Synopses & Reviews
The story of cuisine and the social history of eating is a fascinating one, and Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat covers all its aspects in this classic history.
"Indispensable, and an endlessly fascinating book. The view is staggering. Not a book to digest at one or several sittings. Savor it instead, one small slice at a time, accompanied by a very fine wine." New York Times
"This book is not only impressive for the knowledge it provides, it is unique in its integration of historical anecdotes and factual data. It is a marvellous reference to a great many topics." Raymond Blanc
"Quirky, encyclopaedic, and hugely entertaining. A delight." Sunday Telegraph
"It's the best book when you are looking for very clear but interesting stories. Everything is cross-referenced to an extraordinary degree, which is great because the information given is so complex and interweaving." The Independent
"A History of Foodis a monumental work, a prodigious feat of careful scholarship, patient research and attention to detail. Full of astonishing but insufficiently known facts." Times Higher Education Supplement
Review
"For those of us virtually weaned on this monumental landmark when it was first published, the expanded, updated edition of A HISTORY OF FOOD couldn't be a more welcomed and exciting surprise. While the hefty volume is an indispensable source of valuable facts and information for anyone interested in the worldwide development of numerous foods and the intriguing evolution of man's dietary habits over the centuries, the book also happens to be, quite simply, a wonderful and inspiring read--to be dipped into like a bowl of fresh wild strawberries."
–James Villas, former food and wine editor ofTown & Country magazine, and author ofThe Glory of Southern Cooking andBetween Bites: Memoirs of a Hungry Hedonist
“This amazing and most entertaining book presents anything you might want to know about the cultural history of food forever and everywhere. It’s a great place to find the symbolic meaning of food myths, legends, and revels, not to mention the dietetics of cherries and other nutritious foods. It should be a welcome addition to the library of every food studies scholar.”
–Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York Universityand author ofWhat to Eat
Review
"This book is not only impressive for the knowledge it provides, it is unique in its integration of historical anecdotes and factual data. It is a marvellous reference to a great many topics."
Raymond Blanc, Restauranter Writer "Remarkable one-volume survey of a vast subject." Stephen Mennell, Monash University
"Indispensable, and an endlessly fascinating book. The view is staggering. Not a book to digest at one or several sittings. Savor it instead, one small slice at a time, accompanied by a very fine wine." New York Times
"Quirky, encyclopaedic, and hugely entertaining. A delight." Sunday Telegraph
"Readable and scholarly, profound and humorous." Ventura County Star Free Press
"One of the most important works on the subject to date and is a comprehensive reference. Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat is an accomplished writer, journalist and historian. Every serious culinary library should include this book. I unreservedly recommend its 801 pages to you." Association Mondiale de la Gastronomie
"The book makes one want to go into the kitchen, to cook and to eat. It is beautifully produced and the price is excellent." Oxford Magazine
"Gorgeous and unusually thought-provoking. I loved it." The Age
"This is a remarkable book, full of information culled from serious research." Nature
"An important contribution to the history of food." The Journal of European Economic History
"A History of Food is a monumental work, a prodigious feat of careful scholarship, patient research and attention to detail. Full of astonishing but insufficiently known facts." Times Higher Education Supplement
"Anyone interested in food, its origins, and how skilled craftsmen and tradesmen held the key to the long evolution of the present day status of food, would enjoy this book." ATEA Journal
"The author is a journalist and cultural historian, whose forte is the medieval and renaissance culture of Europe, especially the domestic economies, food and clothing. This is her eighteenth book and most likely her magnum opus. It is a thoroughgoing, comprehensive and encyclopedic reference book that covers the history of foodstuffs from as far back as the sources would allow, interspersed with the often bumpy road of their acceptance. The book is well organized, following the development of human self-preservation from hunger through gathering and hunting to domesticated animals and settled farming ... The author did a magnificent job of providing information that entailed an incredible amount of research ... The book belongs to every public and academic library, and on the book shelves of all people with curious minds. It rightfully received the History Prize of the Société des gens de lettres de France." International Journal of World Peace
"It's the best book when you are looking for very clear but interesting stories. Everything is cross-referenced to an extraordinary degree, which is great because the information given is so complex and interweaving." The Independent
Synopsis
The story of cuisine and the social history of eating is a fascinating one, and Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat covers all its aspects in this definitive history. She looks at the transition from a vegetable - to an increasingly meat-based diet, as well as at the relationship between people and what they eat, between particular foods and social behavior and between dietary habits and methods of cooking.
