What We Eat

Pierre Singaravélou is professor of history at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University and a former British Academy Global Professor at King’s College London.Sylvain Venayre is professor of contemporary history at the University of Grenoble-Alpes.Stephen W. Sawyer is the Ballantine-Leavitt Professor of History and director of the Center for Critical Democracy Studies at the American University of Paris.

• IntroductionAchekeBagelsBaguette (Bread)Banh MiBarbecueBeerBeet SugarCassouletCaviarCevicheChampagneCharcuterieChicoryChili con CarneChili PepperChorbaChristmas PuddingCoca-ColaCoffeeCondensed Milk (Sweetened)CornflakesCouscousCurryDafinaDim SumDogmeatDöner KebabFeijoadaFish and ChipsFish Sauce (Nuoc Mam)Food Coloring and PreservativesFreeze-Dried FoodsFrench FriesGinGuacamoleHamburgerHarissaHedgehog StewHot DogsHummusIce CubesIndomieInjeraKetchupLatoMakiMargarineMateMatzahMayonnaiseNaanNoodles and MacaroniOlive OilOranginaOysterPalm OilParmesan CheesePepperPet Food and TreatsPhoPizzaPokePort WineRakiRamenRooibosRoquefortRumSakeSaltSandwichSardines (Canned)Singapore NoodlesSoy SauceSpamSparkling WaterSushiTapiocaTea and ChaiTikkaTofuTurkish DelightVanilla and VanillinVodkaWhiskeyWineYak ButterYogurtIndex

This highly original, encyclopedic work contains a wide range of succinct, approachable essays on food through the lens of global power and consumerism. Single-food chapters examine elemental foodstuffs like salt and wine and specific ones like pet food, spam, and yak butter, offering unexpected assertions and novel contributions to the field.