The Taste of Conquest by Michael Krondl

The Taste of Conquest by Michael Krondl

The Taste of Conquest offers up a riveting, globe-trotting tale of unquenchable desire, fanatical religion, raw greed, fickle fashion, and mouthwatering cuisine-in short, the very stuff of which our world is made. In this engaging, enlightening, and anecdote-filled history, Michael Krondl, a noted chef turned writer and food historian, tells the story of three legendary cities-Venice, Lisbon, and Amsterdam-and how their single-minded pursuit of spice helped to make (and remake) the Western diet and set in motion the first great wave of globalization. Sharing meals and stories with Indian pepper planters, Portuguese sailors, and Venetian foodies, Krondl takes every opportunity to explore the world of long ago and sample its many flavors. Along the way, he reveals that the taste for spice of a few wealthy Europeans led to great crusades, astonishing feats of bravery, and even wholesale slaughter.

As stimulating as it is pleasurable, and filled with surprising insights, The Taste of Conquest offers a compelling perspective on how, in search of a tastier dish, the world has been transformed.

Praise for The Taste of Conquest

An altogether rich, perfectly seasoned slice of world history.
-The Boston Globe

As a chef I have always been deeply intrigued by the mystique of spices. Michael Krondl's book awakens and transports the reader into this mysterious world, showing us how our lives and history have been transformed by the sensuous odors of cardamom, nutmeg, and turmeric.
-Gray Kunz, chef and owner of Caf Gray and Grayz, co-author of The Elements of Taste

Fascinating . . . spicy reading for food and history lovers alike.
-Associated Press

A delicious treat.
-The Vancouver Sun

Witty and erudite.
-Financial Post

Enticing.
-Chicago Tribune

Michael Krondl is a chef, food writer, and author of Around the American Table: Treasured Recipes and Food Traditions from the American Cookery Collections of the New York Public Library and The Great Little Pumpkin Cookbook. He has published articles in Good Food, Family Circle, Pleasures of Cooking, and Chocolatier, and has contributed entries to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. He lives in New York City.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780345480835
ISBN 10	034548083X
Title	The Taste of Conquest
Author	Michael Krondl
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Random House USA Inc
Year published	2007-12-31
Number of pages	320
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.