The Story of Food in the Human Past

The Story of Food in the Human Past
Author: Robyn E. Cutright
Publisher: University Alabama Press
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2021-01-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0817359850

A sweeping overview of how and what humans have eaten in their long history as a species The Story of Food in the Human Past: How What We Ate Made Us Who We Are uses case studies from recent archaeological research to tell the story of food in human prehistory. Beginning with the earliest members of our genus, Robyn E. Cutright investigates the role of food in shaping who we are as humans during the emergence of modern Homo sapiens and through major transitions in human prehistory such as the development of agriculture and the emergence of complex societies. This fascinating study begins with a discussion of how food shaped humans in evolutionary terms by examining what makes human eating unique, the use of fire to cook, and the origins of cuisine as culture and adaptation through the example of Neandertals. The second part of the book describes how cuisine was reshaped when humans domesticated plants and animals and examines how food expressed ancient social structures and identities such as gender, class, and ethnicity. Cutright shows how food took on special meaning in feasts and religious rituals and also pays attention to the daily preparation and consumption of food as central to human society. Cutright synthesizes recent paleoanthropological and archaeological research on ancient diet and cuisine and complements her research on daily diet, culinary practice, and special-purpose mortuary and celebratory meals in the Andes with comparative case studies from around the world to offer readers a holistic view of what humans ate in the past and what that reveals about who we are.

The Archaeology of Food

The Archaeology of Food
Author: Katheryn C. Twiss
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 263
Release: 2019-11-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 1108474292

Surveys the archaeology of food: its methods and its themes (economics, politics, status, identity, gender, ethnicity, ritual, religion).

The Story of Food

The Story of Food
Author: DK
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 362
Release: 2018-05-01
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 1465494782

From the fish that started a war to the pope poisoned with chocolate, discover the fascinating stories behind the origins, traditions, and uses of our food. Explore the tales, symbolism, and traditions that come wrapped up in the food on our plates – food that not only feeds our bodies but also makes up our culture. The Story of Food is a sumptuously illustrated exploration of our millennia-old relationship with nearly 200 foods. A true celebration of food in all its forms, this book explores the early efforts of humans in their quest for sustenance through the stories of individual foods. Covering all food types including nuts and grains, fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, and herbs and spices, this fascinating reference provides the facts on all aspects of a food's history. Discover how foods have become a part of our culture, from their origins and how they are eaten to their place in world cuisine today.

A History of Food

A History of Food
Author: Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 776
Release: 2009-03-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 144430514X

The story of cuisine and the social history of eating is afascinating one, and Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat covers all itsaspects in this classic history. New expanded edition of a classic book, originally published togreat critical acclaim from Raymond Blanc, The New YorkTimes, The Sunday Telegraph, The Independent andmore Tells the story of man’s relationship with food fromearliest times to the present day Includes a new foreword by acclaimed food writer Betty Fussell,a preface by the author, updated bibliography, and a new chapterbringing the story up to date New edition in jacketed hardback, with c.70 illustrations and anew glossy color plate section "Indispensable, and an endlessly fascinating book. The view isstaggering. Not a book to digest at one or several sittings. Savorit instead, one small slice at a time, accompanied by a very finewine." –New York Times "This book is not only impressive for the knowledge it provides,it is unique in its integration of historical anecdotes and factualdata. It is a marvellous reference to a great many topics." –Raymond Blanc "Quirky, encyclopaedic, and hugely entertaining. Adelight." –Sunday Telegraph "It's the best book when you are looking for very clear butinteresting stories. Everything is cross-referenced to anextraordinary degree, which is great because the information givenis so complex and interweaving." –The Independent "A History of Food is a monumental work, a prodigiousfeat of careful scholarship, patient research and attention todetail. Full of astonishing but insufficiently known facts." –Times Higher Education Supplement

The Social Archaeology of Food

The Social Archaeology of Food
Author: Christine A. Hastorf
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 419
Release: 2017
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 1107153360

Introduction : The Social Life of Food -- Part I. Laying the Groundwork -- Framing Food Investigation -- The Practices of a Meal in Society -- Part II. Current Food Studies in Archaeology -- The Archaeological Study of Food Activities -- Food Economics -- Food Politics : Power and Status -- Part III. Food and Identity : The Potentials of Food Archaeology -- Food in the Construction of Group Identity -- The Creation of Personal Identity : Food, Body and Personhood -- Food Creates Society

An Edible History of Humanity

An Edible History of Humanity
Author: Tom Standage
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2010-05-03
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0802719910

A lighthearted chronicle of how foods have transformed human culture throughout the ages traces the barley- and wheat-driven early civilizations of the near East through the corn and potato industries in America.

