Smithsonian • American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us

This exploration of the American table presents a fresh look at what and how we've fed ourselves, for sustenance and for pleasure, through the lens of location, immigration, ingenuity, innovation, and culture. 

Learn about Native Americans growers and chefs who are reclaiming and reinventing Indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques. Meet a Black chef who gained national renown and culinary influence by showcasing her skills on her own television show in segregated New Orleans. And find out how everything from fondue to Jell-O salads to pumpkin spice (even in hummus) became national obsessions.

Cook your way through American history with over 40 iconic and notable recipes offered throughout the book. With chapters spanning coast to coast and stretching over centuries, this enlightening enriching, and entertaining collection uncovers the many histories of American food.