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The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America: 2-Volume Set
 
 
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The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America: 2-Volume Set [Hardcover]

Andrew F. Smith (Editor)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

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Book Description

0195154371 978-0195154375 December 9, 2004
The history of food and drink in America is an exciting tale of unexpected twists and turns that are even more amusing than the oft-repeated myths. It is a story filled with hot-shot inventors, high-flying promoters, risk-taking growers, efficiency-conscious processors, hard-hitting advertisers, and lip-smacking consumers--all of whom have contributed to transforming lowly American food into a worldwide culinary delight.

In 800 intriguing articles (from over 200 contributors), the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America covers the significant events, inventions, and social movements in American history that have affected the way Americans view, prepare, and consume food and drink. In an A-Z format, this two-volume set details the regions, people, ingredients, foods, drinks, publications, advertising, companies, historical periods, and political and economic aspects pertinent to American cuisine. With contributions from academia, industry, and the culinary world, the Encyclopedia provides a far-ranging yet cohesive account of American history and culture from a gastronomic perspective.

From the extravagant feasts of Diamond Jim Brady in the Gilded Age to the fad diets and the health consciousness of today, the status and cultural significance of American food and rink has transformed throughout the years. With interesting anecdotes, informative sidebars, and generous bibliographies, the Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America will captivate readers--from scholars and food lovers everywhere--in this journey through American culinary history.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Whether readers make a living studying culinary traditions or just enjoy eating, they'll find this book a marvel. A trove of in-depth information on every aspect of American food and drink—such as holiday food traditions, the Slow Food movement and vegetarianism—the book strives to place its subject in historical and cultural context and succeeds brilliantly. Smith, who teaches culinary history at the New School University, compiles 800 articles and 400 illustrations in a colossal package, resembling Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany in the same way that the kitchen at the Four Seasons resembles the galley of a Manhattan apartment. Under "C," we find "Chickpeas," "Child, Julia," "Clambake," "Cola Wars," "Community-Supported Agriculture" and "Cooperatives"; while "T" offers entries on "Taco Bell," "Tea," "Thanksgiving," "Transportation of Food" and "Tupperware." Readers will be hooked upon opening either of the work's two volumes and flipping to any page. Among the offerings are a Nation article from 1879 that delights in fathers who'd mortify their daughters in social situations by joking about the "frivolousness of napkins"; an entry on the french dip sandwich crediting a Los Angeles sandwich shop owner with inventing the item in 1918 (he accidentally dropped a roll into the roast drippings as he prepared a beef sandwich for a customer); a piece on Rastus, the fictional chef whose image has appeared on Cream of Wheat packages since 1896; and a fascinating exploration of Southern regional cookery. For food lovers of all stripes, this work inspires, enlightens and entertains. B&w illus.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 9 Up–An authoritative resource that brings together "the best scholarship on the history of American food." Considering the subject from varied perspectives, the 770 articles discuss food and drink within the context of politics; geography; commerce; technology; medicine; class structure; agriculture; and symbolic, spiritual, and ethical values. The alphabetically arranged entries include chronological overviews of events and trends ("Cooking Schools," "Myths and Folklore"); specific foods and drinks ("Po'boy Sandwich," "Coca-Cola"); ethnic, religious, cultural, and racial contributions ("Native American Foods," "Thanksgiving"); biographies ("Lagasse, Emeril," "Pullman, George"); and political and social movements ("Temperance," "Pure Food and Drug Act"). Each entry includes a briefly annotated bibliography and cross references to related articles. Black-and-white illustrations add interest; most of them are historical reproductions with brief identifying captions. The writing is clear, the coverage is thorough, and the index is comprehensive. With entries ranging from "Bialy" to "Borden" (complete with a sidebar on "Elsie the Cow"), and "Vegetarianism" to "Vienna Sausage," this is an encyclopedic smorgasbord where readers can either casually graze multiple offerings or choose a single topic and dig in.–Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 1584 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 9, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0195154371
  • ISBN-13: 978-0195154375
  • Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 1.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #889,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a freelance writer and speaker on culinary matters. I teach culinary history and professional food writing at the New School in Manhattan, serve as the General Editor of the Food Series at the University of Illinois Press, and am the general editor for the Edible Series at Reaktion Press in the United Kingdom. I am also the editor-in-chief of the Oxford Encyclopedia on Food and Drink in America and the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink.

