Henry Buhl Library: HIST 378: Food & Feasting: Start your Research

Background Reading

The Oxford Companion to Food
Call Number: Ref TX 349 .D36 2014
This single-volume work is a great place to start your research of foods, ingredients, foodborne parasites, places, time periods, religions and holidays, edible plants, and more
The Cambridge World History of Food, Part 1
According to the publisher, "this monumental two-volume work encapsulates much of what is known of the history of food and nutrition."
The Cambridge World History of Food, Part 2
ISBN: 9781139058643
According to the publisher, "this monumental two-volume work encapsulates much of what is known of the history of food and nutrition."
Encyclopedia of Food and Culture
Call Number: Ref GT 2850 .E53 2003 v. 1-3
This three-volume encyclopedia includes entries on countries and their cuisine, time periods, foods, famous chefs, food products and processes, and more. Each entry includes a lengthy bibliography.
World Food: an Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Social Influence from Hunter-Gatherers to the Age of Globalization
Call Number: Ref TX 349 .S66 2013 v. 1-2
This two-volume work includes entries on specific foods, diets of cultures/regions, people, fads, animals, health, and more.
Archaeology of Food: An Encyclopedia
Call Number: Ref GN 799 .F6 A73 2015 v.1-2
The encyclopedia serves as a reference for scholars and students in archaeology, food studies, and related disciplines, as well as fascinating reading for culinary historians, food writers, and food and archaeology enthusiasts.
The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink
Call Number: Ref TX 349 .O94 2007
The entries in this work include a historical overview of American food; places; ethnic and cultural cuisines; types of food and drinks; preparing, serving, and distributing food; cookbooks, government agencies and policy; and biographies.
Food and Drink in American History by Andrew F. Smith
Call Number: Ref TX 349 .F5716 2013 v. 1-3
This work contains more than 600 alphabetically arranged historical entries on American foods and beverages. The title includes dozens of historical recipes for traditional American foods.

An A to Z of Food and Drink by John Ayto
Seasoned throughout with literary wit and wisdom, this veritable feast of gastronomic words and phrases traces the origins and history of over 1,200 English terms for foodstuffs, dishes, and drinks.
Cooking Through History: a Worldwide Encyclopedia of Food with Menus and Recipes
Call Number: Ref TX 714 .C6543233 2021 v. 1-2
Surveys the history of cooking from the ancient world through the modern era.
Ethnic American Food Today
Call Number: TX 349 .E86 2015 v. 1-2
Ethnic American Food Today introduces readers to the myriad ethnic food cultures in the U.S. today. Entries are organized alphabetically by nation and present the background and history of each food culture along with explorations of the place of that food in mainstream American society today.
Food History Almanac by Janet Clarkson
Call Number: Ref TX 353 .C568 2013 v. 1-2
The Food History Almanac covers 365 days of the year, with information and anecdotes relating to food history from around the world from medieval times to the present.
Food in Time and Place
Call Number: TX 353 .F644 2014
Food in Time and Place delivers an unprecedented review of the state of historical research on food, endorsed by the American Historical Association, providing readers with a geographically, chronologically, and topically broad understanding of food cultures--from ancient Mediterranean and medieval societies to France and its domination of haute cuisine.
The Gourmet Atlas: the History, Origin, and Migration of Foods of the World
Call Number: Ref TX 349 .W37 1997
This resource provides information about specific food items (such as fish or bread) and maps depicting what types of those foods are prepared and eaten throughout the world. Recipes for regional dishes are also included.
The Oxford Companion to Cheese
The Oxford Companion to Cheese is the first major reference work dedicated to cheese, containing 855 A-Z entries on cheese history, culture, science, and production.

Salem History Online This link opens in a new window
Full-text access to the Great Lives & Great Events Encyclopedias, which provide overviews of important events and major figures throughout history. Feature examples include Betty Crocker Cookbooks, Fast Food, The Joy of Cooking, McDonald's, Microwave Ovens, Food trends in various decades, and more.

Encyclopedia of the Renaissance
Call Number: Ref CB 361 .E52 1999 v. 1-6
Covers all aspects of the Renaissance, including countries, people, events and more. Some highlighted entries include absolutism, the Counter-Reformation, England and the Reformation, the Holy Roman Empire, the Reformation, and the Wars of Religion.

Highlighted Titles in the Collection:

Cooking with the Bible: Biblical Food, Feasts, and Lore
"Cooking with the Bible is a feast for the body, mind, and spirit, providing contemporary cooks with recipes for eighteen meals described in the Judeo-Christian bible."
Food in the Ancient World
Provides a historical overview, as well as information on the foodstuffs, food preparations, eating habits, and concepts of diet and nutrition for four civilizations -- Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Celtic.
Food in Medieval Times
"New light is shed on everyday life in the Middle Ages in Great Britain and continental Europe through this unique survey of its food culture. "
Food in Early Modern Europe
Provides information about food & people, the ingredients used, cooking, cuisine by region, religion, diet, and food in literature for the period following the Middle Ages.

Start with some background reading.

Otherwise, identifying books and articles will take longer.

Tip: Use the links and books on this tab to help you locate names, dates, and keywords.

Your research will be better and take less time!
Use bibliographies to locate other books and articles.
Watch out for authors and/or titles that are cited over and over; they may be important.

Use of bibliographies is very valuable when you are building a comprehensive bibliography.