Cultural studies: food and society Books
The History Press Ltd The History and Natural History of Spices: The
Book Synopsis‘A tale of kings and conquests and high-sea adventures … A must-read for those interested in the history of spices.’ – Shrabani Basu, author of Victoria and Abdul and Curry: The Biography of the Nation’s Favourite DishHumans have crossed the oceans and traversed the unknown in search of spice and flavour for thousands of years. Mustard has been found at Neolithic sites in Iran, Germany and Denmark; the Romans’ love affair with black pepper was insatiable; pepper, saffron, cinnamon, ginger, galangal and grains of paradise were ordered in large quantities for Richard III’s coronation feast; and vanilla was credited as helping 342 eighteenth-century men become ‘astonishing lovers’.Although the Romans had imported black pepper, and Eastern spices had trickled through to the West for centuries, it was only after Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape that huge quantities of spices were brought back from India and the Far East, starting vicious trade wars between the Portuguese, Dutch and English as they established their colonial empires. Spices came from the West too: when Columbus reached the Americas in the fifteenth century, he brought back chilies to Europe, and from there they spread rapidly across the globe.The History and Natural History of Spices looks at spices from both a botanical and historical perspective, from their uses and classification to their influence on trade, war and global events. Both comprehensive and entertaining, it is the story of how our passion for spices helped to change the world.Trade Review‘A tale of kings and conquests and high-sea adventures … A must-read for those interested in the history of spices.’ SHRABANI BASU, author of Victoria and Abdul and Curry: The Biography of the Nation's Favourite Dish
£21.25
Phaidon Press Ltd Slippurinn: Recipes and Stories from Iceland
Book Synopsis'To eat at Slippurinn is blissful. To have Matt’s recipes is a gift.’ – Diana Henry The debut from rising star chef Gísli Matt of Slippurinn, the international culinary-destination restaurant in Iceland’s Westman IslandsChef Gísli Matt built Slippurinn with his family in a historic shipyard building of a small town whose landscape was changed forever by the lava flow from a 1973 erupted volcano. In this most incredible environment, where plants grow on mountains created out of lava, Gísli created a menu that both respects the local and traditional and pushes boundaries of contemporary cuisine. Gísli is forging his own way in gastronomy today. He has captured the attention of the world’s culinary cognoscenti, including Ruth Reichl and Diana Henry among others, and this, Gísli’s first book, reflects his extensive research into traditional Icelandic dishes to preserve local culinary knowledge while applying a modern approach for a cuisine to be enjoyed by locals and international foodies. It takes the reader right to the heart of his fascinating culinary world and island life. A book for lovers of all things Nordic and for food lovers the world over.Trade Review"[Gísli Matt] has garnered international attention for his modern, inventive cuisine, which respects the local volcanic terroir. The book takes the reader into rising star Matt's cuisine and shares the realities of island life." – Fine Dining Lovers"Expect involved recipes ... that might just lure you to Iceland." – Time Out“A celebration of traditional Icelandic cuisine and culture.” – Daily Beast
£33.96
Apartamento Publishing S.L.v PENANG
Book Synopsis
£44.10
Prospect Books Slippery Noodles: A Culinary History of China
Book SynopsisChina is a big country and its cookery is one of the world’s greatest. In the last century all nations everywhere have been introduced to its tastes, flavours and cooking methods. But an understanding of Chinese food history is hard to come by: the country is large and the history is long. Hsiang Ju Lin has interrogated the written record, some of it dating back to the 5th century BC, and most recently from books current in the People’s Republic today; she has translated it and set it into culinary context and thereby allows the modern reader to enter into some of the breadth and depth of literature available.In a sequence of chronological chapters Hsiang Ju Lin plunges into specific topics as diverse as the influence of the Silk Road, the administration of the Imperial palace, the role of tea and sugar, many of the grand banquets of which we have record, the differences witnessed in the southern provinces, vegetarianism, bean curd and soy sauce, birds’ eggs and birds’ nests, the role of salt, the impact of the Western missions, noodles, and the relationship of food and medicine.The reader is able to taste the richness of the heritage, to read for him or herself the words as diverse as the Essential Skills for Common Folk by Jia Sixie (6th cent. AD), Food and Drink by Shen Zinan (7th cent. ), Tao Gu; Zhu Yizun, and Yuan Mei (17th and 18th), the diary of a salt merchant on the east coast and Madame Wu’s Home Cooking from the late Song dynasty.
£17.10
Daunt Books The Gastronomical Me
Book Synopsis
£9.49
British Library Publishing The Philosophy of Curry
Book SynopsisSejal Sukhadwala probes the complex intersection of tradition and colonialism through the fascinating history of curry, from its association with Ayurveda - one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems to its enduring popularity in contemporary British culture.
£9.50
WW Norton & Co BraveTart
Book SynopsisAn award-winning pastry chef’s foolproof recipes and fresh take on the history of American desserts, from chocolate chip cookies to toaster pastries.Trade Review"This is not everyday baking – nor does it celebrate an everyday occasion – but the whisking of egg whites to make the marshmallow icing (inspiration for which I thank the ever-illuminating, ever-inspiring American baker-sleuth Stella Parks, author of the compendious BraveTart)..." -- Nigella Lawson - Observer Food Monthly"Fans of American desserts need look no further than this book." -- Choice
£26.59
Vintage Publishing Dirt
Book SynopsisBill Buford has been a writer and editor for the New Yorker since 1995. Before that he was the editor of Granta magazine for sixteen years and, in 1989, became the publisher of Granta Books. He is also the author of Heat and Among the Thugs. He was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, grew up in California, and was educated at UC Berkeley and Kings College, Cambridge, where he was awarded a Marshall Scholarship for his work on Shakespeare's plays and sonnets. He lives in New York City with his wife, Jessica Green, and their two sons.Trade ReviewFor a rip-roaring account of French food culture and the dos and don'ts of working in a kitchen, look no further. -- Olivia Marks * Vogue *The Best Food Writing For Autumn 2020* *Hugely enjoyable... Buford's patience and composure are remarkable, his reportage illuminating. -- Roger Lewis * The Times *This book may well be an even greater pleasure than its predecessor... Delightful, highly idiosyncratic. -- Lisa Abend * New York Times Book Review *Buford is excellent company - candid, self-deprecating and insatiably, omnivorously interested... [I] wolfed it down. -- Orlando Bird * Telegraph *I adore Buford's enthusiasm, which is unstinting, endlessly curious and absolutist in the best sense. -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *
£9.99
Transworld Publishers Ltd Cannabis A History
Book SynopsisTo some it''s antisocial anathema, to others it is a harmless way to relax, or provides relief from crippling pain. Some fear it is a dangerous drug that leads to ''reefer madness'' and addiction; to others still it is a legal anomaly and should be decriminalized. Whatever the viewpoint, and by whatever name it is known, cannabis - or marijuana, hashish, pot, dope, kif, weed, dagga, grass, ganja - incites debate at every level. In this definitive study, Martin Booth - author of the acclaimed OPIUM: A HISTORY - charts the history of cannabis from the Neolithic period to the present day. It is a fascinating, colourful tale of medical advance, religious enlightenment, political subterfuge and human rights; of law enforcement and customs officers, smugglers, street pushers, gang warfare, writers, artists, musicians, hippies and pot-heads.Booth chronicles the remarkable and often mystifying process through which cannabis, a relatively harmless substance, became outlawed tTrade ReviewEnlightening...a very engaging history. * Daily Telegraph *Booth tells this story with admirable restraint...this book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in human freedoms and bad laws. * Independent *So good no one will need to do another for at least fifty years...mesmerizing detail, fantastical digressions, lots of jokes and wry asides. -- James Delingpole * Literary Review *A testament to the late Booth that he could make such a boring subject so interesting. * Sunday Times *A colourful tale ... Chronicles the remarkable and often mystifying process through which cannabis became outlawed throughout the Western world, and the devastating effect such legislation has had on the global economy. * Sunday Telegraph *Table of ContentsTo some it's anathema, to others it provides relief from crippling pain: to others still, it is a legal anomaly and should be decriminalized. Whatever the viewpoint, and by whatever name it is known, cannabis - or marijuana, hashish, dope, kif, weed, dagga, grass, ganga - incites debate at every level and its impact on the world's cultures and economies is undeniable. Dating back to the Neolithic period, the history of cannabis is a tale of medical advance, religious enlightenment, political subterfuge and human rights; of law enforcement and customs officers, cunning smugglers, street pushers, gang warfare, writers, artists, musicians and happy-go-lucky hipples and pot-heads.
£11.69
Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press A Really Big Lunch
Book Synopsis'The late Jim Harrison was one of the true greats when it came to writing about food. He combined an attention to detail with a glorious prose style and a massive appetite... A must read.' - ObserverNew York Times bestselling author Jim Harrison was one of America's most beloved writers, a muscular, brilliantly economic stylist with a salty wisdom. He also wrote some of the best essays on food around, earning praise as 'the poet laureate of appetite' (Dallas Morning News). A Really Big Lunch collects many of his food pieces for the first time - and taps into his larger-than-life appetite with wit and verve. Jim Harrison's legendary gourmandise is on full display in A Really Big Lunch. From the titular New Yorker piece about a French lunch that went to thirty-seven courses, to pieces from Brick, Playboy, the Kermit Lynch Newsletter and more on the relationship between hunter and prey, or the obscure language of wine reviews, A Really Big Lunch is shot through with Harrison's pointed aperçus and keen delight in the pleasures of the senses. And between the lines the pieces give glimpses of Harrison's life over the last fifteen years. A Really Big Lunch is a literary delight that will satisfy every appetite.Trade ReviewThe late Jim Harrison was one of the true greats when it came to writing about food. He combined an attention to detail with a glorious prose style and a massive appetite... A must read. * Observer *A celebration of eating well and drinking even better as a recipe for the good life... If this is the last we get from Harrison, it serves as a fitting memorial. * Kirkus *[His] gusto sparkles throughout this collection of magazine essays on food... the result is a tasty nosh for foodies with a literary bent. * Publishers Weekly *A Really Big Lunch showcases Harrison's enthusiastic, funny, and uncompromising views on how to eat, drink, and live well. His tone is conversational, generous, the sort of person with whom you'd want to share a 37-course lunch that lasts 11 hours . . . His writing is bodily, bawdy, sharp. The more we have of his voice, the better. * Boston Globe *The intimacy and enthusiasm of Harrison's food correspondent style makes reading A Really Big Lunch feel like sitting at a table during a really big lunch with the best, and smartest, and most entertaining of friends. * Salon *With an introduction from Harrison's longtime friend Mario Batali, this is for Harrison fans as well as a great addition to popular food and wine collections. * Booklist *Harrison writes with enough force to make your knees buckle and with infectious zeal that makes you turn the pages hungry for more . . . Jim Harrison has staked out a distinctive place in the world of food writing. -- Jane and Michael Stern * New York Times Book Review on THE RAW AND THE COOKED *Harrison is the American Rabelais, and he is at his irreverent and excessive best in this collection. -- John Skowles * San Diego Union-Tribune on THE RAW AND THE COOKED *Jim Harrison is the Henry Miller of food writing. His passion is infectious. . . By virtue of talent, Mr. Harrison would sit at the same table as A.J. Liebling and M.F.K. Fisher. -- Jeffrey Trachtenberg * Wall Street Journal on THE RAW AND THE COOKED *Jim Harrison is the Homer, the Michelangelo, the Lamborghini, the Willie Mays, the Secretariat of words, the peak of perfection in all writing, but achieves Jimi Hendrix solo perfection when he waxes the gristle about our most primordial need and luxury. -- Mario Batali * on THE RAW AND THE COOKED *A rumination on the unholy trinity of sex, death and food, this long-awaited collection of gastronomic essays reads like the love child of M.F.K. Fisher and James Thorne - on acid. Harrison . . . writes with a passion for language equal to his passion for good food. * Publishers Weekly on THE RAW AND THE COOKED *
£16.19
The History Press Ltd The Ration Book Diet
Book SynopsisIn 1939, Britain was preparing for war. As well as building aeroplanes and digging Anderson shelters, this meant managing food supplies for the home front.The Ministry of Food rose to the challenge, introducing rationing, encouraging the nation to dig for victory, and issuing cookbooks and health advice.Drawing inspiration from Britain’s ‘finest hour’, when the thrifty British housewife had to grow her own veg, stretch the butter ration and still keep her family fighting fit, this is both a social history of wartime dining and a collection of over sixty delicious and healthy seasonal recipes with a vintage twist.
