THERE'S NO HAM IN HAMBURGERS

Learn the history of some of America’s favorite foods in this delicious page-turner.

What’s the connection between hamburgers and horses? French fries and Peru? Ice cream and…George Washington? Foodies, folklorists, and factoid aficionados will all clamor to discover the answers in this finger-lickin’-good study of food history. Told in a breezy, conversational style, the book walks readers through the often surprisingly far-ranging history and folklore of favorite foods from pizza to peanut butter. The tidbits on offer are both entertaining (Eleanor Roosevelt earned opprobrium for serving hot dogs to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) and enlightening (Americans say cookie rather than biscuit because the rebellious colonists rejected the British term and opted for the Dutch word koekjes instead).The book is divided into 10 chapters in total, each focusing on a different food item or meal and including both trivia and a related recipe for those who want to impress their friends with general knowledge and their culinary skills. Occasional two-tone illustrations and callout boxes break up the text, providing light humor and additional info, respectively. Readers who are hungry for more will be able to sample from the select bibliography, which breaks down sources by chapter for easy consumption. The index is stuffed to the brim, making for easy access to facts between reads.

A good choice for any young gourmand’s bookshelf.