English Garden History

In Drinking in America, best-selling author Susan Cheever chronicles our national love affair with liquor, taking a long, thoughtful look at the way alcohol has changed our nation's history. This is the often-overlooked story of how alcohol has shaped American events and the American character from the 17th to the 20th century.

As late as the 1960s, tacos were virtually unknown outside Mexico and the American Southwest. Within fifty years the United States had shipped taco shells everywhere from Alaska to Australia, Morocco to Mongolia. But how did this tasty hand-held food - and Mexican food more broadly - become so ubiquitous? In Planet Taco, Jeffrey Pilcher traces the historical origins and evolution of Mexico's national cuisine, explores its incarnation as a Mexican American fast-food, shows how surfers became global pioneers of Mexican food, and how Corona beer conquered the world.

Archaeological evidence proves that women in ancient Mesopotamia had great political and religious status during the Garden of Eden period where, once upon a time, goddesses and gods lived harmoniously together. That is why there was a design and rhythm to the Garden of Eden, a yin and yang concept. Through the veil of ignorance, we lost that paradise. To create that balance in a new way, we first have to heal the earth by opening certain stories and putting them back onto the page and into our collective memory. In Mesopotamian Goddesses: Unveiling Your Feminine Power, Eric Hoffer award-...

With a new introduction exclusively in audio, read by Anna Pavord. The Tulip is not a gardening book. It is the story of a flower that has made men mad. Greed, desire, anguish and devotion have all played their parts in the development of the tulip into the worldwide phenomenon it is today. No other flower has ever carried so much cultural baggage; it charts political upheavals, illuminates social behaviour, mirrors economic booms and busts and plots the ebb and flow of religious persecution.

Based on extensive archival research as well as interviews with the movement's key players going back to the 1960s, this acclaimed book is the most comprehensive chronicle yet of one of the most interesting and lucrative culinary trends in the US since World War II. Acitelli weaves the story of the rise of American craft beer into the tales of trends like Slow Food and the rebirth of America's urban areas, and paints an unforgettable portrait of plucky entrepreneurial triumph.

How Would You Like Your Mammoth? is a chronological journey through the culinary history of humankind, with fifty short, snackable essays packed to the brim with juicy tidbits and cultural insights. With author Uta Seeburg as your guide, you'll learn not only which dishes are linked to key cultural moments, but also how each represents the social hierarchy and values of the civilization that invented it.

Originating as a 1950's creative partnership between feminist/futurists Annselm L.N.V. Morpurgo and Billie Ann Taulman under the pen name 'Artemis Smith', the early collaborative effort in the arts became severely affected by Taulman's incapacitation and long and debilitating illness. Its culture-shattering militant agenda (and eventual bid for a Nobel) is contained in the Information Science Unisex Manifesto that "while System Architecture may vary, Soul Is Gender-Free" and was carried forward into the 21st Century by Morpurgo, publishing under the renewed label of 'ArtemisSmith'. ...

A tasty compendium of spices and a fascinating history and wide array of uses of the world’s favorite flavors - The Book of Spice: From Anise to Zedoary reveals the amazing history of spices both familiar and esoteric. John O’Connell’s erudite chapters combine history with insights into art, religion, medicine, science, and they’re richly seasoned with anecdotes and recipes.

The George and Matilda stories all revolve about events or facts that concern orchids. The stories range from the discovery of rare plants in the long ago past to the extinction of species in a future time. The stories are unique in that while each tale takes place in a different time era and country, the characters and their personalities always remain the same. George and Matilda are usually accompanied by George’s best friend William and Matilda’s great-aunt Bertha. Most of these stories were originally published in the "Orchid Digest" and a few of those were also translated for the ...

As America transformed from fledgling nation to world power, one element remained constant: alcohol. The 18th century saw the Father of His Country distilling whiskey in his backyard. The 19th century witnessed the lavish expenses on wine by the Sage of Monticello, Honest Abe's inclination toward temperance, and the slurred speech of the first president to be impeached.

