SC - Book review from _Choice_

[Jenne Heise]

Reviewed in Choice magazine:

"Symons, Michael.  A history of cooks and cooking.  Illinois, 2000. 388p
bibl index afp ISBN
    0-252-02580-6, $30.00 . Reviewed in 2000dec CHOICE. 
    Symons's book contains accurate history, is a fascinating read, and
will delight anyone interested in food.
    He shows food to be one of the arts, albeit a consumable one. The
wonderful mix of present day and
    ancient times presents aspects as diverse as the relationship of food
to gender, literature, the Industrial
    Revolution, and global exploration and immigration. Symons shows us
that lore and history of food is
    factual, fascinating, and fundamental. Food is so fundamental to
language that many food terms have been
    absorbed into language and have long lost their original association.
Food is so fundamental to culture
    that, like language, it can define it. Symons serves all these topics
and more in foretastes, entrées (entrees) ,
    and desserts with word derivations, stories, historical accounts, and
even a look at a chef creating his art
    in fusion cuisine restaurant. Anyone with an even slight connection to
food will want this award-winning,
    well-written, and well-documented volume to sit with and read, and to
have as a resource. All levels."