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Description
This is the story of the bean, the staple food cultivated by humans for over 10,000 years.
From the lentil to the soybean, every civilization on the planet has cultivated its own species of bean. The humble bean has always attracted attention - from Pythagoras' notion that the bean hosted a human soul to St. Jerome's indictment against bean-eating in convents (because they "tickle the genitals"), to current research into the deadly toxins contained in the most commonly eaten beans.
Over time, the bean has been both scorned as "poor man's meat" and praised as health-giving, even patriotic. Attitudes to this most basic of foodstuffs have always revealed a great deal about a society. Featuring a new preface from author Ken Albala, Beans: A History takes the reader on a fascinating journey across cuisines and cultures.
Table of Contents
Preface, Acknowledgements and a Note on Recipes
1. Introduction
2. Lentils: Fertile Crescent
3. Lupines: Europe and Andes
4. Fava Beans: Europe
5. Peas, Chickpeas and Pigeon Peas
6. Oddballs and Villains
7. Mung and the Vignas: India
8. Black-eyed Peas: Africa, Soul Food
9. Phaseolus vulgaris: Mexico and the World
10. Limas and the Lesser Phaseoli: Andes
11. Tepary beans: Native Americans
12. Soy: China, Japan and the World
Postscript
Bibliography
Index
Product details

Published | 09 Mar 2017 |
---|---|
Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
Edition | 2nd |
Extent | 240 |
ISBN | 9781350026124 |
Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
Illustrations | 0 |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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A vividly entertaining history of the humble bean takes the reader on a curious, surprising and exciting journey across epochs, continents and cultures.
Raymond Blanc
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Charming.
New York Times
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I would strongly urge a reading of Beans by Ken Albala which entertainingly unravels that most complicated of legumes through space and time.
The Guardian
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Fresh and engaging from the start ... A must have for any serious foodie.
The Telegraph
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Extraordinarily detailed and amusing. ... It is a totally endearing mixture of expertise and whimsy and should, by rights, be a bestseller.
The Times
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Albala's range of geographical, historical and cultural references is extremely impressive.
Ian Sansom, Saturday Guardian

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