Description
In the tradition of Michael Pollan, Anthony Bourdain, and Mark Bittman, an exciting and globe-trotting account of ancient cuisines—from Neolithic wines to ancient Roman fish sauce—and why reviving the foods of the past is the key to saving the future.
Many of us are worried (or at least we should be) about the impacts of globalization, pollution, and biotechnology on our diets. Whether it’s monoculture crops, hormone-fed beef, or high-fructose corn syrup, industrially-produced foods have troubling consequences for us and the planet. But as culinary diversity diminishes, many people are looking to a surprising place to safeguard the future: into the past.
The Lost Supper explores an idea that is quickly spreading among restaurateurs, food producers, scientists, and gastronomes around the world: that the key to healthy and sustainable eating lies not in looking forward, but in looking back to the foods that have sustained us through our half-million-year existence as a species.
Acclaimed author Taras Grescoe introduces readers to the surprising and forgotten flavors whose revival is captivating food-lovers around the world: ancient sourdough bread last baked by Egyptian pharaohs; raw-milk farmhouse cheese from critically endangered British dairy cattle; ham from Spanish pata negra pigs that have been foraging on acorns on a secluded island since before the United States was a nation; and Neolithic wines from long-lost grapes uniquely capable of resisting quickly-evolving pests and modern pathogens.
From Ancient Roman fish sauce to Aztec caviar to the long-thought-extinct silphium, The Lost Supper is a deep dive into the latest frontier of global gastronomy—the archaeology of taste. Through vivid writing, history, and first-hand culinary experience, Grescoe sets out a provocative case: in order to save these foods, he argues, we’ve got to eat them.
Published in partnership with the David Suzuki Institute.
My Thoughts
Aimed at serious foodies and food historians, Grescoe’s work made me cringe, do some research, and share interesting bits with everyone around me as I read. There’s a bit of the “serious foodie” pretentiousness here that Grescoe smooths over with a sincere concern over the future of food and nutrition on our planet. I mean, is he seriously trying to get his young sons to make insects a daily part of their diet? I’m curious to know how that worked out, despite the clear evidence he provides of the nutritional value of insects.
And he doesn’t stop at insects, friends. He delves into other fascinating nutritional powerhouses among different cultures and describes his adventures in colorful and appealing detail.
This is a highly readable foray into the history of food and civilization from Neolithic times to the present day. I had not been exposed to the theory that agriculture is the root of the downfall of humans in history, which I found a fascinating thread through Grescoe’s travels across the globe.
“THE GREATEST MISTAKE in the history of the human race,” according to American geographer Jared Diamond, was farming. “With agriculture came the gross social and sexual inequality, the disease and despotism, that curse our existence.”
This would make a awesome book club selection and would generate some lively discussion, made even better by an accompaniment of chapulines for snacking.
Publication Date: September 19, 2023
Published By: Greystone Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy
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