I am a member of the Culinary Historians of New York, the Association for the Study of Food Society (ASFS), and the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). I serve on the editorial board for the ASFS journal, Food, Culture and Society and is the Chairman of The Culinary Trust, the philanthropic arm of IACP.

I have delivered more than fifteen hundred presentations on various educational, historical, and international topics, and has organized seventy-three major conferences. I have been frequently interviewed by and quoted in newspapers, journals and magazines, such as the New York Times, New Yorker, Reader's Digest, Los Angeles Times, Atlanta Constitution, Chicago Tribune, Fortune Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. I have been regularly interviewed on radio and television, including National Public Radio and the Food Network. I have served as historical consultant to several television series and appeared in episodes of: the 'Food Essence,' developed by Charles Bishop Productions, Halifax, Canada; 'American Eats' and 'America Drinks,' documentaries regularly broadcast on the History Channel and A&E; 'A Century of Food,' produced by Greystone Communications, Inc., broadcast on the Food Network in January 2001; 'Follow that Food,' series by Gordon Elliot, broadcast on the Food Network; 'What We Eat,' hosted by Burt Wolf and produced by Acorn Productions, currently airing on PBS; 'Ever Wondered about Food' by the BBC; the Food Network's 'Top Five;' Burt Wolf's PBS program on 'Thanksgiving;' Tom Zapeicki's (WBGU) 'Ketchup: King of Condiments' on PBS; Meals in 1776, 1876 and the 1950s, Steve Gillion's History Center's program, 'Eating through American History,' which aired on May 21, 2006 on the History Channel; and Atlas Media's American Eats episodes on 'Salty Snacks,' 'Condiments,' 'Cookies,' 'Chocolate,' 'Canning,' 'Soft Drinks,' 'Holiday Food,' and 'Presidential Food,' which were released on History Channel during the Summer and Fall 2006.

 

Customer Reviews

9 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Good but not great, May 24, 2005
This review is from: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America: 2-Volume Set (Hardcover)
I picked up this set because I immensely enjoy reading the Oxford Companion to Food and refer to it often.

Unfortunately, while the scope of the OEFDA is wide and many of the articles are informative and interesting, the quality of the writing is not as high as in the OCF. Perhaps Oxford University Press thought it needed to make this book "accessible" to Americans by limiting the authors to writing at an 8th grade level.

There also are factual inconsistencies throughout the book. For example, Ruffles potato chips are said to have been launched during either the 1950's or the 1970's, depending on which article about snacks you happen to be reading. This sort of sloppy editing and fact-checking is inexcusable, especially from a university press.

Bottom line: the OEFDA is an admirable attempt at creating a comprehensive survey of American food history, but there are some glaring flaws. I recommend starting with the OCF.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for history buffs and food lovers alike!, November 1, 2004
This review is from: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America: 2-Volume Set (Hardcover)
As a weekend gourmand, I found the entries in Food and Drink in America to be fascinating! From the origins of apple pie and baking soda to the lore of tomatoes, this is an amazing collection of historically-grounded, little-known stories about the food we eat. It is an indispensable reference book for anyone interested in food, cooking and American history - not to mention a comprehensive source for culinary trivia -- a great conversation piece!
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference Tool, November 11, 2004
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This review is from: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America: 2-Volume Set (Hardcover)
This is an indispensible reference tool whether you are just fascinated by food and drink and all things related or need information for backgrounding purposes. I have found it very useful. (Did you know that Dr. Pepper was created by a pharmacist from Waco, Texas in 1885?) The appendixes listing food websites, food museums, festivals etc. are quite helpful also. It's well worth the cost and a "must have" for your libary, especially if you work in or deal with the food and beverage world . . . and if you just love knowing random trivia you'll love having these volumes to thumb through!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
ethnic home cooking, advertising cookbooklets, firehouse cooking, ancestry survey, corned heel, hearth cookery, freezing pot, fruited cakes, frontier cooking, nutrition system, regional cookery, culinary historians, laver cake, cookery hooks, ice cream molds, fireless cookers, domestic scientists, culinary history, home economists, candy men, ethnic recipes, heirloom vegetables
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New England, New Orleans, North America, African American, Native Americans, German American, Pennsylvania Dutch, San Francisco, New World, Italian American, South Carolina, Department of Agriculture, Japanese American, Los Angeles, Del Monte, Julia Child, Burger King, General Foods, South America, North Carolina, West Coast, General Mills, Good Housekeeping, George Washington, Revolutionary War
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