The Cambridge World History of Food (2-Volume Set) by Kiple, Kenneth F. Published by Cambridge University Press 1st (first) edition (2000) Hardcover

The Cambridge World History of Food #1-2

by Kenneth F. Kiple

Have the French always enjoyed their renowned cuisine? When did Russians begin to eat pirogi? What was the first Indonesian spice to be cultivated elsewhere in the world? Questions such as these make for good Jeopardy material, but they're far from trivial--just ask anyone with a passion for good food and a curiosity for where that food originated. That person will know instinctively that the best way to approach a culture--and, indeed, the human animal--is through the stomach. For this individual, The Cambridge World History of Food will be something of a bible, and the best of gifts. A massive scholarly tome in two volumes and more than 2,000 pages, the CWHF encompasses a wealth of learning that touches on nearly every aspect of human life. (It also reveals the answers to the three earlier No, French cuisine as we know it is a 19th-century development; in the 16th century, following the conquest of the Volga Tatar; ginger, in colonial Mexico.) Thoroughly researched and highly accessible despite its formidable layout, the set addresses a groaning board of topics past and present, from the diet of prehistoric humans to the role of iron in combating disease; from the domestication of animals to the spread of once-isolated ethnic cuisines in a fast-globalizing world. Of greatest interest to general readers is its concluding section--a dictionary of the world's food plants, which gives brief accounts of items both common and exotic, from abalong to Zuttano avocado.The product of seven years of research, writing, and editing on the part of more than 200 authors, The Cambridge World History of Food promises to become a standard reference for social scientists, economists, nutritionists, and other scholars--and for cooks and diners seeking to deepen their knowledge of the materials they use and consume. --Gregory McNamee

Genres: Food, History, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food History, Cookbooks, World History

Unknown Binding

First published November 14, 2000

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great World History of Food set. However, there is one that is even more fantastic, and that is a three volume set from 1926, when I can recall the title I will be sure to share it within this review.

This separate 1926 three-volume edition contains a more in-depth historical history of plants. For example, regarding apple trees, did you know that the earliest apple trees planted in Oregon were planted by the Russians in the 1890s?

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful for researching the effects of food on culture and vice versa. Dense but very useful, my only gripe is that it's focus is Eurocentric and Classical Antiquity and while those have had major impacts on our view of food we need to be more inclusive when studying the impact of food, food culture, and local ingredients on humanity.

[unperspicacious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly useful reference for historical and nutritional overviews of almost *all* mainstream agricultural goods and how they are processed. Will definitely come back to it again and again. Unfortunately some of its facts about contemporary production/trade patterns are already quite out of date. For example one contributor asserts that "the production of soybean oil today overshadows all others" (380); a fact that might have been true a decade ago, and perhaps once again a decade from now, but certainly not today...

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first in my "learning about food" trilogy for this year. It is a good comprehensive history culled from writings across the US and Europe. I had very little background on culinary history so it was eye opening to learn that cacao used to be made with salt rather than sugar as well as the origins of coffee and tea. Some of the translations are a bit choppy but overall a good introduction to the subject.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting glimpse into food history throughout the ages. Some is a bit academic but great information