A History of Food

The story of cuisine and the social history of eating is a fascinating one, and Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat covers all its aspects in this classic history.

A History of Food is a new expanded edition of a classic book, originally published to great critical acclaim from Raymond Blanc, The New York Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Independent and more. It tells the story of man's relationship with food from earliest times to the present day.

This edition includes a new foreword by acclaimed food writer Betty Fussell, a preface by the author, an updated bibliography, and a new chapter bringing the story up to date. It is presented as a jacketed hardback, with approximately 70 illustrations and a new glossy colour plate section.

The New York Times describes it as, "Indispensable, and an endlessly fascinating book. The view is staggering. Not a book to digest at one or several sittings. Savor it instead, one small slice at a time, accompanied by a very fine wine."

Raymond Blanc states, "This book is not only impressive for the knowledge it provides, it is unique in its integration of historical anecdotes and factual data. It is a marvellous reference to a great many topics."

The Sunday Telegraph calls it "Quirky, encyclopaedic, and hugely entertaining. A delight."

According to The Independent, "It's the best book when you are looking for very clear but interesting stories. Everything is cross-referenced to an extraordinary degree, which is great because the information given is so complex and interweaving."

The Times Higher Education Supplement refers to A History of Food as "a monumental work, a prodigious feat of careful scholarship, patient research and attention to detail. Full of astonishing but insufficiently known facts."