The Oxford Companion To Food

Covers such topics as plant products, cooking terms, national and regional cuisines, food preservation, food science, diet, and cookbooks and their authors.

A panoramic history of the culinary traditions, culture, and evolution of American food and drink features nearly one thousand entries, essays, and articles on such topics as fast food, celebrity chefs, regional and ethnic cuisine, social and cultural food history, food science, and more, along with hundreds of photographs and lists of food museums, Web sites, festivals, and organizations.

The great quality of this Companion is the way it includes both an exhaustive catalogue of foods -- whether they be biscuits named for battles, divas or revolutionaries, body parts from nose to tail, toe to cerebellum, or breads from the steppes of Asia or the well-built ovens of the Mediterranean -- and a richly allusive commentary on the culture of food, whether expressed in literature and cookery books, or as dishes peculiar to a country or community. In the third edition the editor has taken the opportunity to update the text and alert readers to new perspectives in food studies. There is new coverage of approaches to food such as those offered by anthropology and sociology as well as the culture surrounding food exemplified by etiquette, gastronomy, and photography, and our shifting concerns surrounding food, including convenience food, obesity, and local food. In its new edition the Companion maintains its place as the foremost food reference resource for study and home use.--Publisher's website

A comprehensive food reference covers all aspects of the history and culture of Italian cuisine, including dishes, ingredients, cooking methods, implements, regional specialties, the appeal of Italian cuisine, and outside culinary influences.

"Celebrating sugar while acknowledging its complex history, 'The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets' is the definitive guide to one of humankind's greatest sources of pleasure"--

The final chapter in this section explores the uses of food in the classroom.

These award-wining, classic guides are the perfect for anyone who loves food and wine. "This is a must-have book for wine geeks...highly recommended for anyone with more than a passing interest in wine." --Wine Spectator, "Top 100" issue. "A food book for all time... The canon of great food literature just got one fat volume greater... A must-have for any serious food follower" --Gourmet