"The American Plate, A Culinary History in 100 Bites," Libby H. O'Connell (Sourcebooks, 331 pages, $26.99)
"The American Plate" takes on iconic U.S. foodstuffs, from the "three sisters" grown by American Indians to the "super foods" of today.
A far cry from the more scholarly tomes that weigh heavily on the shelves of those hungry for the history of food, O'Connell's book is a breezy read that deftly moves from early colonization through the Gilded Age and into the here and now, linking our national melting pot to the dishes that fueled our cultural development.
O'Connell is the chief historian for the History Channel and a member of the Smithsonian's "Kitchen Cabinet." Notable "bites" include Hangtown fry, Cracker Jack and Eleanor Roosevelt's scrambled eggs. Oh, and the Hershey Kiss (it dates to 1907) and the link between Navajo fry bread and the Navajo "code talkers" of World War II.
JO MARSHALL
