Garden History

As a nation of food-lovers we have been munching on fruit and veg, drinking tea and coffee, and using oils and spices for generations, but have you ever stopped to think how our most beloved foods came to be the way they are now? In Borough Market: Edible Histories, award-winning food writer Mark Riddaway takes us on a culinary journey through the most fascinating, surprising and downright bizarre stories behind Britain's favourite tipples and nibbles.

This charming book recounts the remarkable journey of the bagel from the tables of 17th-century Poland to the freezers of middle America today. The story is one of surprising connections between an unassuming ring-shaped roll and centuries of Polish, Jewish, and American history.

Meg Muckenhoupt begins with a simple question: When did Bostonians start making Boston Baked Beans? Storekeepers in Faneuil Hall and Duck Tour guides may tell you that the Pilgrims learned a recipe for beans with maple syrup and bear fat from Native Americans, but in fact, the recipe for Boston Baked Beans is the result of a conscious effort in the late 19th century to create New England foods. This toothsome volume reveals the effort that went into the creation of these foods and lets us begin to reclaim the culinary heritage of immigrant New England.

Vivas en su jardín is the memoir of the only survivor of the Mirabal sisters, killed by Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, an event made famous by Julia Álvarez in her book In the Time of the Butterflies. Four sisters (known as the Butterflies) founded a movement defying Trujillo’s dictatorship, and three died for their beliefs. Dedé Mirabal gives readers unparalleled insight into the lives of three modern heroines. (Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish.)

When Dr. David Hosack tilled the country's first botanical garden in the Manhattan soil more than 200 years ago, he didn't just dramatically alter the New York landscape; he left a monumental legacy of advocacy for public health and wide-ranging support for the sciences. In melodic prose, historian Victoria Johnson eloquently chronicles Hosack's tireless career to reveal the breadth of his impact. The result is a lush portrait of the man who gave voice to a new, deeply American understanding of the powers and perils of nature.

Beyond the garden wall lies a wealth of cultivated plants, each with a unique tale to tell. In The Grove, award-winning writer and head gardener Ben Dark reveals the remarkable secrets of 20 commonly found species—including the rose, wisteria, buddleja, box and the tulip—encountered in the front gardens of one London street over the course of year.

The ultimate guide to Guinness and the history, culture, and facts to help you find the perfect pint—from the pub to the pour—wherever you are. Including the all-important elements to look for in a Guinness pour—from exact foam height and storage temperature to the crucial glass shape and settling time—as well as what to run away from when seeking a beautiful pint and a crème de la crème guiding list of pubs in New York and around the world, Ian shares his expertise from many a “pint of plain” sank and enjoyed.

John Homans adopted his dog, Stella, from a shelter for all the usual reasons: fond memories of dogs from his past, a companion for his son, an excuse for long walks around the neighborhood. Soon enough, she is happily ensconced in the daily workings of his family. And not only that: Stella is treated like a family member - in ways that dogs of his youth were not. Spending humanlike sums on vet bills, questioning her diet and exercise regimens, contemplating her happiness - how had this all come to pass, when the dogs from Homans's childhood seemed quite content living mostly out in the yard?

Packed with a wealth of information, this publication charts the evolution of garden design through a selection of some of our best-loved country house estates and historic gardens, including Hampton Court Palace, Chatsworth, Sissinghurst, and Kew. In addition, it also provides fascinating profiles on the geniuses who created some of our most inspirational gardens, including William Kent, Lancelot "Capability" Brown, Humphry Repton, Gertrude Jekyll, and Sir Joseph Paxton.

Before New York City was the Big Apple, it could have been called the Big Oyster. Now award-winning author Mark Kurlansky tells the remarkable story of New York by following the trajectory of one of its most fascinating inhabitants–the oyster, whose influence on the great metropolis remains unparalleled.