A History of Food in 100 Recipes

A History of Food in 100 Recipes
Author: William Sitwell
Publisher: Little, Brown
Total Pages: 458
Release: 2013-06-18
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 031625570X

A riveting narrative history of food as seen through 100 recipes, from ancient Egyptian bread to modernist cuisine. We all love to eat, and most people have a favorite ingredient or dish. But how many of us know where our much-loved recipes come from, who invented them, and how they were originally cooked? In A History of Food in 100 Recipes, culinary expert and BBC television personality William Sitwell explores the fascinating history of cuisine from the first cookbook to the first cupcake, from the invention of the sandwich to the rise of food television. A book you can read straight through and also use in the kitchen, A History of Food in 100 Recipes is a perfect gift for any food lover who has ever wondered about the origins of the methods and recipes we now take for granted.

The Secret History of Food

The Secret History of Food
Author: Matt Siegel
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2021-08-31
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 0062973223

An irreverent, surprising, and entirely entertaining look at the little-known history surrounding the foods we know and love Is Italian olive oil really Italian, or are we dipping our bread in lamp oil? Why are we masochistically drawn to foods that can hurt us, like hot peppers? Far from being a classic American dish, is apple pie actually . . . English? “As a species, we’re hardwired to obsess over food,” Matt Siegel explains as he sets out “to uncover the hidden side of everything we put in our mouths.” Siegel also probes subjects ranging from the myths—and realities—of food as aphrodisiac, to how one of the rarest and most exotic spices in all the world (vanilla) became a synonym for uninspired sexual proclivities, to the role of food in fairy- and morality tales. He even makes a well-argued case for how ice cream helped defeat the Nazis. The Secret History of Food is a rich and satisfying exploration of the historical, cultural, scientific, sexual, and, yes, culinary subcultures of this most essential realm. Siegel is an armchair Anthony Bourdain, armed not with a chef’s knife but with knowledge derived from medieval food-related manuscripts, ancient Chinese scrolls, and obscure culinary journals. Funny and fascinating, The Secret History of Food is essential reading for all foodies.

Food in the Air and Space

Food in the Air and Space
Author: Richard Foss
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2014-12-11
Genre: Cooking
ISBN: 144222729X

In the history of cooking, there has been no more challenging environment than those craft in which humans took to the skies. The tale begins with meals aboard balloons and zeppelins, where cooking was accomplished below explosive bags of hydrogen, ending with space station dinners that were cooked thousands of miles below. This book is the first to chart that history worldwide, exploring the intricacies of inflight dining from 1783 to the present day, aboard balloons, zeppelins, land-based aircraft and flying boats, jets, and spacecraft. It charts the ways in which commercial travelers were lured to try flying with the promise of familiar foods, explains the problems of each aerial environment and how chefs, engineers, and flight crew adapted to them, and tells the stories of pioneers in the field. Hygiene and sanitation were often difficult, and cultural norms and religious practices had to be taken into account. The history is surprising and sometimes humorous at times some ridiculous ideas were tried, and airlines offered some strange meals to try to attract passengers. It’s an engrossing story with quite a few twists and turns, and this first book on the subject tells it with a light touch.

Ancestral Appetites

Ancestral Appetites
Author: Kristen J. Gremillion
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 197
Release: 2011-03-14
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1139498886

This book explores the relationship between prehistoric people and their food - what they ate, why they ate it and how researchers have pieced together the story of past foodways from material traces. Contemporary human food traditions encompass a seemingly infinite variety, but all are essentially strategies for meeting basic nutritional needs developed over millions of years. Humans are designed by evolution to adjust our feeding behaviour and food technology to meet the demands of a wide range of environments through a combination of social and experiential learning. In this book, Kristen J. Gremillion demonstrates how these evolutionary processes have shaped the diversification of human diet over several million years of prehistory. She draws on evidence extracted from the material remains that provide the only direct evidence of how people procured, prepared, presented and consumed food in prehistoric times.