A Vietnamese Mardi Gras krewe.

The Black longshoremen of Mobile’s Banana Docks.

A meditation on rice and belonging.

This Food Issue isn’t just about what Southerners eat—it’s about who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.

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Elena Passarello


About

Elena Passarello is the author of two essay collections, Let Me Clear My Throat and Animals Strike Curious Poses, and the current director of Oregon State University’s MFA program. Her writing has appeared in Audubon, Paris Review, the New York Times Book Review, and National Geographic. Penguin Press will publish her collection of essays on Elvis Presley in 2026.

Articles