Food - History
Wine Diva cookbooks

Books – Food – History

Books 1 to 20 of 188 – History

Why Italians Love to Talk About Food  by Elena Kostioukovitch
Why Italians Love to Talk About Food is a fascinating mix of history, culture, language and cuisine. Covering each of Italy’s 20 diverse regions, along with chapters on general themes such as olive oil, Slow Food, and the Mediterranean diet, it is a gastronomic-cultural guide. Award-winning writer Elena Kostioukovitch shows how each region’s traditional cuisine and local specialties have been informed by its culture and history, its exposure to foreign influences, its geography and landscape, its topography and climate, its social customs and attitudes, its religious canons, its politics and economy, and more. In the end it is Kostioukovitch’s love for Italy itself, even more so than its food, that is her muse and inspiration.

Paperback,  464 pp,  $34.99. Buy now

Eating with Emperors  by Jake Smith
The world jeered when the Emperor of Iran served roast peacock to celebrate the anniversary of his Empire; guests gasped in delight when Queen Victoria kicked off Christmas Day with a whole stuffed wild boar’s head; and the White House chef resigned when he was asked to cook with frozen vegetables. These are just some of the tales of cooking for our world leaders. Based on original menu cards from the tables of Emperors, Kings, Queens, Presidents, Princes and the occasional Maharajah, Eating with Emperors takes a peek inside the kitchens of the world’s leaders and looks at how cooking for our heads of state has changed over the past 150 years.

Hardback,  304 pp,  $59.99. Buy now

Squeezed  by Alissa Hamilton
Explores the history of orange juice. This book describes the early forces that propelled orange juice to prominence, including a surplus of oranges that plagued Florida during most of the twentieth century and the army’s need to provide vitamin C to troops overseas during World War II.

Paperback,  288 pp,  $48.95. Buy now

Field Days  by Jonah Raskin
‘Sooner or later, nearly everyone who cares about wine and food comes to Sonoma’ – so begins this lively excursion to a spectacular region that has become known internationally as a locavore’s paradise. Part memoir, part vivid reportage, Field Days chronicles the renaissance in farming organically and eating locally that is unfolding in Northern California. Jonah Raskin tells of the year he spent on Oak Hill Farm – working the fields, selling produce at farmers’ markets, and following it to restaurants. He also goes behind the scenes at Whole Foods. In this luminous account of his experiences, Raskin introduces a dynamic cast of characters – farmers, chefs, winemakers, farm workers, and environmentalists. They include such luminaries as War

,  344 pp,  $55.95. Buy now

African American Foodways  by Anne L. Bower
Ranging from seventeenth-century West African fare to contemporary fusion dishes using soul food ingredients, the essays in this book provide an introduction to many aspects of African American foodways and an antidote to popular misconceptions about soul food. Examining the combination of African, Caribbean, and South American traditions, the volume’s contributors offer lively insights from history, literature, sociology, anthropology, and African American studies to demonstrate how food’s material and symbolic values have contributed to African Americans’ identity for centuries. Individual chapters examine how African foodways survived the passage into slavery, cultural meanings associated with African American foodways, and the contents

Paperback,  200 pp,  $40.95. Buy now

The Story of Sushi  by Trevor Corson
Everything you never knew about sushi – its origins, the colourful lives of its chefs, and the bizarre behavior of the creatures that compose it. Trevor Corson takes us behind the scenes at an American sushi-chef training academy, as eager novices strive to master the elusive art. He delves into the biology of the edible creatures of the sea, and tells the fascinating story of an Indo-Chinese meal reinvented in nineteenth-century Tokyo as a cheap fast food. The Story of Sushi is at once a compelling tale of human determination and a delectable smorgasbord of surprising food science, intrepid reporting, and provocative cultural history.

