The process of building a new library is always a great intellectual and emotional exercise. It is a time to get reacquainted with old loves and discover new ones. Every Monday I head to my local used bookstore, Logos, to do some serious gleaning. This Monday I found a book I haven’t seen in years but was my first food book, Why We Eat What We Eat, How Columbus Changed the Way the World Eats by Raymond Sokolov. I read it as a young thing of 23, while flirting with the idea of going to culinary school. It has been so long since I’ve seen it, probably taken by one of many housemates, I had no memory of it being written by Raymond Sokolov. This book has probably influenced me the most, food wise. I always always think about why I’m eating what I’m eating. Always. It is a topic that shapes my day, the food I shop for, and how I nourish my daughter. A culinary tradition is as important as any, especially now when everything and anything is so readily available.
If you haven’t read this book, it is a must for your library. It is a great read and a real education on the relationship between ingredients and the development of a national cuisine. What would the Italian or Chinese kitchen be without the existence of the New World ingredients such as tomatoes and capsicum peppers? I shudder at the thought…
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