£15.29
Vintage Publishing Amaretto Apple Cake and Artichokes
Book SynopsisThe best writer on Italian food in the UK and perhaps the world, Anna Del Conte has written 12 books including the acclaimed Portrait of Pasta, Gastronomy of Italy and Amaretto, Apple Cake and Artichokes. She won the Duchessa Maria Luigia di Parma award for Gastronomy of Italy, and was shortlisted for the Andre Simon award with Entertaining All'Italiana. The Classic Food of Northern Italy won awards from the Guild of Food Writers and the Accademia Italiana della Cucina. She has contributed to Sainsbury's magazine and received the Glenfiddich award for her journalism. Her memoir, Risotto with Nettles, was published by Chatto in 2009. This year Anna was awarded thehonour of Ufficiale dell'Ordine al Merito della Repubblicao Italiana in recognition of the work she does for Italy and Italian food in this country. She lives in Dorset.Trade ReviewThe delightfulness of this book rests in the fact that the chapters centre on ingredients rather than regions, allowing for a wonderful spread of recipes and information that captures the flavour of the Italian kitchen * Guardian *This is a traditional nurturing home-style Italian cooking, ranging from the simplicity of 'la cucina povera' to the more elaborate cuisine of the old nobility, from rough rustic dishes like bread soup, to festive presentations like lamb with garlic and juniper berries with a dazzling sauce of vinegar, sugar and milk * New York Times *An excellent cook and a natural hostess, Del Conte has the gift for passing on knowledge and for organising. She is the best writer on Italian food in Britain * Financial Times *Those who think of Italian cooking as only tomato sauce and pasta will be surprised by the range of dishes presented here. Del Conte, the author of five other cookbooks, knows her culinary terrain intimately. This is the food of her childhood and Del Conte is as likely to invoke her father's notion of a proper soup as she is to discuss the 17th century chef Bartolomeo Stefani * Cookbook Review *The recipes are clear enough for rookie cooks to follow and they make sense in terms of the kinds of food many people want to eat today- fresh, flavourful, simple prepared, with less emphasis on meat and more on vegetables * New York Times *
£15.29
Penguin Books Ltd Pie Fidelity
Book Synopsis''Funny, informative, a love poem to all that''s great in British cooking ... from the humble cheese sandwich, through fish and chips and curry, to the ubiquitous Sunday roast ... Part Nigel Slater, part Bill Bryson, and wholly delicious'' Michael Simkins, Mail on SundayA journey through British food, from the acclaimed author of The Apple OrchardIn Britain, we have always had an awkward relationship with food. We''ve been told for so long that we are terrible cooks and yet when someone with a clipboard asks us what the best things are about being British, our traditional food and drink are more important than the monarchy and at least as significant as our landscape and national monuments in defining a collective notion of who we are. Taking nine archetypically British dishes - Pie and Peas, A Cheese Sandwich, Fish and Chips, Spag Bol, Devonshire Cream Tea, Curry, The Full English, The Sunday Roast and a Crumble with CuTrade ReviewThe book examines a series of traditional British meals with Hornby's geeky obsessiveness and Orwell's incisive class observation ... His prose is engaging, his storytelling effortless ... Brown writes beautifully and fondly of every dish in a way that will have you desperate to taste it again at the end of each chapter. This historical information he weaves around the food is plentiful, accurate and worn lightly, and his observations are fresh and provocative. * Financial Times *Part Nigel Slater, part Bill Bryson, and wholly delicious...Funny, informative and written with passion, Pie Fidelity is a love poem to all that's great in British cooking. * Mail on Sunday *A heart-felt book that makes an important point without false pride or sentimentality. When it comes to food, we're better than we think. * The Times *Genuinely revealing...Brown evokes the emotionalism of eating * Guardian *As much as his book is a reflection of his experiences, reading it inevitably leads the reader to examine their own past, and how food defines who we are, or used to be * Waitrose Weekend Magazine *Brown is a natural raconteur... this memoir mixed with a "defence of British food" sees him at his funniest and most insightful. Highly recommended * Sunday Times, Food Book of the Month *Brilliant, funny... loving every page -- Dave Myers, The Hairy Bikers[Praise for The Apple Orchard] An absorbing love letter to the English apple tree...lyrical and joyful * TLS *[Praise for The Apple Orchard] Wonderful, revelatory ... very moving -- Sheila Dillon * BBC Radio 4 *[Praise for The Apple Orchard] Delightful... impassioned, patriotic, richly informed * Sunday Times *
£13.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Veg Box
Book SynopsisDavid and Stephen Flynn, a.k.a the Happy Pear twins, are back with their simplest cookbook yet!The perfect collection for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking to eat more plant-based recipes - ''This book is awesome'' Chris EvansAUBERGINE - BEETROOT - BROCCOLI - CABBAGE - CARROT - CAULIFLOWER - COURGETTE - LEEK - MUSHROOMS - POTATOESTen vegetables, ten ways, The Veg Box makes cooking veg easier and tastier than ever before! This vibrant book is packed with over 100 new recipes that use just ten ingredients or less and showcase the delicious and diverse ways you can enjoy each vegetable.Take carrots for example. Learn how to transform this simple produce into:Carrot and Sesame BurgersRoasted Carrot TagineChewy Flapjacks with Carrot and PistachioOr how about courgettes? Watch them become:Easy One-Pan Courgette PizzaCourgette Crepes with Spinach and RicottaCourgette and Lemon Loaf Cake with a Lemon Curd Building tips on eating more sustainably into family-friendly meals, quick weeknight dinners and sweet treats, this is healthy eating for our planet, our bodies and our tastebuds.''Proper good food, less waste and very simple, delicious plant-based recipes'' Joe Wicks''Super practical and full of great recipes for eating more plants and reducing food waste'' Fearne Cotton ''The lads have done it again! A great concept and a beautiful book to help us all cook more delicious veg'' BOSH!''A delicious celebration of plants and all that they have to offer'' Megan Rossi ''Their recipes are fantastic and you will love this book'' Dr Rupy Aujla ''Delicious, sustainable meals everyone will enjoy'' Dr Gemma NewmanTrade ReviewProper good food, less waste and very simple, delicious plant-based recipes * Joe Wicks *Super practical and full of great recipes for eating more plants and reducing food waste * Fearne Cotton *Their recipes are fantastic and you will love this book * Dr Rupy Aujla *The lads have done it again! A great concept and a beautiful book to help us all cook more delicious veg * BOSH! *Delicious, sustainable meals everyone will enjoy * Dr Gemma Newman *This book is awesome! * Chris Evans *
£17.00
Penguin Books Ltd We are the Weather
Book Synopsis''Read this book. Saving Planet Earth starts right here, right now'' Stella McCartneyFrom the bestselling author of Eating Animals, a brilliantly fresh and accessible take on climate change - and what we can do about it''Climate change is the greatest crisis humankind has ever faced.It is that straightforward, that fraught.Where were you when you made your decision?''It is all too easy to feel paralysed and hopeless in the face of climate crisis, but the truth is that every one of us has the power to change history''s course. We have done it before: making collective sacrifices to protect our freedoms, our families, our way of life. And we can do it again.In this extraordinarily powerful and deeply personal book, Jonathan Safran Foer lays bare the battle to save the planet. Calling each one of us to action, he answers the most urgent question of all: what will it take for things to change? It all starts with what wTrade ReviewRead this book. Saving Planet Earth starts right here, right now * Stella McCartney *We Are The Weather: Saving The Planet Begins At Breakfast is optimistic not because Foer minimises the crisis, but because of his claim that ordinary people have a chance of ameliorating it . . . I have not had meat at lunch since I read the book, and that makes me feel even better than having solar panels. * The Times *A warning: this is a life-changing book and will alter your relationship to food forever * Observer *Since I finished the book I have been following his advice. I hope others will too. The future of the planet is in our hands - or rather, it's on our plates * The Times *Jonathan Safran Foer has laid down an urgent challenge with this book. Thought-provoking, humane and incisive, We Are the Weather confronts our personal entanglement in the climate crisis through the food on our plates. A necessary book about the way we eat and the enormous difference our daily choices can make. -- Julian HoffmanSafran Foer's new approach, measured and moderate, gives me hope * Observer *In a style rarely found in books about global catastrophe, [Foer] interweaves personal stories, bulleted factoids and a delicious serving of metaphor. The effect is dazzling. * The Washington Post *Eye-opening . . . In this follow-up to his influential Eating Animals, [Foer] brings both personality and passion to an issue that no one has figured out how to address in a way that inspires an adequate response. * The New York Times Book Review *Beautiful, powerful writing that's made me rethink the way I eat. -- Samin Nosrat, author of Salt, Fat, Acid HeatFoer's message is both moving and painful, depressing and optimistic * Publisher's Weekly *Foer's new book urges the reader gently towards incremental adjustments - the idea being that if enough of us observe them, difference can be made * Monocle *
£9.49
Basic Books Lesser Beasts A SnoutToTail History of the Humble
Book SynopsisUnlike other barnyard animals, which pull plows, give eggs or milk, or grow wool, a pig produces only one thing: meat. Incredibly efficient at converting almost any organic matter into nourishing, delectable protein, swine are nothing short of a gastronomic godsend,yet their flesh is banned in many cultures, and the animals themselves are maligned as filthy, lazy brutes.As historian Mark Essig reveals in Lesser Beasts , swine have such a bad reputation for precisely the same reasons they are so valuable as a source of food: they are intelligent, self-sufficient, and omnivorous. What''s more, he argues, we ignore our historic partnership with these astonishing animals at our peril. Tracing the interplay of pig biology and human culture from Neolithic villages 10,000 years ago to modern industrial farms, Essig blends culinary and natural history to demonstrate the vast importance of the pig and the tragedy of its modern treatment at the hands of humans. Pork, Essig explains, has long beTrade ReviewPraise for Lesser Beasts: "Broad, well-researched... [An] entertaining study." --Economist "Although history sprawls across countless topics, Essig zeroes in on a long-neglected niche -- the pig. In sprightly prose, he tells why the intelligent animal has filled so many plates for so long in so many parts of the world; like good bacon, his book sizzles." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Best Books of 2015 "A witty history of civilization told through our four-legged pork producer." --The Guardian (UK) "Essig's account is fascinating, full of erudition and nuance. He traces societal changes from the pharaohs to Walmart, using the pig. Equally, he uses history to enlarge our understanding of the domestic pig." --New Scientist (UK) "Essig presents the pig in a rich cultural context, weaving natural and social history into an engaging narrative about the lowly beast that has loomed ever so large in our collective experience." --Asheville Citizen-Times "Lesser Beasts offers readers entertainment as well as information ... [some] pages sizzle like bacon, and it's tough to set aside a book about an animal that's so close to people, in locale and in physiology." --St. Louis Post-Dispatch Garden and Gun "Mark Essig's savory history will provide you with hundreds of facts and anecdotes about the remarkable pig, so you'll impress your friends and relatives around the fire pit. Essig--who lives in Asheville--loves his pigs; he just loves them a little bit more with a nice vinegar." PopMatters "Essig offers a compelling look at one of history's most divisive animals... informative, suprising." "[A] solid introduction to swine culture... Highly recommended. All readers." --CHOICE "Essig examines the longstanding yet often overlooked connections between man and swine... You'll finish this read with a new appreciation for the phrase 'bringing home the bacon.'" --The Local Palate Portland Book Review "[Essig's] writing skill is excellent... a good read." "An enlightening culinary history... A lively, informative farm-to-table feast." --Kirkus Reviews "What Mark Kurlansky did for Cod, Essig might just do for swine." --Shelf Awareness "Essig presents an entertaining perspective on pigs, especially as they relate to humans. After you read this book, pigs will never seem quite the same." --Library Journal "A thoughtful book about the fascinating relationship between pigs and people, from Leviticus to Charlotte's Web. I learned something new on every page: Essig has a knack for delivering reams of information with lightness and wit, even as he makes an eloquent plea for a reformed pork industry, one where the bacon we eat comes from 'a pig that lived like a pig.' Whether you eat pork or not, Lesser Beasts is a gripping meditation on the plight of pigs." --Bee Wilson, author of Consider the Fork "Forget the egg. It's the pig that's incredible and edible. And Mark Essig tells the remarkable animal's checkered history with a style and verve that's as irresistible as bacon itself." --John Donohue, editor of Man with a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers who Cook for their Families "Mark Essig tells a fine tale of the unsung exploits of the lowly pig, from the age of the pyramids and the wars of the conquistadors to the awful abattoirs and trendy restaurants of today. With clear prose and careful research, he redeems an animal that has played a seminal role in human history while enduring near universal disdain. This fascinating book provides a marvelous antidote to our unexamined views on the pig." --Andrew Lawler, author of Why Did the Chicken Cross the World? The Epic Saga of the Bird that Powers Civilization "Lesser Beasts is a delightful romp through porcine history from the Neolithic era to the present. Mark Essig offers surprising answers to the question of why humans have had such a love-hate affair with the humble pig, and unveils many other unexpected insights. Well written and well researched, Lesser Beasts is a must for historians, pork lovers, and anyone who just loves a good read." --Andrew F. Smith, editor-in-chief, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America "Pigs are omnivorous. And so is Mark Essig. From a Roman recipe for salt curing and cold smoking hams that Cato favored, to the ignoble efforts of American industrial farmers who have shown neither their pigs nor their customers respect, he has sifted the archival record to write a smart and thoroughly engaging social history of the curious entwinings of pig and man." --John T. Edge, series editor, Southern Foodways Alliance Studies in Culture, People, and PlaceTable of ContentsPrologue. The Magical Animal One. Keep it Simple Two. Out of the Wild Three. "The Pig is Impure" Four. "Of Their Flesh Shall Ye Not Eat" Five. "Monstrosities of Luxury" Six. The Forest Pig Seven. "Swine Eat Things Clean and Unclean" Eight. "The Husbandman's Best Scavenger" Nine. "All the Mountains Swarmed with Them" Ten. "A Great Unkindness for our Swine" Eleven. "The Benevolent Tyranny of the Pig" Twelve. "Twenty Bushels of Corn on Four Legs" Thirteen. "The Republic of Porkdom" Fourteen. "A Swinish Multitude" Fifteen. "A Growing Prejudice Against Pork" Sixteen. "The Other White Meat" Seventeen. Vices Eighteen. "Back to the Start" Epilogue. Virtuous Carnivores
£19.80
The History Press Ltd Food in Roman Britain
Book SynopsisDescriptions of food in Roman Britain are usually based on the cookery book of Apicius, as if the whole island dined on gourmet food. In contrast Joan Alcock draws on the archaeological evidence, as well as on Classical and Celtic literature, to discover the full range of native and imported foods needed for a growing urban populations as well as a large resident army. In addition to looking at the very varied food and drink available - from meat, fish and dairy products to vegetables, nuts and herbs - Dr Alcock examines the eating, cooking and dining habits of people who inhabited the province. Comparison is made with other parts of the Roman Empire and, where relevant, to modern food practices. Both civilian and military diets are discussed and the nutritional benefits (or otherwise) of these diets are assessed. Complete with almost 130 illustrations (many in full colour) this is a book which will be a revelation to anyone with an interest in Roman Britain - or, indeed, in the his
£18.75
The History Press Ltd Scotlands Malt Whisky Distilleries
Book SynopsisThe author, responsible for marketing of the Famous Grouse for fifteen years, has been in a unique position to record the decline of the malt distillery and also to look at the remaining distilleries and explain why they survive today. The story is one of politics, taxation, social history, location, supply and demand and sheer perseverance on the part of some. Illustrated with around 175 colour illustrations of distilleries old and new, and of the processes involved in the manufacture of Scotland''s biggest single export.
