The secret history of food : strange but true stories about the origins of everything we eat / Matt Siegel.
"Is Italian olive oil really Italian, or are we dipping our bread in lamp oil? Why are we masochistically drawn to foods that can hurt us, like hot peppers? Far from being a classic American dish, is apple pie actually . . . English? "As a species, we're hardwired to obsess over food," Matt Siegel explains as he sets out "to uncover the hidden side of everything we put in our mouths." Siegel also probes subjects ranging from the myths--and realities--of food as aphrodisiac, to how one of the rarest and most exotic spices in all the world (vanilla) became a synonym for uninspired sexual proclivities, to the role of food in fairy- and morality tales. He even makes a well-argued case for how ice cream helped defeat the Nazis. The Secret History of Food is a rich and satisfying exploration of the historical, cultural, scientific, sexual, and, yes, culinary subcultures of this most essential realm"--provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780062973214
- ISBN: 0062973215
- Physical Description: 270 pages ; 24 cm
- Edition: First edition
- Publisher: New York, NY : Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2021]
- Copyright: ©2021
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 197-249) and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- A history of swallowing -- Pie, progress, and Plymouth Rock -- Breakfast of champions -- Children of the corn -- Honey laundering -- The vanilla of society -- The ghosts of Cockaigne past -- The choices of a new generation -- Forbidden berries (or appetite for distraction) -- Attack of the killer tomatoes.
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- Food habits > History.
Food > History.
Available copies
- 27 of 29 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 1 current hold with 29 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Main Library | 394.12 SIE (Text) | 36015000063491 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Andrews Public Library | 394.12 SIE (Text) | 80605003600334 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Angier Public Library | 394.12 Sie (Text) | 33632002741289 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Avery County Morrison Public Library | NFIC 394.12 SIE (Text) | 31111003017843 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| BHM Headquarters Library | 394.12 (Text) | 38344101766358 | Adult Nonfiction | In process | - |
| Cliffdale Library | 394.12 S (Text) | 31781065810788 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Cumberland Headquarters | 394.12 S (Text) | 31781065810770 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| George H. & Laura E. Brown Library | 394.12 Sie (Text) | 30308101279413 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Haywood County Main Library | 394.12 Siegel (Text) | 33115007690716 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Henderson Main Branch | 394.12 S (Text) | 33258009497459 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Accessibility Features
Summary:
"Is Italian olive oil really Italian, or are we dipping our bread in lamp oil? Why are we masochistically drawn to foods that can hurt us, like hot peppers? Far from being a classic American dish, is apple pie actually . . . English? "As a species, we're hardwired to obsess over food," Matt Siegel explains as he sets out "to uncover the hidden side of everything we put in our mouths." Siegel also probes subjects ranging from the myths--and realities--of food as aphrodisiac, to how one of the rarest and most exotic spices in all the world (vanilla) became a synonym for uninspired sexual proclivities, to the role of food in fairy- and morality tales. He even makes a well-argued case for how ice cream helped defeat the Nazis. The Secret History of Food is a rich and satisfying exploration of the historical, cultural, scientific, sexual, and, yes, culinary subcultures of this most essential realm"--provided by publisher.
