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Food: A Cultural Culinary History
- Narrated by: Ken Albala
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."
In fact, civilization itself began in the quest for food. Humanity's transition to agriculture was not only the greatest social revolution in history, but it directly produced the structures and institutions we call "civilization."
In 36 fascinating lectures, award-winning Professor Albala puts this extraordinary subject on the table, taking you on an enthralling journey into the human relationship to food. With this innovative course, you'll travel the world discovering fascinating food lore and culture of all regions and eras - as an eye-opening lesson in history as well as a unique window on what we eat today.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.
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What listeners say about Food: A Cultural Culinary History
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Jessica
- 12-28-13
One of my top 3 favorite courses!
Would you consider the audio edition of Food: A Cultural Culinary History to be better than the print version?
I love the audio editions of these courses, but would love to have access to some printed materials to go along with it.
Who was your favorite character and why?
I thoroughly enjoyed all the chapters. Some of the stand outs included the chapter on how agriculture and food gathering gave rise to civilization; the section on food in Greece and Rome, and the first cookbooks; the section about food in the Muslim culture, how animals must be humanely killed and a prayer said over them, basically thanking them for sustaining humans by giving up their own life; and the section on French cooking. I really like the way he explained GMOs, making the science simple and easy to understand. Prof Albala also did a great job wrapping up the course with "food for thought," discussing what the future might bring in an world whose resources are dwindling and whose population is growing.
What does Professor Ken Albala bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Prof Albala is an exceptional narrator and storyteller. Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He really pulls you into the story. And he has a great sense of humor. You never get bored.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No. Not that it wasn't riveting. It's just that it is very, very long, more than 30 hours. And it was packed with a ton of information, giving an overview that begins with hunter-gatherers, on through to the various ages and cultures, and closing with present food trends and what the future might have in store. I usually listened for 2 or 3 hours at a time and then had to stop and digest the information. I wrote down some of the names of the people and cookbooks he mentioned so that I could do further exploration later on the topics that interested me most.
Any additional comments?
If you love food and you love history, you will love this course. I'm a huge fan of the Teaching Company and have purchased about 20 courses from them and Audible over the years. This one ranks up there as one of my top 3 favorites.
165 people found this helpful
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- Stephanie
- 01-09-19
Didnt feel food orientated.
The author spent too much time on non food commentary. It felt more like an overview of the authors opinion of history and religion with food as an excuse. Great Courses has never let me down before but this book did not seem to enlighten me on the subject matter.
21 people found this helpful
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- Doris
- 06-03-14
A Little Over-ambitious
Food: A Culinary History covers foodways from the Stone Age to the modern vegetarian and organic movements. I enjoyed this quite a bit, and Prof. Albala certainly covers a lot of ground. For me, it was a bit too much ground. At several points, I felt I was listening to a rapid-fire list of foods, as he attempted to provide as complete an overview of each culture's foods as possible. Peacock's tongues! Pickled goldfish! Gold leaf! Overwhelming detail.
I think I would have enjoyed it more if he had talked a little less in each culture about the exotic foods the upper classes ate and picked one or two foods that each culture contributed or excelled in and talked in detail about that (as he did with French haute cuisine). More depth, a little less breadth. I've just finished the lecture series, but I would be hard pressed to remember many important details - it seemed like a flood of details, with no strong focus. He clearly knows his material, I'd like to read more of his writings, but preferably on a single topic.
85 people found this helpful
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- Kathryn
- 08-29-16
Great information, terrible finish
The professor is extremely engaging, interesting to listen to, and full of knowledge. He does a great job at weaving culinary trends and changes into traditional history. He does assume a fairly solid background knowledge; you might be lost if you're not strong in history.
He visits Asia and Africa briefly - the touch is nice, but as he admits, it's a very shallow overview.
Unfortunately, as he moves into the 20th & 21st centuries, the lectures begin to resemble a soap box. He goes off against "so-called labor saving devices," large industries, and modern conveniences (like cans). He has good information still, but it's much harder to take in amidst all the anti-progress views.
47 people found this helpful
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- colleen
- 05-12-15
A history class reinvented.
I bought all "The Great Courses" when they went on sale and this one is my favorite so far. Great narrator, interesting facts, and packed with history. Easy and engrossing listen. If you liked Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" you'll probably like this one.
78 people found this helpful
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- Susan C. Lawhorne
- 06-06-14
Excellent history of world through lens of food
If you could sum up Food: A Cultural Culinary History in three words, what would they be?
Informative and entertaining
Any additional comments?
An intriguing, panoramic trip through the history of the world through the story of food
13 people found this helpful
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- Marjee
- 11-19-14
What an enjoyable lecture
I'm a vegetarian and a foodie and I adored this course. There are so many connections Albala made that I had wondered about before. For instance, I've noticed that preparing Middle Eastern cuisine uses many of the same spices I'll pull out for when we're making Mexican food. I *just* made the connection that this has so much to do with the Arab presence in Spain. I also loved learning about the changes in diet and cooking habits from the time of ancient Greece throughout the Middle Ages and thinking about cuisines I don't normally think about, like what the Vikings ate and where in the world those foods persist.
This lecture is a blast and I've already started to re-listen to it and use what I've learned to regale colleagues and make small talk at parties. If you love food and enjoy cooking, you'll love this one!
54 people found this helpful
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- Thomas M Taylor
- 07-13-19
The potential to be deliciously interesting, but deceptively disappointing in its delivery
I absolutely love ancient cultures and history, but this needs to be prefaced before you purchase this book that the author/instructor is a deceptive liberal communist. His commentary is so biased that it dilutes the amazing history of the topic. There is no need for him to inject his liberalism into this topic and sprinkle his tainted opinions on the dishes.
10 people found this helpful
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- Pat
- 08-03-14
Have listened multiple times
Would you listen to Food: A Cultural Culinary History again? Why?
Yes, this lecturer is very accessible - easy to listen to and draws you in. The content is rich, and I particularly enjoyed the example recipes he shared across the cultures and time periods described.
21 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 08-10-13
This is a fabulous lecture series
I have been a fan and customer of the attaching company for years. I like this format better.
dr. Albala has a great command of history, and science. he is an expert guide to a world view of food throughout the ages. I enjoyed his lectures immensely.
My only complaint is that the chapters are not well separated as usual for the iPhone version.
21 people found this helpful
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- Fiona
- 12-07-15
Informative, interesting and entertaining.
I very much enjoyed this book, a good mix of facts with narrative context. Easy to listen to, informative and full of interesting information. I listened to this book for the most part with my 13 year old son. We listened to chunks at a time and both looked forward to the next section.
10 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 11-19-16
Oh, dear, poor America!
I find the last chapter particularly afflicting, the author's predictions, mainly for America, will no doubt cause a complete breakdown of society...
The course (as most great courses) is mainly US oriented, and as an Anglo-French European, I pick up so many inconsistencies, inaccuracies and downright errors (sometimes really funny: "Bresse bleu chicken" (doubtless he means poulet de Bresse, when speaking of AOC, or the fact that goat's cheese is always consumed fresh - he should try some of the hard, pungent, aged goat's cheeses in the Touraine...), the inaccuracies are too numerous to mention. The number of times he uses the expression "a whole slew of..." really gets on one's nerves. Well as you can see, I didn't like it, although I did learn a little.
43 people found this helpful
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- Elizabeth
- 12-13-16
History through the lens of gastronomy
This erudite and detailed history of culture and food both inspired and enlightened me! I cannot recommend this highly enough. I chpse this book (or lecture series as it turned out) on a whim but I have savoured the content at my leisure. It is a perfect journey companion, relax or even whilst you cook. I was delighted by the untelligent tone and range of topics. It is anthropology, science, psychology, sociology, creativity and more. Take the chance and try it...
2 people found this helpful
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- Teresa Cooper
- 11-21-15
The history of food.
A good set of lectures, for which I'm great-full as previous ones were less than engaging, which were brought alive by professor Ken Albala. All round enjoyable and reread-able.
2 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 07-15-15
Excellent
Really interesting lectures. A bit American orientated towards the end but still relevant. Good lecture style, made them very accessible. Well worth listening too. Changed my eating habits!
4 people found this helpful
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- Sithrandil
- 09-17-19
Very lightweight but quite fun
Possibly the most lightweight of all The Great Courses I have listened to. It would have been nicer if it had been more focused. Still, friendly and somewhat fun.
1 person found this helpful
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- Banana naan
- 10-08-16
Enjoyable and informative
Ken Alba, the lecturer, clearly loves the subject. Every now and then he chuckles at what he's saying and, annoying as that may sound, it's actually quite infectious and you wind up chuckling with him. Recommended.
1 person found this helpful
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- David Brady
- 07-15-16
I loved this
I want to go east my way through history right now! An excellent listen. It will make you hungry!
1 person found this helpful
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- Mr
- 04-12-16
Excellent summary course, knowledgeable lecturer
Covers all aspects of the history of food, including the myriad religious aspects which I had not previously considered. Runs roughly up to 2013 and the decline of molecular gastronomy.
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- Alison
- 11-25-15
Very informative
I really enjoyed the delivery and enthusiasm.
