Food plays a central role in ours lives: it is a necessity for all of us, a pleasure for many and an obsession for a few. Throughout our history, we have shaped the foods we eat, but, in Fifty Foods That Changed tHe Course oF History, we look at how it has shaped us by discussing fifty different foodstuffs which have, in one way or another, changed the world. We begin with our ancient ancestors, the hunters and gathers who first migrated into Europe 45,000 years ago, and continue right up to the present day, to the food riots which swept through many countries in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, and then on into the future by discussing the potential of golden rice, the first genetically modified food developed for the good of humanity rather than solely for profit. In between, we look at, among others, how the trade in olive oil in Ancient Greece had a dramatic impact on its landscape, still apparent today, and how the European taste for sugar in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries drove the transatlantic slave tade. Over the course of our journey through the history of food, we also take in the Hanseatic League, a Medieval forerunner of the European Union, which first began to develop because of the salted herring, and the gin craze in Georgian London, an outbreak of public drunkeness compared by some historians to the drug addictions of today. Then we move on to discuss how an Austrian ban on the import of pork from Serbia in 1906 was involved in the outbreak of the First World War, before getting right back up to date by considering the cultural impact of the Big Mac around the world. By taking examples from across such a wide stretch of history and from numerous different cultures and societies, what emerges is a portrait of the enormous influence food has had on our history. It not only sustains us, but has played a central role in the way we live our lives, as it will no doubt continue to do in the future. If it is true to say that we are what we eat, then the examples described here, of fifty foods that changed the course of history, show us that it is equally the case that what we eat makes us who we are.

This book uses food as a lens through which to explore important matters of society and culture. In exploring why and how people eat around the globe, the text focuses on issues of health, conflict, struggle, contest, inequality, and power. Whether because of its necessity, pleasure, or ubiquity, the world of food (and its lore) proves endlessly fascinating to most people. The story of food is a narrative filled with both human striving and human suffering. However, many of today's diners are only dimly aware of the human price exacted for that comforting distance from the lived-world realities of food justice struggles. With attention to food issues ranging from local farming practices to global supply chains, this book examines how food’s history and geography remain inextricably linked to sociopolitical experiences of trauma connected with globalization, such as colonization, conquest, enslavement, and oppression. The main text is structured alphabetically around a set of 70 ingredients, from almonds to yeast. Each ingredient's story is accompanied by recipes. Along with the food profiles, the encyclopedia features sidebars. These are short discussions of topics of interest related to food, including automats, diners, victory gardens, and food at world’s fairs. This project also brings a social justice perspective to its content—weighing debates concerning food access, equity, insecurity, and politics.

"How to Invent Everything is such a cool book. It's essential reading for anyone who needs to duplicate an industrial civilization quickly." --Randall Munroe, xkcd creator and New York Times-bestselling author of What If? The only book you need if you're going back in time What would you do if a time machine hurled you thousands of years into the past. . . and then broke? How would you survive? Could you improve on humanity's original timeline? And how hard would it be to domesticate a giant wombat? With this book as your guide, you'll survive--and thrive--in any period in Earth's history. Bestselling author and time-travel enthusiast Ryan North shows you how to invent all the modern conveniences we take for granted--from first principles. This illustrated manual contains all the science, engineering, art, philosophy, facts, and figures required for even the most clueless time traveler to build a civilization from the ground up. Deeply researched, irreverent, and significantly more fun than being eaten by a saber-toothed tiger, How to Invent Everything will make you smarter, more competent, and completely prepared to become the most important and influential person ever. You're about to make history. . . better.

The fascinating stories of the plants that changed civilizations.

This book provides the most current information on the effects of vitamin B deficiency as well as the roles of niacin (vitamin B3), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), folate (vitamin B9), and vitamin B12 in numerous disorders. Chapters discuss novel applications of B-complex vitamins, such as thiamin in patients with critical conditions, dietary supplements in the prevention of renal stones, and treatment of COVID-19. Throughout, the authors discuss the effects of vitamin B deficiency from retrospective, perspective, and prospective points of view.

A groundbreaking book that addresses the science that underpins organic agriculture and horticulture and its impact upon the management of organic systems With contributions from noted experts in the field, Organic Agriculture explores the cultural context of food production and examines the historical aspects, economic implications, and key scientific elements that underpin organic crop production. The book shows how a science-based approach to organic farming is grounded in history and elements of the social sciences as well as the more traditional areas of physics, chemistry and biology. Organic Agriculture offers a detailed explanation of the differences between organic systems and other approaches, answering questions about crop production and protection, crop rotations, soil health, biodiversity and the use of genetic resources. The authors identify current gaps in our understanding of the topic and discuss how organic farming research may be better accomplished in the future. This important book: Explores the science that underpins organic farming Contains illustrative case studies from around the world Examines organic agriculture’s philosophical roots and its socio-economic context Written for scientists and students of agriculture and horticulture, this book covers the issues linked to the use of science by organic producers and identifies key elements in the production of food.

In this authoritative and immensely readable insider’s account, celebrated cookbook author and former chef Joyce Goldstein traces the development of California cuisine from its formative years in the 1970s to 2000, when farm-to-table, foraging, and fusion cooking had become part of the national vocabulary. Interviews with almost two hundred chefs, purveyors, artisans, winemakers, and food writers bring to life an approach to cooking grounded in passion, bold innovation, and a dedication to "flavor first." Goldstein explains how the counterculture movement in the West gave rise to a restaurant culture characterized by open kitchens, women in leadership positions, and a surprising number of chefs and artisanal food producers who lacked formal training. The new cuisine challenged the conventional kitchen hierarchy and French dominance in fine dining, leading to a more egalitarian and informal food scene. In weaving Goldstein’s views on California food culture with profiles of those who played a part in its development—from Alice Waters to Bill Niman to Wolfgang Puck—Inside the California Food Revolution demonstrates that, while fresh produce and locally sourced ingredients are iconic in California, what transforms these elements into a unique cuisine is a distinctly Western culture of openness, creativity, and collaboration. Engagingly written and full of captivating anecdotes, this book shows how the inspirations that emerged in California went on to transform the experience of eating throughout the United States and the world.