Starred Review. Historic individuals who have contributed to the world of food and cooking are the subject of food historian Arndt's (Seasoning Savvy: How To Cook with Herbs, Spices, and Other Flavors) unique and useful reference book, in which 88 distinguished culinary scholars, food writers, and cooking professionals contribute 190 succinct yet thorough biographical essays on culinary figures ranging from Betty Crocker to Amelia Simmons. Included are all of the expected names like Elizabeth David, Isabella Beeton, and Fannie Merritt Farmer, and the book is particularly valuable for its selection of essays devoted to less famous but equally important individuals such as Abby Fisher and those from countries other than the United States, including Norway's first culinary star, Henriette Schönberg Erken, and German cookbook author Erna Horn. Bottom Line While biographical information on some of the individuals covered in this book can also be found in other sources, such as the Encyclopedia of Kitchen History, this work contains enough unique and valuable information to merit its own place in culinary reference collections. Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries, especially those with a demand for resources on the culinary arts. John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

What fun! It's about time a book looked at the culinary world from a biographical perspective. This volume is an eclectic dictionary of influential people in the culinary fields throughout history, from the sixth century B.C.E. to the twenty-first century. Among the subjects are famous characters, for example, Juan Altamiras, an eighteenth-century Franciscan monk and cook who wrote Nuevo Arte de Cocina; Josephine Cochrane, who patented the idea for the dishwasher in 1893; Auguste Escoffier, whose name has come to represent haute cuisine; Edouard de Pomiane, a pioneer food scientist and food anthropologist; and two Childs: Lydia Maria, author of the Frugal Housewife, first published in 1829, and Julia, the doyenne of television cooking shows. Each entry offers pertinent biographical details and a description of how the person fits into culinary history. A short bibliography of the person's writings about food and cooking is also included when warranted. Most entries are accompanied by black-and-white photographs or drawings. Editor Arndt is also the author of Seasoning Savvy: How to Cook with Herbs, Spices and Other Seasonings, (Hayworth, 1999). Contributors include a who's who of culinary historians, anthropologists, and food writers such as Karen Hess, author of the Carolina Rice Kitchen: The African Connection (University of South Carolina Press, 1998) and Anne Mendelson, author of Stand Facing the Stove: The Story of the Women Who Gave America The Joy of Cooking (Scribner, 2003). The volume concludes with a categorical listing of the people covered by occupations (chef, cookbook author, food historian, nutritionist), followed by a list of the culinary texts mentioned within the entries. The index is perhaps the only thing to disappoint, as it is only an index of names, those mentioned in the entries as well as those who are the subjects of entries, and does not include topics, such as dishwasher. Recommended for public and academic libraries as an enjoyable read as well as a good basic introduction to culinary research. DianaShonrock. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Culinary Biographies seeks to recognize all those who have made contributions to the field of gastronomy, regardless of their primary claims to fame. Included alongside Julia Child and Ray Kroc are unexpected notables such as Alfred A. Knopf (for the gastronomic aspect of his publications) and Thomas Jefferson (for his introduction of French influences to Virginia cookery). Fictitious characters such as Betty Crocker are also included. Eighty-seven contributors from a variety of backgrounds add to the flavor of this book; however, most are from the culinary field. Short biographies of the contributors can be found in the back of the book. Of the nearly 200 biographies, most include portraits. Some entries include a bibliography of the person's publications related to the field. The book is indexed by name, subject, and geographical location. A chronological listing of significant culinary texts is also included. The editor notes that she has made every attempt to be as international in scope as possible and acknowledges that this is a work in progress. She solicits input and/or corrections for future editions. This unique work is well written and very readable. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers. General Readers; Lower-division Undergraduates; Upper-division Undergraduates; Graduate Students; Researchers/Faculty; Two-year Technical Program Students; Professionals/Practitioners. Reviewed by P.J. Beegle. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.