An interesting account of the history of bananas... if you're into that sort of thing. Bananas are one of the most mundane things around us, but theirAn interesting account of the history of bananas... if you're into that sort of thing. Bananas are one of the most mundane things around us, but their history and their importance around the world can't be underestimated. And, suprisingly, their future is at risk - agricultural practices have caused diseases among bananas, some of which cannot be cured. Koeppel interweaves the history of how the banana came to be the most popular fruit in the world with current efforts to protect it from extinction. A solid read for anyone interested in the fascinating history of the everyday things around us....more
I never thought there could be a book this interesting about Chinese food. Lee's ability to relate Chinese cuisine in America to how Chinese themselveI never thought there could be a book this interesting about Chinese food. Lee's ability to relate Chinese cuisine in America to how Chinese themselves have integrated into our society had me enthralled. She analyzes every aspect of Chinese food: the true (and surprising) origins of fortune cookies, how soy sauce is used, where General Tso came from, and even how the ubiquitous Chinese food delivery box was developed. This book is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Asian food and cuisine, especially as both are related to and defined by American culture....more
I asked for this book for Christmas after browsing through tea books at B&N and stumbling across this one.
The book was really enjoyable because it covI asked for this book for Christmas after browsing through tea books at B&N and stumbling across this one.
The book was really enjoyable because it covered an enormous amount of history, without getting into too much of the nitty-gritty on any of it. In particular, it covers a lot more of the Asian tea tradition than I'm used to reading about. There's also a long section about the socio-economics of the tea trade, both historically and from a modern-day perspective. It really drove me to consider whether I should look more into buying tea from Fair Trade organizations, something I'm currently looking into.
A great book for anyone interested in the history, tradition, and modern day business of the tea trade....more
About six months ago, I decided to learn more about tea. Instead of just looking stuff up on the Internet, I found it useful to buy a book I can read About six months ago, I decided to learn more about tea. Instead of just looking stuff up on the Internet, I found it useful to buy a book I can read through to understand the details. I chose this one because it had a good variety of information: the history of tea as a drink and an industry, the culture of it around the world, and the proper ways to prepare and consume it. The second half has reviews of many different kinds of teas from around the world, which was more appropriate for skimming through rather than reading word for word....more