This collection of recipes simmers alongside lessons in geography and history. From discussions on global impacts of specific ingredients, such as the introduction of the potato into Bolivia, to the social influences of ingredients like that of dairy, Fuller and Reddekopp put an interesting personal slant to each chapter. Recipes are bolstered with the history of the highlighted element of ... Read moreeach featured recipe, along with learning questions at the beginning of each chapter as well as being put into a personal context. The authors both include intimate stories to bolster the well-researched histories and tried recipes with a unique slant. . . . This is an enjoyable read that features a number of intriguing recipes that have been crafted for the home cook.
Booklist
This delightful (though U.S.-centric) book about the close bonds between the world's regions and their distinctive cuisines holds no surprises, but geographer Fuller and chef Reddekopp capture the reader's attention with a series of intriguing facts, trivia, and recipes. The authors, a father-daughter team, explore 'the sense of place, the role of familial traditions, and regional values.' They point out the significance to international appetites of essential foods such as spices, rice, sugar, vanilla, and cacao, as well as charting the arrival in the U.S. of key ingredients brought by immigrants from Europe, Africa, Russia, the Pacific, and South America. The recipes are uncomplicated, and the writing shows a wealth of knowledge about the history of foods and their cultural and political introduction to the U.S.
Publishers Weekly
This engaging volume will entice readers to discover two vital kinds of knowledge that have sadly become scarce. The first is knowledge of the sources, healthfulness, and meaning of our food. The second is knowledge of the planet itself, lost on a post-geographic generation. Delicious Geography is indeed a delicious exploration of the world through food.
James Hayes-Bohanan, Bridgewater State University This innovative book beautifully combines geography, history, and cooking in a single volume. It invites you to learn about the spice trade and then make mulled wine, investigate the origins of the potato and then make pommes frites, and so much more! An insightful and scrumptious geography of food.
Dan Knudsen, Indiana University Show Less