Become a Connoisseur

Lobster Controversies! Pig Prejudices! Lemon Cures!

In December we tried Edible Books, but now we’re loving ”The Edible Series” from publisher Reaktion Books. These small but surprisingly academic titles dive deep on the global history of a single food item.  And don’t forget the delicious volume on cakes.

 

Caviar: A Global History
by Nichola Fletcher

Why caviar? — Sturgeon : the Jurassic fish — Ikra : the soul of Russia — Châv-jâr : Iran’s story — Caviales comes to Europe — An American caviar rush — Crisis in the Caspian — How to make a sturgeon — Roe on Roe : alternative eggs — Caveat emptor : how to buy it — How to enjoy caviar

 

 

Pork: A Global History
by Katharine M. Rogers

The ideal meat producer — Prejudices against the pig — Pork in Europe — Pork in the New World — Pork in the Far East — Today’s mass-produced pork

 

 

Lemon: A Global History
by Toby Sonneman

A fragrance of lemons — Origins and obsessions — Sicily: Arab MediterraneaI tYou n — Exotic treasure — The lemon cure — Lemonade — To and from the Golden State — At home and in the world

 

 

Dates: A Global History
by Nawal Nasrallah

Looking after the date — Date varieties — The 360 uses of the date palm — The eminent history of the date — Looking for the date: a bird’s-eye view — The future of the date

 

 

Lobster: A Global History 
by Elisabeth Townsend

Introduction: what is a lobster? — From fertilizer to the dinner table — From main course to mass market — Lobster takes centre stage — Lobster controversies — Killing and cooking (humanely) — The futre of lobsters

 

 

Potato: A Global History
by Andrew F. Smith

The wild and domesticated potato — The potato diaspora — The European potato famine — The culinary potato — The commercial potato — The cultural potato — The global potato today and tomorrow

 

 

Bread: A Global History
by William Rubel

The early history of bread — Bread as a social marker — Parameters of taste — World of bread : an eccentric travelogue — Bread in the twenty-first century

 

 

Champagne: A Global History
by Becky Sue Epstein

The origins of champagne — The cult and culture of champagne — Champagne is established — Sparkling wine producers around the world — Wars, society and taste: stresses on champagne in the twentieth century — Style, styles and stylishness — Scandale! Expanding champagne around the world — Drinking today: what, where and how

 

 

Cake: A Global History
by Nicola Humble

When is a cake not a cake? — Cakes through history — Cakes around the world — The culture of baking cake — The rituals and symbolism of cake — Literary cakes — Postmodern cakes

 

 

Whiskey: A Global History
by Kevin R. Kosar

Origins: from seed to spirit — Early history — Whisky in Scotland — Whiskey in Ireland — Whiskey in the USA — The twenty-first century whiskey world — Recipes — Some widely available, recommended brands.

 

 

Cheese: A Global History
by Andrew Dalby

The cheeseboard — History — Making — Consuming

 

 

 

Spices: A Global History
by Fred Czarra

Spices in the ancient world — Spices in the medieval world — The age of exploration — The age of industrialization — The twentieth century and beyond