Santo Tomas: WWII POW Recipe Books and "Food Fantasies"

MacArthur Memorial Podcast

During WWII, Allied POWs in the Pacific Theatre – whether combatant or civilian – faced physical and psychological hardships. Captivity is difficult. It is particularly difficult when access to food is irregular or insufficient because food is often associated with a sense of security, comfort, health, and memory. For many of the civilian POWs held at Santo Tomas internment camp in Manila, recipe sharing was one way to cope with the POW experience. Thinking about food helped some stay tethered to pre-captivity life, while remaining hopeful about a future life out of captivity. To discuss recipe collection and "food fantasies" at Santo Tomas, the MacArthur Memorial Podcast hosted Jennifer Cottle, a graduate student and the recipient of a grant to study the Santo Tomas recipe books preserved in the MacArthur Memorial Archives.

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