No matter who we are or where we live on this planet, all life revolves around food. Yet food is more than the sustenance we need to stay alive; it is part of our culture and tradition and can be the very thing that defines us as a people. Food has the power to create relationships,change perspectives, and take us places we never thought possible.

It is through food that we create moments of togetherness; through food that we express ourselves; through food that we share times of celebration and sorrow: and through food that we mark the changing seasons and the passing of time. Food adds creativity to our days and excitement to our nights. It nourishes our minds, our bodies, and our souls.

No matter where we are from, how we cook, or what we enjoy, food enriches our lives in special moments and in the everyday.

No matter who we are or where we live, our lives revolve around food.Much more than simple sustenance, food is part of our culture and our traditions.Everything about eating--including what we eat, how it tastes, who prepares it, and who'sat the table--is a form of communication rich with meaning.  This beautifully illustrated, thought-provoking book explores the role of food in our lives.Paralleling a three-part PBS series hosted by acclaimed New York chef Marcus Samuelsson,The Meaning of Food goes on location to twenty ethnic communities across the United States and examines, through stories, pictures, and interviews, the many ways that food is an expression of our humanity. It shows how our attitudes, practices, and rituals around food reflect our most basic beliefs about our world and ourselves.Included in this book are the recipes from the television series and 200 color photographs,many of them captured from the series footage.  From an Italian-American wedding in San Diego, to a Mexican-American family'sChristmastime tradition of making tamales, to a South Carolina woinan's exploration of her Geechee heritage, The Meaning of Food sheds light on who we are as Americans.

PREFACE VIII

INTRODUCTION

FOOD &LIFE

WHAT IS FOOD?

WHAT IS A MEAL?

HOMEY FOOD 

SACRAMENTAL FOOD 

EROTIC FOOD

FOOD DENIED

SACRED FOOD

HOPEFUL FOOD

ETERNAL FOOD

FOOD &CULTURE

THE STAFFS OF LIFE

FOOD RULES

THE CREATION OF AN AMERICAN CUISINE

FOOD&FAMILY

FOOD AND GENDER 

AMERICAN FAMILY SEASON 

FAMILY RESTAURANT 

THE TABLE MAKES THE FAMILY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A WORLD OF TASTE:MARCUS SAMUELSSON

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX