Cultural studies: food and society Books

Book Synopsis''I have yet to meet anyone who hasn''t adored this book'' Nigella Lawson''Absolutely not to be missed'' Spectator ''Like all great food writing, The Man Who Ate Everything celebrates much more than the journey from plate to palate . . . An excellent investment.'' Time Out Jeffrey Steingarten''s award-winning collection of essays on food. Jeffrey Steingarten is to food writing what Bill Bryson is to travel writing. Whether he is hymning the joys of the perfect chip, discussing the taste of beef produced from Japanese cows which are massaged daily and fed on sake, or telling us the scientific reasons why salad is a ''silent killer'', his humour and his love of good food never fail. The questions he asks will challenge everything you assume you know about what you eat, yet his characteristic wit imparts masses of revelatory information in the most palatable of ways. As weTrade ReviewI have yet to meet anyone who hasn't adored this book once they've read it. * Nigella Lawson *'wonderfully extreme' Independent 23/9Gastronomic writing of the highest order, deserving a place alongside Elizabeth David and MFK Fisher. * Independent *Here is a great feast of a volume, a banquet of a book. It is both long and rich, full of intense flavours, new discoveries, unexpected contrasts ... Splendid. * Sunday Telegraph *Like the best modern-day food writers, Steingarten's style is a mix of wittily intellectual inquiry and glorious gluttony ... Little escapes his scrutiny, humour or delight. * The Times *Absolutely not to be missed. * Jennifer Paterson *

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Book SynopsisWhy our love affair with processed meat is killing us. The chilling exposé the food industry doesn't want YOU to see. They're totally delicious. We love crispy bacon with our eggs for breakfast, and ham sandwiches for lunch. Lucie Morris-Marr's family was no different, ordering pepperoni pizzas on Friday nights and putting salami on their summer picnic platters. But when the Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist was diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer, she learned the chilling truth about our love affair with processed meats. As Lucie fights for her life, she takes us on a jaw-dropping ride, uncovering the scientific evidence linking our deli favourites with cancer and other serious conditions. She shatters the strange silence enjoyed by the billion-dollar industry that profits from our health risks. Armed with interviews from local and international experts, she asks tough questions about controversial preservatives, fast food, cooking methods and just how processed meats became so embedded in our lives. With tips on making the transition to healthier foods, Processed is essential reading for anyone who cares about their health.

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Book SynopsisThis fully updated special edition of the classic complete guide to the edible species that grow around us includes a new foreword from the author and a plate section with identification guides for all major species.Originally published in 1972, Richard Mabey's classic foraging guide has never been out of print since. Food for Free is a complete guide to help you safely identify edible species that grow around us, together with detailed field identification notes and recipes.In this stunning 50th anniversary edition, Richard Mabey's updated text is accompanied by a wealth of practical information on identifying, collecting, cooking and preparing, as well as history and folklore. Informative illustrations of key species by expert botanical artists are included in a colour plate section. Beautifully written and produced in a new, readable format, Food for Free will inspire us to be more self-sufficient and make use of the natural resources around us to enhance our lives.Trade Review‘Food for Free is a life-enhancing classic. That it is erudite and charming as well as practical and accurate is a testament to Richard Mabey’s great gift as a biographer of our natural heritage. It remains the best possible antidote to the over-processed and the pre-packaged.’ Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall ‘The forager's bible continues to inspire and enthral.’ Scottish Field ‘Still a classic’ Financial Times ‘Armed with this guide, this month you could be sampling the simple pleasures of eating a fleshy Hottentot fig straight from a Devon clifftop, making elderflower fritters gathered from the hedgerows or frying fairy-ring champignons picked off your lawn. With its charming painted illustrations, it is a book to savour in itself.’ Devon Life

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Book SynopsisEssential reading for anyone wanting to learn all they can about the ways in which humans, and our domesticates, share this world with microbes.David Zilber, chef and food scientist; coauthor of The Noma Guide to FermentationWith recipes for over 80 natural cheeses and complimentary ferments, this groundbreaking, comprehensive book guarantees high-quality results and perfect flavors for every season.Cheese is milk's destiny. In Milk Into Cheese, cheesemakers at every scale will learn to produce a broad range of traditional cheeses, entirely naturally. Experienced educator, activist, and celebrated natural cheesemaker David Asher introduces the reader to the cultures and practices of cheesemakers, the role our agricultural practices play in making cheese, the biological evolution of cheese, and the transformation of milk into cheese through fermentation.A perfect companion to David's The Art

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Book SynopsisMark Kurlansky's first global food history since the bestselling Cod and Salt; the fascinating cultural, economic and culinary story of milk and all things dairy – with recipes throughout While mother’s milk may be the essence of nourishment, it is the milk of other mammals that humans have cultivated ever since the domestication of animals more than 10,000 years ago. Today, milk is a test case in the most pressing issues in food politics, from industrial farming and animal rights to GMOs, the locavore movement and advocates for raw milk, who controversially reject pasteurisation. Profoundly intertwined with human civilisation, milk has a compelling and surprisingly global story to tell, and historian Mark Kurlansky is the perfect person to tell it. Tracing the liquid’s diverse history from antiquity to the present, he details its curious and crucial role in cultural evolution, religion, nutrition, politics, and economics.Trade Review[A] wonderfully wide-ranging study -- PD Smith * Guardian *[A] rich, fascinating and comprehensive history ... [A] highly readable volume, stuffed with colourful historical facts from all corners of the globe and epochs * Spectator *A feat of investigation, compilation and organization ... Altogether a complex and rich survey, Milk! is a book well worth nursing. * Wall Street Journal *A treasure trove of fascinating details * The Times *The sort of book that Proust might have written had Proust become distracted by the madeleine ... you step away from this book with a new vantage on history * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis is a fascinating and timely study of the far-flung sources of our food supply -- Jane Shilling * Daily Mail *After reading this you’ll never sit down to dinner without finding a trace of empire in your meal again * Strong Words *A wholly pleasing book, which offers a tasty side dish to anyone exploring the narrative history of the British Empire -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *Revelatory... Original, thought-provoking and highly entertaining -- Daisy Goodwin * The Times *Dazzling… This book’s treatment of food in the empire is innovative and exciting… A remarkable achievement * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisBee Wilson is the food writer and historian who writes as the ''Kitchen Thinker'' in the Sunday Telegraph, and is the author of Swindled!. Her charming and original new book, Consider the Fork, explores how the implements we use in the kitchen have shaped the way we cook and live. This is the story of how we have tamed fire and ice, wielded whisks, spoons, graters, mashers, pestles and mortars, all in the name of feeding ourselves. Bee Wilson takes us on an enchanting culinary journey through the incredible creations, inventions and obsessions that have shaped how and what we cook. From huge Tudor open fires to sous-vide machines, the birth of the fork to Roman gadgets, Consider the Fork is the previously unsung history of our kitchens.Bee Wilson writes a weekly food column, ''The Kitchen Thinker'' in The Sunday Telegraph, for which she has three times been named the Guild of Food Writers Food Journalist of the Year. Her previous boTrade ReviewA cracking good read, as enjoyable as it is enlightening -- Raymond Blanc, Chef-Patron 'Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons'Wonderful ... Witty, scholarly, utterly absorbing and fired by infectious curiosity -- Lucy Lethbridge * Observer *[A] delightfully informative history of cooking and eating from the prehistoric discovery of fire to twenty-first-century high-tech, low-temp soud-vide-style cookery * ELLE magazine *A graceful study -- Steven Poole * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisChocolate the food of the Gods' has had a long and eventful history. Its story is expertly told here by the doyen of Maya studies, Michael Coe, and his late wife, Sophie. The book begins 3,000 years ago in the Mexican jungles and goes on to draw on aspects of archaeology, botany and socio-economics. Used as currency and traded by the Aztecs, chocolate arrived in Europe via the conquistadors, and was soon a favourite drink with aristocrats. By the 19th century and industrialization, chocolate became a food for the masses until its revival in our own time as a luxury item. Chocolate has also been giving up some of its secrets to modern neuroscientists, who have been investigating how flavour perception is mediated by the human brain. And, finally, the book closes with two contemporary accounts of how chocolate manufacturers have (or have not) been dealing with the ethical side of the industry.Trade Review'A splendid treat' - New York Review of Books'A true classic' - Literary Review'Genuinely scholarly and highly entertaining ... erudite and delightful' - Sunday Telegraph'Begins with the origins of the cacao tree and follows the story up to today’s mass-produced chocolate … A pleasure, not just for chocoholics but for anyone who enjoys lively, thorough historical sleuthing via the printed page' - Gourmet'A beautifully written, indexed and illustrated history of the Food of the Gods, from the Olmecs to present-day developments' - Chocolatier'Just like a tasty bar of chocolate, this hugely entertaining book is a real treat and deserves to be devoured' - All About History'An attention-grabbing account … an engaging and entertaining story about something that is extraordinarily delicious!' - Books Monthly Review'A beautiful book for anyone interested in how chocolate got to be one of the world’s most popular food stuffs' - Prosecco Diaries'An in-depth, meticulously researched and cited, hugely interesting piece of historical research … fascinating' - I Can Only Blame My Shelf'Beautifully designed … full of amazing facts and stories' - Inspired in the City'Beautifully designed … If you have a book-lover in your life, I cannot think of a better gift to give this Easter' - Of Beauty and Nothingness'If historical food books float your boat, then this is definitely the book for you' - Art of Healthy Living'A perfect Easter read' - Mummy Pages'In this definitive and exhaustive study, Sophie and Michael Coe examine every aspect of chocolate from chemistry to culture' - Eden Magazine