Paperback,  400 pp,  $20.95. Buy now

The Branded Cookbook  by Nick Sandler and Johnny Acton
Where would we be without cornflakes, baked beans and ketchup? Our guess is that it would be a much duller world. Look into any store-cupboard and you are almost guaranteed to find the following products: Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, Quaker Oats, Nutella and Marmite or Vegemite. Such products have stood the tests of time, not just due to clever marketing, but because they’re extremely good. Discover fascinating stories behind the development of these iconic brands for instance, did you know that cornflakes were invented as part of a diet for Seventh Day Adventists in order to ‘dampen the animal passions’? Branded is packed with delicious dishes that let each product shine: all that is needed is an adventurous spirit and a dash of imagination

,  160 pp,  $44.95. Buy now

Outback Cooking: Recipes and Stories from the Campfire  by Andrew Dwyer
Sitting around a campfire under the wash of a million stars listening to the sizzle of spicy satay skewers on the camp grill is the quintessential outback experience. Andrew Dwyer, Outback chef and adventurer, takes you on that trip.Illustrated with more than 200 stunning images by award-winning photographer John Hay, Outback is a celebration of the extraordinary beauty of the Australian outback with delicious recipes and campfire stories of explorers, rogues and pioneers.You can learn all about outdoor cooking techniques using camp and Bedourie ovens, what equipment you need, how to prepare for the trip, how to store and keep food fresh, and how to select wood and make the fires.From wild duck with juniper sauce, Cajun camp oven potatoes t

Paperback,  272 pp,  $34.95. Buy now

Taste  by Kate Colquhoun
From the Iron Age to the Industrial Revolution, the Romans to the Regency, few things have mirrored society or been affected by its upheavals as much as the food we eat and the way we prepare it. In this involving history of the British people, Kate Colquhoun celebrates every aspect of our cuisine from Anglo-Saxon feasts and Tudor banquets, through the skinning of eels and the invention of ice cream, to Dickensian dinner-party excess and the growth of frozen food. Taste tells a story as rich and diverse as a five-course dinner

Paperback,  480 pp,  $26.95. Buy now

American Artisanal  by Rebecca Gray
We have a growing hunger to know where our food comes from. In our increasingly corporate world, we are looking to get back in touch with our roots to the land. American Artisanal feeds this hunger as no book has before. The book celebrates eighteen of America’s leading food artisans-from Wood Prairie Farms potatoes in Maine to L. L. Lanier Honey in Florida, from Reed’s Ginger Brew in California to Earthy Delights mushrooms in Michigan. These are folks who are returning to the basics of sustainable, small-scale, or just plain high quality production. Food is a second career for many of these producers, who decided to drop out of the office rat race and pursue their real passion, literally in the field. In their inspirational stories we also

Hardback,  272 pp,  $37.95. Buy now

Tree to Table  by Patrice Newell
Tree to Table: Cooking with Australian Olive Oil is a beautifully produced book from Hunter Valley olive farmer and producer Patrice Newell. She takes us around the farm with insights into harvesting techniques and inside the kitchen revealing how to purchase and store olive oil, the different flavours of oils and tips on tasting oils. Her many recipes are joined by those of some famous names in Australian cooking – Kylie Kwong, Janni Kyritsis, Tobie Puttock, Holly Davis, Serge Dansereau, Greg Malouf, Stephanie Alexander, Stefano Manfredi, Tony Bilson and others. The photographs by Simon Griffiths bring to light the beauty of the Valley, the splendour of the trees and pleasures of the table. A great gift for the cook in your life.

Hardback,  224 pp,  $59.95. Buy now

Chocolate: The History of Chocolate v. 1  by Paule Cuvelier
Beautifully produced and presented in an attractive box, this two-volume celebration of one of the world’s most beloved confections is a must for chocoholics everywhere. Its mouthwatering photographs, taken by one of France’s leading food photographers, are feasts for the eyes, making Chocolate an ideal gift. In the first volume, The History of Chocolate, chocolate lovers can discover the fascinating story behind this global favorite, and how the discovery of the cocoa bean and its subsequent transformation into a valuable commodity changed the face of history. This volume looks at the processes involved in transforming the raw bean into delectable confectionary, as well as the cultural role it played, with the establishment of Europe’s fin

,  192 pp,  $59.95. Buy now

The Heinz Tomato Ketchup Cookbook  by Paul Hartley
First produced from a secret recipe devised by Henry J. Heinz in 1876, Heinz Tomato Ketchup is one of the most iconic and recognisable brands in the world. This colourful and entertaining gift recipe book celebrates this much-loved sauce in all its glory â history, recipes, food photography and beautiful archive material as well as hilarious trivia and anecdotes. Paul Hartleyâ s collection of original recipes shows how Heinz Ketchup can be more than just a dollop on the side of your plate, and how it can be used to transform recipes from the bland to the delicious.

