Food Microhistories

Small scale stories can sometimes reveal bigger ideas and trends.  That's the thought behind a type of writing called microhistory.  By exploring the history of a smaller item or event, larger historical and cultural themes are revealed in the process.

Each of the following microhistories are based on food.  Pick up a few titles and decide for yourself if small can also be big.

• The Story of Corn by Betty Fussell
• Hot Dog: A Global History by Bruce Kraig
• The Turkey: An American Story by Andrew F. Smith
• Glazed America: A History of the Doughnut by Paul R. Mullins
• Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light by Mort Rosenblum
• Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Change the World by Dan Koeppel
• Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober Pea by Andrew F. Smith
• Nature's Perfect Food: How Milk Became America's Drink by E. Melanie DuPuis 
• The Devil's Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee by Stewart Lee Allen
• A Brief History of Tea: The Extraordinary Story of the World's Favorite Drink by Roy Moxham