American Appetite: The Coming of Age of a National Cuisine

by Leslie Brenner

Winner of the 1999 Versailles World
Cookbook Fair Award For Best Culinary
History, English LanguageIn Leslie Brenner's "witty and sumptuous" look at the history of the American food revolution, an award-winning food writer traces a fascinating culinary heritage and looks to a promising future. Hundreds of years ago, Native Americans feasted on regional ingredients like Olympia oysters, fresh herbs, and wild fowl. Now the best American chefs are returning to those roots. How did we get here? From the Puritan diet to Prohibition, from Julia Child through waves of immigration in the 1960s, Brenner traces the evolution of a national cuisine in delicious detail. Highlighted by interviews with Ameria's leading culinary innovators, including Julia Child, Alice Waters, and Robert Mondavi--and aided by heaping dollops of wit and opinion--Brenner serves up a singular history of American cuisine that will be of deep interest to anyone who loves to eat well.

Genres: Food, Food History

384 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 1999

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kept comparing this book to some of the food books I come across and because this one was written 20 years ago, I have a feeling it would be have a different vibe if written today. The author talked a lot about her food background, and while I enjoyed it, I didn't get nearly as much out of it as say the grocery book I just posted. But I did like how she repeatedly mentioned that America needs to have its own cuisine, as opposed to the French influenced cuisine we've acquired since Julia child. She mentioned James beard whom I knew practically nothing about and how influential he was in terms of getting Americans to expand their horizons, as well as Alice waters, whom I didn't know much about. Even though I plan on reading it again, I bought it, I couldn't relate to all the talk about eating in restaurants.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in 1999, it's a good summary of the evolution of what you'd call "real American" food since the end of the Second World War. Chances are you've heard of most of the chefs she profiles as food in the United States began to take its place among the cuisines of the world, but she has fun with the subject and if the subject interests you, you will too.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia Child is one of my heroes, for her almost singlehanded transformation of the way Americans eat, and she has her proper place in this interesting history of American food. I wasn't as spellbound by this book as I was by Leslie Brenner's other food tome, The Fourth Star, but it was still a good solid read and a well-organized discussion of the way we eat, and how we got that way.

[Marshaferz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book can't decide if it's a serious study, a cultural history or the writer's own story. She seems unwilling to believe that there are any places in America worth discussing beyond NYC, LA, and San Francisco. I couldn't bring myself to finish this.