,  80 pp,  $24.95. Buy now

The Food and Cooking of Cambodia  by Ghillie Basan
Ancient Cambodia was a kingdom with an Indian culture, which then expanded into Burma and Vietnam, later becoming a territory claimed by both Vietnam and Siam. As a result, the Cambodian cuisine has Indian roots, with strong influences from both China and Thailand.

Paperback,  96 pp,  $23.95. Buy now

Farmer’s Wife Baking Cookbook  by Lela Nargi
Farmer’s Wife Magazine connected farm wives from 1890 to the 1930’s, and they shared recipes, advice, tips through this essential magazine for rural women in the days before high-speed communications. One of the magazines most popular offerings proved to be the sections on baking and running a farm kitchen – providing everything from basic bread to much-loved holiday desserts. Elaborate company pies, dainties and muffins for club luncheons, rich breads for a warming breakfast or hard-working lunch sandwich, a profusion of pies for threshing parties, specialities like Cornish Pasties and Danish Kranse – all the mouth-watering range is here, inviting readers to recreate the fragrant kitchens and delectable tastes of farm days gone by. Adapted

,  224 pp,  $20.95. Buy now

Grossi Florentino  by Guy Grossi and Jan McGuinness
The Florentino is one of Melbourne’s most famous and enduring restaurants. Generations of Australians have met, conversed, done deals and partied within its impressive surroundings. This history of the Florentino is intertwined with Melbourne’s history, and with the history of Italian migration to Australia and its influence on local culture and eating habits. Beginning in 1900 as a wine cafe at the wrong end of town, it developed into a fine dining establishment that became the place to be seen. One of the first cafes in Melbourne to offer espresso coffee and homemade pasta, what became Grossi Florentino is now considered the city’s best Italian restaurant. Its clientele has included prime ministers and politicians, corporate leaders, arti

Paperback,  232 pp,  $45.00. Buy now

The Last Food of England  by Marwood Yeatman
The map of England bears names which used to resonate through kitchens in the land: Colchester, Cheddar, Hereford, Swaledale, Bath, Lincoln, York, Wensleydale – the list goes on. This book deals with our fertile food heritage and the map of England

,  496 pp,  $80.00. Buy now

One Continuous Picnic  by Michael Symons
2007 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first publication of ‘One Continuous Picnic’, a frequently acclaimed Australian classic on the history of eating in Australia. The text remains gratifyingly accurate and prescient, and has helped to shape subsequent developments in food in Australia. Until recently, historians have tended to overlook eating, and yet, through meat pies and lamingtons, Symons tells the history of Australia gastronomically. He challenges myths such as that Australia is “too young” for a national cuisine, and that immigration caused the restaurant boom. Includes a foreword by Gay Bilson, author of “The Age” Book of the Year 2005, ‘Plenty’.

Paperback,  368 pp,  $32.95. Buy now

Liquid Jade  by Beatrice Hohenegger
Traveling from East to West over thousands of years, tea has played a variety of roles on the world scene – in medicine, politics, the arts, culture, and religion. Behind this most serene of beverages, idolised by poets and revered in spiritual practices, lie stories of treachery, violence, smuggling, drug trade, international espionage, slavery, and revolution. Liquid Jade depicts tea’s beauty and delights, not only with myths about the beginnings of tea or the lovers’ legend in the familiar blue-and-white porcelain willow pattern, but also with a rich and varied selection of works of art and historical photographs, which form a rare and comprehensive visual tea record.

,  320 pp,  $36.95. Buy now

Good Eating; Suggestions for Wartime Dishes  by Telegraph Group Limited
Supplemented by recipes by the “Daily Telegraph” Home Cook, this collection was put together at a time when, as the blurb states, “NEW RECIPES ARE NEEDED TODAY”. This delightful facsimile edition includes recipes for the perfect omelette made with dried egg, mock fish pie and seven ways to stuff potatoes, but in amongst the more horrific attempts to feed a family on meagre rations are some dishes that would grace any good cook’s table today: jugged steak, red cabbage, hot and cold, fresh fruit charlotte and spiced fruit gingerbread.

Hardback,  129 pp,  $29.95. Buy now