Synopsis
The story of cuisine and the social history of eating is a fascinating one, and Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat covers all its aspects in this definitive history.
Covers all known foodstuffs Copiously illustrated Full social and geographical coverage Awarded the History Prize of the Societe des gens de lettres de France, for the French edition Over 2500 sold in hardback.Synopsis
This classic work is an exploration and celebration of man’s relationship with food from earliest times to the present day. Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat tells the story of cuisine and the social history of food taking in fascinating, little-known byways along the journey. For instance, we learn that Aztecs enjoyed chocolate as a drink with chilli and honey; we discover the Iroquois origins of popcorn; we hear about the potential culinary and farming uses of lupin seeds. Toussaint-Samat looks at the transition from a vegetable- to an increasingly meat-based diet, as well as at the relationship between people and what they eat, between particular foods and social behaviour, and between dietary habits and methods of cooking.
This new expanded edition includes a foreword by food writer, Betty Fussell, author of The Story of Cornand Raising Steaks, a new final chapter covering recent developments in food production and consumption around the world, and an updated bibliography. Beautifully illustrated with nearly 70 figures and new color plates, A History of Foodwill continue to be read and enjoyed by a fresh generation of readers.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 782-786) and index.
About the Author
Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat is an historian, journalist and writer. She has written for a variety of periodicals in France and published over seventeen books on cuisine, history and French regional culture. Her books on the Loire and Perigord received commendations from the Academie Française and the Academie du Perigord. Her principal historical interest is in the medieval and renaissance culture of Europe, in particular the domestic economy, food and clothing. She pursues her research in association with the École des Hautes Études, and is president of the Syndicat des écrivains de langue française.
Table of Contents
Foreword to new edition by Betty Fussell.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
List of Illustrations.
Introduction.
Part I: Collecting, Gathering, Hunting.
From fire to the pot.
1. Collecting honey.
Honey in the Golden Age.
A taste of honey.
Honey in legend.
2. The history of gathering.
The ancient pulses.
The symbolism of beans.
The etymology (and entomology) of haricot beans.
The holy war of cassoulet.
Soya: the most widely eaten plant in the world.
Soya: nutritional facts and figures.
Mushrooms and fungi.
Roots.
Table of vegetable nutrition.
3. Hunting.
The great days and the decline of game.
Nutritional facts and figures about game.
Part II: Stock-breeding, Arable Farming: Meat, Milk, Cereals.
The evidence of occupied sites.
4. The history of meat.
The birth of stock-breeding and society.
Areas of origin of the first domestic animals.
Meat-eating: likes and dislikes.
The horse, the spirit of corn.
Fax oxen and prosperous butchers.
5. The history of dairy produce.
Cheese and curds.
Yoghurt: fermented milk.
Butter: the cream of the milk.
The symbolism of butter.
6. The history of cereals.
Cereals as civilizers.
The symbolism of wheat.
The long march of cereals.
Imperialist cereals.
The myth of Demeter.
Everyday cereals.
Harvest festivals.
Strategic cereals.
Rice in the east.
The symbolism of rice.
Maize in the west.
Why maize is called ‘I have no more gumbo’.
Why corn cobs are thin and small.
Zuni legend of maize flour.
From porridge to beer.
The technique of brewing beer.
The history of pasta.
The history of grain spirits.
Part III: The Three Sacramental Foods: Oil, Bread, Wine.
The fundamental trinity.
7. The history of oil.
Olive oil.
The dietary history of olive oil.
