From Utne Reader, here is a feast of reading about food. Michael Pollan on why $8 for a dozen eggs makes sense. From The Common Review, empire and alcohol: A review of I Drink Therefore I Am: A Philosopher’s Guide to Wine by Roger Scruton; The Prohibition Hangover by Garrett Peck; Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer and Other Alcoholic Beverages by Patrick E. McGovern; The King of Vodka: The Story of Pyotr Smirnov and the Upheaval of an Empire by Linda Himelstein; and Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba by Tom Gjelten. Market history: Historian Tracey Deutsch studies how food consumption has evolved in the 20th century. An interview with David Gentilcore, author of Pomodoro! A History of the Tomato in Italy (and more). There’s a thesis to be written on the ever-increasing number of food magazines out there — it must mean something. A review of What Caesar Did For My Salad: Not to Mention the Earl's Sandwich, Pavlova's Meringue and Other Curious Stories Behind our Favourite Food by Albert Jack. Table Manner: Anthony Grafton on the disposition of the Last Supper. In Praise of Fast Food: We need a culinary ethos that comes to terms with industrialized food. A review of Messianic Hopes and Politics in the Food Movement by Nicholas Sabloff. Here are 7 food myths you probably know (but are worth repeating). Christopher Shea on how Consumer Reports rebuts Malcolm Gladwell on ketchup. De Condimentis: Tom Nealon’s Foucauldian-condimental history of the West.