£17.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Real Cost of Cheap Food
Book SynopsisThis thought-provoking, accessible book critically examines the dominant food regime on its own terms, by seriously asking whether we can afford cheap food and by exploring what exactly cheap food affords us.The author shows why today''s global food system produces just the opposite of what it promises. The food produced under this regime is in fact exceedingly expensive. Many of these costs will be paid for in other ways or by future generations and cheap food today may mean expensive food tomorrow. By systematically assessing these costs the book delves into issues related, but not limited to, the food system, the environment, sustainable development, health, and social justice. In this new edition the author brings all data and citations fully up to date. Increased coverage is given to many topics including climate change, vertical agriculture, global pandemics, geopolitical instability, agriculture 4.0, alternative proteins, and food justice. Detailing the numerous ways t
£34.99
Cambridge University Press Feeding the People
Book SynopsisAlmost no one knew what a potato was in 1500. Today everyone eats them. This book traces the global journey of this popular foodstuff from the Andes to everywhere. En route it helps explain why we feel so ambivalent about governmental dietary guidelines and celebrates the contributions of ordinary people to shaping how we eat.Trade Review'In following the global travels of the peripatetic potato, Earle brilliantly illuminates both the origins of dietary advice that promised the key to happiness and the everyday ingenuity of farmers and cooks who really do feed the people.' Jeffrey M. Pilcher, author of Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food'If they're delicious when you choose to eat them, but penitentially bland when you're told you have to, you may be eating potatoes, which, as Rebecca Earle argues in her brilliant study of the shape-shifting tubers, provided the first taste of the tension between personal freedom and public well-being within the modern state.' Joyce E. Chaplin, author of The First Scientific American: Benjamin Franklin and the Pursuit of Genius'Potatoes have inspired great books and great recipes. Rebecca Earle describes some unalluring dishes, but her history - cultural, culinary, social, political, and environmental - is the cream of the crop: for coverage, scholarship, breadth and depth of erudition, vividness in exemplification, and fluency in writing no previous work can touch it.' Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, author of Out of Our Minds: What We Think and How We Came to Think It'Feeding the People should be on the menu for anyone interested in the story behind their food.' Orlando Bird, Daily Telegraph'A fascinating book … (Earle) writes with clarity and grace.' Gerard DeGroot, The Times'Earle's surprisingly rich history of the potato is about a carbohydrate whose spread around the world didn't just power the people, but was the source of considerable people power.' Oliver Wiseman, The Critic'This passionately written book … is a rich, creative, and brilliant analysis of an absolutely not-banal foodstuff, proving once more the relevance of food for l'histoire totale.' Peter Scholliers, Agricultural History'… excellent … the book is engaging and well organized … an excellent addition to any food related history text.' Mike Timonin, Global Maritime History'This is a rich, creative, and brilliant analysis of an absolutely not-banal foodstuff, proving once more the relevance of food for l'histoire totale.' Peter Scholliers, Agricultural History'Feeding the People is a joy to read. It is clearly written in engaging prose, but more importantly, it significantly challenges long-held historiographies about the potato in European history. … I recommend this book for a variety of audiences, both scholarly and general. For casual readers, Earle provides a short and interesting history of the potato's romp through the modern world. Scholars will be intrigued by her upending of established theories about potatoes and her focus on bottom-up social history as well as high-level philosophical and political debates. It is impossible for any reader to come away from the book without having gained a new appreciation of how the lowly potato transformed the world.' Tammy M. Proctor, Food & HistoryTable of ContentsList of figures; List of recipes; List of abbreviations; Introduction. Pouring ourselves a large gin; 1. Immigrant potatoes; 2. Enlightened potatoes; 3. Free-market potatoes; 4. Global potatoes; 5. Capitalist potatoes; 6. Security potatoes; Conclusions. Parmentier, peasants and personal responsibility; Acknowledgements; Notes; Bibliography; Index.
£18.99
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Should We Eat Meat
Book SynopsisMeat eating is often a contentious subject, whether considering the technical, ethical, environmental, political, or health-related aspects of production and consumption. This book is a wide-ranging and interdisciplinary examination and critique of meat consumption by humans, throughout their evolution and around the world. Setting the scene with a chapter on meat's role in human evolution and its growing influence during the development of agricultural practices, the book goes on to examine modern production systems, their efficiencies, outputs, and impacts. The major global trends of meat consumption are described in order to find out what part its consumption plays in changing modern diets in countries around the world. The heart of the book addresses the consequences of the massive carnivory of western diets, looking at the inefficiencies of production and at the huge impacts on land, water, and the atmosphere. Health impacts are also covered, both positive and negTrade ReviewVaclav Smil receives 2015 OPEC Award for Research "Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." (Choice, 1 January 2014)Table of ContentsPreface ix 1 Meat in Nutrition 3 Meat Eating and Health: Benefits and Concerns 4 Meat and its nutrients 6 Meat as a source of food energy 11 High-quality protein and human growth 17 Carnivory and civilizational diseases 20 Diseased meat 24 2 Meat in Human Evolution 31 Hunting Wild Animals: Meat in Human Evolution 33 Primates and hominins 35 Meat consumption during the Paleolithic period 39 Extinction of the late Pleistocene megafauna 42 Hunting in different ecosystems 45 Wild meat in sedentary societies 49 Traditional Societies: Animals, Diets and Limits 51 Domestication of animals 53 Population densities and environmental imperatives 56 Long stagnation of typical meat intakes 59 Avoidances, taboos and proscriptions 63 Meat as a prestige food 66 3 Meat in Modern Societies 71 Dietary Transitions: Modernization of Tastes 72 Urbanization and industrialization 74 Long-distance meat trade 77 Meat in the Western dietary transition 81 Transitions in modernizing economies 84 Globalization of tastes 86 Output and Consumption: Modern Meat Chain 89 Changing life cycles 91 Slaughtering of animals 94 Processing meat 98 Consuming and wasting meat 102 Making sense of meat statistics 107 4 What It Takes to Produce Meat 113 Modern Meat Production: Practices and Trends 117 Meat from pastures and mixed farming 118 Confined animal feeding 122 Animal feedstuffs 127 Productivity efficiencies and changes 135 Treatment of animals 141 Meat: An Environmentally Expensive Food 145 Animal densities and aggregate zoomass 147 Changing animal landscapes 150 Intensive production of feedstuffs 155 Water use and water pollution 160 Meat and the atmosphere 168 5 Possible Futures 177 Toward Rational Meat Eating: Alternatives and Adjustments 181 Meatless diets 183 Meat substitutes and cultured meat 188 Protein from other animal foodstuffs 192 Less meaty diets 200 A large potential for rational meat production 203 Prospects for Change 210 References 217 Index 251
£28.45
Bristol University Press Healthy Societies
Book SynopsisRe-examining health, healthcare and societal health using the latest data and research, this book addresses definitions of health, changes in health over time and the contribution of healthcare. It also suggests ways of effectively tackling obstacles to improving health and healthcare in 21st century Britain.
£16.14
Bloomsbury Publishing USA The Good Eater
Book Synopsis?Not to be missed.?-Michael Pollan, via XAn enlightening and delicious look at how vegans ? and their critics ? are redefining the way the world eats in the twenty-first century.For years, there has been no doubt that widespread consumption of meat is both environmentally destructive and morally dubious. A growing chorus of scientists, health experts, and activists champion the benefits of a plant-based diet. Nevertheless, change has been slow to arrive, and the chasm between our appetites and our collective well-being seems impossibly vast. We know we must transition to a more plant-based world. But what would such a world look like, and how do we realistically get there?One group of people has been grappling with this question for decades: vegans. Once mocked for its hempy puritanism, the vegan movement has grown from a fringe identity into a veritable cultural juggernaut. Yet visions of what our food system should look like continue to conflict. Is the healthful vegan lifestyle appealing-or alienating? Are high-tech meat alternatives merely a repeat performance of harmful fast-food values? Is modern veganism itself misguided-a wrong answer to the right questions?In The Good Eater, Harvard-trained sociologist (and vegan) Nina Guilbeault, PhD vividly explores the movement''s history and its present-day tensions by grappling with the most fundamental question of all: Is there a truly ethical way to eat? What emerges is a fascinating portrait of how social change happens, with profound implications for our plates-and our planet.
