Bøker i Edible-serien

In Pickles, author Jan Davison explores the cultural and gastronomic history of fermented vegetables, from the earliest civilizations to the twenty-first century.

A guide to the cultural history of liqueurs from a celebrated spirits journalist. The original recreational spirit, liqueurs traveled the Silk Road, awaited travelers at the Fountain of Youth, and traversed the globe from ancient times through the industrial revolution and beyond. In this thrilling exploration of liqueur's global history, Lesley Jacobs Solmonson describes how a bitter, medicinal elixir distilled by early alchemists developed into a sugar- and spice-fueled luxury for the rich before garnishing a variety of cocktails the world over. The book invites readers on a multi-faceted journey through culinary history, driven by humanity's ages-long desire for pleasure.

Gin: A Global History features many enticing recipes and images from the past and present of gin. The book will entice both cocktail aficionados and students of socio-political change, as it chronicles gin's evolution from humble berry to modern alcoholic marvel.

Apple explores the cultural and culinary importance of the apple. From the Garden of Eden and Homer's Odyssey to Johnny Appleseed, Wilhelm Tell and Apple Computer, readers will learn how apples became a universal source of sustenance, health and symbolism.

Dates is an informative and enjoyable account of the date and the date palm, following its journey from ancient Mesopotamia to the places where it is cultivated today. Dates is interwoven with stories, anecdotes and humour, and explores date etymology, history, culture, religion, myth and legend.

Tea: A Global History is a well-illustrated, concise exploration of the rich and fascinating history of tea. Helen Saberi describes the many varieties of tea consumed around the world, from Indian chai to Burmese pickled lephet tea, and from brick tea to Taiwanese 'bubble tea' and looks at the economic and social uses of tea.

Soup: A Global History is a concise, tasty history of the oldest dish in the world. Soup features many images of and recipes for classic and unusual soups, taken from seven hundred years of global culinary history.

Though milk is the sustaining and essential food of all mammals, the majority of the world's population cannot digest raw cow's milk. Of those that do drink milk regularly, most have never actually tasted raw milk. This book explores the myths and misconceptions surrounding the drink.

What birthday, wedding, bar mitzvah or children's party would be complete without it? This book explores the origin of modern cake and its development from sweet bread to architectural flight of fancy, together with the meanings, legends and rituals attached to cake throughout the world.

The hamburger has been both a source of gluttonous joy and a recurrent obstacle to healthy eating. This book traces the global history of the hamburger from its humble beginnings as a nineteenth-century street food sold by American vendors.

Exploring sugar's reputation as one of the most beloved yet reviled substances that we consume, this compelling history of the infamous ingredient is peopled with determined adventurers, relentless sugar barons and greedy plantation owners.

An informative, concise narration of the story of whiskey, from obscure medieval origins to the globally-traded product that we know today. Kevin R. Kosar explains what whiskey is, how it is made, and how the types of whiskey - Bourbon, Corn, Rye, Irish and Scotch - differ.

Informative and highly entertaining, Beer explores a legion of brews from Mexico to Milwaukee, Beijing to Bruges, in this superb study of the origins and contemporary consumption habits of one of the world's most popular drinks.

How did wine surpass all other beverages to achieve global domination? In Wine, Marc Millon travels back to the origins of modern man to find the answer, discovering that this heady drink is intertwined with the roots of civilization itself.

In Herbs, Gary Allen tells the story of these oft-overlooked plants, which have become such a staple in our lives. Allen's truly global history examines herbs in a way never seen before.

In Coffee: A Global History, Jonathan Morris explains how the world acquired a taste for coffee, yet why coffee tastes so different throughout the world. Written in an engaging style, and featuring wonderful recipes, stories and facts, the book explores who drank coffee, as well as why and where, how it was prepared and what it tasted like.

Rice: A Global History presents in detail the historical journey that rice has taken, from its early origin as a staple food in Asian and West African countries to its ubiquitous place in meals across the world today.

Pineapple is a culinary love story enriched with vivid illustrations and irresistible recipes from around the world for eating and drinking the pineapple.

Richard Foss chronicles the evolution of rum from a raw spirit concocted for slaves five hundred years ago, to a beverage savoured by connoisseurs. Rum: A Global History features recipes for sweet and savoury rum dishes, obscure but delicious rum drinks, and many unusual illustrations of rum memorabilia.

Just when you thought you knew everything about the humble noodle, Pasta and Noodles reveals little-known facts, tasty titbits and cultural lore about the history of pasta. Kantha Shelke takes you on a journey across five continents to trace the evolution of this highly adaptable foodstuff.

The rich history of the intoxicating and evocative spice, vanilla.

The dramatic history of the world's most expensive spice.

Proposing that the 'forbidden fruit' eaten by Adam and Eve was in fact a fig rather than an apple, this book explores the history of the fruit in fascinating detail, from the Crusaders to the wonderful fig festivals of the modern world.

The pie, to quote one Victorian writer, is 'a great human discovery which has universal estimation among all civilized eaters'. It is astonishing, given the widespread appeal of this humble dish, that the pie does not appear to have had a single book devoted to its complex but fascinating story; this book redresses a glaring omission from culinary history.

Redolent of everything sensual and hedonistic, chocolate is synonymous with our idea of indulgence. It is adored around the world and has been since the Spanish first encountered cocoa beans in South America in the sixteenth century. This title explores the origins and growth of this almost universal obsession.

A lively history of tequila, an unusual liquor that can only be produced in Mexico. This book relates the beginnings of tequila and how it was introduced into the global market, and contains many recipes for tequila-based cocktails, as well as advice on buying, storing, tasting and serving tequila.

A delightful global history of mustard, one of the world's most loved condiments.

In the history of food, the tomato is a relative newcomer outside its ancestral home in Mesoamerica. And yet, as we devour pizza by the slice, dip French fries in ketchup, delight in a beautiful Bolognese sauce, or savor tomato curries, it would now be impossible to imagine the food cultures of many nations without the tomato. The journey taken by the tomato from its ancestral home in the southern Americas to Europe and back is a riveting story full of culinary discovery, innovation, drama, and dispute. Today, the tomato is at the forefront of scientific advances in cultivation and the study of taste, as well as a popular subject of heritage conservation (heirloom tomato salad, anyone?). But the tomato has also faced challenges every step of the way into our gardens and kitchens--including that eternal question: is it a fruit or a vegetable? In this book, Clarissa Hyman charts the eventful history of this ubiquitous everyday edible that is so often taken for granted. Hyman discusses tomato soup and ketchup, heritage tomatoes, tomato varieties, breeding and genetics, nutrition, tomatoes in Italy, tomatoes in art, and tomatoes for the future. Featuring delicious modern and historical recipes, such as the infamous "man-winning tomato salad" once featured in Good Housekeeping, this is a juicy and informative history of one of our most beloved foods.

Lorna Piatti-Farnell describes the story of how this fruit (which is technically a berry) has become one of the most popular foods on the planet.

A succinct and engaging history of the olive from antiquity to the present day, this book describes the role that olive trees, olives and their oil have played in myths, legends and literature, as well as in the everyday lives of people living throughout the Mediterranean.