Smithsonian Books Releases The Seven Culinary Wonders of the World  

Smithsonian Books has released The Seven Culinary Wonders of the World: A History of Honey, Salt, Chile, Pork, Rice, Cacao, and Tomato, written by Jenny Linford and illustrated by Alice Pattullo. The book is a global food history told through the stories of seven ingredients found in cuisines all over the world: honey, salt, chilli, pork, rice, cacao and tomato. Each of these foundational ingredients has played a long and valuable role in human foodways and culture, and each has its own story to tell.

The Seven Culinary Wonders of the World traces the journeys of these foodstuffs as they were transported from their regions of origin to faraway cultures and countries, there to take up starring roles in new cuisines. It explores each food in depth, illustrated by specially commissioned artworks, and views them through a number of prisms— social, cultural, historical, and botanical—to offer readers fresh insight into seemingly everyday foods that reveal themselves as wondrous. The rich and diverse cultural stories of these seven ingredients are also told, from the magical and aphrodisiac powers attributed to cacao in Mesoamerican culture to the introduction of tomatoes to Europe by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century and the earliest cultivation of rice in China’s Pearl Valley. Readers can take the seven ingredients into their own kitchens via 63 original recipes from around the world.

About the Author

Linford is a freelance food writer whose published work ranges from recipes to food and travel articles that have appeared in numerous venues, including the Financial Times, Time Out London Eating and Drinking Guide, Square Meal and the British Library’s Food Stories website. She is the author of The Tomato Basket Cookbook, Food Lovers’ London, and The Chef’s Library, among other books, and she was the general editor of 1001 Restaurants You Must Experience before You Die.

About the Illustrator

Patullo is an illustrator whose work has been commissioned by a variety of clients, including Bon Appétit, Esquire, Country Living and the Village Voice.

About the Book

Title: The Seven Culinary Wonders of the World
Author: Jenny Linford
Illustrator: Alice Patullo
On-Sale Date: 10/16/18
Price: $27.95 / Pages: 240
ISBN: 978-1-58834-642-1
Smithsonian Books

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SI-560-2018