£18.70
Chelsea Green Publishing Co Uncultivated: Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the
Book Synopsis"The best wine book I read this year was not about wine. It was about cider"--Eric Asimov, New York Times, on Uncultivated Today, food is being reconsidered. It’s a front-and-center topic in everything from politics to art, from science to economics. We know now that leaving food to government and industry specialists was one of the twentieth century’s greatest mistakes. The question is where do we go from here. Author Andy Brennan describes uncultivation as a process: It involves exploring the wild; recognizing that much of nature is omitted from our conventional ways of seeing and doing things (our cultivations); and realizing the advantages to embracing what we’ve somehow forgotten or ignored. For most of us this process can be difficult, like swimming against the strong current of our modern culture. The hero of this book is the wild apple. Uncultivated follows Brennan’s twenty-four-year history with naturalized trees and shows how they have guided him toward successes in agriculture, in the art of cider making, and in creating a small-farm business. The book contains useful information relevant to those particular fields, but is designed to connect the wild to a far greater audience, skillfully blending cultural criticism with a food activist’s agenda. Apples rank among the most manipulated crops in the world, because not only do farmers want perfect fruit, they also assume the health of the tree depends on human intervention. Yet wild trees live all around us, and left to their own devices, they achieve different forms of success that modernity fails to apprehend. Andy Brennan learned of the health and taste advantages of such trees, and by emulating nature in his orchard (and in his cider) he has also enjoyed environmental and financial benefits. None of this would be possible by following today’s prevailing winds of apple cultivation. In all fields, our cultural perspective is limited by a parallel proclivity. It’s not just agriculture: we all must fight tendencies toward specialization, efficiency, linear thought, and predetermined growth. We have cultivated those tendencies at the exclusion of nature’s full range. If Uncultivated is about faith in nature, and the power it has to deliver us from our own mistakes, then wild apple trees have already shown us the way. Trade Review“The best wine book I read this year was not about wine. It was about cider, though not entirely. It was really about trees and places, agriculture and culture, and the tension between nature and industry . . . Uncultivated is thoughtful, pessimistic and hopeful at the same time. Anybody who loves food, loves wine and ponders where they come from should read this book."—Eric Asimov, New York Times“The Book for Cider Lovers”—New York Times Booklist— "Brennan is deeply anti-capitalist and endeavors to work with the land and the trees in a way that is respectful and sustainable, actively rejecting the conventional wisdom of entrepreneurship focused on continual growth. The book is written in a conversational style and readers will get to know the author’s personality easily." “Andy Brennan is a stubborn, thoughtful original, and his apple memoir is powered by inspiring verve and irreverence. Loving apples or cider is not a prerequisite for loving this book. All that is needed is the willingness to follow a vibrant narrative voice driven by the pursuit of dreams.”—Alice Feiring, author of Naked Wine and For the Love of Wine“Andy Brennan’s new book Uncultivated is smart, wise, raw, generous, unapologetic, and poetic. As delicious to drink in and as profound as the unique and artful ciders he makes.”—Deirdre Heekin, vintner, La Garagista Winery; author of An Unlikely Vineyard“Andy Brennan’s Uncultivated could become the twenty-first century’s One Straw Revolution. Forty years ago, Masanobu Fukuoka’s 1970s classic helped define the thinking of thousands of us searching for a new way to look at farming and the world. Every cider maker in America will want to read Uncultivated, and everyone else should, too. Not only does Brennan explore the questions facing those of us who love to grow and squeeze apples, he also digs deeply into language, art, economics, and life itself. Uncultivated is provocative and fun. Whether you’re a cider maker or not, read this book. It’s a One Apple Tree Revolution.”—John Bunker, apple historian; author of Not Far from the Tree“Part autobiography and part ecological meditation, Uncultivated presents the case for the rewilding of our agricultural imagination. Andy Brennan reflects on the relationship between authenticity, location, and commerce and finds his deepest truths in the dry farm cider of America’s Northeast. Above all, this is a celebration of the power of the wild apple tree to express a sense of place; as it acclimatizes and adapts, so it tells us the story of the land.”—Francis Percival, coauthor of Reinventing the Wheel“This book captivated me—it’s wry and artful, informative and soulful. In Uncultivated Andy Brennan throws down the gauntlet (or rather gathering tarp) for cider made from foraged wild apples, continuing hill town traditions of spirit and survival. He offers readers a new/old (revolutionary/conservative) way to think about community, business, and the living world. The book is bright with art, spirit, and daring.”—Judith Maloney, cofounder, West County Cider“Andy Brennan’s journey with the fruit of our desire is wildly inclined in ways that are going to surprise and delight. Dare I describe my cider-making friend as raucous? That this word-loving hooligan is the one orchardist among us who presumes to ungrow the apple? Open a bottle of your finest, and make a date with Uncultivated this very evening. The time has come to ponder the dignity of the apple tree.”—Michael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower and The Holistic Orchard“Every community has its visionaries. At times, they inspire and enlighten. At others, they vex and confound. But they always push you to think more deeply, reevaluate your judgments, and become more intentional, while making you feel a little uncomfortable in the process. I believe Andy Brennan is a key visionary for contemporary American cider. In Uncultivated you learn that while Andy was helping to shape and elevate the national conversation about cider and apples, he was also evolving in profound and personal ways. Idealistic and provocative, rebellious and vulnerable, Andy is both cider’s conscience and a thorn in its side, and we are the better for his work.”—Ellen Cavalli, editor and publisher, Malus“With regards to growing apples and making cider, uncultivation is a concept that excites me, particularly coming from an American author. Andy Brennan’s Uncultivated argues a case for ‘natural cider’, and his approach to it is something I hope to see grow as craft cidermakers aim to express individual quality and identity. Philosophical, haughty, and enjoyable, Andy’s approach embraces what American cidermakers strive to understand: American terroir.”—Bill Bradshaw, coauthor of World’s Best Cider“American cider has traditionally been deeply regional, dependent on ungrafted seedling trees like those lining the rocky farm fields and sandstone ridges of the Hudson Valley in New York. Andy Brennan and Polly Giragosian name their “locational” ciders after some of these foraging sites: Neversink Highlands, Shawangunk Ridge, Mamakating Hollow. Theirs are tannic, rich, full-bodied, complex drinks. As Brennan writes, ‘Cider making is a responsibility’—to the trees, the land, good food, and the community. Uncultivated is a wonderful, timely reminder of all that this drink can be at its best.”—David Buchanan, owner, Portersfield Cider; author of Taste, Memory
£13.49
Reaktion Books Beer: A Global History
Book SynopsisPilsners, blonde ales, India pale ales, lagers, porters, stouts: the varieties and styles of beer are endless. But as diverse as the drink is, its appeal is universal - beer is the most-consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. From pubs and inns to restaurants, bars and microbreweries, beer has made itself a staple drink around the globe. Celebrating the heritage of the world's favourite tipple, Gavin D. Smith traces beer from its earliest days to its contemporary consumption. After exploring the evolution of brewing technology, the book travels from Mexico to Milwaukee, Beijing, Bruges and beyond, demonstrating the dazzling variety of beer styles and brewing processes to be found around the world. Once brewed in monasteries to be consumed as 'liquid bread' on fast days, beer is now the drink of choice at festivals and celebrations worldwide. Containing a wealth of detail in its concise, wonderfully illustrated pages, Beer will appeal to connoisseurs and casual fans alike.Trade Review'Embellished with clever illustrations and a nice selection of historical and contemporary recipes ... [an] outstanding series of food volumes.' - Wall Street Journal 'The Edible Series contains some of the most delicious nuggets of food and drink history ever. Every volume is such a fascinating and succinct read that I had to devour each in just a single sitting ... food writing at its best!' - Ken Hom, chef and author
£12.34
Icon Books Grass-Fed Nation: Getting Back the Food We
Book SynopsisFor years we've been told that traditional foods are unhealthy because of their saturated fat content. In place of grass-fed meat, grass-fed dairy products, and eggs from hens running on pasture, we now mostly eat grain-fed meat and processed factory foods - and we've witnessed an epidemic of disease, from type-2 diabetes to heart disease and cancer.Modern agriculture has locked us into an unhealthy, vicious circle, with degraded foods pouring from an overstretched, impoverished landscape.There's a simple remedy: the grass-fed movement. We can make sure that the meat, dairy foods and eggs we buy come from animals grazing on or running in pasture, as they always used to. This will also put life back into our soils and wildlife back onto our farmland.Graham Harvey, agricultural advisor to BBC Radio 4's The Archers, lays out all the arguments for grass-fed food - why it's good for us, and why it's good for the planet.
£10.44
Ryland, Peters & Small Ltd Street Food: Mouth-Watering Recipes for Quick
Book SynopsisTake your taste buds on an appetizing adventure with this mouth-watering collection of the best and most-authentic street food dishes. Long gone are the days of having to visit top-notch restaurants in order to try the excellent cuisine a country has to offer. With the soaring popularity of street food – ready-to-eat and portable, finger-licking dishes – you can stroll through bustling market stalls anywhere in the world and choose amazing dishes from foodie vendors that tempt you with their wonderful aromas and first-rate flavours. Head to the streets of Mexico for a buttery corn-on-the-cob or a tasty taco, to China for some sticky pork bao buns or walk the alleyways of Italy for arancini bites or a cooling scoop of gelato. When you’re looking to find a country’s most-loved foods, the options are varied, vibrant and inviting for everyone. As you delve into the recipes in this book, you and your kitchen will be transported to taste deliciously different street food and, with each chapter – from An Asian Adventure to Experience India, European Cuisine to Tastes of the Americas – you’ll discover how to create the exquisite yet everyday dishes that each culture does best.
£13.49
Reaktion Books Jam, Jelly and Marmalade: A Global History
Whether they make it themselves or just enjoy it with breakfast, people can be passionate about their favourite jam, jelly or marmalade. Award-winning jam-maker Sarah B. Hood looks at the history of these sweet treats from simple fruit preserves to staple commodities, gifts for royalty, global brands, wartime comforts and valued delicacies. She traces connections between sweet preserves and the Temperance movement, the Crusades, the prevention of scurvy, medieval banquets, Georgian dinner parties, Scottish breakfasts, Joan of Arc and the adoption of tea-drinking in Europe. She explores the birth of unique local specialties and treasured regional customs, the rise and fall of international marmalade mavens, the mobilisation of volunteer preserve-makers on a grand scale and a jam-factory revolution.
£12.34
Reaktion Books Edible Insects: A Global History
Book SynopsisAn estimated two billion people worldwide regularly consume insects, yet bugs are rarely eaten in the West. Why are some disgusted at the thought of eating insects while others find them delicious? Edible Insects: A Global History provides a broad introduction to the role of insects as human food, from our prehistoric past to current food trends. On the menu are beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers and grubs of many kinds, with stories that highlight traditional methods of insect collection, preparation, consumption and preservation. We encounter in this book the culinary uses of creepy-crawlies across many cultures, and also learn of the potential of insects to alleviate global food shortage and natural resource overexploitation, as well as the role of world-class chefs in making insects palatable to consumers in the West.
£12.34
Reaktion Books Hummus: A Global History
Complete with recipes, a mouthwatering look at the complicated origins and rise of the world’s favorite garbanzo bean spread and dip. This is a global history of hummus bi-tahina, the delicious combination of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and garlic that we know and love as hummus. The story begins in the medieval kitchens of the Near and Middle East and culminates with hummus’s rise in popularity in the Western world at the end of the twentieth century. This book also addresses the international controversy over ownership of the dish and illustrates the extent to which hummus has been embraced by Western food culture today. Though other Mediterranean dishes have become popular in the West, none can be compared to hummus, which can be found in any supermarket and in vast numbers of eating establishments. Hummus has become a global phenomenon and our very favorite dip.
£12.34
Berghahn Books Bigger Fish to Fry: A Theory of Cooking as Risk,
Book Synopsis What defines cooking as cooking, and why does cooking matter to the understanding of society, cultural change and everyday life? This book explores these questions by proposing a new theory of the meaning of cooking as a willingness to put oneself and one’s meals at risk on a daily basis. Richly illustrated with examples from the author’s anthropology fieldwork in Greece, Bigger Fish to Fry proposes a new approach to the meaning of cooking and how the study of cooking can reshape our understanding of social processes more generally.Trade Review “With writing that is highly readable, clear, and well-paced, this book will appeal to students and scholars alike, especially those studying food and cooking, Greece, and risk, and is an exceptional example of studying food practices for their theoretical bounty.” • Food, Culture & Society “It is a highly readable and conceptually rich book drawing on material from ethnographic work in Kalymnos, Greece, and popular culture in the USA. It beautifully wedges current discussions about cooking into the stream of scholarly discussion in Cultural Anthropology and Cultural Sociology.” • Krishnendu Ray, New York University “This book constitutes a moment in which the systematic and long-standing knowledge of [the author's] field, and the very rewarding trajectory of fieldwork over the years, has now reached a point when they can produce anthropological knowledge of another level.” • Vassiliki Yiakoumaki, University of Thessaly, GreeceTable of Contents List of Figures Preface Acknowledgements Introduction: In the Dangerous Kitchen Chapter 1. How People Cook, While Thinking, for Example Chapter 2. “That’s Not Cooking!” Human Creativity or Mechanical Reproduction? Chapter 3. “To Steal a Bad Hour from Death.” Subjective Risk and Contingent Temporalities in the Greek Kitchen Conclusion: Take the Risk References Index
£22.75
Reaktion Books Al Dente
Book Synopsis
£17.00
Reaktion Books Chocolate: A Global History
Book SynopsisRedolent of everything sensual and hedonistic, chocolate is synonymous with our idea of indulgence. It is adored around the world and has been since the Spanish first encountered cocoa beans in South America in the sixteenth century. It is seen as magical, exotic, addictive and powerful beyond anything that can be explained by its ingredients, and in "Chocolate" Sarah Moss and Alexander Badenoch explore the origins and growth of this almost universal obsession. Moss and Badenoch recount the history of chocolate, which from ancient times has been associated with sexuality, sin, blood and sacrifice. The first Spanish accounts claim that the Aztecs and Mayans used chocolate as a substitute for blood in sacrificial rituals and as a currency to replace gold. In 1753, Linnaeus gave the cocoa tree the official classification Theobroma cacao, or the food of the gods. In the eighteenth century, chocolate became regarded as an aphrodisiac the first step on the road to today's boxes of Valentine delights. "Chocolate" also looks at the production of chocolate, from artisanal chocolatiers to the brands such as Hershey's, Lindt and Cadbury that dominate our supermarket shelves, and explores its associations with slavery and globalization. Packed with tempting images and decadent descriptions of chocolate throughout the ages, "Chocolate" will be as irresistible as the tasty treats it describes.Trade ReviewThe politics of cocoa - chocolate's key ingredient - are fascinating. For centuries African and Central American farmers made it for the paler races to devour. And how did Westerners thank them? With some of the most eye-bogglingly racist advertising in history. Hopefully, paying the current farmers Fair Trade prices will make amends. Diplomat magazine The Edible series contains some of the most delicious nuggets of food and drink history ever. Every volume is such a fascinating and succinct read that I had to devour each in just a single sitting ... food writing at its best! -- Ken Hom, chef and author
£12.34
Prospect Books Food Worth Fighting for: From Food Riots to Food
Book Synopsis This book takes a look at food riots in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and food related social conflict, from the Newlyn fish riots to the Cod Wars. Using words and verse from contemporary broadside ballads and folk song, Josh Sutton looks closely at the evolution of the modern food system. He suggests that the spirit of the food riot is still very much alive today, and is apparent in the practice of those engaged in providing food charity in modern Britain and in the United States, where food banks and recycling of supermarket waste are now common and vital.
