Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink

This book is very good in many ways and is well worth having in a cookbook library. However, it is not truly complete, and Mariani's "facts" are not invariably correct. Mariani is well traveled, but his heart and soul are in New York City, and it shows. He is of Italian ancestry, and it shows. Regardless, I am happy to own the book, and do, on occasion, refer to it.

John Mariani's comprehensive work includes many recipes, from the simplest to those involving many steps and considerable cooking experience and skill, from Colonial foods to present day dishes. I found this book fascinating, sat down and read it cover to cover, and rose up eager to try some of the recipes. There were dozens of varieties of fish listed, including many I have never cooked or eaten. There were colorful colloquialisms, some of which would be familiar to modern readers, others from long-ago times. A great general interest book, Mariani's work especially appeals to "foodies" ( one of the contemporary terms he defines). Readers will gain an appreciation for the bounty of the 21st century American table as well as an understanding of how our foremothers creatively improvised with basic ingredients like cornmeal and molasses. This book is highly recommended as a page-turning overview of the surprising sophistication and palate-pleasing delights of American cuisine!

Good quality second hand great value

Fascinating Read, with classic recipes sprinkled throughout. If you are curious about American Food and Drink, you will enjoy this reference book!

Wonderful read and a great book if you are into food and drink!

Great resource!

Great deal

Comprehensive, helpful and fun to read, this book presents information on nearly any food, ingredient or beverage you might be interested in knowing about. It's a triva-lover's compendium full of facts and tidbits, that any foodie will enjoy (and yes, "foodie" is in there, too!)There are a couple of surprise omissions, iconic Midwest dishes such as City Chicken and Jo Jo Potatoes aren't in there, nor is Creole as an entry (I went looking for the difference between Cajun and Creole). One error I noted was that the author says Chicken Cacciatore (or pollo alla cacciatora in Italian) is an Italian American specialty that doesn't exist by this name in Italy. Pollo alla Cacciatore, however, was a recipe presented by Pellegrino Artusi in his cookbook in 1891, so was already widely enough known as a dish then in Italy. (Trivial, but still easy enough to have been verified.)Overall, it's a fun and fact-filled book for anyone interested in American food history.

Does what it says on the cover and a great source of reference. I am very pleased as it makes sense of some terms regularly found in online recipes. If you have an interest in American cuisine then a very good choice.