A sweet tooth is a powerful thing. Babies everywhere seem to smile when tasting sweetness for the first time, a trait inherited, perhaps, from our ancestors who foraged for sweet foods that were generally safer to eat than their bitter counterparts. But the "science of sweet" is only the beginning of a fascinating story, because it is not basic human need or simple biological impulse that prompts us to decorate elaborate wedding cakes, scoop ice cream into a cone, or drop sugar cubes into ...

Oral History: An Interdisciplinary Anthology is a collection of classic articles by some of the best known proponents of oral history, demonstrating the basics of oral history, while also acting as a guidebook for how to use it in research. Added to this new edition is insight into how oral history is practiced on an international scale, making this book an indispensable resource for scholars of history and social sciences, as well as those interested in oral history on the avocational lev...

A sweet tooth is a powerful thing. Babies everywhere seem to smile when tasting sweetness for the first time, a trait inherited, perhaps, from our ancestors who foraged for sweet foods that were generally safer to eat than their bitter counterparts. But the "science of sweet" is only the beginning of a fascinating story, because it is not basic human need or simple biological impulse that prompts us to decorate elaborate wedding cakes, scoop ice cream into a cone, or drop sugar cubes into ...

Wilk and his colleagues draw upon their own international field experience to examine how food systems are changing around the globe. The authors offer a cultural perspective that is mising in other economic and developmental studies, and provide rich ethnographic data on markets, industrial production, and food economies. This new book will appeal to professionals in economic and environmental anthropology: economic development, agricultural economics, consumer behavior, nutritional scien...

Funny, outrageous, passionate, and unrelenting, Vogue's food writer, Jeffrey Steingarten, will stop at nothing, as he makes clear in these forty delectable pieces.Whether he is in search of a foolproof formula for sourdough bread (made from wild yeast, of course) or the most sublime French fries (the secret: cooking them in horse fat) or the perfect piecrust (Fannie Farmer--that is, Marion Cunningham--comes to the rescue), he will go to any length to find the answer.At the ...

**Award-winning food writer Bee Wilson’s secret history of kitchens, showing how new technologies—from the fork to the microwave and beyond—have fundamentally shaped how and what we eat“Like having a long dinner table discussion with a fascinating friend…. A pure joy to read.”—Los Angeles Times**Since prehistory, humans have braved sharp knives, fire, and grindstones to transform raw ingredients into something delicious—or at least edible. But these tools have also...

A New York Times bestseller, turn to the hidden curiosities of food, which becomes a gateway to fascinating stories about human history, science, art, and tradition—all organized by country, lavishly illustrated, and full of surprises.Created by the ever-curious minds behind Atlas Obscura, this breathtaking guide transforms our sense of what people around the world eat and drink. Covering all seven continents, Gastro Obscura serves up a loaded plate of inc...

"A culinary mystery story leavened with Pallant's passion, charm, and devotion to the ageless allure of the risen loaf." —Aaron Bobrow-Strain, author of White BreadSourdough Culture presents the history and rudimentary science of sourdough bread baking from its discovery more than six thousand years ago to its still-recent displacement by the innovation of dough-mixing machines and fast-acting yeast. Environmental science professor Eric Pallant tra...

Explore the surprising—and sometimes dark—origins of beloved holiday bakes."A whirlwind tour of the . . . always colorful backstories of ingredients, recipes, methods, and madnesses that flavor our most beloved holiday treats."―Caren Gussoff Sumption, contributing writer for Krampusnacht: Twelve Nights of KrampusSpice up your season by rolling, molding, and kneading your way through the world's oldest and most ico...

"Intimate and far-reaching . . . Khosrova's ambitious project is a successful, fascinating account of a common dairy product" ( Publishers Weekly).It's a culinary catalyst, an agent of change, a gastronomic rock star. Ubiquitous in the world's most fabulous cuisines, butter is boss. Here, it finally gets its due.After traveling across three continents to stalk the modern story of butter, award-winning food writer and former pastry chef Elaine Khosrov...

"Sitwell is without doubt one of the great food writers of our day. Every serious cook should read this book at least once." — Marco Pierre WhiteA riveting narrative history of food as seen through one hundred recipes, from ancient Egyptian bread to modernist cuisine.We all love to eat, and most people have a favorite ingredient or dish. But how many of us know where our much-loved recipes come from, who invented them, and how they were ori...

***'An absolutely riveting book - reading it makes you intelligent, full of brilliant anecdotes - and very hungry indeed.' - Richard Curtis'This brilliantly conceived and well-researched book is a source of real delight.' - Dr Annie Gray, BBC Radio 4's The Kitchen Cabinet'Superbly written, a complete joy to read, and just about the perfect present for anyone even vaguely interested in food.' - Mark Diacono***'A gastronomic delight. You can savour it a co...