£13.29
Chelsea Green Publishing UK The Seed Detective: Uncovering the Secret
Book SynopsisRadio 4's The Food Programme Book of the Year, chosen by Dan Saladino An Irish Times Best Gardening Book 2023 Shortlisted for the Garden Media Guild’s Garden Book of the Year Award 2023 Longlisted for The Art of Eating Prize 2023 ‘If you’re a vegetable growing addict or just curious about their origins, there’s something for everyone in Adam’s new book.’ Rob Smith, TV presenter '[This book] is a clarion call to think about our food in new ways and carefully consider where it comes from.' New Scientist Meet the Indiana Jones of vegetables on his quest to save our heritage produce. Have you ever wondered how everyday staples such as peas, kale, asparagus, beans, squash and sweetcorn ended up on our plates? Well, so did Adam Alexander. Adam’s passion for heritage vegetables was ignited when he tasted an unusual, sweet and fiery pepper while on a filmmaking project in Ukraine. Smitten by its flavour, he began to seek out local growers of old and near-forgotten varieties in a mission to bring home seeds to grow and share – saving them from being lost forever. In The Seed Detective, Adam tells of his far flung (and closer to home) seed-hunting adventures and reveals the stories behind many of our everyday vegetable heroes. How the common garden pea was domesticated from three wild species over 8,500 years ago, that the first carrots originated in Afghanistan (and were actually purple or red in colour), how Egyptian priests considered it a crime to look at a fava bean and that the Romans were fanatical about asparagus. Join The Seed Detective as he takes us on a journey that began when we left the life of hunter-gatherers to become farmers. Sharing storiesof globalisation, political intrigue, colonisation and serendipity, Adam shows us the vital part vegetables have played in our food story – and how they are the key to our future. ‘Informative, enlightening and entertaining but also important.’ Mark Diacono ‘One of the most inspirational books I have encountered.’ Darina AllenTrade Review‘A fascinating and original exploration of the horticultural heritage at our fingertips, and an inspiration to follow in at least some of Adam’s footsteps. Informative, enlightening and entertaining but also important, The Seed Detective is an invitation to be inquisitive, to experiment, and to make our contribution to the plot-to-plate food movement we need to rejuvenate our relationship with food and the soil.’ Mark Diacono, author of Spice/a cook’s companion‘At a time in history when we have become dangerously disconnected from how our food is produced and when self-inflicted, diet-related diseases are the primary cause of premature death, this book could not be more timely. Catastrophic loss of biodiversity and climate change add to the perfect storm. ‘Adam’s initial curiosity has taken him all over the world, collecting precious, often endangered vegetable seeds to grow and share with others. ‘His passion encourages us to seek out nutritious, flavourful, local varieties instead of the lacklustre, mass-produced vegetables that have contributed to the loss of interest in this vital and delicious food source. ‘One of the most inspirational books I have encountered in a long time.’ Darina Allen, founder, Ballymaloe Cookery School‘If you’re a vegetable growing addict or just curious about their origins, there’s something for everyone in Adam’s new book. Follow the Seed Detective as he searches for beans through Burmese markets, learn when a courgette is actually a marrow, and be regaled with stories about how homegrown red brussels sprouts helped decide his future. The perfect book for anyone who grows from seed!’ Rob Smith, winner, BBC’s The Big Allotment Challenge; garden columnist; TV presenter; seed guardian‘Reading this book feels like I am having a cup of tea with Adam in his polytunnel while he tells me fascinating stories of the plants around us. From why garlic was fed daily to the builders of the pyramids to the earliest chillies found in a Mexican cave in 6000 bce, Adam entertains as he educates. I have a new-found respect for the humble vegetable.’ Katie Caldesi, co-owner, Caldesi restaurants and cookery schools; best-selling author'Whether you know your vegetables by eating them, cooking them or growing them, Adam Alexander’s book will enhance those experiences with his tales. Knowing their histories, and the impact they have had on the world, gives them such a special savour that you will never think of them as mere “groceries” again.' Barbara Damrosch, author of The Garden Primer and The Four Season Farm Gardener’s Cookbook‘True seeds always have stories, and stories are what make Alexander’s book so enjoyable. Stories about grannies who bring their treasured family heirlooms to souks and seed shops all over the world; but also about con artists who improve varieties minimally or not at all, then change the names to invent novelty; and about modern plant breeders bringing a renewed appreciation for flavour into their work. At once explorer, treasure hunter, researcher and sleuth, Alexander brings a joy to his lifetime quest that is contagious.’ CR Lawn, founder, Fedco Seeds ‘In our everyday lives, vegetables are often presented to us with limited choice and boring uniformity, so we take their availability for granted, without much thought. Written from the viewpoint of the humble seed, Alexander takes us on a journey that opens the true origin of the vegetables we put on our plates, not just addressing their heritage but also their fundamental role in the cultures of the world. They are the centrepieces of our lives. This book, narrated with personal experience combined with a deep passion, will make you think about the humble veg we consume in a completely different light and my advice to you is to open it up and jump in.’ C.M. Collins, head of horticulture, Garden Organic‘When you read the fascinating stories behind the origin of seeds in The Seed Detective, it’s easy to be enthralled by the agricultural history growing in our gardens. This book takes the reader on a journey to distant lands with a passionate gardener, seed conserver and historian to learn how early cultures survived through seed growing, saving and sharing. It’s an important and rare book that will appeal to anyone who grows a food garden or loves food history.’ Ellen Ecker Ogden, author of The New Heirloom Garden‘While this book targets a British audience, it is highly relevant to us all. Drawing heavily on his own explorations in distant lands, Adam Alexander recounts endless stories of the origins of most of our important food crops. He is not the first to do this, yet his detailed, insightful and entertaining accounts are truly superb. ‘Beginning his odyssey in a dilapidated Soviet-era Ukrainian kitchen, he documents so many sad cases of lost diversity, sounding a shrill alarm for the loss of “culture” in agriculture, yet offering inspiration and encouragement to those of us struggling to recover, preserve and share our endangered crop plant heritage.’ Will Bonsall, author of Will Bonsall’s Essential Guide to Radical, Self-Reliant Gardening‘The writing is rich, demonstrating [Alexander’s] deep integration into the world of seed seekers…It is a clarion call to think about our food in new ways and to carefully consider where it comes from.’ New Scientist
£11.69
Taylor & Francis Ltd The Avocado Debate
Book SynopsisWhether smashed on toast or hailed as a superfood, the avocado has taken the world by storm, but what are the environmental and social impacts of this trendy fruit?This book does not seek to demonise the avocado and its many enthusiasts. Instead, it will illuminate consumers on the often unseen impacts of foods. A staple of cafes, restaurants, homes, and social media channels, demand for the avocado has grown exponentially over the past thirty years. From an everyday crop in South and Central America to a global phenomenon, this drastic change in demand has many consequences for people and the planet. As demand grows, so does the need for more land, with land clearances threatening habitats and biodiversity. As production grows, so does global distribution and the impacts that air and sea travel have on the environment. The shift from a local to a global product disturbs the local food system, raising serious questions around food sovereignty and food justice and the importanTrade Review"This book is a desperately needed examination into the extensive impact that our food system has on our planet."Randy Hayes, Founder of Rainforest Action Network"Every food that we eat has an impact on our planet and our society. The Avocado Debate is a timely consideration of the journey of one fruit."Vicki Hird, author of Rebugging the Planet"The Avocado Debate is a much-needed examination of the far-ranging impact that one food can have on our society and our planet."Rob Percival, author of The Meat Paradox"Honor Eldridge’s exploration of questions around global food trade and sustainability is both needed and timely." Patrick Holden, Founder of the Sustainable Food Trust"The Avocado Debate highlights the complexity of the fruit’s production and the environmental and social impact that they have on our planet"Professor Ruben Sommaruga, Professor of Ecology at the University of InnsbruckTable of Contents1. The American Pear: The History of the Avocado 2. Commercially Viable: The Creation of the Hass Avocado3. Superfood: The Nutritional Value of Avocados4. Avocado Toast: Social Media, Marketing, and Influence5. Green Gold: The Creation of NAFTA and the Resistance of US Producers6. Holy Guacamole: Impact of NAFTA on Mexican Food Systems7. New Markets: Regional Challenges to Mexico’s Avocado Monopoly 8. The High Seas: The Global Avocado Trade and Shipping9. Growing Orchards: Land-use Change and Biodiversity Loss from Avocado Cultivation 10. Embedded Water: How Avocados Impact Water and the Potential Policy Solutions11. Vida Campesina: Mexican Agroecology and Food Sovereignty 12. Cartel Control: Narcotics, Criminality, and Avocados13. Alternative Guacamole: Shifting Consumption Patterns14. Assurance: Certifying Avocados and the Role of Technology15. A New Generation: Genetics and Novel Breeding of Avocados
£17.99
Columbia University Press Gastronativism
Book SynopsisFabio Parasecoli identifies and defines the phenomenon of “gastronativism,” the ideological use of food to advance ideas about who belongs to a community and who does not. Featuring a wide array of examples from all over the world, this book is a timely, incisive, and lively analysis of how and why food has become a powerful political tool.Trade ReviewFabio Parasecoli draws on his deep international experience in this thoughtful analysis of how food gets ensnared in political ideology to separate “us” from “them.” Gastronativism argues convincingly that food systems are indeed global, and the sooner we get those systems to bring people together, the better. -- Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and HealthThis timely book clearly shows how foods have become tangible tools for people’s frustrations with global social change. Parasecoli unpacks the ‘gastronativist’ demands and actions of people and communities who use food to score political points, stoke vicious resentment, and resist globalization. His engaging and readable prose helps us understand the bitterness that can season contemporary food politics. -- Michaela DeSoucey, author of Contested Tastes: Foie Gras and the Politics of FoodThis book coins and explains the concept of gastronativism to help us understand how and why food has transformed into a powerful ideological tool. Using a wide array of timely examples from all over the world, Parasecoli shows how food is increasingly invoked in efforts to construct ideas of an ‘Us’ and a ‘Them,’ offering an important framework for understanding the ways food and identity-making intersect in our globalized world. -- Emma McDonell, coauthor of Critical Approaches to Superfoods[The author] makes the case in this book for why food is so useful as a political too. * Parliament *One of the strengths of Parasecoli’s far-ranging book is its ability to tie together seemingly disparate food-related phenomena into a coherent pattern through a wealth of examples. * Food Anthropology *This volume provides great resources, both through its content and its rich bibliography encompassing trade, food studies, political journalism, and heritage studies, and will provide an enlightening read for food studies students, scholars, and even those “cosmopolitan gastronomes” (p.87) among whom many of us likely figure. * Anthropology of Food *Table of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Enter GastronativismPart I: Gastronativism1. Defending Privilege: Exclusionary Gastronativism2. Toward a Better Future: Non-Exclusionary GastronativismPart II: The Power of Food3. Food and Identity4. Food and PowerPart III: Borders and Flows5. Food, Nations, and Nationalism6. Food and Diplomacy7. National Products in the Global MarketPart IV: Between Here and There8. Migrant Food9. ContagionsConclusion: What Future?NotesIndex
£19.00
Princeton University Press Delicious
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of New Scientist's best science books to read in 2021""A New Scientist Book of the Year""A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Engrossing and novel. . . . [A] fascinating and fact-filled book."---Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today"An eye-opening and mouth-watering new book."---Bill Thompson, Post and Courier"An engaging trip through time, science, and food."---Amy Halloran, Times Union"Dunn and Sanchez are indeed the perfect hosts, guiding readers, with humor and expertise, through a feast of entertaining anecdotes in fields such as ecology, agriculture, psychology, art and chemistry."---Grace Rajendran, Shelf Awareness"Our hosts at this empirical dinner party envision a new future for the study of flavor, with seats for the curious of every stripe. . . . A persuasive, entertaining argument about how our avid pursuit of deliciousness helped shape our evolutionary path." * Kirkus Reviews *"Fascinating, unusual and truly ‘delicious’ (in more than one sense)"---Vitali Vitaliev, Engineering and Technology"Dunn and Sanchez are scrupulous in the way they present their evidence and arguments. . . . a charming book."---Simon Ings, New Scientist"[Dunn and Sanchez] draw from anthropology, ecology, food science, chemistry, biology, and other fields to create a compelling perspective on how flavor has driven diets and food choices in the past and continues to do so now. . . . An insightful narrative spiced with witty asides and relatable notes."---M. H. Albro, Choice"Written with an entertaining mix of anecdotes from the authors’ culinary travels as well as findings from the latest research, Dunn and Sanchez stir together a rich variety of ingredients to create a highly satisfying and indeed flavoursome narrative."---P.D. Smith, The Guardian
£19.80
University of Arizona Press Kneeling Before Corn
Book Synopsis
£28.46
Chelsea Green Publishing Co Cheese and Culture: A History of Cheese and its
