The Routledge History of American Foodways provides an important
overview of the main themes surrounding the history of food in the
Americas from the pre-colonial era to the present day. By broadly
incorporating the latest food studies research, the book explores the
major advances that have taken place in the past few decades in this
crucial field.
The volume is composed of four parts. The first part explores the
significant developments in US food history in one of five time periods
to situate the topical and thematic chapters to follow. The second part
examines the key ingredients in the American diet throughout time,
allowing authors to analyze many of these foods as items that originated
in or dramatically impacted the Americas as a whole, and not just the
United States. The third part focuses on how these ingredients have been
transformed into foods identified with the American diet, and on how
Americans have produced and presented these foods over the last four
centuries. The final section explores how food practices are a means of
embodying ideas about identity, showing how food choices, preferences,
and stereotypes have been used to create and maintain ideas of
difference.
Including essays on all the key topics and issues, The Routledge
History of American Foodways comprises work from a leading group of
scholars and presents a comprehensive survey of the current state of the
field. It will be essential reading for all those interested in the
history of food in American culture.
