In the Devil's Garden
A Sinful History of Forbidden Food
Deliciously organized by the Seven Deadly Sins, here is a scintillating history of forbidden foods through the ages—and how these mouth-watering taboos have defined cultures around the world.
From the lusciously tempting fruit in the Garden of Eden to the divine foie gras, Stewart Lee Allen engagingly illustrates that when a pleasure as primal as eating is criminalized, there is often an astonishing tale to tell. Among the foods thought to encourage Lust, the love apple (now known as the tomato) was thought to possess demonic spirits until the nineteenth century. The Gluttony “course” invites the reader to an ancient Roman dinner party where nearly every dish served—from poppy-crusted rodents to “Trojan Pork”—was considered a crime against the state. While the…
$27.99
March 4, 2003Stewart Lee Allen is the author of In the Devil's Garden: A Sinful History of Forbidden Food. Another book of his, The Devil's Cup, was published in more than six countries. He was born in California and has lived in Calcutta, Paris, Katmandu, and Sydney. He lives in Brooklyn.