Book SynopsisBehind every traditional type of cheese there is a fascinating story. By examining the role of the cheesemaker throughout world history and by understanding a few basic principles of cheese science and technology, we can see how different cheeses have been shaped by and tailored to their surrounding environment, as well as defined by their social and cultural context. Cheese and Culture endeavors to advance our appreciation of cheese origins by viewing human history through the eyes of a cheese scientist. There is also a larger story to be told, a grand narrative that binds all cheeses together into a single history that started with the discovery of cheese making and that is still unfolding to this day. This book reconstructs that 9000-year story based on the often fragmentary information that we have available. Cheese and Culture embarks on a journey that begins in the Neolithic Age and winds its way through the ensuing centuries to the present. This tour through cheese history intersects with some of the pivotal periods in human prehistory and ancient, classical, medieval, renaissance, and modern history that have shaped western civilization, for these periods also shaped the lives of cheesemakers and the diverse cheeses that they developed. The book offers a useful lens through which to view our twenty-first century attitudes toward cheese that we have inherited from our past, and our attitudes about the food system more broadly. This refreshingly original book will appeal to anyone who loves history, food, and especially good cheese.Trade ReviewForeWord Reviews- Cheese, glorious cheese. Who knew the 9,000 years of innovation, lore, history, and romance in your story? Who knew skim milk cheeses initially flourished not for diet reasons, but because they were cheaper for London’s working-classes? That higher-temperature cooking techniques contributed to the development of dry and aged cheeses? Or that economics, religion, social mores, climate, and—well, nearly anything—has influenced the evolution of cheese in all its forms, styles, tastes, shapes, and uses? Paul S. Kindstedt knows, and now, through his impeccably researched, and carefully assembled book, any cheese lover can know, too. Kindstedt’s is a book written with scholarly rigor; yet, that detail-laden precision also makes it palatable for foodies curious about how and why food choices, production, and tastes have emerged over centuries—the person jazzed to learn, for example, that ‘Grated cheese seems to have occupied a special place in Greek culture’ indicated by a wounded soldier being served ‘an elixir consisting of Pramnian wine on which (his slave) sprinkles goat’s-milk cheese, grated with a bronze grater,’ or that the seasonal movement of cows across south-central France inspired techniques for producing longer-lasting mountain cheeses. Like the range of cheeses available today, at times Cheese and Culture can be overwhelming, and the chapter on regulation reads like an alphabet soup of agency abbreviations and acronyms. But, like the veined or sharply flavored offerings on a cheese plate, one could choose to skip it and still be satiated.Library Journal- Kindstedt (food science, Univ. of Vermont) delivers an extensively researched and comprehensive history of cheese and its place in the development of Western civilization. Beginning with the ancient origins of cheese making and moving through the classical, medieval, and Renaissance periods to the modern era, the author examines the traditional cheeses that came about during each period and how they were tailored to the environment and culture of the time. Finally, he explores the friction that has developed between the United States and the European Union over issues surrounding cheese making and trade, such as protecting traditional product names, food safety regulation, and the use of new agricultural technologies such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and hormones. VERDICT: Incorporating archaeology, religion, and literature, this detailed, accessible history will appeal to readers who enjoy food histories.Choice- Cheese scientist Kindstedt (Univ. of Vermont) has written a lively history of cheese through an examination of the cultural environments from which specific types of cheese-making traditions were born and, in some cases, have continued to the present. Kindstedt begins as early as possible with archaeological evidence of early fresh cheese making in the Fertile Crescent and its role in pre-Christian religious ritual. He quickly moves on to the introduction of rennet in cheese making and cheese in Greek and Roman civilizations and incorporation into daily life, both mundane and sacred. The last half of the book concentrates on the European cheese-making tradition and the role of monasteries in the development of aged cheeses. Surprisingly, Kindstedt does not spend too much time discussing factory-made cheese and the move away from traditional cheese making. But he does end with a timely discussion on raw milk safety and multinational trade laws that impact traditional cheeses, as well as a brief discussion on the artisanal cheese movement. Cheese and Culture is a well-researched, concise, and valuable addition to any food history collection. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through graduate students; general readers."All honor and respect to Aristaious -- the Greek god who taught us to make cheese -- and to Paul Kindstedt, who in Cheese and Culture teaches us its glorious history ever since."--Rob Kaufelt, proprietor, Murray's Cheese NYC"From the Garden of Eden to the dairy industries of today, Paul S. Kindstedt unfolds the monumental story of cheese. Vast in scope, rich in detail, Cheese and Culture is a casein-inspired epic."--Eric LeMay, author of Immortal Milk"Cheese and Culture is the book both cheese professionals and cheese geeks have been waiting for. Professor Kindstedt gives us the mostly untold history of cheese and its societal import from 6500 BC to the present, answering all my cheese questions -- even the ones I didn't know I had. Cheese and Culture is the most comprehensive cheese book ever written by an American, a great addition to our collective cheese library."--Gordon Edgar, cheese buyer, Rainbow Grocery Cooperative, San Francisco, and author of Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge"In this painstakingly researched yet passion-laced book, Paul Kindstedt shows us how cheese, from its rudimentary beginnings to today's manufacturing, is inextricably linked to culture and, no less, to our future. Cheese and Culture is essential reading for anyone who loves cheese and, equally, cares about the future of food itself."--Laura Werlin, author, Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials"I love this book - accessible in its prose and style with the breadth and depth of an academic work. All those interested in the role that cheesemaking has played in the development of the world we live in will come away after reading this book with context and understanding, and an intellectual appreciation of why cheese appeals to so many people at an emotional level. Paul Kindstedt has produced a seminal work in Cheese and Culture."--Mateo Kehler, cheesemaker, Jasper Hill Farm"Paul Kindstedt has fashioned a remarkable book about one of humankind's most distinctive foods. Drawing upon comprehensive evidence from archaeology to contemporary artisan cheese making, Dr. Kindstedt shapes the complex story of cheese. He examines the impact of geography and climate, religion, social status and wealth, transportation and commerce... to describe and explain the 8,500-year evolution of cheese from Neolithic humans to present-day America. From archaeologists and anthropologists and historians to cheesemakers and consumers who want to deepen their understanding and appreciation of cheese, Dr. Kindstedt's book will enlighten, entertain, and reveal the fascinating history and culture of cheese. Bravissimi e complimenti!"--Jeffrey Roberts, New England Culinary Institute, and author of The Atlas of American Artisan Cheese"Only a true scholar could weave together the complexity of history, anthropology, language, geography, religion and science to inform and enlighten our understanding of the evolution of cheese making throughout the millennia. Kindstedt, first and foremost with his discerning scientific mind, helps historians inform the heretofore mysteries in the cheese making continuum."--Catherine Donnelly, PhD, co-director, Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese"Dr. Kindstedt's love and passion for the artisan cheese movement is inspiring. In his latest book, he has presented a beautiful and historically rich mosaic of the history of cheese on our little green planet. With reference to the past, and detailed attention paid to the present, as well as extrospection for the future, Dr. Kindstedt has created an amalgamation of artisan cheese reference, the like of which has not been attempted before."--Matt Jennings, co-owner/executive chef, Farmstead/La Laiterie, Providence, RI"This book will fascinate anyone who loves cheese. With a sweeping perspective, from the earliest prehistoric domestication of goats and sheep to the present, it chronicles how social, technological, and political developments gave rise to the vast array of cheeses we know and love."--Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation, The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved, and Wild Fermentation"No cheese lover or cheesemaker's education will be complete without reading of the epic journey of cheese as it influences and is influenced by human civilization. Paul Kindstedt steers the reader through a vast sea of history with the steady, inspired hand and confidence of a seasoned captain of his subject. What a gift to the world of cheese!"--Gianaclis Caldwell, cheesemaker, Pholia Farm, and author of The Farmstead Creamery Advisor "Given the vast amount that's been written about cheese down the centuries, the surprising absence of a scholarly work on the history of cheese is all the more remarkable. With Cheese and Culture, noted dairy scientist and author Paul Kindstedt has admirably filled this gap to an extent that should satisfy even the most avid cheese geek."--Kate Arding, co-founder, Culture magazineTable of Contents1. Southwest Asia and the ancient origins of cheese 2. Cheese, religion, and the cradle of civilization 3. Bronze, rennet, and the ascendancy of trade 4. Greece, cheese, and the Mediterranean miracle 5. Caesar, Christ, and systematic cheese making 6. The manor, the monastery, and the age of cheese diversification 7. England, Holland, and the rise of market-driven cheese making 8. The Puritans, the factory, and the demise of traditional cheese making 9. The cultural legacy of cheese making in the Old and New Worlds
£17.09
Thames & Hudson Ltd Citrus
Book SynopsisDavid J. Mabberley is a botanist and writer. He is director emeritus, Botanic Gardens of Sydney; an emeritus fellow at Wadham College, University of Oxford; adjunct professor at Macquarie University, Sydney; and professor emeritus at the University of Leiden. He is the author of Mabberley's Plant-book, now in its fourth edition, and co-author of Joseph Banks' Florilegium.
£28.00
Reaktion Books Dinner in Rome: A History of the World in One
Book Synopsis‘There is more history in a bowl of pasta than in the Colosseum,’ writes Andreas Viestad in Dinner in Rome. From the table of a classic Roman restaurant, Viestad takes us on a fascinating culinary exploration of the Eternal City, and global civilization. Food, he argues, is history’s secret driving force. From the starter of bread, Viestad traces the origins of wheat and its role in Rome’s rise and downfall; from his sorbet dessert he recounts how the hunger for sugar fuelled the slave trade. Viestad’s dinner may be local, but his story is universal. His ‘culinary archaeology’ is an entertaining, flavourful journey across the dinner table and time. You’ll never look at spaghetti carbonara the same way again.Trade Review'As enchanting as it is fascinating: Andreas Viestad has a calm gift for evocative scene-setting, story-telling and, crucially, for making and exploring connections that bring everything illuminatingly to life.' – Nigella Lawson; 'A fascinating look at food and its history through the prism of one classic restaurant in Rome. Andreas Viestad has created a “culinary archaeology” that’s as erudite as it is gripping. He’s as comfortable with amusing asides and anecdotes as he is with the deepest digs. His writing leaves you entranced, hugely enlightened – and hungry.' – Marina O’Loughlin, Restaurant Critic for The Sunday Times; 'Andreas Viestad has written a fascinating, thought-provoking and funny book about the importance of food in history. He zips seamlessly between the smells and flavors of a meal in a restaurant in Rome and the long lines of history.' – Alice Waters; 'Viestad comes across as a genial companion, both confident and unassuming . . . Dinner in Rome avoids the florid excesses of much food writing and offers instead the simpler pleasures of a well-crafted book with satisfying body and depth.' – Financial Times; 'Approaching the history of Rome – and civilisation more widely – through a single meal enjoyed at an Italian restaurant is an ambitious premise, but it's one the makes for rewarding reading . . . This accessible account is a perfect pairing of food and history.' – BBC History magazine; 'Viestad . . . has had the strikingly good idea of writing a foodie history of the world by examining a single meal eaten there . . . [a] riveting volume.' – Paul Levy, The Spectator; 'Food serves as a gateway into the rich history of Rome. Viestad works as a culinary archaeologist using food to unearth the historic narratives of the Eternal City from the rise and fall of ancient Rome built from the loaves of bread to how lemons influenced the nineteenth-century mafia. Dinner In Rome is perfect for the history buff more interested in a good story than cooking their own dinner.' – America Domani; 'Perfect for an armchair traveler or as a bit of homework before your own Roman adventures, Dinner in Rome provides plenty of history alongside some contemporary dining suggestions.' – Ivory Owl Reviews; '10 mejores libros para devorar de 2022.' – Tapas Magazine, Spain; 'It’s fun! You learn a lot reading this book. And you get hungry, too. Take up the opportunity to read this creative and interesting book. Dinner in Rome by Andreas Viestad is highly recommended. A fine addition to your food and wine bookshelf.' – Mike Veseth, The Wine Economist; 'History and food memories are everlasting. They bring an eternal pleasure of time and place throughout the decades and centuries. This book reminds us of how deeply rooted food is in our travels, stories and traditions.' – Daniel Boulud; 'A uniquely beautiful, historical account of Andreas’ two-hour meal at a well-known trattoria in the Campo dei Fiori area of Rome. For me, Rome is the eternal city and one that I love for its history, art, architecture, and food. Andreas has brought the history of the world to life through a meal at a Roman table. He writes an entertaining and beautifully written account of how food shapes not only who we are but where we were and where we go as humans. This is a wonderful addition to my collection of cookbooks and culinary memoirs and travel books. It is a book that tells the history of the world according to the food that is eaten on a leisurely afternoon in one of the world’s most beautiful and historical cities. A must-read.' – Lidia Bastianich, author, chef and host of PBS’s Lidia’s Kitchen; 'If 'Culinary Archaeology' had been a course major back when I was in college, I just might have graduated with honors. Andreas Viestad takes us on an evocative journey through time, effortlessly weaving past and present, and transforming one classic Roman meal into an appetite-inducing learning experience. This is the best possible insalata mista: with equal parts cookbook, history lesson, travelogue, and fantasy. It’s right up there with sitting in the Campo dei Fiori on a gorgeous spring day, devouring a hillock of crispy carciofi alla guidea.' – Danny Meyer, restaurateur, author of Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business; 'Insightful and enchanting. Viestad reminds us of the power of food and how it has greatly impacted the formation of world history.' – Eric Ripert, chef; 'Everyone’s dream is to visit Rome, to sit down at a restaurant and enjoy one Italian meal that makes you experience flavor, tradition, and passion all at the same time. Andreas Viestad’s must-read Dinner in Rome takes things a step further, inviting you to travel with your mind and your palate. His two-hour dinner is a journey to last a lifetime.' – Cristina Bowerman, chef patron, Glass Hostaria, Rome; 'Fantastic book! Essential reading for anyone who loves Italian food and wants to immerse themselves in the incredible food culture of Italy.' – Giorgio Locatelli, chef; 'Dinner in Rome is, like a good carbonara, an effortless combination of ingredients that come together to make the perfect dish . . . filled with humour, as well as a deep appreciation of the subject . . . the book lives up to expectations: every section is as tasty as promised, every chapter a joyful mouthful of information, bursting in surprising and juicy ways . . . utterly scrumptious.' – GetHistory.co.uk; 'Combining history, gastronomic know-how, and 50,000-plus restaurant meals, Norwegian food writer Viestad begins this armchair-traveling foodie history with a June dinner at his favorite Roman restaurant, La Carbonara in Campo de Fiori, going on to dissect elements of his meal in food-titled chapters . . . Dinner in Rome is a must-read, even for those not so fascinated by the foodie-verse.' – Booklist starred reviewTable of ContentsThe Center of the Universe Bread Antipasto Oil Salt Pasta Pepper Wine Meat Fire Lemon Sources Acknowledgments
£10.44
Duke University Press Eating in Theory
