Bite by Bite: American History through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes by Marc Aronson (review)

Reviewed by: Bite by Bite: American History through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes by Marc Aronson Adam McConville Aronson, Marc Bite by Bite: American History through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes; by Marc Aronson, et al; illus. by Toni D. Chambers. Atheneum, 2024 176p Trade ed. ISBN 9781665935500 17. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781665935524 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. 5-9 With a pointed note that "every bite we take reflects the wider world in which we live, " Aronson and Freedman here set out a cultural anthropology of American cuisine sure to please history buffs and foodies alike. They aren't alone in setting the table: a series of subject matter experts offer contextualizing insights into Indigenous, African American, and Chinese food cultures. The result is a history of food that attempts to convey the depth and breadth of influences that co-mingle in modern "American" cuisine. Each example chosen—from salmon feasts by Indigenous people in the Pacific Northwest to the celebratory fish fries of formerly enslaved African Americans—is a touchpoint for the cultural, political, and socio-economic influences around the act of preparing, serving, and partaking in food. Chapters and commentary specifically decenter white European influences while still acknowledging their contributions, and there is a refreshing calling out of the insidious moral and racial judgments that deem some foods inferior and unhealthy. Bigger shifts in how food was served, from communal spaces like the soda fountain to the rise in fast food franchising to the return to locally produced foods, demonstrate community development and axes of resistance to culturally embedded sexism and racism. There's plenty of depth and context in each short chapter to leave readers satisfied, while end-of-chapter asides (dubbed "Side Dishes") offer palette cleansers that focus mostly on the origins of specific foods. Back matter includes conversational endnotes that give further context and commentary from all contributors, as well as an index. Final art not seen. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois