Darra Goldstein – författare

A sweet tooth is a powerful thing. Babies everywhere seem to smile when tasting sweetness for the first time, a trait inherited, perhaps, from our ancestors who foraged for sweet foods that were generally safer to eat than their bitter counterparts. But the "science of sweet" is only the beginning of a fascinating story, because it is not basic human need or simple biological impulse that prompts us to decorate elaborate wedding cakes, scoop ice cream into a cone, or drop sugar cubes into coffee. These are matters of culture and aesthetics, of history and society, and we might ask many other questions. Why do sweets feature so prominently in children's literature? When was sugar called a spice? And how did chocolate evolve from an ancient drink to a modern candy bar? The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets explores these questions and more through the collective knowledge of 265 expert contributors, from food historians to chemists, restaurateurs to cookbook writers, neuroscientists to pastry chefs. The Companion takes readers around the globe and throughout time, affording glimpses deep into the brain as well as stratospheric flights into the world of sugar-crafted fantasies. More than just a compendium of pastries, candies, ices, preserves, and confections, this reference work reveals how the human proclivity for sweet has brought richness to our language, our art, and, of course, our gastronomy. In nearly 600 entries, beginning with "à la mode" and ending with the Italian trifle known as "zuppa inglese," the Companion traces sugar's journey from a rare luxury to a ubiquitous commodity. In between, readers will learn about numerous sweeteners (as well-known as agave nectar and as obscure as castoreum, or beaver extract), the evolution of the dessert course, the production of chocolate, and the neurological, psychological, and cultural responses to sweetness. The Companion also delves into the darker side of sugar, from its ties to colonialism and slavery to its addictive qualities. Celebrating sugar while acknowledging its complex history, The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets is the definitive guide to one of humankind's greatest sources of pleasure. Like kids in a candy shop, fans of sugar (and aren't we all?) will enjoy perusing the wondrous variety to be found in this volume.

Described in the "2008 Saveur 100" as 'At the top of our bedside reading pile since its inception in 2001', the award-winning "Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture" is a quarterly feast of truly exceptional writing on food. Designed both to entertain and to provoke, "The Gastronomica Reader" now offers a sumptuous sampling from the journal's pages - including essays, poetry, interviews, memoirs, and an outstanding selection of the artwork that has made Gastronomica so distinctive. In words and images, it takes us around the globe, through time, and into a dazzling array of cultures, investigating topics from early hominid cooking to Third Reich caterers to the Shiite clergy under Ayatollah Khomeini who deemed Iranian caviar fit for consumption under Islamic law. Informed throughout by a keen sense of the pleasures of eating, tasting, and sharing food, "The Gastronomica Reader" will inspire readers to think seriously, widely, and deeply about what goes onto their plates. Gastronomica is a winner of the "Utne Reader's" Independent Press Award for Social/Cultural Coverage.

"Every Georgian dish is a poem."—Alexander PushkinAccording to Georgian legend, God took a supper break while creating the world. He became so involved with his meal that he inadvertently tripped over the high peaks of the Caucasus, spilling his food onto the land below. The land blessed by heaven's table scraps became Georgia.Nestled in the Caucasus mountain range between the Black and Caspian seas, the Republic of Georgia is as beautiful as it is bountiful. The unique geography of the land, which includes both alpine and subtropical zones, has created an enviable culinary tradition.  Winner of the IACP Julia Child Award for Cookbook of the Year, The Georgian Feast introduced a generation of cooks to the rich and robust cuisine and culture of Georgia. This revised and expanded anniversary edition features new photography, recipes, and an essay from celebrated wine writer Alice Feiring.

Celebrated food scholar Darra Goldstein takes readers on a vivid tour of history and culture through Russian cuisine.  The Kingdom of Rye unearths the foods and flavors of the Russian land. Preeminent food studies scholar Darra Goldstein offers readers a concise, engaging, and gorgeously crafted story of Russian cuisine and culture. This story demonstrates how national identity is revealed through food—and how people know who they are by what they eat together. The Kingdom of Rye examines the Russians' ingenuity in overcoming hunger, a difficult climate, and a history of political hardship while deciphering Russia's social structures from within. This is a domestic history of Russian food that serves up a deeper history, demonstrating that the wooden spoon is mightier than the scepter.

Celebrated food scholar Darra Goldstein takes readers on a vivid tour of history and culture through Russian cuisine.  The Kingdom of Rye unearths the foods and flavors of the Russian land. Preeminent food studies scholar Darra Goldstein offers readers a concise, engaging, and gorgeously crafted story of Russian cuisine and culture. This story demonstrates how national identity is revealed through food—and how people know who they are by what they eat together. The Kingdom of Rye examines the Russians' ingenuity in overcoming hunger, a difficult climate, and a history of political hardship while deciphering Russia's social structures from within. This is a domestic history of Russian food that serves up a deeper history, demonstrating that the wooden spoon is mightier than the scepter.

