Gary Allen (who was once an illustrator) now cooks, eats, dreams, talks, and writes—mostly—about food. He's currently typing away on several books—occasionally writing books that are NOT concerned, primarily, with things he can stuff in his gullet. Unfortunately, he has a very common name. Amazon lists some 60 other authors named 'Gary Allen.' This leads, as you might expect, to considerable confusion. Consequently, a listing of some of his OWN books, is posted below.

After writing 'The Resource Guide for Food Writers' (1999), he edited 'Remarkable Service' for The Culinary Institute of America (2001). He's contributed articles to 'Culinary Biographies' (2006), and 'Scribner's Encyclopedia of Food and Culture' (2003). He was Associate Editor of, and contributor to, 'The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America' (2004); 'The Concise Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America' (2007); and 'Savoring Gotham' (2015).

'The Herbalist in the Kitchen,' a reference work on herbs and spices, was published by the University of Illinois Press (2007). He also co-edited, with historian Ken Albala, 'The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries' for Greenwood Press (2007). He has also written articles for other encyclopedias from Greenwood: 'Entertaining from Ancient Rome to the Super Bowl: An Encyclopedia' (2008), 'They Eat That?: A Cultural Encyclopedia of Weird and Exotic Food from around the World' (2012) and 'We Eat What?:A Cultural Encyclopedia of Bizarre and Strange Foods in the United States' (2018).

His anthology of writings about cannibalism—humorous, scary, thoughtful, disgusting, and touching—was published in 2008. It's called 'Human Cuisine,' and it was also co-edited with Ken Albala. He self-published 'How to Serve Man: On Cannibalism, Sex, Sacrifice, and the Nature of Eating' as a Kindle book (2012).

Reaktion Press has published three of his books: 'Herbs: A Global History,' (2012); 'Sausage: A Global History' (2015); and 'Can It!: The Perils and Pleasures of Preserving Food' (2016). There's an epicurious interview about the book (http://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/history-of-food-preservation-gary-allen-article).

His most recent food book is 'Sauces Reconsidered: Aprés Escoffier,' from Rowman & Littlefield (2019). While he doesn't consider himself to be a scholar (in the traditional sense), The American Library Association included this book on its list of 'Best Academic Books of 2019.'

He's even written occasional stories—of a nostalgic/humorous nature—that have appeared in others' anthologies such as 'The Anxious Groom' (2004), 'Prima Materia Volume 4' (2005), 'Fear and Loathing of Boca Raton' (2007), and 'Let Them Eat Crepes' (2010). Similar non-food books, self-published as Kindle books, include: 'Terms of Vegery' (co-authored with Karen Philipp (2012); 'How to Write a Great Book' and 'The Digressions of Dr Sanscravat: Gastronomical Ramblings & Other Diversions' (both 2019); and 'Ephemera: a short collection of short stories,' 'Future Tense: Remembrance of Things Not Yet Past,' 'Cenotaphs,' and 'Prophet Amidst Losses' (all 2020).

Occasionally, 'midst chewing and swallowing, he writes for magazines, e-zines, and symposia, including that of the Association for the Study of Food and Society, for which he's been their web master and newsletter editor. He was food history editor at LeitesCulinaria.com. He has also published, for nearly 20 years, a monthly electronic newsletter about online resources for food writers, which is now part of his blog (http://justserved.onthetable.us).

In his spare time, he teaches food writing—plus various courses on food history and culture—at Empire State College (part of the State University of New York). You'll find a partial directory of his online writings at 'A Quiet Little Table in the Corner' (http://tinyurl.com/2duwe93) or visit his own website: 'On the Table. (http://onthetable.us).

Ken Albala is Professor of History at the University of the Pacific. He is the author or editor of 27 books on food including Eating Right in the Renaissance, Food in Early Modern Europe, Cooking in Europe 1250-1650, The Banquet: Dining in the Great Courts of Late Renaissance Europe, Beans: A History (winner of the 2008 IACP Jane Grigson Award), and Pancake. He has also co-edited The Business of Food, Human Cuisine, Food and Faith and edited A Cultural History of Food: The Renaissance and The Routledge International Handbook to Food Studies. Albala was also editor of the Food Cultures Around the World series with 30 volumes in print, the 4-volume Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia and is now series editor of Rowman Littlefield Studies in Food and Gastronomy for which he has written a textbook entitled Three World Cuisines: Italian, Chinese, Mexican (Winner of the Gourmand Best Foreign Food Book in the World 2012). Albala was also co-editor of the journal Food Culture and Society and edited a 3 volume encyclopedia on Food Issues for Sage. He has also co-authored cookbooks: The Lost Art of Real Cooking and The Lost Arts of Hearth and Home. His recent works are a translation of the 16th century Livre fort excellent de cuysine, A Food History Reader and Nuts: A Global History. Most recently there is At the Table: Food and Family around the World. Noodle Soup: Recipes, Techniques, Obsession is his latest book.