Beans: A History - Ken Albala

Descriere

n nThis is the story of the bean, the staple food cultivated by humans for over 10,000 years. n nFrom 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. n nOver 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.n