Desert Terroir

Exploring the Unique Flavors and Sundry Places of the Borderlands

Nonfiction, Food & Drink, Healthy Cooking, Natural Foods, International, USA
Cover of the book Desert Terroir by Gary Paul Nabhan, University of Texas Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Gary Paul Nabhan ISBN: 9780292742840
Publisher: University of Texas Press Publication: December 15, 2009
Imprint: University of Texas Press Language: English
Author: Gary Paul Nabhan
ISBN: 9780292742840
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Publication: December 15, 2009
Imprint: University of Texas Press
Language: English

Why does food taste better when you know where it comes from? Because history—ecological, cultural, even personal—flavors every bite we eat. Whether it’s the volatile chemical compounds that a plant absorbs from the soil or the stories and memories of places that are evoked by taste, layers of flavor await those willing to delve into the roots of real food. In this landmark book, Gary Paul Nabhan takes us on a personal trip into the southwestern borderlands to discover the terroir—the “taste of the place”—that makes this desert so delicious.

To savor the terroir of the borderlands, Nabhan presents a cornucopia of local foods—Mexican oregano, mesquite-flour tortillas, grass-fed beef, the popular Mexican dessert capirotada, and corvina (croaker or drum fish) among them—as well as food experiences that range from the foraging of Cabeza de Vaca and his shipwrecked companions to a modern-day camping expedition on the Rio Grande. Nabhan explores everything from the biochemical agents that create taste in these foods to their history and dispersion around the world. Through his field adventures and humorous stories, we learn why Mexican oregano is most potent when gathered at the most arid margins of its range—and why foods found in the remote regions of the borderlands have surprising connections to foods found by his ancestors in the deserts of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. By the end of his movable feast, Nabhan convinces us that the roots of this fascinating terroir must be anchored in our imaginations as well as in our shifting soils.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Why does food taste better when you know where it comes from? Because history—ecological, cultural, even personal—flavors every bite we eat. Whether it’s the volatile chemical compounds that a plant absorbs from the soil or the stories and memories of places that are evoked by taste, layers of flavor await those willing to delve into the roots of real food. In this landmark book, Gary Paul Nabhan takes us on a personal trip into the southwestern borderlands to discover the terroir—the “taste of the place”—that makes this desert so delicious.

To savor the terroir of the borderlands, Nabhan presents a cornucopia of local foods—Mexican oregano, mesquite-flour tortillas, grass-fed beef, the popular Mexican dessert capirotada, and corvina (croaker or drum fish) among them—as well as food experiences that range from the foraging of Cabeza de Vaca and his shipwrecked companions to a modern-day camping expedition on the Rio Grande. Nabhan explores everything from the biochemical agents that create taste in these foods to their history and dispersion around the world. Through his field adventures and humorous stories, we learn why Mexican oregano is most potent when gathered at the most arid margins of its range—and why foods found in the remote regions of the borderlands have surprising connections to foods found by his ancestors in the deserts of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. By the end of his movable feast, Nabhan convinces us that the roots of this fascinating terroir must be anchored in our imaginations as well as in our shifting soils.

More books from University of Texas Press

Cover of the book Winifred Sanford by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Roseborough by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book German Buenos Aires, 1900–1933 by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Metternich's Diplomacy at its Zenith, 1820-1823 by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book The Cross Timbers by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Mexican Jewelry by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Exchange and the Maiden by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Prehistory of the Rustler Hills by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Climate and Culture Change in North America AD 900–1600 by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Aspects of the Renaissance by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book The Behavior of Texas Birds by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Psycho-Sexual by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book Texas Turtles & Crocodilians by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book George W. Brackenridge by Gary Paul Nabhan
Cover of the book J. Frank Dobie by Gary Paul Nabhan
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy