Food - History
Wine Diva cookbooks

Books - Food - History

Books 61 to 80 of 188 - History

African-American Heritage Cookbook  by C. Tillery
A sumptuous cookbook that traces the history, heritage, and distinct flavors of regional African-American cooking includes memories and literary passages intended to honor the Tuskegee Institute, as well as more than two hundred recipes for traditional Southern dishes. Reprint.

Paperback,  224 pp,  $23.95. Buy now

The Donut Book   by Sally Levitt Steinberg
If anybody knows donuts, it's Sally Levitt Steinberg, America's Donut Princess. As a member of a royal donut dynasty (her grandfather, Adolph Levitt, invented the donut-making machine), she knows more about this sweet indulgence than anyone else. The Donut Book is the product of Sally's great personal charm and life-long, in-depth donut scholarship. She covers high points in donut history: the arrival of the first donuts in America with the Dutch settlers in the 17th century, and the donut in World War I, when it became the favourite nosh of the boys in the trenches. She celebrates donut-loving celebrities, as well as some of the most gifted donut bakers on the planet.

Paperback,  192 pp,  $20.95. Buy now

Better Than Homemade  by Carolyn Wyman
1.Who put the Minute in Minute Rice? 2.What, exactly, is Spam? 3.And why do Pringles come in a tennis ball can? Discover the answers to all these questions and more in �Better Than Homemade�, a freewheeling illustrated history of the packaged foods industry. From Green Giant and Hamburger Helper to Jiffy Pop and Jell-O, syndicated columnist Carolyn Wyman reveals the fascinating origins of your favourite �food� products�along with never-before published advertisements, innovative packaging (cheese in a can!?), and hilarious �unauthorised uses.� This guide is the ultimate paean to processed pleasures!

Paperback,  144 pp,  $24.95. Buy now

Porter's English Cookery Bible; Ancient and Modern  by Richard Bradford and Carol Wilson

,  224 pp,  $32.95. Buy now

Arthur Avenue Cookbook: Recipes and Memories from the Real Little Italy  by Ann Volkwein
Arthur Avenue is an Italian- American street in the Bronx, New York. The providores, restauranteurs and bar owners on this stretch collected their culinary wisdom into this book and the result is a fascinating insight into the food and culture of this Italian enclave. There are plenty of great recipes, tall tales and true about the neighbourhood's characters and plenty of local colour and history.

Hardback,  224 pp,  $48.95. Buy now

Green Gold  by Alan Macfarlane, Iris Macfarlane
Apart from water, tea is more widely consumed than any other food or drink. Yet only 2000 years ago it was only know to a handful of monks in China and some tribal peoples in south east Asia. How and why has tea conquered the world? Tea was the first global product. It raised nations and shattered empires. It altered life-styles, religions, etiquette and aesthetics. Diseases were thwarted by the magical drink and cities founded on it. The industrial revolution was fuelled by tea. A remarkable detective story of how an East Himalayan camellia bush became the world's favourite drink. Relive the stories of the men and women whose lives were transformed out of all recognition through contact with the deceptively innocuous green leaf.

Paperback,  320 pp,  $27.95. Buy now

Indulgence  by Paul Richardson
From Willy Wonka to Ferrero Rocher, chocolate is embedded in our culture as perhaps no other foodstuff. And although it has been swooned over endlessly in print, "Indulgence takes the subject into entirely new realms. In a pleasurable melange of travel narrative, historical writing, and literary gastronomy, Paul Richardson discovers a substance that still has much to say about the joys and agonies of our human debt to pleasure. In this whimsical chronicle of one of mankind's ruling passions, he concludes that, despite the wholesale debasement of a once-sacred substance, chocolate has lost none of its mysterious capacity to bewitch. Paul Richardson is one of Britain's leading food historians

Paperback,  256 pp,  $20.95. Buy now

Prosciutto, The Italian Pantry Series 
A short history of Italian prosciutto, its production techniques and how to evaluate and appreciate the regional differences. Italy has a very complex food culture, with distinctly different cheese, pasta, olive oil and cured meats in each region and even within certain towns. This series takes a geographical approach to the regional specialties, with maps showing the area of production, notes on the product of that region and typical recipes using the distinct produce of that area. The Italian Pantry books are valuable references for culinary students and professionals as they are scholarly and informative. Lavish colour photos of each type of prosciutto, providing a very pleasant browse or read.

Hardback,  53 pp,  $18.95. Buy now

The Sophisticated Olive  by Marie Nadine Antol
Simple. Elegant. Refined. With a history as old as the Bible, the humble olive has matured into a sophisticated culinary treasure. Enter any fine restaurant and you will find the sumptuous flavor of olives in cocktails, appetizers, salads, and entrees. Now, food writer Marie Nadine Antol has created an informative guide to this glorious fruit's many healthful benefits, surprising uses, and spectacular tastes. After exploring the history of the olive, this book looks at the olive plant and its range of remarkable properties. It then presents over 100 kitchen-tested recipes, including a host of salads, dressings, spreads, soups, side dishes, entrees, breads, and beverages -- all designed to put a smile on the face of any olive lover.

Paperback,  208 pp,  $19.95. Buy now

The Gastronomic Regenerator  by Ruth Brandon
In 1841, years before Nigella, Delia or Jamie, "The Globe" wrote "the man of his age is neither Sir Robert Peel, nor Lord John Russell, or even Ibrahim Pasha, but Alexis Soyer", the French chef who commanded a star salary working at the Reform Club.

Paperback,  256 pp,  $17.95. Buy now

History of Cooks and Cooking  by Michael Symons
This book explores the civilizing role that cooks and cooking have played in world history from Plato to Marx, from carnivores to vegetarians

Paperback,  400 pp,  $34.95. Buy now

Cooking the Turkish Way 
An introduction to cooking in Turkey, featuring such recipes as spinach-filled Anatolian flat bread, lamb kebabs, and baklava. Also includes information on the history, geography, customs, and people of this partly European and partly Asian country

,  72 pp,  $49.95. Buy now

Cesar  by Olivier Said
Telling the story of Cesar from its inception to its current status as one of the Bay Area's prime dining and nightlife spots, this book features 100 classic tapa and drink recipes that capture the restaurant's irrepressible spirit.

Hardback,  240 pp,  $49.95. Buy now

The Pharaoh's Feast  by Oswald Rivera

Paperback,  256 pp,  $32.95. Buy now

Schott's Food and Drink Miscellany  by Ben Schott
A collection of irrelevant knowledge and unconsidered trifles. From food history to cooking terms; cocktail recipes to dining etiquette; grace before meals to after-dinner toasts. What is the accepted procedure when drinking from a Loving Cup; what is the correct technique for lighting a cigar, or a Christmas pudding; how do you make the legendary 'Monster Egg'? Schott's Food and Drink Miscellany offers all this and more. It will inform you of the King who served foie gras to his dog; the socialite who spiked his punch with benzedrine; and the dining club whose members ate their meals in reverse. With all that is pertinent to wining, dining and socialising, this has everything for the food-lover, wine-drinker, gastronome and glutton.

Hardback,  160 pp,  $29.95. Buy now

Old-Time Farmhouse Cooking  by Barbara Swell
American recipes from a time when the food was wholesome and life was full of fresh air and sunlight. These recipes, stories, jokes, advice, farm lore, and illustrations were collected from a wide variety of American agricultural sources from the 1880s to the 1950s

Paperback,  72 pp,  $8.95. Buy now

Designed for Tea  by Jane Pettigrew
Why did polite society lift its little finger along when raising the tea-cup to the mouth? What is a mote spoon? What is the origin of the word "caddy"? This book takes readers through the various groups of tea equipage used over the past 350 years.

Hardback,  160 pp,  $50.00. Buy now

Shakespeare's Kitchen: Renaissance Recipes for the Contemporary Cook  by Francine Segan
An introduction to the foods of William Shakespeare's world, with recipes from classic 16th and 17th century cookbooks. Francine Segan's easy-to-prepare adaptations shatter the myth that the Bard's primary fare was boiled mutton. In fact, Shakespeare and his contemporaries dined on salads of fresh herbs and vegetables; fish, fowl, and meats of all kinds; and delicate broths. Dried Plums with Wine and Ginger-Zest Crostini, and Lobster with Pistachio Stuffing and Seville Orange Butter are just a few of the aromatic dishes that will surprise and delight. Includes quotes from the Bard, facts on the etiquette of Shakespeare's time, and texts of the original recipes, complete with antiquated spellings and eccentric directions.

Hardback,  288 pp,  $48.95. Buy now

Chocolate Unwrapped: The Surprising Health Benefits of America's Favorite Passion  by Rowan Jacobsen
Detailing the positive physical and psychological effects of chocolate, this book explores its colourful history, botany, and chemistry. Explaining the science behind chocolate, common myths about chocolate -- that it causes acne, allergies, migraines, and hyperactivity -- are dispelled, and its benefits -- tannins in chocolate actually help prevent cavities -- are revealed. Providing medical information relating to chocolate's high antioxidant levels and beneficial effects in terms of heart disease, cancer, ageing, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease, the book also includes information regarding chocolate's mental health benefits. The included recipes provide a multitude of healthy ways to eat chocolate, from flourless chocolate cake to Mexica

Paperback,  126 pp,  $27.95. Buy now

Country Scrapple  by William Woys Weaver
The original purpose of scrapple was to make use of leftovers from butchering, but today it is a regional favourite in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and, in varying forms and names, throughout the nation. Scrapple is typically a mush made from pig meat and cereal, which is then sliced and fried. This book by internationally renowned food historian Weaver explores the European origins of the dish, traces its evolution in American kitchens and restaurants, discusses cooking techniques and terminology, and offers an assortment of recipes, from the oldest surviving example to recent variations using nuts, venison, turkey, or Italian sausage. Recipes for scrapple condiments are also included.

Hardback,  162 pp,  $39.95. Buy now