Book SynopsisAs we taste, chew, swallow, digest, and excrete, our foods transform us, while our eating, in its turn, affects the wider earthly environment. In Eating in Theory Annemarie Mol takes inspiration from these transformative entanglements to rethink what it is to be human. Drawing on fieldwork at food conferences, research labs, health care facilities, restaurants, and her own kitchen table, Mol reassesses the work of authors such as Hannah Arendt, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Hans Jonas, and Emmanuel Levinas. They celebrated the allegedly unique capability of humans to rise above their immediate bodily needs. Mol, by contrast, appreciates that as humans we share our fleshy substance with other living beings, whom we cultivate, cut into pieces, transport, prepare, and incorporate—and to whom we leave our excesses. This has far-reaching philosophical consequences. Taking human eating seriously suggests a reappraisal of being as transformative, knowing as entangling, doing as disperseTrade Review“Its writing limpid, its organization elegant, its argument scintillating, this book is inspirational. And radical. Annemarie Mol effectively unseats the mindset that cannot see past people as thinking and embodied beings. While her address is to questions as they are posed in philosophy, this book will find huge sympathy among those dealing with anthropological materials of all kinds and stages a striking provocation for the general reader who asks whether scholarship can tell us anything new.” -- Marilyn Strathern, author of * Relations: An Anthropological Account *“In characteristically crisp and inviting prose, Annemarie Mol thinks through eating—its social acts, sensory experiences, and metabolic processes—to re-metabolize the wisdoms so many of us have absorbed about knowing and relating, being and doing, subjectivity and agency. Eating in Theory offers a nourishingly pluralistic vision of humans permeable to their surroundings, interdependent rather than autonomous, and hungry for further thinking. It’s a book to savor.” -- Heather Paxson, Professor of Anthropology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology"Eating in Theory is a tasty and satisfying treat for anyone interested in human-nature relationships, refreshing theoretical perspectives, food studies, ethnography and more." -- Ola Plonska * LSE Review of Books *"[I]n detailing much of her critical reflection on a certain valued practice of thinking over those of eating, Mol eloquently brings into the limelight the vitality of abandoning grand theories aimed at explaining all human beings, and especially those not situated in their own theorization." -- Elin Linder * Anthropology Book Forum *"A remarkable book. . . . By dispensing with the ontological need for knowledge to be universal, Eating in Theory lives up to its title and truly theorizes eating as an act of meaning and meaning making. . . . Mol’s analysis unfolds fluidly and clearly. . . . Highly recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals." -- M. A. Lange * Choice *"I know of no health researcher who so compellingly takes health out of individual bodies and situates it in the collective ecology that bodies depend on. . . . No writings seem more relevant to the crises of the present moment." -- Arthur W. Frank * Journal of Medical Humanities *"[A] terrific little book. . . . . Anthropologists and sociologists with an interest in Food Studies can easily make strong use of Eating in Theory, as well as of course philosophers of many disciplines preoccupied with the question of what we can wrap our collective Western mouth—rather than our head—around the most pernicious theoretical effects of the Anthropocene." -- Megan Volpert * Popmatters *"I find this book a valuable philosophical and theoretical contribution to our understanding of eating and food. I find it especially useful because Annemarie Mol demonstrates, through her scrutiny of such philosophical categories as Being, Knowing, Doing, and Relating, the multiple entanglements between people, between humans and nonhumans, that highlight the complexities of eating. As she successfully demonstrates, this traditionally banalized act can be productive for thinking about what it means to be human at a time when multiple empirical realities challenge universal philosophical understandings." -- Steffan Igor Ayora-Diaz * Journal of Anthropological Research *"Eating in Theory proves to be not only brief and approachable, but exciting and thought-provoking for foodways scholars. Reminiscent of Sarah Pink’s work on sensory ethnography, Mol introduces the reader to exciting new approaches in studying food and eating. Through thoughtful fieldwork passages and engaging analysis, Mol teaches us to view the world through eating, relating it to larger issues of overconsumption and ecological sustainability." -- Ema Noëlla Kibirkstis * Digest *"This book unravels the particular and ever-present model of the human derived from Western epistemologies while demonstrating its perniciousness by experimenting with alternatives. . . . Mol's voice is precise, challenging, and insightful. . . . Mol's ideas inspire a way of laboring in the world, of which the academia is part." -- Jessica Hardin * Anthropological Quarterly *"Eating in Theory brings Mol’s sophisticated approach to materiality and its enactment to bear on the prosaic topic of eating. This fascinating yet complex topic is much enriched by her approach and clarity. . . . Mol’s choice of the familiar yet always fascinating topic of eating has allowed her to create a very helpful primer and companion for a posthuman understanding of being, knowing, thinking, and relating. Naturally it is of interest to anyone interested in the topic of food and eating but should also be read widely across the humanities and social sciences for its contributions to thinking around ecological sustainability and philosophy." -- Hannah Drayson * Leonardo *Table of Contents1. Empirical Philosophy 2. Being 3. Knowing 4. Doing 5. Relating 6. Intellectual Ingredients Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£18.99
Chelsea Green Publishing Co Defending Beef: The Ecological and Nutritional
Book SynopsisWe all need to understand the story behind our food. This is the strongest and most articulate case for understanding the central importance of grazing livestock in sustainable food systems that I’ve read. Patrick Holden, founder and chief executive, Sustainable Food Trust With more public awareness of the connection between health and diet, food, climate and farming, Defending Beef – a modern classic on sustainable food culture – has never been more timely. As the meat industry – from small-scale ranchers and butchers to sprawling slaughterhouse operators – respond to climate threats, a pandemic and the rise of plant-based and lab-produced meats, environmental lawyer turned cattle farmer Nicolette Hahn Niman delivers a passionate argument for responsible grassfed, meat production and consumption in this updated and expanded new edition of her bestselling Defending Beef. Hahn Niman dispels popular myths about how eating beef is bad for our bodies and the planet. The impact of grazing can be either negative or positive, depending on how livestock are managed. In fact, with proper oversight, livestock can play an essential role in maintaining grassland ecosystems by performing the same functions as the natural herbivores that once roamed and grazed there.Grounded in empirical scientific data and citing examples of regenerative agriculture from around the world, she illustrates how cattle can help build carbon-sequestering soils to mitigate climate change, enhance biodiversity, prevent desertification and provide essential nutrition.Trade Review“Defending Beef is a no-nonsense, scientific yet holistic look at the important role well-raised meat has in our food system and in ecosystem function. Nicolette Hahn Niman intelligently busts the common misperceptions about cattle and explains how, when managed properly, they can have a positive impact on the environment.”—Diana Rodgers, registered dietitian, filmmaker and coauthor of Sacred Cow: The Case for (Better) Meat“With all the rhetoric we are hearing today about how cows are destroying the planet, it is enlightening to hear the truth. Nicolette Hahn Niman delves deep into the science and sets the record straight: ‘It’s not the cow, it’s the how’! Now, consumers can enjoy the health benefits of nutrient-dense beef while healing our ecosystems! A must-read for consumers, ranchers, and policymakers.”—Gabe Brown, regenerative rancher and author of Dirt to Soil“The original edition of Defending Beef offered a compendium of everything a person should know about the role of beef cattle on the landscape and in our diets. This brand-new edition is more like a meta-analysis, chock-full of references, that dismantles almost every argument made against the ecological and nutritional importance of beef. While Nicolette Hahn Niman decries the industrial beef model, she makes a clear and compelling case why well-managed cattle grazing is a critical tool for capturing carbon and turning nonedible plant material into protein, as well as for supporting regenerative farming methods. This book should be on the shelf of anyone who cares about our climate and food system.”—Rebecca Thistlethwaite, coauthor of The New Livestock Farmer“In this exhaustive and well-documented treatise, Nicolette Hahn Niman manages to be both informative and engaging from cover to cover. I especially appreciate the long myth-busting section that debunks many oft-cited anti-beef studies. This is the perfect book to have at your fingertips when you’re in a dispute with someone who thinks meatless lab burgers are a great way to go.”—Ridge Shinn, founding CEO, Big Picture Beef“In this remarkable book, Nicolette Hahn Niman proves herself to be a true environmentalist—one who is willing to dig deeply, challenge orthodoxies, and get to the truth. You should read Defending Beef not only for the compelling case she makes for sustainable meat production, but also as an example of critical thinking at its finest.”—Bo Burlingham, editor-at-large of Inc. magazine and author of Small Giants and Finish Big: How Great Entrepreneurs Exit Their Companies on Top“I have traveled to every state in the U.S. during both summer and winter and have seen the land in extensive rural areas. There are huge land areas in this country that cannot be used for crops. The only way to grow food on these lands is by grazing animals. Grazing done properly will improve the land. Defending Beef shows clearly that beef cattle are an important part of sustainable agriculture.”—Temple Grandin, author of Animals Make Us Human and professor of animal science, Colorado State University“Anyone hesitating to eat beef due to environmental or nutritional concerns needs to learn the other side of the story. Defending Beef is both scientifically accurate and highly readable. Kudos to Nicolette Hahn Niman for successfully engaging in one of the biggest environmental tensions of our day.”—Joel Salatin, farmer and author“Creating healthful, delicious food in ecological balance is among humanity’s greatest challenges. In this insightful book, Nicolette Hahn Niman shows why cattle on grass are an essential element. Every chef in America should read this book.”—Alice Waters, founder/owner, Chez Panisse, and author of We Are What We Eat“Anyone who doubts that beef can be part of a sustainable food system and healthy diet should read this book. Defending Beef proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can feel good about eating beef that’s raised the right way.”—Steve Ells, founder and CEO, Chipotle Mexican Grill“Nicolette Hahn Niman just became beef’s most articulate advocate. In Defending Beef, she pivots gracefully between the personal and the scientific, the impassioned and the evenhanded. It’s a deeply compelling and delicious vision for the future of food.”—Dan Barber, author of The Third Plate“Defending Beef is a brave, clear-headed, and necessary addition to the discussion about sustainable food systems. Using hard data and solid scientific research, Nicolette Hahn Niman, a lawyer turned rancher, presents a convincing case that everything we thought we knew about the environmental and human health damage caused by beef is just plain wrong.”—Barry Estabrook, author of Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit“The prosecution will never rest after the case presented here by this unusually well-armed defense lawyer. Exactly how much and in what ways cattle benefit our world—whether or not we eat beef—have never been more thoroughly explained. Cattle are lucky to have such a remarkable rancher gal come to their aid on our behalf.”—Betty Fussell, author of Raising Steaks: The Life and Times of American Beef“Nicolette Hahn Niman’s Defending Beef is as timely as it is necessary. With patience and passion she separates truth from fiction in the emotional debate about the role of beef in our lives and the effect of its production on our planet. Far from being a bogeyman of climate change and other environmental concerns, she argues, cattle, when properly managed, can play an important role in local food systems, land health, and carbon sequestration. The key is treating cattle as an ally, not an enemy, and exploring opportunities instead of simply pointing fingers. In this exploration, Defending Beef leads the way!”—Courtney White, founder, Quivira Coalition, and author of Grass, Soil, Hope“In our collective confusion and desperation about the environment, many zero in on cattle as an unlikely culprit for everything from water pollution to climate change. In Defending Beef, author, rancher, and environmental lawyer Nicolette Hahn Niman takes a nuanced look at the impact of livestock on land, water, the atmosphere, and human health. With clarity and eloquence, she puts research in context and shows that the raising of cattle can be destructive or restorative, depending on how the animals are managed. Cattle—and common sense—have found their champion.”—Judith D. Schwartz, author of Cows Save the Planet“Issues related to the long-term health effects of red meat, saturated fat, sugar, and grains are complex and I see the jury as still out on many of them. While waiting for the science to be resolved, Hahn Niman’s book is well worth reading for its forceful defense of the role of ruminant animals in sustainable food systems.”—Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and author of What to Eat“I hope this book, which is more about the future of humanity, will be read by every citizen—not just those who feel the need to defend their meat-eating preferences. Biologist, environmental lawyer, and mother Nicolette Hahn Niman has provided a balanced report on the effects of cattle production on our environment, health, and climate change. Openly accepting the damage done by modern-day cattle production—on the land and in factory feedlots—she effectively argues that cattle themselves are not the problem; it is the way they are being managed that is endangering our health, environment, and economy. We can do something about that, and we must for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Key to our success will be an informed citizenry—for whom this book will be an invaluable tool.”—Allan Savory, founder and president, the Savory Institute“Defending Beef is an important book. Nicolette Hahn Niman had me at the chapter ‘All Food Is Grass,’ where she unpacks the complex clash of views over animal rights, ecology, and the legacy of human impact upon bioregions. The more I read, the more I came to value the passion and insight of someone who (like me) does not herself consume meat but recognizes that it rests at the center of what’s troubling with our food system and how we might set it right. "At Slow Food, we believe that better, less meat should become a rallying cry for a shift in our relationship to animals and each other. Scale, biodiversity, and rural economies get ample attention in this comprehensive yet easy-to-digest manifesto. If we ever hope to challenge the prevailing culture of confinement that defines the industrial meat system today, then we need to make this book required reading for butchers, bakers, and policymakers.”—Richard McCarthy, executive director emeritus, Slow Food USA “Defending Beef clearly and unequivocally connects the dots for us on how vitally important raising pastured beef is to humanity. From increasing the glomalin in soil that helps create healthy grass, to sequestering carbon, battling desertification, enhancing the water supply, mitigating climate change, and promoting biodiversity, Nicolette Hahn Niman carefully draws a constellation for understanding just how our food production systems affect people, culture, and our ecosystem—for good or ill. The case is airtight and the jury is in: Cattle on pasture are an integral part of the solution.”—Mary R. Cleaver, former owner/executive chef, The Cleaver Company and The Green Table“A breakthrough book that reclaims our relationship with farm animals and nutritious food. Comprehensive and insightful, Defending Beef delivers a compelling description of a food system that works with nature and wildlife, supports humane animal husbandry, and builds strong local economies. With a keen mind and passionate love of life, Nicolette Hahn Niman provides an insightful solution to feeding our growing world population and shows us a way of life that is both beautiful and sustaining.”—Judy Wicks, founder of White Dog Café and the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies and author of Good Morning, Beautiful Business“It is so important that we free our minds of conventional beef wisdom and open up to the solution set that uses nature’s wisdom as well as the smart agricultural practices of the future. In Defending Beef, Nicolette Hahn Niman gives us an exacting and compelling defense of land management that solves for environmental resiliency, human health, climate change mitigation, and prosperity. How could we not listen?”—Kat Taylor, CEO and cofounder, Beneficial State Bank; cofounder and director, Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation“As a chef, I am concerned with not just the flavor of my ingredients, but also their ecological, economic, social, biodiversity, and health implications. In Defending Beef, Nicolette Hahn Niman delves deeply into the many impacts of beef production. Through both scholarly research and her own personal journey, she shows how, again and again, the ‘conventional wisdom’ has missed the mark, while making an extremely convincing case for well-raised cattle having a necessary place in our global agriculture system and on our plates. Simply put, this book doesn’t just make me a better chef, but also a better person."—Michael Leviton, food activist and former chair, Chefs Collaborative“Nicolette Hahn Niman, a lawyer, long-time vegetarian, and cattle rancher, serves up a well-argued defense of an American icon: the hamburger. Passionate and persuasive, Hahn Niman delivers a tough-minded critique of industrial animal operations along with an eloquent case on behalf of pasture-raised beef. The good news? It's safe to eat steak again—so long as you know where it comes from.”—Marc Gunther, editor-at-large, Guardian Sustainable Business US
