Near a Thousand Tables

A brilliant account from acclaimed food historian Felipe Fernndez-Armesto on the fascinating story of food as culture, culinary history, and the eight great revolutions in the history of foodperfect for fans of Tasting History. In this "appetizingly provocative" (Los Angeles Times) book, food historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto guides readers through the eight great revolutions in the world history of food: the origins of cooking, which set humankind on a course apart from other species; the ritualization of eating, which brought magic and meaning into people's relationship with what they ate; the inception of herding and the invention of agriculture, perhaps the two greatest revolutions of all; the rise of inequality, which led to the development of haute cuisine; the long-range trade in food which, practically alone, broke down cultural barriers; the ecological exchanges, which revolutionized the global distribution of plants and livestock; and, finally,