Reviews

"One cannot help but love a book that gives not only the top ten countries in beer consumption (the US) but also the stages in the caramelization of sugar and the world wine consumption patterns for the last thirty years. In fact, just browsing the entries in ths comprehensive encyclopedia will make the reader crave potatoes, Polish bigos (meat stew), sushi, and Viennese pastries — all in one sitting. Billed as an ?authoritative survey of the history, production, preparation, science and culture of food from prehistory to the present day, ? this set lives up to that claim and then some. With topics ranging from anorexia to cannibalism, from kitchen gadgets to sandwich wraps, the user can feast upon information designed to educate all ages. ... It delivers on that promise through its finding aids, which include a table of contents that includes subtopics and sidebars, a systematic outline of contents, and a comprehensive index. Every entry ends with a short bibliography for further exploration. ... For example, the entry for ?apple? lists not only the most common varieties, but its nutritional value, its origins, its role in various historical societies and modern pest control. In fact, the only thing it does not give is a taste test. This epicurean delight provides not only a fun read but also does what no other reference book does in documenting the act of eating from the perspectives of cultural history, nutrition, ethnicity, religion, psychology, anthropology, geography, economics, and aesthetics?. Useful for all types of libraries, there will also be cooks and food critics who might wish to own a personal copy."
-- "Reference and User Services Quarterly" (Fall 2003)