Choice Cuts - Hardcover

Kurlansky, Mark

3.7

353 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0224069772 ISBN 13: 9780224069779

Publisher: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 2002

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This anthology of food writings collects work from all over the world and from all ages. It includes Cato, whose 2nd century BC practical guide to rural life, "De Agricultura", the oldest surviving complete book of Latin prose, is rich in food commentary that illuminates his time. This is also true of Pliny the Elder three centuries later and Apicius, a chef who was one of the first great food writers. The collection pays tribute to writers for their social commentary, such as Emile Zola's observations about the fat and thin people at Les Halles market and Lu Wenfu's discussion of an inappropriate revolutionary retaurant in Maoist China. "Choice Cuts" also includes some of the many writings on food and sex, food and national identity and those food writers who were spectacularly ill-informed.

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Review:

"An endlessly varied overview of our culinary history... an hors d'oeuvre to more satisfying topics of history and culture" (Scotland on Sunday)

"A lively selection" (Guardian)

"The book is fat with eccentric wit, tips and recipes... there are rich pickings especially among the literary tidbits: Hemingway on fish in the Seine, Chekhov on oysters and - best of all - Pablo Neruda's 'Ode to French Fries'" (The Times)

"A mouthwatering compendium on food" (Vogue)

From the Publisher:

A hugely entertaining anthology of food writing from ancient Roman times to the present day.

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