Foreword to new edition by Betty Fussell |
Preface |
Acknowledgments |
List of Illustrations |
Introduction |
Part I Collecting, Gathering, Hunting |
From fire to the pot |
1 Collecting honey |
Honey in the Golden Age |
A taste of honey |
Honey in legend |
2 The history of gathering |
The ancient pulses |
The symbolism of beans |
The etymologyentomology) of haricot beans |
The holy war of cassoulet |
Soya: the most widely eaten plant in the world |
Soya: nutritional facts and figures |
Mushrooms and fungi |
Roots |
Table of vegetable nutrition |
3 Hunting |
The great days and the decline of game |
Nutritional facts and figures about game |
Part II Stock-breeding, Arable Farming: Meat, Milk, Cereals |
The evidence of occupied sites |
4 The history of meat |
The birth of stock-breeding and society |
Areas of origin of the first domestic animals |
Meat-eating: likes and dislikes |
The horse, the spirit of corn |
Fax oxen and prosperous butchers |
5 The history of dairy produce |
Cheese and curds |
Yoghurt: fermented milk |
Butter: the cream of the milk |
The symbolism of butter |
6 The history of cereals |
Cereals as civilizers |
The symbolism of wheat |
The long march of cereals |
Imperialist cereals |
The myth of Demeter |
Everyday cereals |
Harvest festivals |
Strategic cereals |
Rice in the east |
The symbolism of rice |
Maize in the west |
Why maize is called 'I have no more gumbo' |
Why corn cobs are thin and small |
Zuni legend of maize flour |
From porridge to beer |
The technique of brewing beer |
The history of pasta |
The history of grain spirits |
Part III The Three Sacramental Foods: Oil, Bread, Wine |
The fundamental trinity |
7 The history of oil |
Olive oil |
The dietary history of olive oil |
Olive oil in legend and symbolism |
Making olive oil |
Other oils |
Margarine |
8 The history of bread and cakes |
The bread on the board |
The symbolism of bread and cakes |
Four stages in the development of bread-making |
The taste of bread |
The technique of bread-making |
Our daily bread |
Special cakes for Sundays |
9 The history of wine |
From the vine to wine |
Dessert grapes |
The technique of wine-making |
The symbolism of wine |
The legend of Dionysus |
The proper use of wine |
Cooking with wine |
Wine and God |
A wine of revolution |
Part IV The Economy of the Markets |
The centre of the city |
10 The history of fish |
The fish of the ancient world |
A Who's Who of sea fish |
The Salmonidae, a family of aristocrats |
Fishing in legend |
Extravagance and economy in eating fish |
The symbolism of fish |
Uses for less profitable fish |
The providential nature of salt fish |
Drying, salting and smoking fish; an age-old procedure |
Aquaculture and pisciculture: fish farming |
Blue Europe, or the common fish market |
From fishing to our plates |
11 The history of poultry |
Facts about poultry |
Choosing poultry |
The symbolism of poultry |
Eggs: their uses and customs |
Part V Luxury Foods |
The revels of the Gauls |
12 Treasures from the sea |
The history of garum |
The history of caviare |
A Who's Who of caviare |
How to keep caviare happy |
The history of shellfish and crustaceans |
Facts about crustaceans |
The history of shellfish farming |
The biology of the oyster |
The biology of the mussel |
13 The treasure of the forests |
The history of pork and charcuterie |
About ham |
Sausages |
The symbolism of the pig |
The history of foie gras |
Facts about foie gras |
The symbolism of liver |
The history of truffles |
Part VI The Era of the Merchants |
Making a good profit |
14 An essential food |
The history of salt |
The symbolism of salt |
The technique of winning salts |
15 Spice at any price |
About spices |
The secret of spices |
Cinnamon |
Pepper |
Ginger |
Turmeric and cardamom |
Cloves |
The great trading companies |
Nutmeg and mace |
Chillies and sweet peppers |
Aromatics and the imagination |
Saffron |
Vanilla |
Everday condiments and herbs |
Herbs |
The proper use of spices, aromatics and condiments |
The grocer's trade |
Part VII New Needs: Sugar, Chocolate, Coffee, Tea |
Gluttony and greed for gain |
16 The lure of sugar |
Rum, a sugar spirit |
The legend of sugar |
17 Confectionary and preserves |
18 Chocolate and divinity |
Definitions of chocolate |
19 Coffee and politics |
Coffee from the islands |
Coffee in legend |
20 Tea and philosophy |
Tea in legend |
The symbolism of tea |
Part VIII Orchards and Kitchen Gardens |
Instructions for the garden |
21 The tradition of fruits |
The symbolism of the apple |
Grafting |
Dessert apples |
Cider and Calvados |
Pears |
Plums |
Peaches |
The peach in legend |
Apricots |
The dietetics of apricots |
Cherries |
The diatetics of cherries |
Strawberries |
Melons |
Oranges |
Growing and selling oranges |
A Who's Who of oranges |
Grapefruit |
Figs |
The symbolism of figs and the fig tree |
Dates |
Pineapples |
Bananas |
Avocados |
22 The evolution of vegetables |
Cabbages |
Cauliflowers |
Salad |
Chicory and endive |
Watercress |
Asparagus |
Growing asparagus |
Artichokes |
Tomatoes |
23 The potato revolution |
Sweet chestnuts |
Potatoes |
Souffle potatoes |
Part IX Science and Conscience in the Diet |
The hows and whys of quality |
24 Preserving by heat |
Canned sardines |
The technique of canning |
Food preservation |
Pasteurized milk |
25 Preserving by cold |
Quick-freezing |
26 The assurance of dietetics |
Vitamins |
27 A reassuring future |
Notes |
Bibliography |
Index |