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Book SynopsisPlant-Forward Cuisine is a beautifully illustrated book that promotes the environmental and health benefits of a plant-forward diet and will inspire readers with a range of exciting recipes.The book addresses the urgent need to make changes to those culinary cultures where animal-sourced proteins play a central role. To ensure that there is enough food for a growing world population, to lessen the burden on the environment, and to promote healthier, sustainable eating patterns, it is crucial to transition to a diet that focuses primarily on plants as the key ingredients. Yet, many people dislike the taste of plants because of their texture and lack of sweetness and umami. Luckily, the book provides a solution to these challenges. It offers key scientific descriptions of the physical characteristics of plants, mushrooms, algae, and fungi and their nutritional components, along with information about creation of texture and flavour. Armed with this knowledge, the recip

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Book SynopsisOne of the Guardian's best food books of 2023 Winner of the André Simon Award One of OFM’s 50 Best Cookbooks of All Time The Rice Book became an instant classic when it was published thirty years ago, and to this day remains the definitive book on the subject. Rice is the staple food for more than half the world, and the creativity with which people approach this humble grain knows no bounds. From renowned food writer Sri Owen’s extensive travels and years of research come recipes for biryanis, risottos, pilafs and paellas from Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Spain, Italy, Brazil and beyond. In a gorgeous new livery, with a new foreword by Bee Wilson and an updated introduction on the nutrition, history and culture surrounding rice, more than 160 delicious, foolproof recipes (20 of them new) and beautiful illustrations and food photography throughout, this is an essential book for every kitchen and every cook.Trade Review‘Owen’s book demystifies rice, and how to cook it, in a host of delicious recipes’ * BBC Good Food magazine *The Rice Book, first published 30 years ago and reissued with a new foreword, is her masterpiece -- Rachel Roddy * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisThe legendary countercultural growers who never stopped changing the world.

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Book SynopsisCompletely updated edition brings the reader even more handy tips on how to help combat the climate emergency and other environmental problems. For anyone who yearns for a realistic alternative to the destructive path the world is on, and wants practical advice on how they can make things better.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; What is New in this Updated Edition? Notes on Units; Introduction; 1. Food; 2. More on Climate and Environment; 3. Energy; 4. Travel and Transport; 5. Growth, Money and Metrics; 6. People and Work; 7. Business and Technology; 8. Values, Truth and Trust; 9. Thinking Skills for Today's World; 10. Protest; 11. Big-Picture Summary; 12. What Can I Do? Summary; Appendix: Climate Emergency Basics; Alphabetical Quick Tour; Notes on Units; Endnotes; Index.

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Book SynopsisFortnum & Mason Food Book of the Year 2020Addresses the paradox of our age: why as we become progressively wealthier, our diets become ever poorer . . . the villains of the piece are familiar and plentiful and Wilson lays them bare' The TimesA riveting exploration of the hidden forces behind what we eat, The Way We Eat Now explains how modern food has transformed our lives and our world. To re-establish eating as something that gives us both joy and health, we need to find out where we are right now, how we got here and where we''re going.''My Ultra-Processed journey began when someone sent me [Bee Wilson''s] article in the Guardian it remains the definitive work in my view and her writing continues to inspire so much of what I do'' Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed PeopleAs she wrestles with how and what we eat Bee Wilson is fearless, rigorous, compassionate and totally readable. Thank God we have her' Diana HenryTrade Review‘Bee Wilson weaves staggering information and fascinating insights into a gripping and inspiring story that is both fairytale and horror story. A brilliant must-read about what touches us all’ Claudia Roden ‘Bee Wilson’s fascinating book is a guide to the future of food and how we eat and will be eating. Meticulously researched and written brilliantly’ Ken Hom ‘As she wrestles with how and what we eat Bee Wilson is fearless, rigorous, compassionate and totally readable. Thank God we have her’ Diana Henry ‘Bee Wilson once again proves herself one of the world’s most compelling voices in journalism … This book should be required reading for everyone’ Darra Goldstein ‘This is urgent reading. Bee Wilson writes with a deep understanding of the problems posed by the way we eat today, but she never loses sight of her own love for the joy and promise and power of eating well. I always walk away from her writing feeling more hopeful than despondent, resolved to do better for myself, my family, and the planet’ Chris Ying

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Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated and packaged study of the cigar - its history, its production and its joys - from world-renowned expert Nicholas Foulkes and written in conjunction with Davidoff, the world's leading cigar importer. A fascinating gift for anyone wanting to be educated and entertained...'I would recommend it for every cigar-smoker's stocking this Christmas' -- The Field'Entertained, informed and kept me interested throughout' -- ***** Reader review'Amazingly entertaining' -- ***** Reader review'Encyclopaedic, scholarly, elegant, fun' -- ***** Reader review'A superb book' -- ***** Reader review******************************************************************************************"The most futile and disastrous day seems well spent when it is reviewed through the blue, fragrant smoke of a Cigar." Evelyn WaughExploring not just the extraordinary story of tobacco and cigars but also a history that has been instrumental in the foundations of societies and cultures, Cigars will take you on an astonishing journey through landscapes, scents and an incredible roll call of the great, the good and the not-so good. The cigar has provided solace and a chance for worldly contemplation to generations of thinkers, businessmen, writers, entrepreneurs and connoisseurs.In this elegiac offering to the pinnacles of hand-rolled tobacco, world-renowned expert Nicholas Foulkes guides you through the myths, legends, nuances and delicious realities of the smoke-savouring universe, serving as an introduction for the novice and a reference for the connoisseur.A stunning, fully-illustrated gift package, perfect for anyone wishing to be educated and entertained..."A cigar ought not to be smoked solely with the mouth, but with the hand, the eyes, and with the spirit." Zino DavidoffTrade ReviewI would recommend it for every cigar-smoker’s stocking this Christmas * The Field *

