The text begins with a comprehensive theory of cuisine in the
introduction and moves to the parallel culinary histories of
Italy, Mexico, and China: the independent domestication of crops
in each, the social, political, and technological developments
that gave rise to each cuisine, and cooking in both professional
and home settings. It also compares the internal logic of the
cooking style and techniques in a way that will resonate with
students. The meat of the text compares and contrasts the three
cuisines in chapters on grains and starches; vegetables; fruits
and nuts; meat, poultry, and dairy products; fish and shellfish;
fats and flavorings; and beverages. Readers are taken on a
fascinating journey of discovery, where the background story of
mis-transmission, adaptation, and evolution of cooking as it
spreads around the globe with trade and immigration is revealed.
It answers the big questions, such as, why did the wok prevail
in China, while the sautée pan and comal were used in Italy and
Mexico, respect