A Tale from the Garden

I just finished reading this lovely, very French book.  Comprised of a series of lectures rewritten as essays, it's a fun read.  Well, a very literary fun read, spiked with quotes from Pliny.  Tracing the long histories of many common vegetables that grace our tables and grow in the back gardens of the world, it is just fascinating to read.  For example, the cardoon was once more popular than the artichoke, but somewhere in the 13th century, that all changed.  (I have no idea what a cardoon is, but I can't wait to meet it.)  And the conquistadors were much more enamored of the squash than the tomato, which they viewed with grave suspicion.  Don't even get me started on the bean--oh, that wily bean!

So, perhaps you are a bit peckish for a very readable, "smart" book all about vegetables, then this is the book for you.  If nothing else, you might just feel a little filled with a certain je nes sais quoi upon completion.  Ooh la la!