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Distributed for Reaktion Books

Sausage

A Global History

Distributed for Reaktion Books

Sausage

A Global History

When you get right down to it, taking the intestine of an animal and stuffing it with the ground meat of that animal doesn’t really seem all that intuitive an approach to food preparation. But, as Gary Allen shows in this rich and engaging history, people worldwide have been making sausage for thousands of years. A veritable alphabet of sausages, from the Cajun andouille—and its less spicy forerunner, a French saucisson of the same name––and Mexican chorizo all the way to the Italian zampone, Allen tells a story of relentless creativity and invention, as different cultures found countless delectable ways to transform these otherwise unappealing pieces of meat. Allen peppers his account with examples from all over the world, as well as antique posters and advertisements, artworks and cartoons; together, they build a picture of a food that has been beloved—even as it’s scoffed at—throughout human history, and remains a spicy favorite today.

160 pages | 40 color plates, 20 halftones | 4 3/4 x 7 3/4 | © 2015

Edible

Food and Gastronomy


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Reviews

“Allen explores, region by region, and sometimes country by country, some of the broad categories and local specialties. These are slim volumes, and so far from exhaustive, but there’s an impressive overview here. From the German sulzwurst (a gelatine-bound sausage containing vinegar and/or pickles) to the Lebanese makanek (glazed with pomegranate molasses), from the beef sujuk (prevalent in Islamic countries) to Kazakhstan’s kazy (dried, smoked sausages made with salted horseflesh and garlic) to the Thai sai krok lueat (curry-flavoured blood sausages), the reader can’t help but be struck by the range of ingenuity—and perhaps sometimes desperation—that’s been applied to humanity’s most mobile meat.”
 

Hans Rollman | PopMatters

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. What is Sausage, and Where did it Originate?
2. Some Historical Sausages and the Links Between Them
3. Sausages of Europe
4. Sausages from Everywhere Else
5. Technology and the Modern Sausage
6. Sausage: Theme and Variations
Conclusion
 
Recipes
Appendix: A Selection of Regional Sausages
References
Select Bibliography
Websites and Associations
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index

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