"One cannot help but love a book that gives not only the top ten
countries in beer consumption (the US) but also the stages in the
caramelization of sugar and the world wine consumption patterns for
the last thirty years. In fact, just browsing the entries in ths
comprehensive encyclopedia will make the reader crave potatoes,
Polish bigos (meat stew), sushi, and Viennese pastries all in one
sitting. Billed as an ?authoritative survey of the history,
production, preparation, science and culture of food from
prehistory to the present day, ? this set lives up to that claim
and then some. With topics ranging from anorexia to cannibalism,
from kitchen gadgets to sandwich wraps, the user can feast upon
information designed to educate all ages. ... It delivers on that
promise through its finding aids, which include a table of contents
that includes subtopics and sidebars, a systematic outline of
contents, and a comprehensive index. Every entry ends with a short
bibliography for further exploration. ... For example, the entry
for ?apple? lists not only the most common varieties, but its
nutritional value, its origins, its role in various historical
societies and modern pest control. In fact, the only thing it does
not give is a taste test. This epicurean delight provides not only
a fun read but also does what no other reference book does in
documenting the act of eating from the perspectives of cultural
history, nutrition, ethnicity, religion, psychology, anthropology,
geography, economics, and aesthetics?. Useful for all types of
libraries, there will also be cooks and food critics who might wish
to own a personal copy."
-- "Reference and User Services Quarterly" (Fall 2003)
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