A new UN Food and Agriculture Organization report predicts that rising food prices will soon begin to slow. However the BBC decidedly reports that cheap food is a thing of the past:

[Food] prices will level off at a far higher average level than seen before the crisis erupted. The long era of cheap food is over.

The sharp rise in food prices over the past year have been felt all over the world but are particularly painful for the poor in developing countries. The World Bank recently estimated that higher food prices and food scarcity could force 100 million people to become impoverished. In response, The World Bank is allocating $1.2 billion for increased food aid. At least $200 million is designated for grants targeting "high risk" countries including Liberia, Haiti and Djibouti.

Anyone who's purchased a meal from a streetside cart knows that its food can often be tastier than what's offered in a restaurant. What you might not have considered is how street food is one of the best ways to learn about the local culture.

The new eight-part Al Jazeera series "Street Food" explores what street food can teach us about culture by taking us to the carts of Penang, San Sebastian, New York City, London, Nairobi, Beijing, Cairo and Jerusalem.

While food is the focus of the show, it is difficult to separate its influence on culture, politics and health. Topics such as the global food crisis, food shortages and the rise of Western diets and obesity are covered of the program. “The so called rich man’s diseases, like diabetes and high blood pressure, are starting to appear," warns a popular TV chef in Nairobi. Episodes also highlight the everyday struggles of both food-cart vendors and their customers.

Although the shows certainly showcase the distinctiveness of local foods, one also demonstrates how food can bridge differences: The Jerusalem episode features Chefs for Peace, an alliance of chefs from Israel and Palestine who bring together people of different faiths to share in the delight of great food.


Watch the first episode of "Street Food" in Nairobi, Kenya.