Well worth listening to and highly recommended as a source of both education and entertainment
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-16-17
A wonderful series.
Once, while hopelessly lost and driving in the country, miles from anywhere, I came across a pub surrounded by dense forest and a surprising number of parked cars. We went in and found a bustling restaurant, filled to capacity. mystified, for we were hundreds of miles from the nearest city, we asked for a table. The look we received! We were told that it was usual to bookonths in advance. For a country pub? In the middle of nowhere? A table was very generously given to us, located in a far corner of the room. We scanned the menu and ordered what turned out to be the best damn meal of my life. Surprised! Absolutely. We had stumbled upon a great gastronomic secret, known to only an elite few. And what a treat! So why tell this anecdote here? Because it has to do with food, sure. But there is an analogy here, because this lecture series was also a wonderful surprise. Like that jewel of a pub, found by chance and ever after revered, this lecture series is similarly a fortunate discovery, to be treasured ever after. Do not hesitate. Purchase this wonderful series of lectures. It is so much more than what you can possibly expect. Thank you Ken, for this great and enduring gift.
14 people found this helpful
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- Andrew Gordon
- 11-08-16
Hungry for more
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
My friend, you are what you eat, and what you eat is culturally and historically determined and if you want to understand this in any depth you need to listen to this series. You can eat donuts at the same time.
What other book might you compare Food: A Cultural Culinary History to, and why?
It is much like other lecture series but with the added advantage of being endlessly fascinating.
What about Professor Ken Albala’s performance did you like?
I like his pace and voice. He adds personal touches and emphases which create interest and a sense that he's talking to you, not just a hall of clapping robots.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
What has moved me is the content of the course that has stayed with me. From the earliest human diet, to the Roman feasts, migration of grains and plants, food fashion, the English diet, French court food and the restaurant code, health foods, all the hits are here.
Any additional comments?
There is no competition for fawning reviewers to get invited to one of Professor Ken Albala's dinner parties, but can I please be anyway?
3 people found this helpful
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- Millsy
- 11-02-18
Seriously interesting
If you are interested in the history of food across the globe, then like me you will find the majority of these lectures seriously interesting. The lectures start from the very earliest of recorded records of food and eating to the current day, the more recent years being pretty disturbing particularly if you happen to be Americans, fortunately I’m not. For instance, did you know that in the US what they call cheese is actually only 51% actual cheese, the rest being fillers and additives. Argh!
A word of warning, these lectures are likely to make you want to go back to basics, including buying your own whole wheat and grinding it for your own fresh whole wheat breads and such because the vast majority of bread produced is using wheat that has had all its nutritional value removed in order to be made from white flour. If however you do listen and choose to learn from history, you are likely to become a much healthier version of yourself.
I highly recommended this book. 🐨
5 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 04-10-18
Very interesting
As a nutritionist and foodie, the history of food has always fascinated me. And this course has only served to interest me further. Delightful and interesting. Prof Albala has a nice oratory style which kept me engaged throughout the whole 36 hours. Highly recommended to all.
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- AndrewH
- 07-18-17
New perspectives on food
Excellent review on all aspects of the "thing" that makes human beings tick - food! The information is so detailed and the presenter makes listening so enjoyable. His pronunciation of the different languages is excellent.
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- Rachel
- 05-15-17
Very enjoyable!
Fantastic course - I love histories viewed through specific lenses (art, architecture, music, medicine) so this was always going to be interesting for me, but this wasn't just interesting, it's also entertaining. Great lecturer! Ken Albala is superb! He makes all the aspects of his lecture really come to life. Brilliant!
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- Jacob
- 12-18-16
good for factual entertainment and global overview
I wanted more detail and discussion on a few things and it seemed to lose focus a bit at the end. Other than that, informative and enjoyable.
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- Tanveer
- 03-06-21
Good but not great.
I expected it to be a culinary history of the world, but it was totally concentrated on Europe in the earlier parts and America in the end. There was little or no effort spent on Indian, Chinese, Asian food.
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- Carolyn
- 11-24-19
Now on my third listen!
I get more out of this each time I listen. Such an interesting view of world history with diverse ideas. One of my favourite audio books. incidently the pdf that goes with it is substantial and excellent.
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- Bree
- 03-31-19
Riveting
When I got this book, I thought it would give me a bit of entertainment and maybe a few food "fun facts". I have come out the other side of this book with a firmer understanding of human history, how humans work and the importance of food on societies. Lecturer was intriguing, funny and relatable and his passion for the subject shone through.
Thoroughly enjoyed, will definitely listen again.
1 person found this helpful