On The Nightstand

This week on the nightstand is Food In History by Reay Tannahill. Wow! This book is so packed with information, I don't know where to begin! I summed it up for Favorite Husband like this: "You know how you complain when I serve the same thing less than two weeks from the last time I served it? Well, you've got NOTHING to complain about, because you're eating better than some ancient nobles!"

This book discusses not only what foods people ate in the past, but the effect that technology, war, and trade had on food, and the effect that food had on these as well. It is not centered on European cuisine, but comprehensively covers the entire world. If you have ever wondered who had noodles first (the Italians or the Chinese), if you have ever wondered what people ate a long time ago or (like my kids asked me just the other day) how long chopsticks have been in use, this is the book for you.