In this new anthology, American Food Writing, editor Molly O'Neill gets the readers primed for the volume ahead by stating that our culture's current food obsession is nothing new. At the beginning of the present food revolution, she and others of her culinary cohort thought that they were the first ones to "recognize food as something more than fuel" but she has come to realize that they were sadly mistaken. The topic of food and eating has been of vital importance to people throughout the generations and this collection of essays and recipes is ready to demonstrate that very fact. With essays from literary and political heavyweights such as Frederick Douglass to Harriet Beecher Stowe to John Berry, this book covers topics from Apple Butter and Cranberry Sauce to Chop Suey and Chowder. Interspersed between the essays are recipes, some relating directly to an essay and some just tucked in here and there, interesting as cultural markers just on their own. Mrs. E. E. Kellogg's recipe for Bran Jelly is just one of those recipes. She recommended that you serve it with cream or fruit juice.
This is the type of book that you can pick up on occasion. Because the essays are fairly short, you can dip into the book for a mental snack without devoting too much time to it. However, I've been reading it straight through and I can't fathom another way to approach it. I read one essay and I just want to keep going. If your mind, like your belly, enjoys being fed tasty treats, this is a book to check out.
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