Food History Almanac
Over 1,300 Years of World Culinary History, Culture, and Social Influence
By (author) Janet Clarkson
Publication date:
24 December 2013Length of book:
1360 pagesPublisher
Rowman & Littlefield PublishersISBN-13: 9781442227149
The Food History Almanac covers 365 days of the year, with information and anecdotes relating to food history from around the world from medieval times to the present. The daily entries include such topics as celebrations; significant food-related moments in history from the fields of science and technology, exploration and discovery, travel, literature, hotel and restaurant history, and military history; menus from famous and infamous meals across a wide spectrum, from extravagant royal banquets to war rations and prison fare; birthdays of important people in the food field; and publication dates for important cookbooks and food texts and “first known” recipes. Food historian Janet Clarkson has drawn from her vast compendium of historical cookbooks, food texts, scholarly articles, journals, diaries, ships’ logs, letters, official reports, and newspaper and magazine articles to bring food history alive. History buffs, foodies, students doing reports, and curious readers will find it a constant delight. An introduction, list of recipes, selected bibliography, and set index, plus a number of period illustrations are added value.
There are plenty of recent titles on the history of food, but this one has a twist—it is in calendar format. Each day of the year features food trivia related to the date, and a smattering of historical recipes are found throughout the text as well. Noted food-writer Clarkson begins, naturally, with New Year’s Day and a discussion of the many traditions and rituals found across the world. She delves into history, detailing a menu of what was served for dinner in a British monastery in 1493 to mark the day; noting that the Bass Pale Ale logo was the first trademark to be registered in 1875, after an employee spent the night outside the registrar’s office; and revealing that January 1, 1937, was the day that SPAM got it’s name, courtesy of a contest at the Hormel Mansion’s New Year’s Day party. Facts for every day of the year are given in this enjoyable and easy-to-digest manner. Recipes include the first-known published recipe for brownies (published January 7, 1896, and containing no chocolate!). Other examples of the information within include a discussion of the dispute over why New York City is called 'the Big Apple' (New York State officially adopted the apple as the state fruit on July 26, 1976); a recollection of what Lewis and Clark ate on September 1805; what patients ate at London’s Foundling Hospital on November 17, 1747 (the food served there depended on whether or not it was 'pork season' or 'other season'); and a recipe for baked crow, from September 8, 1936. . . . Casual readers and foodies will delight in the myriad of facts and figures found in this almanac. This entertaining and interesting read is recommended[.]