Cuisine and Culture: A History of Food and People

An illuminating account of how history shapes ourdiets--now in a new revised and updated ThirdEdition

Why did the ancient Romans believe cinnamon grew in swamps guardedby giant killer bats? How did African cultures imported by slaveryinfluence cooking in the American South? What does the 700-seatMcDonald's in Beijing serve in the age of globalization? With theanswers to these and many more such questions, Cuisine andCulture, Third Edition presents an engaging, entertaining, andinformative exploration of the interactions among history, culture, and food.

From prehistory and the earliest societies in the Fertile Crescentto today's celebrity chefs, Cuisine and Culture, ThirdEdition presents a multicultural and multiethnic approach tounderstanding how and why major historical events have affected anddefined the culinary traditions in different societies. Now revisedand updated, this Third Edition is more comprehensive andinsightful than ever before.

• Covers prehistory through the present day--from thediscovery of fire to the emergence of television cooking shows
• Explores how history, culture, politics, sociology, andreligion have determined how and what people have eaten through theages
• Includes a sampling of recipes and menus from differenthistorical periods and cultures
• Features French and Italian pronunciation guides, a chronologyof food books and cookbooks of historical importance, and anextensive bibliography
• Includes all-new content on technology, food marketing, celebrity chefs and cooking television shows, and Canadiancuisine.

Complete with revealing historical photographs and illustrations, Cuisine and Culture is an essential introduction to foodhistory for students, history buffs, and food lovers.