£13.49
Chelsea Green Publishing Co Restoring Heritage Grains: The Culture,
Book SynopsisIncluding recipes for baking with Einkorn Wheat is the most widely grown crop on our planet, yet industrial breeders have transformed this ancient staff of life into a commodity of yield and profit—witness the increase in gluten intolerance and 'wheat belly’. Modern wheat depends on synthetic fertilizer and herbicides that damage our health, land, water, and environment. Fortunately, heritage ‘landrace' wheats that evolved over millennia in the organic fields of traditional farms do not need bio-chemical intervention to yield bountifully, are gluten-safe, have rich flavor and high nutrition. Yet the robust, majestic wheats that nourished our ancestors are on the verge of extinction. In Restoring Heritage Grains, author Eli Rogosa of the Heritage Grain Conservancy, invites readers to restore forgotten wheats such as delicious gluten-safe einkorn that nourished the first Neolithic farmers, emmer—the grain of ancient Israel, Egypt, and Rome that is perfect for pasta and flatbreads, rare durums that are drought-tolerant and high in protein, and many more little known wheat species, each of which have a lineage intertwined with the human species and that taste better than any modern wheat. Restoring Heritage Grains combines the history of grain growing and society, in-depth practical advice on landrace wheat husbandry, wheat folk traditions and mythology, and guidelines for the Neolithic diet with traditional recipes for rustic bread, pastry and beer. Discover the ancient grains that may be one of the best solutions to hunger today, and provide resilience for our future.Trade ReviewChoice- "This work is a thought-provoking polemic against industrial wheat and its negative impact on the environment and human health. Rogosa, who has conducted work in biodiversity preservation and is also a farmer, argues that heritage wheat varieties or landrace grains, such as einkorn, are more biodiverse, more healthful, easier to grow, and essential for the ecosystem. Growing these grains is covered in detail—in fact, a significant portion of the book is aimed at farmers or gardeners looking to grow landrace grains and/or wishing to troubleshoot common problems. Along with the discussion on growing the crops, the author delves into folk traditions regarding the consumption of these grains and historical recipes. In addition to her environmental argument, Rogosa is a passionate advocate for replacing modern wheat and links its development with a variety of health issues, such as the rise in celiac disease and digestive ailments. Though Rogosa is a thorough researcher and an engaging writer, the audience this book is aimed toward is likely to be the most sympathetic to her cause. This title is an engaging and stimulating work, but its narrow, mostly agricultural content makes it a peripheral purchase for academic libraries. Summing Up: Optional. All readers.” Foreword Reviews- "While wheat continues to serve as an important part of the Western diet, today’s wheat itself is radically different from that eaten in earlier centuries. It is that contradiction that Eli Rogosa explores in Restoring Heritage Grains, an interesting and informative volume about how humans have altered the world’s wheat supply. Rogosa explains how the various kinds of wheat that once flourished across Europe were gradually homogenized, from the Romans planting easy-to-maintain wheats that could quickly reinforce their supply lines, to the Soviet Union instituting a common agricultural approach throughout Eastern Europe. She also highlights the way that agribusiness has changed the wheat crop in the United States, replacing diverse ‘landrace' seeds with genetically modified crops designed to be resistant to weeds, but which likely play a role in the rapid growth of gluten allergies. Beyond diagnosing these problems, however, Rogosa presents a thorough solution. She describes the variety of wheats available, from durum to spelt to Indian wheat, highlighting the advantages of each, and explains how best to grow these heritage grains. She covers where these crops grow most effectively, and how they can be used to restore soil that is often ruined by mandates to produce mass quantities of wheat. She also explains harvesting techniques and shares personal stories of traveling to different parts of the world to speak with farmers about how they restore and protect their native landrace seeds. The text of Restoring Heritage Grains is nicely supplemented with images that visually demonstrate the diversity of these ancient grains. The book also includes a useful resources section with information about seed banks, and—perhaps best of all—a selection of recipes that make use of heritage grains. Whether of traditional cookies, pie crust, pizza, or challah, these recipes provide opportunities to practice what Rogosa preaches, and to taste the different flavors heritage wheats offer."“Eli Rogosa has delivered to us, her many fans, the long-awaited book, Restoring Heritage Grains, in which she totally blows the lid off of this historic moment in the world of bread. She not only artfully guides us through thousands of years of the history and botanical evolution of wheat but also, prophetically, shows us its very future. And now we all have access to Eli’s inner world, to the passion that has been fermenting within her for many years and now exists forever through her brilliant words.”--Peter Reinhart, educator; author of Bread Revolution“Most wheat grown worldwide today can be described as an in-bred, dwarfed, distant cousin of the genetically diverse, farmers’ landrace cereal crops of the past. Eli Rogosa argues passionately and convincingly in her book that from many perspectives, including food security and nutritional value, our landrace cereals need to be brought back from the brink of extinction. Eli illustrates the central role of cereals in human civilization as we know it, including in myth and religion and how this role has been traduced by agribusiness interests. Eli adds valuable advice and knowledge for the grower and the cook on preservation and use of our cereal crop inheritance.”--Andy Forbes, secretary, Brockwell Bake Association, London, UK“In this book, agro-anthropologist, farmer, and baker Eli Rogosa helps us rediscover ancient landrace and traditional pre-Green Revolution wheats—varieties that are more delicious, nutritious, drought-resistant, and resilient than modern wheats, and that are already organic-adapted. The author covers everything from the romantic to the practical: personal stories about finding individual plants of rare wheats in Israel; historical and anthropological information; methods for growing, harvesting, and threshing; as well as many detailed recipes. A must read for anyone who has a garden or farm and who likes good bread.”--Carol Deppe, author of The Tao of Vegetable Gardening“Restoring Heritage Grains is both poetic and practical. Eli Rogosa first tells the sad story of how the Green Revolution transformed the staff of life into a toxic-drenched monocrop. Then she shares the joyful story of her life’s work discovering, growing, distributing the seed and spreading the word about heritage grains. She makes a compelling case for heirloom landraces, the deep-rooted, diverse gene pools that coevolve with changing conditions, “people and seeds” finding ways to survive through climate challenges. Along the way, she recounts the history of wheat from the earliest human discoveries through ancient and modern Near East and European history, including the new world of the Americas. She lingers over the early millennia of matriarchy and the sacred rituals of many different peoples. Especially striking is her account of ancient Israeli practices as a sophisticated community food system based on social justice. This is a book to cherish.”--Elizabeth Henderson, author of Sharing the Harvest“Eli Rogosa has lived among the world’s few remaining peasant farmers who continue to cultivate landrace wheat seeds and traditions. She has collected and faithfully tended and multiplied their unique local varieties, learned their traditional production techniques, and recorded their special recipes. She brought them to her home in New England and crossed them to combine their qualities and adapt them to the very different climate of their new home. Now, in Restoring Heritage Grains, she shares the wealth of information that she has preserved and the flavor of the seeds that she has saved, with people in this country and around the world.”--Klaas Martens, farmer, Lakeview Organic Grain, Penn Yan, NY“This is a marvelous book, which I will read again and again over the years. Eli has woven a tapestry of fact and flavour, drawing on botanical, agricultural, nutritional, and folk information never before assembled under one cover. And she has included practical information on how to make delicious bread and beer. She has described how the first farmers were ‘evolutionary plant breeders’ and worked with nature to create the biodiverse crops we now call ‘heritage’ grains. Sadly, much of this diversity was lost as farmers abandoned their traditional crops for modern varieties, beguiled by promises of bumper yields and a ‘green revolution’ that would feed the world. Unfortunately, these yield increases have been achieved at immense environmental, social, and nutritional costs. This book is a critique of industrial agriculture, but it is also a practical manual for how to reintroduce diversity into our farming systems by growing heritage grains, and how we can help repair our spiritual relationship with the earth.”--John Letts, archaeo-botanist and farmer, Heritage Harvest Ltd., Oxford, UK“This beautiful book is unlike any other publication on wheat or grains that I have ever read. Written poetically, it is a rare mix of science, history, and culture; therefore, the book will be equally inspiring for scientists, students, farmers, seed savers, culinary experts, or just any person looking for interesting reading. With this book, Eli gives us a key to restoring our bread of life.”--Mariam Jorjadze, director, Biological Farming Association Elkana (Georgia)“Let yourself be inspired by the inflammable enthusiasm of Eli Rogosa about the diversity of ancient wheats, their historical backgrounds, and notes from her many encounters in different countries. The author brings these wheats not only into your stomach with lots of recipes, but also into your heart, which is the most important step on their way into the fields, where they can develop in our modern times into what wheat should be for humans: a well-balanced partner that can help us to cultivate our minds, our bodies, and our sentiments.”--Dr. Karl-Josef Mueller, biodynamic cereal breeder at Cereal Breeding Research, Neu Darchau, Germany“Restoring Heritage Grains offers a veritable treasure trove from the past, yet one that is very relevant for today! The book introduces truly healthier, more nutritious, beautiful, and exciting grains to cultivate in your garden and farm and to enhance your palate. Read, grow, preserve, eat, and enjoy ancient grains for a biodiversity of taste and nourishment!”--John Jeavons, author, How to Grow More Vegetables; executive director of Ecology Action“Our common cultural history goes all the way back to the very roots of civilization: the domestication of the cereals 12,000 years ago. In page after page of this book, Eli Rogosa’s profound knowledge, love, and passion for our common culinary and genetic heritage links our history with our daily bread, and fills the reader with enthusiasm to go into the field, and into the kitchen, to follow her example: Grow it, bake it, and eat it! Eli Rogosa’s quest for restoring quality bread from heritage grains is not only for the sake of your own health but to restore what unites us all, and thereby a mission of peace.”--Dr. Anders Borgen, organic wheat breeder, Denmark“Eli Rogosa deserves credit for pioneering the current return of interest in heritage grains. In a compelling and inspiring book, she retraces her own voyage of discovery into the beauty and importance of endangered grain varieties, the tragic loss of their presence in our fields and diets, and how we can participate in returning this most ancient of foods to our tables. Her wide-ranging work is a powerful reminder of the depth of our connection to the first crops cultivated by humans.”--Sylvia Davatz, Solstice Seeds
£17.09
Gill A Pocket History of the Irish Famine
Book SynopsisThe Great Famine, an Gorta Mór in Irish, was a period of mass starvation, disease and emigration in Ireland between 1845 and 1852. Often referred to as the Irish Potato Famine, particularly outside Ireland, as around forty percent of the population were reliant on this crop. Over a million people died and over a million more emigrated, often in appalling circumstances. This book explains what happened before and during the Famine, with an account of the consequences of this epic tragedy.
£6.99
Reaktion Books Figs: A Global History
Book SynopsisFigs, fresh and dried, have become the fruit of celebrations and festivities throughout the Western world, and have been typically associated with Christmastime since the nineteenth century. In Figs: A Global History, David Sutton examines the festive and celebratory importance of figs in many countries by placing this luscious and festive fruit in its historical context. Beginning with an account of the strange biology of the fig - which is botanically not a fruit at all, but rather a cluster of ingrowing flowers - Sutton moves on to consider the Arabian origins of figs, including the possibility that the earliest fig seeds were transported from Yemen to Mesopotamia in the dung of donkeys. Proposing that the 'forbidden fruit' eaten by Adam and Eve was in fact a fig rather than an apple, this book explores the history of the fruit in fascinating detail, from the Crusaders to the wonderful fig festivals of the modern world. Including numerous recipes both sweet and savoury, and countless facts, myths and stories about the fig, such as the bizarre tale of the American fig-wasp, Figs is a fascinating account of this unique and delicious food.
£12.34
Garnet Publishing Steak: One Man's Search for the World's Tastiest
Book Synopsis
£9.49
