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National Dish

Around the World in Search of Food, History and the Meaning of Home
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( 1,100 ratings, 207 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
National Dish by Anya von Bremzen explores the intricate relationship between food and nationality, examining how dishes become symbols of cultures and countries. The author delves into the evolution of various iconic meals, combining historical research with personal anecdotes to discuss how food can influence and reflect national identity. This journey reveals the complexities of culinary culture and its impact on societies around the world.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the intersection of food and culture, and how national dishes can reflect the identity and history of a nation. It offers an intriguing exploration of how these culinary traditions shape and are shaped by different societies. If you're eager to understand the science behind how we connect with food emotionally and culturally, this book will appeal to your tastes.

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In National Dish, acclaimed food writer Anya von Bremzen sets out to investigate the eternal cliche that "we are what we eat".

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Travelling from Paris to Tokyo, from Seville, Oaxaca and Naples to Istanbul, she investigates the rapid decline of France's pot-au-feu, the misconstrued beginnings of pizza, the meeting of indigenous and European lineages in mole, and the complex legacy of multi-culturalism in a meze potluck.

โ€œNever have we been more cosmopolitan about what we eat - and yet more essentialist, locavore, and particularist.โ€ With a witty mix of anecdote and research, Anya von Bremzen reassesses the fascinating role that food can play in our cultural heritage, and uncovers how as a nation's political and social identity are called into question, so too is its palate.

A fast-paced, entertaining travelogue, peppered with compact history lessons that reveal the surprising ways dishes become iconic - New York Times

This dazzlingly intelligent examination of how foods become national symbols . . . so enlightening - as well as so much fun to read . . . Von Bremzen is a superb describer of flavours and textures - but she also understands that food is never just about food - Bee Wilson in Financial Times

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781911590910

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 June 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: ONE

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 430g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Anya von Bremzen is the winner of three James Beard Awards for her books and journalism. She is the author of six acclaimed cookbooks and a memoir - Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking - which won the Guild of Food Writers 2014 Food Book of the Year in UK. She has written for Food & Wine, Travel+Leisure,Saveur, the New Yorker, and the Guardian among other publications. She was born in Russia to Ukrainian parents, and emigrated to the USA as a child. When not on the road Anya divides her time between New York and Istanbul.

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