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Book SynopsisPerfect for readers of James Rebanks, Wendell Berry and Thomas Piketty, A Small Farm Future is a refreshingly new outlook on the way forward for society. A vital resource for activists, students, policy makers and anyone looking to enact change. In a time of UNCERTAINTY, what would a truly RESILIENT SOCIETY look like? The recent pandemic has brought to light the fragility of a globalised food system. We have seen firsthand how important farmers are and how scary it can be when supply chains break down. This is precisely the type of crisis farmer and former social scientist Chris Smaje delves into in his ground-breaking debut A Small Farm Future. Destined to become a modern classic, A Small Farm Future plants a flag at the intersection between economics, agriculture and society during a time of immense crisis. Smaje makes the case for organising human societies around small-scale, local and ecological farming in order to meet the environmental and political challenges of our times.Trade Review‘Food is the core of culture, and modern industrial culture is rotting from the inside out due to its reliance on fossil-fueled agriculture. The only viable future is one based on small, ecologically regenerative, labor-intensive farming. Chris Smaje’s brilliant book presents the rationale, surveys methods and issues, and supplies an abundance of insight derived from the author’s twenty years of experience. Every young person should read this book.’—Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute ‘We are facing an existential crisis – with species extinction, climate catastrophes, desertification of soil, disappearance of water, pandemics of infectious and chronic diseases, hunger and malnutrition. Industrialized, globalized agriculture based on the myth that it feeds the world is driving the multiple, interconnected crisis. Eighty percent of the food we eat comes from small farms. Chris Smaje’s A Small Farm Future shows that the choice is clear. Either we have a small farm future, or we face collapse and extinction.’—Vandana Shiva, author of Oneness vs. the 1% and Who Really Feeds the World? ‘A Small Farm Future is a solid and truly inspiring book. I have dedicated the last 17 years of my life to creating a micro farm, and what I have learned fully confirms what Chris Smaje says: a small, ecologically inspired farm can produce high-quality, local food while also improving soil fertility, storing carbon, conserving water resources and improving biodiversity. Not to mention creating jobs and improving quality of life. A return to Mother Earth is the foundation on which we can build a new paradigm of sustainable and equitable abundance based on biological resources, renewable energies, eco-construction and solidarity – among individuals and cultures, and across generations. Getting out of a virtual and globalized economy to cultivate the land with love and respect is our only hope to pass on a viable planet to our children. This is also the secret to happiness!’—Charles Hervé-Gruyer, author of Miraculous Abundance; co-founder, Bec Hellouin Farm, France‘On one side we have science-based high tech with neoliberal economics, driven by the perceived need to control nature and to maximize material wealth; and on the other are traditional human skills and values. Whether it’s dressed in the trappings of communism or capitalism or autocracy or democracy, the former is undoubtedly winning. Governments and their chosen advisers the world over equate high tech and measurable economic “growth” with progress. ‘But the dominance of what now passes as modernity is killing us all. The methods it gives rise to and the mindset behind it are at the root of all the world’s crises. What we need now above all else is food production based on small farming – albeit assisted by excellent science and sometimes by high tech; feeding into localised economies; and deployed with true concern for the welfare of humanity and our fellow creatures. Chris Smaje, a sociologist-cum-anthropologist turned smallholder, is showing us exactly what is needed and why. A timely and valuable book – and a very readable read.’—Colin Tudge, co-founder, Oxford Real Farming Conference and the College for Real Farming and Food Culture; author of The Great Re-Think‘A Small Farm Future makes plain that the next 30 years will look very different to the last 30. Yet Smaje’s unique integration of big-picture insight and hard-won experience clears the fog, brilliantly revealing reliable and meaningful paths forward, even as the ground shifts beneath our feet.’—Shaun Chamberlin, author of The Transition Timeline; editor of Lean Logic and Surviving the Future‘This book is such a treat. In an era of generalized crisis, Chris Smaje articulates an appealing, beautiful vision of the future. Chris has walked the talk, which makes his plea all the more powerful and convincing.’—Dr. Giorgos Kallis, ICREA research professor, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)‘Anyone involved in political thought, agriculture, justice, or futurism who is not familiar with Chris Smaje’s writing from his blog should do themselves the favor of picking up this book as soon as possible. Smaje’s writing is pretty much always worth engaging with – whether for the wry humor, the ways he challenges us to think harder and more boldly, his relentless humanism or his ability to marry nuance with accessibility. He is a visionary in the most interesting and exciting meaning of the word. His writing consistently shows him to be an intellectual tour guide par excellence: he may or may not see further than others, but he certainly never fails to help us see what is in front of us better.’—M. Jahi Chappell, executive director, Southeastern African-American Farmers’ Organic Network (SAAFON); author of Beginning to End Hunger‘Chris Smaje brings intellectual rigour to the centuries-old demand for “three acres and a cow”.’—Simon Fairlie, author of Meat: A Benign Extravagance; editor, The Land magazine‘Superb! This book shows with great clarity why we are heading for planetary disaster and suggests ways in which new kinds of more stable social and economic practices might evolve around support for sustainable agriculture. A timely and compelling vision of a New Agrarianism. Highly recommended.’—Paul Richards, author of Indigenous Agricultural Revolution and Ebola; emeritus professor of technology and agrarian development, Wageningen University‘Time to tune in – these are powerful arguments for collective action in agriculture. We know that small farms offer solutions to the crises of our time. Stewardship, guardianship and rebuilding biodiversity is real, meaningful work. If each human engaged meaningfully, every day, in their own subsistence, imagine how much more accountable our society would become. This restoration of our food and ecosystems will take many hands, many years, and much patience and goodwill. This means that those of us already farming will need to become well versed in transmitting the why and the how to those who will join us. The coming radical shifts in ownership, tenure, settlement and structure present an incredible opportunity for sanity, subsistence and self-determination. Onward!’—Severine von Tscharner Fleming, director, Greenhorns; chair, Agrarian Trust‘As a breakdown of the climate, state power and globalized markets pushes us toward an epochal transition, Chris Smaje offers us a hopeful vision of a relocalized, self-sufficient world. With fierce intelligence and rich evidence, he explains the vital role that small farms must play in this emerging future, artfully weaving together neglected strands of economic, ecological, cultural and political thought.’—David Bollier, director, Reinventing the Commons Program, Schumacher Center for a New Economics; coauthor (with Silke Helfrich) of Free, Fair and Alive: The Insurgent Power of the Commons

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Book SynopsisA ground-breaking book by the world-leading expert in sensory science: Freakonomics for food''Popular science at its best'' - Daniel Levitin Why do we consume 35% more food when eating with one more person, and 75% more when with three? Why are 27% of drinks bought on aeroplanes tomato juice?How are chefs and companies planning to transform our dining experiences, and what can we learn from their cutting-edge insights to make memorable meals at home? These are just some of the ingredients of Gastrophysics, in which the pioneering Oxford professor Charles Spence shows how our senses link up in the most extraordinary ways, and reveals the importance of all the ''off-the-plate'' elements of a meal: the weight of cutlery, the placing on the plate, the background music and much more. Whether dining alone or at a dinner party, on a plane or in front of the TV, he reveals how to understand what we''re tasting and influenceTrade ReviewTruly accessible, entertaining and informative. On every page there are ideas to set you thinking and widen your horizons -- Heston Blumenthal, OBEHis delight in weird food facts is infectious...fascinating -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *Not many people are as ready to realize the importance of the senses as Charles Spence -- Ferran Adria, El Bulli restaurant, SpainPopular science at its best. Insightful, entertainingly written and peppered throughout with facts you can use in the kitchen, in the classroom, or in the pub -- Daniel J. Levitin, New York Times bestselling author of 'The Organized Mind' and 'This Is Your Brain on Music'This is partly serious tome and partly an amusing guide for the layperson to a whole new gustatory world. Gastrophysics is packed with such tasty factual morsels that could be served up at dinner parties. If Spence can percolate all these factual morsels to the mainstream, the benefits to all of us would be obvious -- Nick Curtis * Daily Telegraph *Spence allows people to appreciate the multisensory experience of eating * The New Yorker *The scientist changing the way we eat * Guardian *Spence romps around such factoids in the style of a Blue Peter presenter . . . fascinating and provocative -- Melanie Reid * Times *A fascinating look at the science of food and how our perception is shaped by all our senses, not just taste * Sunday Times *If simply changing the name of a dish on a menu or the color of the plate on which it is served can dramatically alter our perception of taste and food quality, then everyone in the restaurant industry needs to read this and take a deeper look at the scientific secrets Professor Spence reveals in Gastrophysics -- Larry Olmsted, New York Times bestselling author of 'Real Food, Fake Food: What You Don’t Know About What You’re Eating & What You Can Do About It'Wonderfully curious and thought-provoking . . . brilliant -- Bee Wilson * Guardian *Spence cheerily whisks the reader through the senses like a magician . . . a mind-bending menu of fascinating insights -- Nicola Davis * Observer *Revealing, very interesting and well worth understanding . . . highly enlightening -- Rose Prince * Spectator *Spence takes a jovial pleasure in puncturing our perceptions and showing that there's a lot more going on in our mouths than what we think we're tasting . . . Spence has given us much food for thought -- Julia Platt Leonard * Independent *A chatty whirl through the latest discoveries and their real-world applications -- Rachel Laudan * Wall Street Journal *I wanted to reach out and thank you for your absolutely brilliant book Gastrophysics. As a thirty year restaurant veteran just venturing out on my own into the wild world of consulting, I found your research confirmed many of my long-held beliefs while adding tons of things I had never considered. -- Sean S. Reiter, Chief Synthesist, Sean Reiter ConsultingIt can't fail to entertain, inform and ultimately dazzle -- Heston Blumenthal, chef and owner of The Fat Duck, on The Perfect Meal

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Book SynopsisMark Kurlansky is the author of Cod: a Biography of the Fish that Changed the World (winner of the Glenfiddich Award for the Best Food Book in 1997), The Basque History of the World, Salt: A World History and Choice Cuts: A Miscellany of Food Writing. He lives in New York City with his wife and daughter.Trade ReviewKurlansky's great ability is to chose a single element as a prism through which to view the development or degeneration of culture; in this book he takes his readers from the 16th century to the present day, encompassing biology, commerce, the politics of race, history, literature, and, of course, gourmandise -- Erica Wagner * The Times *A diligent researcher and a terrific storyteller...quirky, engrossing narrative -- Jackie McGlone * Herald *A unique perspective -- Killian Fox * Observer *Fascinating... Kurlansky's portrait of that vanished age is absolutely engrossing -- Philip Hoare * Sunday Telegraph *Packed with interest * Independent *

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Book Synopsis''Brilliant and original ... From slow feasts to fast food, Linford shows that, no matter what we are cooking, time is of the essence'' - Bee Wilson, Sunday TimesThe Missing Ingredient is about what makes good food, and the first book to consider the intrinsic yet often forgotten role of time in creating the flavours and textures we love.Written through a series of encounters with ingredients, producers, cooks, shopkeepers and chefs, exploring everything from the brief period in which sugar caramelises, or the days required in the crucial process of fermentation, to the months of slow ripening and close attention that make a great cheddar, or the years needed for certain wines to reach their peak, Jenny Linford shows how, time and again, time itself is the invisible ingredient. From the patience and dedication of many food producers in fields and storehouses around the world to the rapid reactions required of any home cook at the hob, this book allows us to better understand our culinary lives.Trade ReviewBrilliant and original ... From slow feasts to fast food, Linford shows that, no matter what we are cooking, time is of the essence' -- Bee Wilson * Sunday Times *A compelling book...Time is the unacknowledged genie of the kitchen. The Missing Ingredient considers the meanings that go beyond quantitative measures -- Darra Goldstein * TLS *Thoughtful, lively and original. No one has approached food in regard to time before -- Jill Norman, Food and Wine WriterInteresting...clever...revelatory -- Rachel Cooke * Guardian *Thoughtful and engaging * Waitrose Weekend *Beautifully written and highly original. Jenny Linford scrutinises time-honoured food production methods and cookery techniques through the often ignored lens of time. A gently informative, almost lyrical volume for our impatient times -- Joanna Blythman, author of Shopped: The Shocking Power Of British SupermarketsJenny Linford has created something quite remarkable: a treatise on the single most vital and most overlooked element of food and cooking that's as page-turning as a thriller. It's hard to believe nobody has tackled the concept of 'time' before, and Jenny has done it more than justice. A glorious, essential addition to every food lover's book shelves. -- Marina O’Loughlin, restaurant critic

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Book SynopsisHow did drinking the infusions of a unique plant from China become a vital part of everyday life? This gift book presents an entertaining introduction to the history and culture of tea, from its origins to the explosion of different varieties, and the rituals of tea preparation and drinking around the world.

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Book SynopsisTells the story of gin from the 17th century to the 21st centuryThe renaissance of gin in the 21st centuryHow gin distilleries helped in the global pandemic in 2020Famous names associated with gin, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Winston Churchill and Al Capone

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Book SynopsisA revealing account of what we feed our citizens in schools, hospitals and prisons.Access to good food is the litmus test of a society?s commitment to social justice and sustainable development. This book explores the ?good food revolution? in public institutions, asking what broader lessons can be learned.In schools the book examines the challenge of the whole school approach, where the message of the classroom is being aligned with the offer of the dining room. In hospitals it looks at the struggle to put nutrition on a par with medicine and shape a health service worthy of the name. And in prisons it shows how good food can bring hope and dignity to prisoners, helping them to rehabilitate themselves. Drawing on evidence from the UK, US and Sweden, Serving the public highlights how public institutions are harnessing the power of purchase to secure public health, social justice and ecological integrity. The quest for good food in these institutions is an important part of the struggle to redeem the public sphere and repair the damage wrought by forty years of neoliberalism.

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Book SynopsisThis book made me laugh and then order an unholy amount of takeaway.' GREG DAVIESOne of my favourite comics has now written an annoyingly great book.' ROMESH RANGANATHANFull of belly laughs and full bellies, this book is warm, honest and wonderfully entertaining.' TOM KERRIDGE''One of the funniest comedians in the world, Ed is only serious about one thing - dinners.''NISH KUMAR---The hilarious memoir from comedian, Off Menu host and Great British Menu judge, Ed Gamble.From a young age, Ed Gamble''s immaculate bibs and extremely dirty nappies hinted at his capacious appetite. Before he could walk, Ed already knew that he preferred poached salmon to puree, that celery was a calorie-sapping waste of time, and that mashed potatoes should be made with lashings of butter.Whilst he might ordinarily have been upset by the calls of ''precocious little sh*t'' coming from his family, he

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Book SynopsisA New Scientist, Globe and Mail, and Eater Best Book of 2023In the tradition of Michael Pollan, Anthony Bourdain, and Mark Bittman, “a surprising, flavorsome tour of ancient cuisines” (Kirkus, STARRED)—from Neolithic bread to ancient Roman fish sauce—and why reviving the foods of the past is the key to saving the future.“A fascinating look at the people who are keeping these ancient food traditions alive against the odds, while offering a rough roadmap toward a more sustainable food ecosystem.”—EaterMany of us are worried (or at least we should be) about the impacts of globalization, pollution, and biotechnology on our diets. Whether it's monoculture crops, hormone-fed beef, or high-fructose corn syrup, industrially-produced foods have troubling consequences for us and the planet. But as culinary diversity diminishes, many people are looking to a surprising place to safeguard the future: into the past.The Lost Supper explores an idea that is quickly spreading among restaurateurs, food producers, scientists, and gastronomes around the world: that the key to healthy and sustainable eating lies not in looking forward, but in looking back to the foods that have sustained us through our half-million-year existence as a species.Acclaimed author Taras Grescoe introduces readers to the surprising and forgotten flavors whose revival is captivating food-lovers around the world: ancient sourdough bread last baked by Egyptian pharaohs; raw-milk farmhouse cheese from critically endangered British dairy cattle; ham from Spanish pata negra pigs that have been foraging on acorns on a secluded island since before the United States was a nation; and olive oil from wild olive trees uniquely capable of resisting quickly evolving pests and modern pathogens.From Ancient Roman fish sauce to Aztec caviar to the long-thought-extinct silphium, The Lost Supper is a deep dive into the latest frontier of global gastronomy—the archaeology of taste. Through vivid writing, history, and first-hand culinary experience, Grescoe sets out a provocative case: in order to save these foods, he argues, we've got to eat them.Published in partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.Trade Review“An outstanding and crucial read amid this global emergency.”—Quill & Quire, STARRED Review“I cheered when I read this book, a series of lyrically descriptive essays telling of the author's interesting journeys to find world's forgotten foods. It is beautifully persuasive.”—The Spectator“[An] informative and engaging travelogue.”—Winnipeg Free Press“Fascinating… Grescoe is ambitious for solutions.”—The Daily Telegraph“...[the author’s] intrepid attempt to satiate ‘a wild impulse to experience the taste of ancient foods.’... sobering and hopeful in equal measure”—Literary Review of Canada"The Lost Supper... thrills with its escapist, aspirational appeal and ripped-from the-headlines documentary qualities. Surprising, often enthralling, facts about the past anchor Grescoe’s trips... The book excels at bridging these deep histories with the present, resulting in the immediacy of an epicurean and archaeological adventure... Covering a global culinary adventure, The Lost Supper melds food history with culinary derring-do."—Foreword Reviews"Grescoe sets out an illuminating analysis of “dwindling nutritional diversity,” what a more sustainable, nutritionally varied future might look like, and how food systems should change to get there... This is worth a look."—Publishers Weekly"In vivid and engaging prose, Grescoe makes the case that we shouldn’t blame farming for our ills, but rather we need to return to ancient techniques and breeds. By remembering the diversity of forgotten foods we once ate, he argues that we can rebuild the health and resilience we've lost. The Lost Supper weaves fascinating history with delightful culinary adventure and will entrance anyone who’s longed to taste the flavors of the past."—Gina Rae La Cerva, author of Feasting Wild"A treasure map that guides us to the delicious and nutritious foods that could very well save our species."—Paul Greenberg, author of Four Fish"A fresh look at our wild roots, from the true meaning of paleo (eating termites) to the dawn of monoculture and the collapse of culinary (and agricultural) diversity."—Matt Siegel, author of The Secret History of Food"Prepare for intrigue and a deep dive into the history of food, the Anthropocene’s often unintended hand in shaping it, and what it means for the future. Grescoe’s vibrant writing and delectable storytelling bring deep understanding to how we eat."—Ian Knauer, chef and author of The Farm"A surprising, flavorsome tour of ancient cuisines demonstrating how the way forward involves looking back. This is not just another slick volume about cooking exotic food. . . Grescoe advises readers to look beyond the supermarket shelves, think before they buy, and take some culinary chances. 'For those who champion the Earth's dwindling nutritional diversity,' he concludes, 'the message is as simple as it is urgent: to save it, you’ve got to eat it.' Grescoe writes with color, energy, and humor, and the result is a fascinating book that leaves you hungry for more."—Kirkus STARRED Review“If you are suffering from apocalypse fatigue when reading about global food, The Lost Supper may be the sane, personable, and imaginative exploration of the possibilities of eating here and now that you need. Grescoe has a historian’s precision concerning the forces that imperil great foods and knows that the major lesson to be imparted to readers is how to surf change and keep community vital.”—David S. Shields, author of The Culinarians and co-author of Slow Food USA's The Ark of TasteTable of ContentsPrologue 1 MONTREAL Kitchen Dreams 2 MEXICO CITY The Secret of Axayacatl 3 OSSABAW ISLAND Some Pig 4 CÁDIZ The Quintessence of Putrescence 5 YORKSHIRE DALES Hard Cheese 6 PUGLIA The Death of the Immortals 7 CAPPADOCIA Lost and Found 8 SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU Bread Alone 9 MI'WER'LA The Cooked and the Raw Epilogue Acknowledgments Selected Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis'Sophie Grigson has written twenty odd  excellent  cookbooks, but I think this is the best of them. It is her  first book  for a decade and was obviously driven by a real love of her  subjects,  which are Puglia, people and food. It is witty, informative,  fascinating  and stuffed full of recipes you want to cook.' Prue Leith'Puglia is a region I wanted to get to know intimately, to understand culture, life, history and geography, reflecting through the prism of the food that's put on the tables of locals and tourists, too. I'm reminded of my 20-year old self, scribbling in notebooks as I first travelled through Italy's south, only this time I'm back to stay.' After her children grew up and left home, Sophie Grigson found herself living  alone. About to turn 60, she took the decision to sell or give away most of her belongings, to pack up her car and to drive to Puglia on her ownTrade ReviewJane Grigson, the best cookery writer in my lifetime, would have been so proud of her daughter. Sophie Grigson has written twenty-odd excellent cookbooks, but I think this is the best of them. It is her first book for a decade and was obviously driven by a real love of her subjects, which are Puglia, people and food. It is witty, informative, fascinating and stuffed full of recipes you want to cook. * Prue Leith *Vivid, humorous and unsentimental, Sophie's portrait of modern Puglia, still steeped in old ways, is a delicious treat. * Xanthe Clay *OMFG! This beautiful book is transporting me there. I can't put it down. And the lack of chickens... I never bloody noticed! * Matt Tebbutt *Part travelogue, part recipe book, A Curious Absence of Chickens recounts a lone foodie's peregrinations through southern Italy with humour and candour. * The Times *[A] delicious account of new friends and fantastico food that will leave you hungry for more. * Daily Mail *Take a vicarious trip to southern Italy with seasoned cookery writer Sophie Grigson...She recounts her impressions of everything from the idiosyncrasies of her local market to the region's famous storied olive groves in this charming, sparingly illustrated read, bookended with traditional recipes (some with her slant). One to savour. * Delicious Magazine *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThere are hundreds of myths and misunderstandings about food today. Whether you're wondering if certain foods are good or bad for you, or just looking for a few interesting facts about cooking, this book will surely keep you entertained and well informed. * How it Works *This is a stunning book which I recommend with great enthusiasm. Dorling Kindersley are a British publisher specialising in visual reference books, and they have, yet again, shown their mastery in translating complex information into gorgeous pictures. And most importantly, retaining detail and accuracy of the subject, without drift and dilution. This book provides lots of great science about food and nutrition, presented beautifully. * Network Health Digest *