Olive oil in legend and symbolism.
Making olive oil.
Other oils.
Margarine.
8. The history of bread and cakes.
The bread on the board.
The symbolism of bread and cakes.
Four stages in the development of bread-making.
The taste of bread.
The technique of bread-making.
Our daily bread.
Special cakes for Sundays.
9. The history of wine.
From the vine to wine.
Dessert grapes.
The technique of wine-making.
The symbolism of wine.
The legend of Dionysus.
The proper use of wine.
Cooking with wine.
Wine and God.
A wine of revolution.
Part IV: The Economy of the Markets.
The centre of the city.
10. The history of fish.
The fish of the ancient world.
A Who’s Who of sea fish.
The Salmonidae, a family of aristocrats.
Fishing in legend.
Extravagance and economy in eating fish.
The symbolism of fish.
Uses for less profitable fish.
The providential nature of salt fish.
Drying, salting and smoking fish; an age-old procedure.
Aquaculture and pisciculture: fish farming.
Blue Europe, or the common fish market.
From fishing to our plates.
11. The history of poultry.
Facts about poultry.
Choosing poultry.
The symbolism of poultry.
Eggs: their uses and customs.
Part V: Luxury Foods.
The revels of the Gauls.
12. Treasures from the sea.
The history of garum.
The history of caviare.
A Who’s Who of caviare.
How to keep caviare happy.
The history of shellfish and crustaceans.
Facts about crustaceans.
The history of shellfish farming.
The biology of the oyster.
The biology of the mussel.
13. The treasure of the forests.
The history of pork and charcuterie.
About ham.
Sausages.
The symbolism of the pig.
The history of foie gras.
Facts about foie gras.
The symbolism of liver.
The history of truffles.
Part VI: The Era of the Merchants.
Making a good profit.
14. An essential food.
The history of salt.
The symbolism of salt.
The technique of winning salts.
15. Spice at any price.
About spices.
The secret of spices.
Cinnamon.
Pepper.
Ginger.
Turmeric and cardamom.
Cloves.
The great trading companies.
Nutmeg and mace.
Chillies and sweet peppers.
Aromatics and the imagination.
Saffron.
Vanilla.
Everday condiments and herbs.
Herbs.
The proper use of spices, aromatics and condiments.
The grocer’s trade.
Part VII: New Needs: Sugar, Chocolate, Coffee, Tea.
Gluttony and greed for gain.
16. The lure of sugar.
Rum, a sugar spirit.
The legend of sugar.
17. Confectionary and preserves.
18. Chocolate and divinity.
Definitions of chocolate.
19. Coffee and politics.
Coffee from the islands.
Coffee in legend.
20. Tea and philosophy.
Tea in legend.
The symbolism of tea.
Part VIII: Orchards and Kitchen Gardens.
Instructions for the garden.
21. The tradition of fruits.
The symbolism of the apple.
Grafting.
Dessert apples.
Cider and Calvados.
Pears.
Plums.
Peaches.
The peach in legend.
Apricots.
The dietetics of apricots.
Cherries.
The diatetics of cherries.
Strawberries.
Melons.
Oranges.
Growing and selling oranges.
A Who’s Who of oranges.
Grapefruit.
Figs.
The symbolism of figs and the fig tree.
Dates.
Pineapples.
Bananas.
Avocados.
22. The evolution of vegetables.
Cabbages.
Cauliflowers.
Salad.
Chicory and endive.
Watercress.
Asparagus.
Growing asparagus.
Artichokes.
Tomatoes.
23. The potato revolution.
Sweet chestnuts.
Potatoes.
Souffle potatoes.
Part IX: Science and Conscience in the Diet.
The hows and whys of quality.
24. Preserving by heat.
Canned sardines.
The technique of canning.
Food preservation.
Pasteurized milk.
25. Preserving by cold.
Quick-freezing.
26. The assurance of dietetics.
Vitamins.
27. A reassuring future.
Notes.
Bibliography.
Index