Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat An American History

(Paperback)

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Does God have a recipe

Independent food historian Christina Wards highly anticipated Holy Foodexplores the influence of mainstream to fringe religious beliefs on modern American food culture. Author Christina Ward unravels the numerous ways religious beliefs intersect with politics and economics and, of course, food to tell a different story of America. It's the story of true believers and charlatans, of idealists and visionaries, and of the everyday people who followed themoften at their peril. Holy Foodexplains how faith pioneers used societal woes and cultural trends to create new pathways of belief and reveals the interconnectivity between sects and their leaders.

Religious beliefs have been the source of food "rules" since Pythagoras told his followers not to eat beans (they contain souls), Kosher and Halal rules forbade the shrimp cocktail (shellfish are scavengers, or maybe G-d just said "no"). A long-ago Pope forbade Catholics to eat meat on Fridays (fasting to atone for committed sins). Rules about eating are present in nearly every American belief, from high-control groups that ban everything except "air" to the infamous strawberry shortcake that sated visitors to the Oneida Community in the late 1800s. In America, where the freedom to worship the god of your choice and sometimes of your own making, embraced old traditions and invented new ones.

Holy Foodlooks at how the explosion of religious movements since the Great Awakenings (the nationwide religious revivals in the 1730s-40s and 1795-1835) birthed a cottage industry of food fads that gained mainstream acceptance. And at the obscure sects and communities of the 20th Century who dabbled in vague spirituality that used food to both entice and control followers. Ward skillfully navigates between academic studies, interviews, cookbooks, and religious texts to make sharp observations and new insights into American history in this highly readable journey through the American kitchen.

Holy Food features over 75 recipes from religious and communal groups tested and updated for modern cooks. Also includes over black and white images.

Reviews

About American Advertising Cookbooks: "A photograph of a luncheon-meat salad mold is scarcely more horrifying than the details that led to the creation of the dish. There is much to learn in this book." Florence Fabricant, New York Times

About American Advertising Cookbooks: "If the mind-blowing plethora of elegant and fastidiously researched recipes, adverts and book covers seems odd or silly to a reader, they are clearly not looking at what a quality piece of literature this book is. Ward's thorough research, accessible discussions on colonialism, Puritan and Calvinist practices, racism as a marketing ploy (Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben anyone), and the Christian Missionary connection to, well, fruit make American Advertising Cookbooks: How Corporations Taught Us to Love Spam, Bananas and Jell-O a necessary addition to anyone's library who is interested in food, US history, social politics or simply a damn good book." Ariel Schudson, Dangerous Minds

About Preservation:

Christina Ward's book Preservation is a surprisingly sprightly look at the history and practice of food preservation, complete with recipes for everything from kombucha to kimchee to jam. -Grumpy Book Reviews

With its deeply researched advice, some historical background about food preservation and recipesfrom garlic jelly and mak kimchi to spicy Guinness Stout mustard and green tomato pie filling Preservation is a treasure. -Edible Door Magazine

For canners who like a goodly dose of science with their jams and pickles, there is no better book than Christina Ward's comprehensive volume. She is a master food preserver who digs into the hows and whys of water activity, pectin, and the boiling water bath process. -Food in Jars

Preservation is a one-stop compendium on pickling, drying, and otherwise immortalizing virtually any munchie you can imagine, which can then be saved long-term for just the right post-pot pig-out. -Merry Jane

The book is flawlessly arranged, with careful summaries of the material and cautionary tales: After all, we are dealing here with matters of potential sickness, life and death. But the reader never feels daunted - preservation is a social process, like all labor, and Ms. Ward gives you the confidence to begin with the clearest possible step-by-step instructions. And it is also a very funny book. Even if you never pickle a single tomato, Preservation not only preserves the mind but spikes it with a healthy dose of vinegar and the sweetness of a nightjar's song. -CounterPunch Magazine

Author Bio

Christina Ward is an author, editor, and seeker. She is also the Vice
President and Editor of Feral House, a publisher noted for their books on outr
topics. She had the distinct pleasure of riding around town in the Wienermobile
with Padma Lakshmi on the hottest day in July of 2019 for "Taste the Nation."
Her
previous book, American Advertising Cookbooks-How
Corporations Taught Us To Love, Spam, Bananas, and Jell-O, earned positive
notice from Florence Fabricant in the New York
Times, Christopher Kimball of Milk Street
Radio, and numerous other journalists and readers.

Ward makes regular guest expert on public radio stations across the United States, delighting in 'working
blue' before 8 am. In her spare time, she is the
certified Master Food Preserver for Southeast Wisconsin and always picks up the
phone to answer pressing questions about jelly that won't set and soft pickles.