The Secret History of Food

Matt Siegel, author of The Secret History of Food: Strange but True Stories About the Origins of Everything We Eat, dives into the role food had in making society the way it is, adding yet another work into my recommended reading list. Informative, yet easy to read, this foray into science and history encapsulates much of what I want in a pre-bedtime book. Siegel craftily blends rather specific details into a flowing narrative, without excessively getting bogged down. An example of this is the discussion on bitterness perception - while calling out specific genes (TAS2R38) and the chemical compound used on test strips to determine taster/supertaster/nontaster status (6-n-propylthiouracil), he does so briefly, continuing on the primary point about the negative effects that being a supertaster can have, namely being so susceptible to bitterness, that coffee, dark chocolate, and even kale(!) can become almost unbearable. I sure am glad that I don't have this "super"power. 

Overall, the arc of the story hits on a vast array of topics. Some, like the correlation and even possibly causation between cooked food and the growth of human brains, are known to a wide audience. But for those who already know the basic information, Siegel adds some extra, perhaps less commonly known details. Apparently chimpanzees spend about 37% of their day chewing, a staggeringly huge number when compared to humans' 5%. Another example of the deeper dive into a well-known subject is corn consumption in the United States. Everyone has likely heard in from one source or another that corn is one of the fundamental building blocks of our current world order. But I had no idea that even the food wax on fruits is often made of it.

Some of the best parts of the book are the dives into more obscure topics. My favorite was a discussion about honey. Before describing its medicinal qualities, inability to go bad, and myriad of other lifesaving (literally in cases of German infanticide) or life-taking (in cases of infant botulism) properties, the use of honey in common language is touched on. I always thought that it was used as a kind nickname for special others because of its sweet connotations. But apparently it isn't so straightforward. Honeymoon originally was used for newly weds because the fresh love would wane like the Moon. Much more sinister meaning than expected.

Overall, this is a strong performing book. It broaches a broad range of topics, while feeling scaled down to an appropriate level of detail on each of them. In doing so, Matt Siegel proves his skills as a researcher and writer, much to my satisfaction.