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Book Synopsis'A joy to immerse oneself in' Andi Oliver 'In the field of food history, Annie Gray leads the pack' Jay Rayner For many people Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a turkey and trimmings, pudding and brandy butter. And yet it wasn't always that way. Gone are the gluttonous banquets featuring boar's head and brawn - but how did we get to the Christmas food of today? Historian Annie Gray digs into the evolution of our festive meal, from the birth of the twelve-day celebration under Edward I and the the restoration of holiday splendour under Victoria to the present day. Organised by festive dish and illustrated throughout, At Christmas We Feast is a delectable trip through time - stuffed full of classic recipes, doused with history and tradition, and sprinkled with the joy of the feasts of Christmas past.Trade ReviewDr Annie Gray is just one of the best! She brings history and food to life with humanity and her customary wry wit and attention to detail. Anything that she writes is always a joy to immerse oneself in. -- Andi Oliver, chef and broadcasterPacked with fascinating historical facts and some even more absorbing recipes ... a cracking read and a great stocking filler * Irish Daily Mail *Mouth-watering and infused with Christmas spirit * Herald *Take a trip through time with food historian Annie Gray' * BBC Good Food *An admirable book on festive cooking -- Melanie McDonagh * Spectator *Praise for Victory in the Kitchen: Zingy, fresh, and unexpected: Annie Gray, the queen of food historians, finds her perfect subject. A book to devour -- Lucy WorsleyPopular history at its very best * Daily Mail *Annie Gray is a brilliant writer and scholar who brings a glorious combination of enthusiasm and greed to every subject she tackles. In the field of food history she leads the pack -- Jay Rayner

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Book SynopsisEverything we know about food and nutrition is wrong. It''s time to unlearn it. Wonderfully enlightening and engagingly written. Dr IdzIf you are looking at ways to combat the exploitation of the planet this book is for you. Rhiannon LambertWell Fed is a vital tool in the ongoing battle against nutrition misinformation. Robbie Lockie, Plant Based NewsIn Well Fed, James Collier, former NHS dietitian and co-founder of Huel, is on a mission to debunk the myths about food and nutrition to reveal why what we eat is not only having a devastating impact on our health, but also on our planet.The industrialisation of our food system has wreaked havoc on earth''s natural biodiversity, diminished the nutritional value of the food that is produced and has been a major contributor to global warming. The result? A planet in crisis and a surge in diseases of excess.By challenging conventional wisdom and embracing a more balanced and nuanced approach, Collier shows that we can:Improve our health by boosting physical and mental well-beingProtect the planet by reducing our environmental impactSupport our communities in fostering a more sustainable food systemSupercharge your health with Collier''s five pillars of contemplative nutrition, which offer a simple, holistic solution to inspire a sustainable approach to food.The future of food, our health and the planet is in our hands. Let''s act now.

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Book SynopsisHow does Britain get its food? Why is our current system at breaking point?How can we fix it before it is too late?British food has changed remarkably in the last half century. As we have become wealthier and more discerning, our food has Europeanized (pizza is children''s favourite food) and internationalized (we eat the world''s cuisines), yet our food culture remains fragmented, a mix of mass ''ultra-processed'' substances alongside food as varied and good as anywhere else on the planet.This book takes stock of the UK food system: where it comes from, what we eat, its impact, fragilities and strengths. It is a book on the politics of food. It argues that the Brexit vote will force us to review our food system. Such an opportunity is sorely needed. After a brief frenzy of concern following the financial shock of 2008, the UK government has slumped once more into a vague hope that the food system will keep going on as before. Food, they said, jTrade ReviewPresent discontents lend urgency to Lang's core message ... Security matters, and that includes food security. Lang has performed a public service. -- Simon Jenkins * Sunday Times *Forceful, illuminating, an ambitious manifesto ... The advent of coronavirus has added timeliness to Lang's warning about the fragility of our food supply. -- Martin Bentham * Evening Standard *When Lang says that "although not officially at war, the UK is, de facto, facing a wartime scale of food challenge", it's worth paying attention. We are in serious trouble ... It's a simple message, but in the white heat of a crisis, defined by queues outside supermarkets, a useful one. -- Jay Rayner * The Observer *Lang practically invented food ethics in this country ... Feeding Britain tells us how we could build a better food system, and shows that it is possible. -- Sophie Morris * The Independent *Feeding Britain is distinguished by the clarity and care with which it lays out urgent issues, most centrally that Britain does not produce enough food to feed itself. -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times *It is dense with statistics for journalists and academics to harvest and will, I suspect, become the go-to book for anyone interested in what is now going to be a hot political issue. -- Jamie Blackett * Daily Telegraph *For years, food policy expert Tim Lang has been an almost lone voice in the wilderness, arguing that UK food security needs to be improved. In his new, very timely book, Lang notes that most consumers think that "as long as there is food on the supermarket shelves, all is well in the world. It is not". -- Bee Wilson * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Stoned Beyond Belief is an exploration of every corner of the pot galaxy, from highly scientific botanical analyses and the study of pot’s medicinal benefits to a guide to the wild world of weed paraphernalia. It’s also a very personal tribute to a substance Bronson refers to as life-changing, horizon-expanding, a conduit for happiness, a connector." -- Blackout Hip Hop

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Book SynopsisScotland has some of the best seafood in the world, so we why don’t we eat more of it? Why don’t we highlight the bounty of our seas and the people who fish, produce, sell, preserve and cook it? Acclaimed cooker writer Ghillie Basan embarks on a journey around Scotland’s coastline and over to the islands to capture the essence of our nation’s seafood through the stories of fisherman, farmers, artisan smokers and curers, boat builders and net makers, creels and shacks, skin tanners and age-old traditions. In addition, she offers 90 original recipes showcasing the wonderful produce she encounters on her journeys to all parts of the country. Features a foreword by Gary Maclean, winner of MasterChef: The ProfessionalsTrade Review'This is a book to make you roam, eat, and experience, not just whip up something nice for Friday's tea' -- Gaby Soutar * The Scotsman *'A fascinating melange of articles about food producers or gatherers, whether of fish, sea salt, scallops, mussels, and more; interspersed with recipes for dishes prepared with ingredients local to the area being covered' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *'It is easily one of the most comprehensive seafood cookbooks I've seen' -- Rosie Morton * Scottish Field *'By including such a diverse range of recipes, all of which beautifully showcase Scotland’s coastal communities and their wonderful seafood, Ghillie Başan has not only created a cookbook that any home cook would love to own, but also something more... Seafood Journey is in many way, a snapshot of current-day Scotland' -- Paul Scott * Fishing News *'This is a book that will lead you to appreciate the stories of Scottish shellfish, as well as fall in love even more with the sea that bares them – it’s a catch!' * Shetland News *'This is a model cookbook - quirky, informative and a thoroughly good read' * Country Life *'Seafood Journey provides traditional, modern and multicultural easy-to-prepare recipes from each region' -- Maggie Ritchie * Scottish Field *

