“Offers the ever-delicious reminder that cookbooks remain a form of dynamic and satisfying literature, full of rich and abundant details (the footnotes and bibliography alone make the book a worthwhile read). Notaker has given us a feast of information and details about the evolution of the cookbook, and no matter what the subject, food scholars are sure to find something worth devouring in this essential text.”—Graduate Association for Food Studies Journal
"...a dense but well-argued and researched work, taking a new and intriguing approach to a popular subject."—CHOICE
“This astonishing book brings thoroughness, discipline, and a new level of scholarship to the history and the nature of one of the commonplaces in our lives. Henry Notaker examines the cookbook through a meticulous dissection of the roles of all those who participate in its creation. He traces the complex process, from the inventive mind of the cook to the responsibilities of the writers, designers, printers, and even those who ultimately see to the distribution of a physical volume that might be found in kitchens anywhere. This is not, however, some kind of simple behind-the-scenes-at-the-zoo tour; it is a profound exploration of a cultural product through a rigorous exploration of the many contexts in which it comes into being. And, beyond that, it is marvelous to read—serious but companionable and rich with good stories. This is a treat for food lovers and for those who love reading about books.”—Nach Waxman, Kitchen Arts & Letters, New York City
“An absolutely magisterial and meticulously researched study of printed cookbooks from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century. The details revealed are immense and the author’s grasp of the material astonishing.”—Ken Albala, author of
Beans: A History “An innovative and original literary history of the Western cookbook that is extraordinarily broad in its range—from the social status of cooks to the evolution of time-keeping devices.”—Barbara Santich, author of
Bold Palates: Australia’s Gastronomic Heritage