Beans
A History
Published on 1. September 2007
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-84520-430-3 (ISBN)
Description
Winner of The 2008 Jane Grigson Award, issued by the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). Winner of the 2008 Cordon d' Or Culinary Literature - History Culinary Academy Award. This is the story of the bean, the staple food cultivated by humans for over 10,000 years. From the lentil to the soybean, every civilization on the planet has cultivated its own species of bean. The humble bean has always attracted attention - from Pythagoras' notion that the bean hosted a human soul to St. Jerome's indictment against bean-eating in convents (because they "tickle the genitals"), to current research into the deadly toxins contained in the most commonly eaten beans. Over time, the bean has been both scorned as "poor man's meat" and praised as health-giving, even patriotic. Attitudes to this most basic of foodstuffs have always revealed a great deal about a society. Beans: A History takes the reader on a fascinating journey across cuisines and cultures.
Reviews / Votes
'Extraordinarily detailed and amusing. ... It is a totally endearing mixture of expertise and whimsy and should, by rights, be a bestseller.' Times 'Charming.' New York Times 'The oddest yet most compelling of books. ... As pretty to look at as it is alluring to read.' Guardian 'I would strongly urge a reading of Beans by Ken Albala which entertainingly unravels that most complicated of legumes through space and time.' Guardian 'A great read, full of exotic and intriguing information and thoroughly recommended.' Times Higher Education Supplement 'Fresh and engaging from the start ... A must have for any serious foodie.' Telegraph 'In this delightful, informative bean biography, the author unravels the history, science and culture of beans across the world.' Sainsbury's Magazine 'A vividly entertaining history of the humble bean takes the reader on a curious, surprising and exciting journey across epochs, continents and cultures.' Raymond Blanc 'Who everMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
557 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84520-430-3 (9781845204303)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Ken Albala is Professor of History at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. He is the author of many books 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 and Pancake. He was editor of three food series for Greenwood Press and has recently completed a 4-volume Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia. Albala is also co-editor of the journal Food Culture and Society, published by Berg.
Content
Preface, Acknowledgements and Note on Recipes 1. Introduction 2. Lentils - Fertile Crescent 3. Lupines - Europe and Andes 4. Favas - Europe 5. Peas, Chickpeas and other Peas, Cajanus (congo pea) 6. Oddballs 7. Mung and the Vignas - India 8. Black-eyed Peas - Africa, Soul Food 9. Phaseolus vulgaris - Mexico and the World 10. Limas and the lesser Phaseoli - Andes 11. Tepary beans - Native Americans 12. Soy - China, Japan and the World Bibliography Index