About 2 million cookbooks are sold in the United States each year, and they regularly top bestseller lists. However, not all books about food contain recipes; after all, food is the rare topic that touches the lives of everyone on Earth—and one that intertwines with discussions about politics, the environment, the economy, and even technology. Here are three books on food-related topics, all recommended by Kirkus Indie, that will give readers plenty to chew on:
In Mobilize Food!: Wartime Inspiration for Environmental Victory Today, Canadian journalist Eleanor Boyle discusses how the United Kingdom’s policies regarding food production and distribution changed drastically during World War II. A newly appointed Minister of Food implemented rationing and other actions to boost farm productivity; he also encouraged home gardening and discouraged food waste; as a result, the health of the country’s citizens improved. Boyle looks at this history to make the case that the modern world is fighting its own war against climate change, and she surveys various activities that encourage sustainability and, in the case of farmers and ranchers, “produce healthy food that is affordable and kinder to animals, local environments, and climate.” Kirkus’ reviewer notes that “many readers’ eyes will be opened to a large-scale problem and the potential for addressing it through concerted, deliberate action.”
Restaurants, especially in big cities, are key drivers of local economies. In Delivering the Digital Restaurant: Your Roadmap to the Future of Food, Meredith Sandland and Carl Orsbourn draw on their expertise in restaurant development to explore how food delivery has become steadily more popular—in part, because of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which people started spending far more time at home. Members of younger generations patronize restaurants frequently, and they’re already very familiar with online delivery platforms—for them, the authors note, “delivery is the new drive thru. And the rest of the population is not far behind.” Sandland and Orsbourn give readers a panoramic look at delivery systems worldwide, drawing on more than 100 interviews with restaurant professionals along the way. The book is “an essential road map for operating restaurants successfully in the modern age,” according to Kirkus’ review.
Americans waste tons of food every year, in part by throwing away perfectly edible food scraps. Jean B. MacLeod’s The Waste-Wise Kitchen Companion: Hundreds of Practical Tips for Repairing, Reusing, and Repurposing Food aims to address this by showing readers other options. Instead of tossing apple peels, for instance, she notes that one can “turn them into a refreshing beverage with water and a little lemon juice (simmer until soft; strain, pressing firmly on the pulp to extract all the liquid; and then sweeten if desired).” She also suggests no less than 12 ways to salvage leftover mashed potatoes. These are just a few of the numerous tips here, all organized alphabetically by food type and sure to encourage reflection: “After browsing through this book, readers will likely feel inspired—and perhaps even a bit guilty over all the food they’ve wasted in the past,” writes Kirkus’ reviewer.
David Rapp is the senior Indie editor.