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Book SynopsisFrom oolong to sencha to chai, tea is one of the world's most popular beverages. Perhaps that is because it is a uniquely adaptable drink, consumed in many different varieties and ways by cultures across the globe and in many different settings, from the intricate traditions of the Japanese tea ceremony to the elegant tea-rooms of Britain to iced tea drunk on the verandas of the American Deep South. In Tea food historian Helen Saberi explores this rich and fascinating history. Saberi looks at the economic and social uses of tea, such as its use as a currency during the Tang dynasty; its role in American independence at the Boston Tea Party; afternoon tea drunk by the British in India; and the 1913 creation of a tea dance or The Dansant that combined tea with tango. Saberi also explores where and how tea is grown around the world and how customs and traditions surrounding the beverage have evolved from its legendary origins to its present-day popularity. Featuring vivid images as well as recipes from around the world, Tea is a refreshing and stimulating treat.Trade Review'These are food memoirs, salacious and exotic, colorful, powdered, sweet, greasy and globe-trotting ... sharp and speedy little reads, spotted with off-kilter illustrations' - Chicago Tribune 'These little morsels of books are part of a delightful and new imprint known as the Edible series ... The history of each foodstuff is set out compactly and with erudition ... in each case, it's when the history moves closer to current day that revelation and delight meet.' - Diplomat magazine 'The Edible series of books, with titles such as Tea, Sandwich, Soup and others, are full of fascinating facts but are almost small enough to squeeze into a Christmas stocking.' - Delicious 'a charming, erudite little book' - Oxford Times 'as the subtitle of this handy, informative little volume indicates, tea is enjoyed the world over and ranks, globally,as the second-most-popular beverage after water.' - Booklist 'a highly readable, engaging book, one best enjoyed while sipping a cup of tea oneself.' - InMamasKitchen

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Book SynopsisFrom Dr Annie Gray, presenter of BBC2's Victorian Bakers What does it mean to eat like a queen? Elizabeth gorged on sugar, Mary on chocolate and Anne was known as 'Brandy Nan'. Victoria ate all of this and more. The Greedy Queen celebrates Victoria's appetite, both for food and, indeed, for life. Born in May 1819, Victoria came 'as plump as a partridge'. In her early years she lived on milk and bread under the Kensington system; in her old age she suffered constant indigestion yet continued to over-eat. From intimate breakfasts with the King of France, to romping at tea-parties with her children, and from state balls to her last sip of milk, her life is examined through what she ate, when and with whom. In the royal household, Victoria was surrounded by ladies-in-waiting, secretaries, dressers and coachmen, but below stairs there was another category of servant: her cooks. More fundamental and yet completely hidden, they are now uncovered in their working environment for the first time. Voracious and adventurous in her tastes, Queen Victoria was head of state during a revolution in how we ate - from the highest tables to the most humble. Bursting with original research, The Greedy Queen considers Britain's most iconic monarch from a new perspective, telling the story of British food along the way.Trade ReviewHad me at the first sentence -- Nigel SlaterZingy, fresh, and unexpected: Annie Gray, the queen of food historians, finds her perfect subject. A book to devour -- Lucy WorsleyAnnie Gray is a brilliant writer and scholar who brings a glorious combination of enthusiasm and greed to every subject she tackles. In the field of food history she leads the pack. -- Jay RaynerIn this wonderfully researched and entertaining book, Gray uncovers a slice of royal history which until now has been completely ignored. -- Jane Ridley * Spectator *[A] delicious portrait -- Daisy Goodwin * Mail on Sunday *'The best - and most popular - rooms in any National Trust property are always the kitchens. It is there, rather than the grand staterooms, that we are able to visualise what life was really like in the past. In The Greedy Queen Annie Gray replicates those kitchens in book form, conjuring up for her readers both the elaborate banquets and the quiet family dinners of Queen Victoria and her household. Never has history seemed quite as delicious as in these pages.' -- Judith FlandersI'm avid to tuck in. -- Rachel Cooke * Guardian 2017 non-fiction picks *One of the most fascinating royal biographies I have read ... Culinary biography is a relatively undersubscribed genre, but this biographer and subject show off its great potential ... Gray writes with great authority, verve and confidence -- Paula Byrne * Times *Gray does an excellent job ... This is fascinating material, extracted from the archives by some fine forensic reading. -- Kathryn Hughes * TLS *If we are what we eat, then what was Victoria? This brilliant first book by Annie Gray wastes no time in telling us ... Gray's oeuvre is deeply satisfying ... her tone is lively, her pace jaunty. -- Cate Devine * Herald *Bursting with original research, The Greedy Queen looks at the monarch from a new perspective, telling the story of British food along the way. * Majesty Magazine *Written with great affection, it reveals a queen full of paradoxes, cosseted from real life but with a hearty appetite and startling joie de vivre alongside bouts of grief-stricken melancholy. A real feast. -- Patricia Carswell * WI Life *I love a good historical non-fiction read and the topic of food lends itself so well to this genre. In this beautifully researched book, Annie Gray explains how food culture changed during Victoria's long reign, the difference in diet between the queen and her poorest subjects and even what she ate to cure her of constipation (rhubarb, if you must know.) A fascinating read. -- Sarra Manning * Red *

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Book SynopsisShortlisted for Debut Food Book of the Year at the Fortnum and Mason Food and Drink Awards 2024Guild of Food Writers 2024 Finalist, Food Book of the YearA lyrical, amiable and educational celebration of what may be our greatest achievement: the chippy.' Stuart MaconieStep inside and unwrap this deliciously entertaining look at Britain's national dish.There is a corner of every town and city in Britain where the air is tangy with vinegar and the scent of frying. Following the irresistible lure, Daniel Gray ponders the magic of chippies and the delights they have sprinkled among us for the last 150 years as he investigates the social and sociable history of fish and chips.Travelling to chippies from Dundee to Devon via South Shields, Oldham, Bradford, Bethnal Green, the Rhondda Valley and more Daniel Gray explores our fish-and-chip nation to show how chippies have helped emancipate women, promote equality for immigrants and shape local and national identity.Whether you were raised eatTrade Review‘This is a lyrical, amiable and educational celebration of what, alongside The Beatles, Shakespeare and the NHS, may be our greatest achievement: the “chippy”. Fair warning, it will make you very hungry.’ Stuart Maconie 'Daniel Gray writes with great humour and takes tender delight in the people he meets. His book is as warm and comforting as a bag of chips on a cold night.' Peter Ross 'Engaging … Sprinkled with a digestible amount of social history and commentary. Like the dish, leaves you with a warm feeling afterwards.' Daily Mail ‘Light bite rather than a full fish supper, this is a delightful mix of travelogue and fish-flavoured fact. Good fun.' Annie Gray ‘Gray is a master at finding the universal in the local and the profound in the so-called everyday.' Ian McMillan ‘As satisfying and tangy as a pineapple fritter after the swimming baths.’ Harry Pearson ‘Witty, authoritative and timely. … Vivid, rich prose shimmering with warmth and a belief in the fundamental goodness of people.’ The New European ‘Warm, wise and witty.’ Charlie Connelly 'A highly entertaining, historically nuanced account. Wonderfully atmospheric.' Andrew Martin ‘An affectionate appreciation of a great British institution. As tasty as a fresh cod.' Arthur Matthews ‘There's a fantastic musicality to Gray's writing. We hear the sizzle of the fryer, the lilts of local accents and the buzz in the air as people wait in anticipation for their food.’ The Scots Magazine

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Book SynopsisTo reduce risk of pandemics for ourselves, our gaze needs to turn to the health of animals. Discover Jonathan Safran Foer''s eye-opening and life-changing account of the meat we eat.''Should be compulsory reading. A genuine masterwork. Read this book. It will change you'' Time OutEating Animals is the most original and urgent book on the subject of food written this century. It will change the way you think, and change the way you eat. For good.Whether you''re flirting with veganuary, trying to cut back on animal consumption, or a lifelong meat-eater, you need to read this book.From the bestselling author of the essential book on animal agriculture and climate crisis: We are the Weather.''Shocking, incandescent, brilliant'' The Times''Everyone who eats flesh should read this book'' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall''Universally compelling. Jonathan Safran Foer''Trade ReviewA spirited, emotional and well-researched investigation into what our taste for flesh really means Observer Deserves a place at the table with our greatest philosophers Los Angeles Times Shocking, incandescent, brilliant The Times Everyone who eats flesh should read this book -- Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Extremely smart and incredibly curious Vanity Fair Gripping, horrible, wonderful, breathtaking, original. A brilliant synthesis of argument, science and storytelling. One of the finest books ever written on the subject of eating animals -- The Times Literary Supplement

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Book Synopsis''Charming, important . . . a journey of discovery'' TelegraphOver the course of a year, Robert Penn learns how to plant, harvest, thresh and mill his own wheat, in order to bake bread for his family. In returning to this pre-industrial practice, he tells the fascinating story of our relationship with bread: from the domestication of wheat in the Fertile Crescent at the dawn of civilization, to the rise of mass-produced loaves and the resurgence in homebaking today.Gathering knowledge and wisdom from experts around the world - farmers on the banks of the Nile, harvesters in the American Midwest and Parisian boulangers - Penn reconnects the joy of making and eating bread with a deep appreciation for the skill and patience required to cultivate its key ingredient. This book is a celebration of the millennia-old craft of breadmaking, and how it is woven into the story of humanity.''Compelling, vivid . . . Slow Rise will be welcomed by theTrade ReviewA modern day Thoreau . . . Rob Penn has been hand scything wheat in the Nile Delta and growing his own heritage grains * Great British Food Magazine *Compelling, vivid . . . the cyclist and former lawyer explores his enthusiasm for sourdough bread, and forgotten "landrace" wheats, as he supervises their planting, harvesting and the milling of the grain that would go into his loaf . . . Slow Rise will be welcomed by the new bread geeks -- Dan Lepard * Spectator *A wide-ranging, gloriously obsessive odyssey ... a wonderful insight into the history, culture and sheer hard work taken to make this most fundamental of human foods -- Jenny Linford * author of The Missing Ingredient *Rob Penn's enthusiasm for what he calls 'the most symbolically evocative foodstuff' is so infectious and persuasive ... a pleasingly evocative tale, told with the same rich descriptions and wistful asides that Penn bakes into all of his books * Geographical *Charming, important ... a journey of discovery -- Boudicca Fox-Leonard * Telegraph *Fascinating, compelling . . . Robert Penn's engaging account encompasses every aspect of bread, from how it fuelled entire empires to which grains he could grow on his own allotment -- David Ellis * Evening Standard *People keep rediscovering the joy of bread. In truth it never went away; it was just subverted by pappy cheaper bread ... Rob Penn celebrates what we can do to reverse this culinary serfdom -- Tim Lang * author of Feeding Britain *

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR* Winner of Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards, Drink Book Award 2020 *Henrietta Lovell is best known as ''The Rare Tea Lady''. She is on a mission to revolutionise the way we drink tea by replacing industrially produced teabags with the highest quality tea leaves. Her quest has seen her travel to the Shire Highlands of Malawi, across the foothills of the Himalayas, and to hidden gardens in the Wuyi-Shan to source the world''s most extraordinary teas. Infused invites us to discover these remarkable places, introducing us to the individual growers and household name chefs Lovell has met along the way - and reveals the true pleasures of tea. The result is a delicious infusion of travel writing, memoir, recipes, and glorious photography, all written with Lovell''s unique charm and wit.

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Book Synopsis''Divide is well written and thought-provoking'' - Sunday Telegraph''A lively guide through the thorny challenges of rural life in an urban world. Essential reading for both incomer and local. Anna Jones is insightful but above all sensitive: we walk in everybody''s shoes'' - Tom Heap''This book, by farmer''s daughter and now-journalist and media presenter Anna Jones, is one of the most enjoyable and interesting books I have read this year'' - Mark AveryThis book is a call to action. It warns that unless we learn to accept and respect our social, cultural and political differences as town and country people, we are never going to solve the chronic problems in our food system and environment. As we stare down the barrel of climate change, only farmers - who manage two thirds of the UK''s landscape - working together with conservation groups can create a healthier food system and bring back nature in di

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Book SynopsisNamed a Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year 2017This Handbook features 20 original essays by leading figures in the discipline, which examine traditional areas of research as well as cutting-edge areas of inquiry. Divided into three parts Food, Self and Other; Food Security, Nutrition and Food Safety; Food as Craft, Industry and Ethics the book covers topics such as identity, commensality, locality, migration, ethical consumption, artisanal foods and children's food. Each chapter features rich ethnography alongside wider analysis of the subject. Internationally renowned scholars offer insights into their core areas of specialty including Michael Herzfeld on culinary stereotypes, David Sutton on how to conductan anthropology of cooking, Johan Pottier on food insecurity and Melissa L. Caldwell on practising food anthropology.Now available in paperback, this is a field-defining survey of the area and its key themes. A new afterword by Cristina Grasseni adds a reflectionTrade ReviewThe volume’s greatest strength is, perhaps, that it is forward looking, and thus very useful for defining a set of issues that are likely to occupy anthropological research for years to come ... For food scholars, the “Handbook” is a must-read. * Anthropos *Jakob Klein and James Watson bring together a welcome addition to the world of food studies in their new book The Handbook of Food and Anthropology. The book provides an insightful reference for anthropology and food studies scholars because of its attention to social and cultural contexts and rich ethnographic accounts [...] * Kimberly Lok Wong, Temple University, USA *An excellent collection that would make Goody and Mintz, to whom the book is dedicated, proud. * Julie Guthman, University of California at Santa Cruz, USA *Comprehensive and thorough, this collection is an essential reference for any anthropologist working on food. It opens a door into the breadth and richness of a disciplines engagement with food, both a basic human need and a source of pleasure. This book is a solid foundation for both newcomers to the field, and veteran investigators. * Richard Wilk, Indiana University, USA *This book confirms the fundamental contribution that anthropologists have made to the study of food, culture and society. With research extending from kinship and commensality to novel work on corporate ethnography and bioengineering, this collection makes a compelling case for the anthropological study of food and modern life. * Peter Jackson, University of Sheffield, UK *At last, a handbook that reflects the emergence and importance of the study of food as a core feature of twenty-first century anthropology. Embracing environmental subjects, transnational business, globalism, policy and practice, it serves up the penetrating insights into everyday life that are anthropology’s traditional speciality while looking ahead to the transdisciplinary future of food. Truly, a feast. * Kaori O’Connor, UCL, UK *A well-balanced and creatively prepared selection of essays, this book reveals that understanding food, now more than ever, requires attention to the scientific possibilities, political promises, and ethical concerns entangled with nutrition, taste, and hunger. It represents the best current work in this field, helping us think about how to provision this hungry planet safely and equitably. * Leo Coleman, editor of 'Food: Ethnographic Encounters' *Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors Introduction: Anthropology, Food, and Modern Life James L. Watson, Harvard University, USA and Jakob A. Klein, SOAS, UK Part One: Food, Self and Other 1. Culinary Stereotypes: The Gustatory Politics of Gastro-Essentialism Michael Herzfeld, Harvard University, USA 2. Muslim Foodways Maris B. Gillette, University of Missouri-St Louis, USA 3. Food, Commensality and Caste in South Asia James Staples, Brunel University, UK 4. Jewish Foods at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century Joëlle Bahloul, Indiana University, USA 5. Approaches to Food and Migration: Rootedness, Being, and Belonging Emma-Jayne Abbots, University of Wales Trinity St David, UK 6. Local Foods, Local Specialties, and Local Identity Nir Avieli, Ben Gurion University, Israel Part Two: Food Security, Nutrition, and Food Safety 7. Observer, Critic, Activist: Anthropological Encounters with Food Insecurity Johan Pottier, SOAS, UK 8. Feeding Farmers and Feeding the Nation in Modern Malaysia: The Political Economy of Food and Taste Francesca Bray, University of Edinburgh, UK 9. Children's Food Jennifer Patico, Georgia State University, USA and Eriberto Lozada, Davidson College, USA 10. Cows' Milk as Children's Food: Insights from India and the U.S. Andrea S. Wiley, Indiana University, USA 11. Food, Borders, and Diseases Alan Smart, University of Calgary, USA and Josephine Smart, University of Calgary, USA 12. Rethinking Food and Its Eaters: Opening the Black Boxes of Safety and Nutrition Heather Paxson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA 13. Food Provisioning and Foodways in Postsocialist Societies: Food as Medium for Social Trust and Global Belonging Yuson Jung, Wayne State University, USA 14. Feeding the Revolution: Public Mess Halls and Coercive Commensality in Maoist China James L. Watson, Harvard University, USA Part Three: Food as Craft, Industry and Ethics 15. Church Cookbooks: Changing Foodways on the American Prairie Rubie S. Watson, Independent Scholar, USA 16. The Anthropology of Cooking David Sutton, Southern Illinois University, USA 17. Supermarket Expansion, Informal Retail, and Food Acquisition Strategies: An Example from Rural South Africa Elizabeth Hull, SOAS, UK 18. Ethical Consumption: The Moralities and Politics of Food Peter Luetchford, University of Sussex, UK 19. Artisanal Food and the Cultural Economy: Perspectives on Craft, Heritage, Authenticity, and Reconnection Harry G. West, University of Exeter, UK 20. Practicing Food Anthropology: Moving Food Studies from the Classroom to the Boardroom Melissa L. Caldwell, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA Afterword Cristina Grasseni, Leiden University, The Netherlands

