Beans: A History

This is the story of the bean, the staple food cultivated by humans for over 10,000 years.

From the lentil to the soybean, every civilization on the planet has cultivated its own species of bean. The humble bean has always attracted attention - from Pythagoras' notion that the bean hosted a human soul to St. Jerome's indictment against bean-eating in convents (because they "tickle the genitals"), to current research into the deadly toxins contained in the most commonly eaten beans.

Over time, the bean has been both scorned as "poor man's meat" and praised as health-giving, even patriotic. Attitudes to this most basic of foodstuffs have always revealed a great deal about a society. Featuring a new preface from author Ken Albala, Beans: A History takes the reader on a fascinating journey across cuisines and cultures.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Berg Publishers
Published: 09/01/2007
ISBN: 9781845204303
Pages: 256
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 7.70h x 6.34w x 1.07d
Award: IACP Crystal Whisk Award - Winner
Award: IACP Crystal Whisk Award - Finalist

Review Citations: New York Times Book Review 10/14/2007 pg. 17