazaar marked by exotic dishes and ingredients. People dining preferences and habits are a microcosm of the complexity and changing character of American life. The American culture has always had a huge appetite for new things and new people but simultaneously has maintained an overriding chauvinism and sense of superiority over them. Clearly most Americans know little of their roots, where they fit into society, or where that society is going.