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Book SynopsisVegan or carnivore? Vegetarian or gluten-free? Keto or Mediterranean? Fasting or Paleo? Our relationship to food is filled with confusion and insecurity. Every day we hear about a new ingredient that is good or bad, a new diet that promises everything. But the truth is that none of those labels matter. The secret to becoming healthier, losing weight, living a pain-free and energetic life and healing the planet has nothing to do with counting calories, reducing portion sizes or feeling deprived - the key is re-learning how to eat like a human.This means finding food that is as nutrient-dense as possible, and preparing that food using methods that release those nutrients and make them safe and bioavailable to our bodies, which is exactly what allowed our ancestors, millions of years ago, to not only live but thrive. Archaeologist and primitive technologist Dr Bill Schindler draws on cutting-edge science and a lifetime of research to show readers how to live like modern 'hunter-gatherers' by using the same strategies our ancestors used - as well as techniques still practiced by many cultures around the world - to make food as safe, nutritious, bioavailable and delicious as possible.With each chapter dedicated to a specific food group, in-depth explanations of different foods and cooking techniques and concrete takeaways, as well as 75+ recipes, Eat Like a Human will permanently change the way you think about food, and help you live a happier, healthier, and more connected life.Trade ReviewIf you are confused about what to eat, tossed about in the storm of conflicting dietary advice, Eat Like a Human provides a refreshing, unique perspective on the origins of the human diet, and how to design and prepare a varied inclusive diet of nutrient dense foods, often wild and weird, that extracts the most nutritional benefit through ancient cooking methods (and often ancient foods ignored today - insects anyone?). If you want to learn to be in right relationship to your body, nature and food, read this book!Dr Bill Schindler is at the forefront of a small handful of intrepid researchers who have taken the deep insights of evolutionary science and wedded them to the practical (and critical) process of feeding ourselves, our families, and communities. Eat Like a Human is not "cave man reenactment" - it is a science-based approach to truly nourishing the human body, mind, and spirit.From Samburu warriors in Africa drinking blood milkshakes, to highlanders in Peru dipping potatoes in a sauce made of clay, Eat Like a Human takes you on a fascinating journey of culinary traditions around the world. Dr Schindler explains why food preparation techniques are critical for obtaining the best possible nourishment for our food while providing delicious recipes acceptable to western palates. Eat Like a Human is a delightful read that serves as a practical road map to healthy eating.Eat Like a Human will awake your latent hunter-gatherer. Dr Schindler shares his intriguing journey from 'hard core obsessive' to the realization that food is more than nutrition - it's also a cultural experience that is invaluable to our health and happiness. A lifetime of discovery and invaluable forgotten skills between two covers.Dr Bill Schindler dives into ancestral foodways, into the archeology of food, in order to draw a better future for our health as well as the health of our planet. He doesn't just preach the change in our eating behaviour, he uses the world's simplest argument - eat like a human - to understand our DNA, our metabolic functions, and the evolution of our species in order to design a better, tastier, healthier and more egalitarian future.Archaeology too often fails to explore what our ancestors ate, overlooking the most fundamental part of the story of human evolution. This adventure-rich masterpiece explores living guardians of ancient culinary wisdom, filling a much needed void that prods at the status quo of nutrition in a quietly powerful way.Anthropologist Dr Bill Schindler offers sage eating advice and recipes from our ancestors. He encourages us to consider the cultural context of our consumption from surprising perspectives, with stories from his extensive travels to learn from indigenous peoples and their traditional diets. Bill invites us to eat dirt, not our greens; to reconsider nutrient-dense offal; and not to drink the USDA-recommended three glasses of milk a day, but to turn them into cheese instead!Eat Like a Human had me on the edge of my seat from the first paragraph till the very end. In a world of processed food, deceptive marketing, and fad diets, this book is a true guide for living and eating! A powerful read and a wealth of invaluable knowledge from Dr Bill Schindler.Since being in the food industry for more than forty years and owning a culinary school for twenty-five, few people have made such an impact on my philosophy of eating as Dr Bill Schindler. With his vast knowledge, he describes our nutritive past as humans. Through his huge charisma, he tells us what paths we can follow for the future, leaving the choice to us. * John Nocita, president, Italian Culinary Institute *

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Book SynopsisTOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Think about that first tickle of hunger in your stomach. A moment ago, you could have been thinking about anything, but now it's thickly buttered marmite toast, a frosty scoop of ice cream straight from the tub, some creamy, cheesy scrambled eggs or a fuzzy, perfectly-ripe peach. Eating is one of life's greatest pleasures. Food nourishes our bodies, helps us celebrate our successes (from a wedding cake to a post-night out kebab), cheers us up when we're down, introduces us to new cultures and - when we cook and eat together - connects us with the people we love. In Eat Up, Ruby Tandoh celebrates the fun and pleasure of food, taking a look at everything from gluttons and gourmets in the movies, to the symbolism of food and sex. She will arm you against the fad diets, food crazes and bad science that can make eating guilt-laden and expensive, drawing eating inspiration from influences as diverse as Moonlight, Rihanna and Gemma from TOWIE. Filled with straight-talking, sympathetic advice on everything from mental health to recipe ideas and shopping tips, this is a book that clears away the fog, to help you fall back in love with food.Trade ReviewI read it greedily. Thank you. -- Nigella LawsonEat Up! is brilliant. Thought-provoking, hunger-stoking and so very well written. Buy it. You won't regret it. -- Meera SodhaA wonderful read, whatever you eat. Loved this book for helping me rediscover joy in food when 'new year, new me' diet rhetoric was getting unbearable. -- Reni Eddo-LodgeIf you love food, complications and all, then Ruby's incisive manifesto - to enjoy food for what it is - is for you. * Thomasina Miers *Eat Up! is a joyous manifesto for flavour and sanity. It will give you more nourishment and wellness - not to mention waffles! - than any number of clean eating books. Tandoh takes in everything from Nepalese chicken dumplings to the science of taste; from blackberrying to the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Ruby Tandoh has written a genre-busting antidote to food-anxiety. You come away from it feeling braver and determined to eat with more freedom and gusto. I loved it. * Bee Wilson *I not only ate it up, I devoured it! A salutary reminder that food is about nourishment in all its senses - thank you Ruby for putting the pleasure back into eating. -- Helen Goh, co-author of Sweet (with Yotam Ottolenghi)Ruby Tandoh has written a hand grenade of a book. What I love most about Eat Up is all of the books that it isn't. It isn't a recipe collection full of soft-focus food pornography, the author lifting something glistening to her perfect lips, alone in an immaculate kitchen. It isn't a manual for how to save your soul by way of micronutrient-inflected mortification of the flesh. It is not a memoir of one young woman's emotional journey, served rare with a side of gawking and a comforting, sweet finish. Like Tandoh, it refuses to be anything but what it is: a strange, special, occasionally repetitive book that is somehow so much more than it was meant to be ... she takes graceful aim at the cult of wellness, front-loads the economics of food poverty and provides a recipe for a can of fizzy pop, cold from the fridge ... Eat Up is part-Delia Smith, part-Irvine Welsh. -- Laurie Penny * New Statesman *Ruby's writing in Eat Up! is moreish. Her third book is witty, thoughtful, epigrammatic, sometimes scholarly and always passionate ... Eat Up!'s mission is to replace our collective nervousness about food with guilt-free appreciation -- Andrew Billen * Times *Eat Up is really, really, really good -- Dolly Alderton * The High Low Podcast *Tandoh takes the reader on an optimistic, witty, inclusive ride through our relationship with food ... she is at her best when she is giddy with the joy of cooking ... a warm, reassuring book [and] a defiantly upbeat read -- Lisa Markwell * The i Paper *Tandoh has built up a body of food writing that is as incisive about the relationship between eating disorders and health culture as it is on the undervalued appeal of food memoirs -- Charlie Hiller * Food and Wine *A passionate, common-sense manifesto that celebrates food in all its guises, and debunks damaging ideas * Olive Magazine *Tandoh examines knotty issues with both gravity and humour, her enthusiasm for the pleasure of eating - sun-warmed Essex blackberries or a perfectly composed Burger King - running through each chapter like the lettering on a stick of seaside rock. Eat Up is a timely reminder that food is something to savour. * Observer *Ruby Tandoh's manifesto for ditching the guilt and putting the pleasure back into eating * Glamour *

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Book SynopsisWhether grainy or smooth, spicy or sweet, Dijon, American or English, mustard accompanies our food and flavours our life around the globe. It has been a source of pleasure, health and myth from ancient times to the present day, its tiny seed a symbol of faith and its pungent flavour a testimony to refined taste. In this delightful global history, Demet Güzey takes readers on a tour of the ubiquitous mustard, exploring its origins, its use in medicine and in the kitchen, its place in literature, language and religion, and its strong symbolism of sharpness, perseverance and strength. There are stories of mustard plasters used to treat melancholy, runners eating mustard to prevent cramps, and Christians spreading mustard seeds along pilgrimage trails. Packed with entertaining mustard facts, anecdotes and images, as well as a selection of historic and modern recipes, this surprising history of one of the world’s most loved condiments will appeal to food history aficionados.

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