Ken Albala is Professor of History and Director of Food Studies at the University of the Pacific, USA. He is the author of The Food History Reader and A Cultural History of Food in the Renaissance, both published by Bloomsbury.

A vividly entertaining history of the humble bean takes the reader on a curious, surprising and exciting journey across epochs, continents and cultures.

• List of RecipesPreface, Acknowledgements and a Note on Recipes1. Introduction 2. Lentils: Fertile Crescent 3. Lupines: Europe and Andes 4. Fava Beans: Europe5. Peas, Chickpeas and Pigeon Peas6. Oddballs and Villains 7. Mung and the Vignas: India8. Black-eyed Peas: Africa, Soul Food 9. Phaseolus vulgaris: Mexico and the World 10. Limas and the Lesser Phaseoli: Andes 11. Tepary beans: Native Americans 12. Soy: China, Japan and the WorldPostscriptBibliographyIndex

Ken Albala is Professor of History and Director of Food Studies at the University of the Pacific, USA. He is the author of The Food History Reader and A Cultural History of Food in the Renaissance, both published by Bloomsbury.

A vividly entertaining history of the humble bean takes the reader on a curious, surprising and exciting journey across epochs, continents and cultures.

• List of RecipesPreface, Acknowledgements and a Note on Recipes1. Introduction 2. Lentils: Fertile Crescent 3. Lupines: Europe and Andes 4. Fava Beans: Europe5. Peas, Chickpeas and Pigeon Peas6. Oddballs and Villains 7. Mung and the Vignas: India8. Black-eyed Peas: Africa, Soul Food 9. Phaseolus vulgaris: Mexico and the World 10. Limas and the Lesser Phaseoli: Andes 11. Tepary beans: Native Americans 12. Soy: China, Japan and the WorldPostscriptBibliographyIndex