Get ready to devour America. Adam Richman, the exuberant host of Travel Channel’s Man v. Food and Man v. Food Nation, has made it his business to root out unique dining experiences from coast to coast. Now, he zeroes in on some of his top-favorite cities - from Portland, Maine, to Savannah, Georgia - to share his uproariously entertaining food travel stories, top finds, and some invaluable (and hilarious) cautionary tales.

In Praise of Famous Horses is an A-Z companion to perhaps the most loved of all domesticated animals. The book's entries include a wealth of unexpected, fascinating and serendipitous information, from horse-slang phrases to horses in British pub signs and from the horse in advertising to the horse as a food item. Themes such as the horse in warfare and the horse in folklore abound.

Wovon hängt ab, was wir heute essen? Wer bestimmt, was morgen auf den Tisch kommt? Und woher stammen unsere Leibspeisen eigentlich? Tom Hillenbrand lädt zu einer rasanten Reise durch die kulinarische Geschichte der Welt ein – von den Lagerfeuern vor vielen Tausend Jahren über die Erfindung des Maises bis zum Hamburger der Zukunft. In diesem Essay zeigt er überraschende Zusammenhänge auf und schildert auf unterhaltsame und anregende Weise, was hinter den Gerichten steckt, die wir täglich essen.

Love and hope often arrive in the strangest places and in the strangest ways. During his tour of duty in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman of the U.S. Marines endured the emotional stress common for those involved in bloody battles for freedom. Although the rules forbid pets, Kopelman and his comrades adopted an abandoned puppy left behind after the battle for Fallujah. The dog (named Lava) befriended the Marines and journalists, and was eventually smuggled out of Iraq.

Is it possible to identify a starting point in history from which everything else unfolds — a single moment that can explain the present and reveal the essence of our identities? According to Massimo Montanari, this is just a myth: by themselves, origins explain very little and historical phenomena can only be understood dynamically — by looking at how events and identities develop and change as a result of encounters and combinations that are often unexpected.

What determines what we eat today? Who decides what ends up on our dinner tables tomorrow? And what are the real origins of our favorite foods? Tom Hillenbrand takes readers on a fast-paced journey through the culinary history of the world—from the campfires of many thousands of years ago to the invention of corn to the hamburgers of the future. Filled with astonishing insights and surprising connections, Hillenbrand's essay is a highly entertaining and thought-provoking portrayal of what lies behind the food we consume every day.

Have you ever pondered... What led to the creation of the humble sandwich? Why does chocolate have that irresistible allure? What's the story behind our morning cup of coffee? Like the ever-curious, you've perhaps questioned the origins of these everyday items on your plate. Prepare yourself for an enlightening journey as you uncover your favorite foods' unexpected and perhaps slightly peculiar history.

Jay Kopelman sets forth more than a dozen lessons, including: Life can change in an instant, but you'll be able to handle it; passion for something can help you tap into your most powerful reserve of energy; have a standard operating procedure for everything; and never forget who you are or how you got here. Active and retired troops, soldiers' friends and families, and everyone who has ever loved a dog will embrace this book.

La chiesa cattolica è stata messa a dura prova con la discesa di Napoleone in Italia. Ferdinando di Borbone e il Cardinale Ruffo si ritrovano sulla nave dell'ammiraglio Nelson per riscattare l'Italia dagli invasori francesi. Con loro l'artista grigionese Angelika Kaufmann. Molti pasticcieri svizzeri furono cacciati da Venezia, la loro arte si diffuse così in tutta Europa. Mazzini, amante delle torte e gran cuoco, unì l'Italia anche grazie alle ricette dei dolci svizzeri, sapendo abilmente mischiare ingredienti del Sud e del Nord.

Préparez-vous à vous régaler les yeux et les papilles en découvrant l'incroyable voyage des sushis sur tapis roulant avec L'histoire des sushis sur tapis roulant : De l'invention au phénomène international ! Depuis ses humbles débuts au Japon jusqu'à sa popularité mondiale, ce livre retrace l'histoire fascinante de la façon dont les sushis sur tapis roulant sont devenus une sensation culinaire mondiale.