Whether you're digging into a slice of cherry cheesecake, burning your tongue on a fiery piece of Jamaican jerk chicken, or slurping the broth from a juicy soup dumpling, eating in New York City is a culinary adventure unlike any other in the world. Hosting the homeland flavors of more than two hundred countries, the city encourages a vibrant mix of communities and cultures that results in a smorgasbord of fusions and flavors. Cuban-Chinese restaurants, Russian banquet halls with sushi bars, Afghani restaurants that are both halal and kosher-these combinations would not be possible without New York's unparalleled cultural resources and the infinite inventiveness of its inhabitants. Compiling a portrait that's both fascinating and deliciously fun, Gastropolisexplores the endlessly evolving relationship between New Yorkers and food. From pre-European Lenape clamming to modern-day dining trends, Gastropolisbuilds a history that's much more complex than straight facts and statistics. The collection begins with cuisine combinations, such as "Mt. Olympus bagels" and "Puerto Rican lasagna," and follows with a history of food and drink before the arrival of Europeans in 1624. It covers early farming practices; the function of place and memory Asian cuisine; growing and eating up in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx; avant-garde chefs, entrepreneurs, and patrons; peddlers and markets; Latino and Asian influences; the evolution of Jewish food icons; cooking in Harlem; and restaurant dining as it relates to identity. Touching on everything from religion, nutrition, and agriculture to economics, politics, and psychology, Gastropolistells a story of immigration, amalgamation, and assimilation and the rich interplay between tradition and change, individual and society, and identity and community.Whether you're digging into a slice of cherry cheesecake, burning your tongue on a fiery piece of Jamaican jerk chicken, or slurping the broth from a juicy soup dumpling, eating in New York City is a culinary adventure unlike any other in the world. Compiling a portrait that's both fascinating and deliciously fun, Gastropolisexplores the endlessly evolving relationship between New Yorkers and food. From pre-European Lenape clamming to modern-day dining trends, Gastropolisbuilds a history that's much more complex than straight facts and statistics. The collection begins with cuisine combinations, such as "Mt. Olympus bagels" and "Puerto Rican lasagna," and follows with a history of food and drink before the arrival of Europeans in 1624. It covers early farming practices; the function of place and memory Asian cuisine; growing and eating up in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx; avant-garde chefs, entrepreneurs, and patrons; peddlers and markets; Latino and Italian influences; the evolution of Jewish food icons; cooking in Harlem; and restaurant dining as it relates to identity. Touching on everything from religion, nutrition, and agriculture to economics, politics, and psychology, Gastropolistells a story of immigration, amalgamation, and assimilation and the rich interplay between tradition and change, individual and society, and identity and community in New York City."A highly original collection. I know of no other book quite like it. The authors and editors are exceptionally fine writers and scholars in the emerging area of food studies." -- Warren Belasco, University of Maryland"While New York may be the subject of more food writing than any other site in the United States, this volume will surprise, enchant, and enlighten. The collection shines." -- Frederick Kaufman, author of A Short History of the American StomachA sampling of the city's rich food heritage.
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