The Ark of Taste Delicious and distinctive foods that define the United States

The Slow Food movement, which began in 1980s Northern Italy as an antidote to the scourge of American fast food, is now taking a lens to the culinary cultures and traditions of the country that spawned it. Organized by region and interspersed with recipes, this visual encyclopedia honors and preserves heirloom plant and animal growing traditions by examining the history of North American foods and how perceptions of them have shifted over time. For example, the Southwest-grown Christmas lima bean, now prized for its vibrant purple-and-white mottled appearance and mellow, nutty texture and taste, was shunned in the 1890s when white foods were preferred. The Cayuga duck also fell victim to the white-food trend, losing favor even though its darker meat was more toothsome than that of other fowl. The popularity of foods like the Colorado-grown Moon and Stars watermelon highlights how visual appeal can outweigh taste to inspire sales. Readers interested in the biodiversity of North American foods will enjoy this deep dive into stories of bountiful variety and how it has shaped cultural identity.

Slow Food's Ark of Taste project is an effort to catalogue and raise awareness about the amazing range of heritage foods available, in an effort to preserve and promote them before they disappear. Foods from across the United States are compiled in this resource for food lovers and history buffs alike. Each region of the country is represented, from the Northeast to the Pacific Northwest, with a variety of foods, their histories, and how they help define the U.S. as a country. Distinctive breeds and heirloom varieties that readers may not have heard of (such as Cayuga duck and Long Island cheese pumpkin) fill the pages, along with some more familiar and beloved items, such as Tupelo honey and Carolina Gold rice. Throughout the book, there are recipes scattered from each area that use at least one, but sometimes more, of the ingredients mentioned. Cocktails, dinners, desserts, and more are represented in what is an intriguing approach to learning about both food and how it relates to American history. VERDICT A distinctive look at heritage food in the U.S. that is packed with information.--Sarah Filiberto