Smithsonian American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us

In collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, a sweeping history of food and culture that summons everyone to the table for a fresh look at the people, ingredients, events, and movements that have shaped how and what we eat in the United States

This exploration of the American table presents a fresh look at what and how we've fed ourselves, for sustenance and for pleasure, through the lens of location, immigration, ingenuity, innovation, and culture. Learn about Native Americans growers and chefs who are reclaiming and reinventing Indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques. Meet a Black chef who gained national renown and culinary influence by showcasing her skills on her own television show in segregated New Orleans. And find out how everything from fondue to Jell-O salads to pumpkin spice (even in hummus) became national obsessions.

Cook your way through American history with over 40 iconic and notable recipes in this unique cookbook. With chapters spanning coast to coast and stretching over centuries, this enlightening, enriching, and entertaining collection uncovers the many facets of American food history.

This one-of-a-kind food history and cookbook explores:

• American Culinary History: Discover the surprising stories behind national obsessions like Jell-O salads and pumpkin spice, all with the authority of the Smithsonian.
• Indigenous Ingredients: Meet the Native American growers and chefs who are reclaiming the cooking techniques and foods that are foundational to America’s table.
• Pioneering Chefs: Learn about trailblazers like the Black chef who hosted her own television show in segregated New Orleans, influencing palates across the nation.
• Over 40 Iconic Recipes: From coast to coast and across the centuries, cook your way through the American story with clear, accessible instructions for historical dishes.

. . .This trip is enhanced with fact bubbles and primary sources, bold food photography, and recipes sprinkled throughout. Additional chapters featuring food fads add nostalgia and humor while the chapter on personalities who shaped our cuisine is filled with unexpected facts . . . it will become a favorite among history buffs and foodies alike as they ramble through all the places, events, trends, and contributors that made up the nation’s foodways. VERDICT Suffused with facts, fun, and recipes, food and history enthusiasts will love this book. - Library Journal (starred review)

. . . a beautiful book filled with lovely imagery and a wealth of information . . . learn about Native Americans growers and chefs . . . a Black chef who gained national renown and culinary influence by showcasing her skills on her own television show in segregated New Orleans; and find out how fondue to Jell-O salads to pumpkin spice (even in hummus) became national obsessions. - Eat Your Books

Fulfilling its mission to collect and preserve all things American, the Smithsonian Institution has amassed a trove of culinary objects from across the continent, such as Julia Child’s kitchen, in the National Museum of American History . . .Cultural historians and foodies will learn from and enjoy this comprehensive and colorful book. - Booklist (starred review)