History of Food

Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat is an historian, journalist and writer. She has written for a variety of periodicals in France and published over seventeen books on cuisine, history and French regional culture. Her books on the Loire and Perigord received commendations from the Academie Francaise and the Academie du Perigord. Her principal historical interest is in the medieval and renaissance culture of Europe, in particular the domestic economy, food and clothing. She pursues her research in association with the Ecole des Hautes Etudes, and is president of the Syndicat des ecrivains de langue francaise.

Foreword. Acknowledgements. List of Illustrations. Introduction. Part I: Collecting, Gathering, Hunting: 1. Collecting Honey. 2. The History of Gathering. 3. Hunting. Part II: Stock-Breeding, Arable Farming: Meat, Milk, Cereals: 4. The History of Meat. 5. The History of Dairy Produce. 6. The History of Cereals. Part III: The Three Sacramental Foods: Oil, Bread, Wine: 7. The History of Oil. 8. The History of Bread and Cakes. 9. The History of Wine. Part IV: The Economy of the Markets: 10. The History of Fish. 11. The History of Poultry. Part V: Luxury Foods: 12. Treasures From the Sea. 13. The Treasure of the Forests. Part VI: The Era of the Merchants: 14. An Essential Food (Salt). 15. Spice at any Price. Part VII New Needs: Sugar, Chocolate, Coffee, Tea: 16. The Lure of Sugar. 17. Confectionary and Preserves. 18. Chocolate and Divinity. 19. Coffee and Politics. 20. Tea and Philosophy. Part VIII: Orchards and Kitchen Gardens: 21. The Tradition of Fruits. 22. The Evolution of Vegetables. 23. The Potato Revolution. Part IX: Science and Conscience: 24. Preserving by Heat. 25. Preserving by Cold. 26. The Assurance of Dietetics. 27. Reassurance for the Future. Chronology of Dietary Progress. Notes. Bibliography. Index.