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107 reviews for:
A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression
Andrew Coe, Jane Ziegelman
3.66 AVERAGE
107 reviews for:
A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression
Andrew Coe, Jane Ziegelman
3.66 AVERAGE
Summer Bingo-About Food
Well researched and interesting to read, this book looks at the history of food policy and ideas about nutrition in America during the first half of the 20th century. I found it sickening to read about the cruel attitude politicians had toward the hungry and needy and am sad that this attitude continues today. I gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for how my grandmothers cooked and their penchant for white sauce. I am thankful that they never made some of the dishes mentioned in this book!
Well researched and interesting to read, this book looks at the history of food policy and ideas about nutrition in America during the first half of the 20th century. I found it sickening to read about the cruel attitude politicians had toward the hungry and needy and am sad that this attitude continues today. I gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for how my grandmothers cooked and their penchant for white sauce. I am thankful that they never made some of the dishes mentioned in this book!
Interesting history- well written details of documented research from the 30s. From the culinary perspective gives it a nice feminine slant you don’t see often in these types of histories. It was pleasant to read that side
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Rather dry and focused on social developments as much as food. Fascinating how many things I take for granted or assume developed later were evolving from this period - some of the food trends that get joked about as low cuisine were responses to a limited pantry, for instance.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
A little bit long/tedious in points, but overall a pretty easy to consume history of the Depression, its policies, foibles and the opening world of food science and technology that occurred as a result.
Unfortunately, by reading this book, it just illustrates how little has changed in the world of politics, how little they care about the people in the country they are sworn to serve and how both sides are equally to blame for policy and inaction that could have helped the American people. That's no fault of our authors, just a depressing side note should you read this.
Unfortunately, by reading this book, it just illustrates how little has changed in the world of politics, how little they care about the people in the country they are sworn to serve and how both sides are equally to blame for policy and inaction that could have helped the American people. That's no fault of our authors, just a depressing side note should you read this.
informative
slow-paced
Interesting to me, as I find that particular part of American history fascinating. The Great Depression has left a long-lasting impact on us in many ways.
This book is subtitled "a culinary history," but its actual scope is much broader than that. Ziegelman and Coe use food as the framework for a social history that covers the Dust Bowl, the New Deal, the changing role of women in the early 20th century, and more. Along the way, readers will discover the origins of casserole cooking and Jell-O "salads," two food groups that were ubiquitous in my childhood. The authors also touch on lost traditions of regional cooking that are finding new life in the modern locavore movement.
Above all, though, reading about the intense deprivation so many families suffered during the Great Depression ought to make readers deeply thankful for the abundance most of us now enjoy.
Above all, though, reading about the intense deprivation so many families suffered during the Great Depression ought to make readers deeply thankful for the abundance most of us now enjoy.
informative
slow-paced