This author explores the fascinating intersections of history, geography, and gastronomy. Their writing delves into the surprising connections between the past and the present, particularly within the realm of food history. Through engaging narratives, they share experiences from extensive global travels, spanning from Australia to the American Midwest and beyond. Their work invites readers to discover the world through its flavors and stories.
The book explores the 12,000-year relationship between humans and pigs, highlighting how pork has influenced cultures and cuisines throughout history. It examines the introduction of pigs to the Americas and their transformative impact on lives and communities, particularly in the Midwest, where they played a significant role in shaping regional identity and showcasing its diversity and abundance.
Food historian Cynthia Clampitt pens the epic story of what happened when Mesoamerican farmers bred a nondescript grass into a staff of life so prolific, so protean, that it represents nothing less than one of humankind's greatest achievements. Blending history with expert reportage, she traces the disparate threads that have woven corn into the fabric of our diet, politics, economy, science, and cuisine. At the same time she explores its future as a source of energy and the foundation of seemingly limitless green technologies. The result is a bourbon-to-biofuels portrait of the astonishing plant that sustains the world.