Every recipe has an origin story. Much like a legendary superhero, cunning villain, or even the kernel of an idea behind a compelling pop culture conference paper or book chapter, each dish carries a narrative infused with creativity, nostalgia, or transformation. Reflecting this spirit, we ask you: what recipe mirrors your own unique PopCRN origin story?

Inspired by the smorgasbord of abstracts received for this year's Popular Culture Research Network (PopCRN) Nutritious, Delicious, and Fictitious Conference, our minds—and tastebuds—are thoroughly tantalised! To celebrate the intellectual, imaginative, and entertaining essence of these submissions, we are curating a special cookbook. This vibrant culinary anthology aims to complement and expand upon the diverse themes presented at the conference. Our goal is to publish this delectable compilation to continue to savour and digest the intellectual nourishment our conference. It will be released for Christmas, making a great gift for family and friends.

We invite you to contribute by submitting an original recipe and an essay that resonates with your pop culture research. Accompany your recipe with a short 1000–1500-word paper reflecting the essence and vibe of your interest in and representation of food in popular culture - be it playful, profound, nostalgic, or futuristic. Annotate your essay in Chicago Footnote 17 style and write to an academic standard so this is not only a cookbook, but a scholarly contribution.

Please include the type of dish (appetizer, main, side, salad, dessert, finger food), and terms that you would like to be included in the index (like chocolate, chicken, sweet, savoury etc). Include a catchy title for your recipe that can be a family favouirte or one imagined to suit your pop culture interest.  

Email popcrn@une.edu.au for examples of how to set out your recipe and essay.

All submissions must be in Australian English, with brief descriptions provided for uncommon ingredients (e.g., galangal – a fragrant, peppery rhizome similar to ginger).

If you are using a traditional recipe, please ensure originality in your recipe according to guidelines from the Recipe Writer’s Handbook (Barbara Gibbs Ostmann and Jane L. Baker, 2001), which advises that a minimum of three substantial changes are needed for a recipe to be considered uniquely yours. Even with significant alterations, citing your inspiration source is encouraged as a gesture of professional courtesy. Of course, you are free to create a completely new recipe as well! Kindly note: while creativity is encouraged, submissions involving vampire blood, cannibalism, or similarly fantastical or ethically questionable ingredients cannot be included.

Also include a brief author biography and academic affiliation.

The call is open to academics, with particular interest from postgraduates, Early Career Researchers, Independent Scholars, and industry professionals. Indigenous Scholars are particularly welcome.

Still hesitating? Take inspiration from Julia Child’s fearless cooking philosophy: “The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”

Let’s cook up something deliciously scholarly together for this exciting soon to be published Popular Culture cookbook.

Authors will be notified mid-September 2026 for a pre-Christmas release.

Submit here - 

https://unesurveys.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bHn8lO1JrnhjHkG