Why Do We Roast Politicians With Food-Based Insults?

THIS ARTICLE IS ADAPTED FROM THE NOVEMBER 12, 2022, EDITION OF GASTRO OBSCURA’S FAVORITE THINGS NEWSLETTER. YOU CAN SIGN UP HERE. A few weeks ago, I joined thousands of spectators watching a live stream of a contest that pitted the political career of Liz Truss, then the British head of state, against a head of iceberg lettuce. On October 20, the lettuce—browning but still standing—bested Truss, who resigned just seven days after the contest started. A headline in The Guardian read, “Iceberg lettuce in blond wig outlasts Liz Truss.” If…

This content is for Member members only.
Log In Register