Nikolai Zabolotsky (1903-1958) was one of the great poets of twentieth-century Russia. As the last link in the Russian Futurist tradition and the first significant poet to come of age in the Soviet period, Zabolotsky wrote poetry both highly experimental and classical. This book, first published in 1994, was the first critical biography of Zabolotsky to appear in English. Goldstein examines not only Zabolotsky's poetic career but also his life, from his obscure origins in the Russian countryside to his arrest and imprisonment in the 1930s. At the same time, Goldstein highlights the deep ambiguity of Zabolotsky's era by exploring the ways in which the poet was influenced both by the artistic avant-garde and by the Soviet scientific establishment.

Nikolai Zabolotsky (1903-1958) was one of the great poets of twentieth-century Russia. As the last link in the Russian Futurist tradition and the first significant poet to come of age in the Soviet period, Zabolotsky wrote poetry both highly experimental and classical. This book, first published in 1994, was the first critical biography of Zabolotsky to appear in English. Goldstein examines not only Zabolotsky's poetic career but also his life, from his obscure origins in the Russian countryside to his arrest and imprisonment in the 1930s. At the same time, Goldstein highlights the deep ambiguity of Zabolotsky's era by exploring the ways in which the poet was influenced both by the artistic avant-garde and by the Soviet scientific establishment.

Preserved: Fruit brings together 25 recipes for jams, syrups, shrubs, and pickles from all over the world. This is the second of six short books devoted to all aspects of food preservation.Recipes for pickled cherry and rose jam, citrus peel powders, and pomegranate molasses will give new life to seasonal bounty and add dimension to your everyday cooking. The authors all lend stellar credentials and as a trio they bring a mix of professional cookery and preserving experience, food journalism experience, and expertise on food history. This is a highly giftable book and series for anyone who wishes to hone their knowledge of preservation.

Preserved: Drinks showcases recipes for sodas, wines, beers, liqueurs, and everything in between inspired by flavors and techniques from around the world. Following Condiments and Fruit, and Preserved: Drinks is the third in a series of six short books devoted to food preservation.  Learn to infuse vodkas, make your own amaro, and brew beers and ciders. The recipes in Preserved: Drinks, including those for Pu-Erh Vodka, Sarsaparilla Soda, Pear Kvass, Mango Tepache, and Aged Eggnog, will take you on a preservation journey across the globe that spans hundreds of years of drink history.    The authors, Darra Goldstein, Cortney Burns, and Richard Martin, all lend stellar credentials and as a trio bring a mix of professional cookery and preserving experience, food journalism experience, and expertise on food history to the pages of Preserved.   This is a highly giftable book and series for anyone who wishes to hone their knowledge of preservation.

Preserved: Vegetables brings the magic of pickles, ferments, and chutneys from all around the world to your home pantry. Following Condiments, Fruit, and Drinks, Preserved: Vegetables is the fourth in a series of six short books devoted to food preservation.  Utilizing salt preservation, fermentation, vinegar curing, and other techniques that span the history of food preservation, Preserved: Vegetables adds depth and dimension to any modern larder with recipes like Green Tomato Marmalade, Ajvar, the Balkan charred pepper paste, and Misozuke, for Japanese style miso-cured vegetables.   The authors, Darra Goldstein, Cortney Burns, and Richard Martin, all lend stellar credentials and as a trio bring a mix of professional cookery and preserving experience, food journalism experience, and expertise on food history to the pages of Preserved.   This is a highly giftable book and series for anyone who wishes to hone their knowledge of preservation.

The only book on preserving you'll ever need! A vast and ambitious hardback cookbook featuring over 150 preserving recipes for drinks, condiments, snacks, and sweets.Organized by how long each recipe takes, there is something for all timescales—from quick pickles that are ready that day to methods that take weeks or months but can survive for years. Cultured draws on culinary traditions from around the world, employing techniques such as drying, canning, freezing, pickling, fermentation, salting, and freeze-drying. Making condiments like harissa and adjika, as well as staples and treats like kimchi, sauerkraut, preserved lemons, horchata, and pomegranate molasses to eat now and enjoy later has never been easier. The recipes are also accompanied by information on how to use these preserved foods to transform your cooking. Written by the authorities in the field, and filled with fascinating essays, stunning photography, and illustrations, this volume is destined to become the go-to resource for all things preservation.