During a 30-year boom period in France between the end of World War II and the 1974 oil crisis, Paris was not only the world's most delicious, stylish, and exciting tourist destination; it was also the world capital of gastronomic genius and innovation. The Gourmands' Way explores the lives and writings of six Americans who chronicled the food and wine of this era, paying particular attention to their individual struggles as writers, to their life circumstances, and to their particular genius at sharing awareness of French food with mainstream American audiences.

In Top Dog, Maria Goodavage takes listeners into the life of Lucca K458, a decorated and highly skilled military working dog. An extraordinary bond developed between Lucca and Marine Corps handler Chris Willingham, launching what became a legendary 400-mission career. A Specialized Search Dog, Lucca belongs to an elite group trained to work off-leash at long distances from her handler.

James Beard award - winning author Adrian Miller vividly tells the stories of the African Americans who worked in the presidential food service as chefs, personal cooks, butlers, stewards, and servers for every First Family since George and Martha Washington. Miller brings together the names and words of more than 150 black men and women who played remarkable roles in unforgettable events in the nation's history.

Have you ever wanted to sip on liquid history while feeling like the classiest person in the room? The Old Fashioned is your passport to the storied world of one of the most legendary cocktails. This audiobook is part guide, part love letter, and part subtle reminder that sometimes the best things in life come with bourbon and bitters. Whether you're a cocktail newbie or a seasoned shaker-wielding pro, this book will have you stirring (or muddling) your way to Old Fashioned greatness with a grin on your face and a glass in hand.

Embark on the latest voyage through time and taste with "Fruits of History Volume 4: Cucurbit Confidential" by Dennis Santaniello. This installment delves into the enigmatic world of cucurbits, uncovering the pivotal role this diverse family has played from antiquity to the present. Beyond the familiar watermelons and pumpkins, this volume introduces readers to the intricate saga of squashes and gourds, whose stories are as rich and varied as their flavors. "Cucurbit Confidential" stands as a tribute to these botanical powerhouses, aiming to enlighten and entertain a broad readership. From ...

Food writer Jonathan Kauffman journeys back more than half a century - to the 1960s and 1970s - to tell the story of how a coterie of unusual men and women embraced an alternative lifestyle that would ultimately change how modern Americans eat. Impeccably researched, Hippie Food chronicles how the longhairs, revolutionaries, and back-to-the-landers rejected the square establishment of President Richard Nixon's America and turned to a more idealistic and wholesome communal way of life and food.

This enticingly fresh audiobook introduces modern listeners to lost American food traditions and leads them on a tantalizing culinary journey through the evolution of our vibrant cuisine and culture. Covering a hundred different foods from the Native American-era through today and featuring over a dozen recipes and photos, this fascinating history of American food will delight history buffs and food lovers alike.

In Red Sauce, Ian MacAllen traces the evolution of traditional Italian-American cuisine, often referred to as "red sauce Italian," from its origins in Italy to its transformation in America into a new, distinct cuisine. It is a fascinating social and culinary history exploring the integration of red sauce food into mainstream America alongside the blending of Italian immigrant otherness into a national American identity.

In Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits, journalist Aaron Goldfarb goes on an adventure in vintage spirits. This is an intoxicating story of obsessives on the hunt for old bottles of whiskey, tequila, rum, chartreuse—you name it—from estate sales, grandpa's liquor cabinet, and out-of-the-way and inner-city liquor stores that may just have a case or a few bottles lying around in the basement.

America is more than just a fast food nation. Food Americana is the inside story of how generations of Americans have formed a national cuisine with tastes from all over the world. Fried chicken was a distinctly Southern dish - now it's the Sunday night special at the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Hollywood. A Utah restaurant won Maine's annual Best Lobster Roll competition. And perhaps the ultimate all-American dish, pizza, is served up in 30 different styles, a total of three billion pies a year, an average of 23 pounds for each of us.