Chillies

A Global History

Nonfiction, Food & Drink
Cover of the book Chillies by Heather Arndt Anderson, Reaktion Books
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Heather Arndt Anderson ISBN: 9781780236827
Publisher: Reaktion Books Publication: September 15, 2016
Imprint: Reaktion Books Language: English
Author: Heather Arndt Anderson
ISBN: 9781780236827
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Publication: September 15, 2016
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Language: English

There are some of us who can’t even stand to look at them—and others who can’t live without them: chillies have been searing tongues and watering eyes for centuries in innumerable global cuisines. In this book, Heather Arndt Anderson explores the many ways nature has attempted to take the roofs of our mouths off—from the deceptively vegetal-looking jalapeno to the fire-red ghost pepper—and the many ways we have gleefully risen to the challenge.
            Anderson tells the story of the spicy berry’s rise to prominence, showing that it was cultivated and venerated by the ancient people of Mesoamerica for millennia before Spanish explorers brought it back to Europe. She traces the chilli’s spread along trading routes to every corner of the globe, and she explores the many important spiritual and cultural links that we have formed with it, from its use as an aphrodisiac to, in more modern times, an especially masochistic kind of eating competition. Ultimately, she uses the chili to tell a larger story of global trade, showing how the spread of spicy cuisine can tell us much about the global exchange—and sometimes domination—of culture. Mixing history, botany, and cooking, this entertaining read will give your bookshelf just the kick it needs.
 

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

There are some of us who can’t even stand to look at them—and others who can’t live without them: chillies have been searing tongues and watering eyes for centuries in innumerable global cuisines. In this book, Heather Arndt Anderson explores the many ways nature has attempted to take the roofs of our mouths off—from the deceptively vegetal-looking jalapeno to the fire-red ghost pepper—and the many ways we have gleefully risen to the challenge.
            Anderson tells the story of the spicy berry’s rise to prominence, showing that it was cultivated and venerated by the ancient people of Mesoamerica for millennia before Spanish explorers brought it back to Europe. She traces the chilli’s spread along trading routes to every corner of the globe, and she explores the many important spiritual and cultural links that we have formed with it, from its use as an aphrodisiac to, in more modern times, an especially masochistic kind of eating competition. Ultimately, she uses the chili to tell a larger story of global trade, showing how the spread of spicy cuisine can tell us much about the global exchange—and sometimes domination—of culture. Mixing history, botany, and cooking, this entertaining read will give your bookshelf just the kick it needs.
 

More books from Reaktion Books

Cover of the book Vodka by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Fox by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book A New Philosophy of History by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book The Book of Skin by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Caravaggio and the Creation of Modernity by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Photography and Germany by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Peter Lanyon by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book The Triumph of Modernism by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Anatomy Museum by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Conscience by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Contemporary Iranian Art by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book A Brief History of Nakedness by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book USA by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book Rhododendron by Heather Arndt Anderson
Cover of the book John Cage by Heather Arndt Anderson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy