Gastropolis: Food and New York City

Whether you're digging into a slice of cherry cheesecake, burning your tongue on a fiery piece of Jamaican jerk chicken, or slurping the broth from a juicy soup dumpling, eating in New York City is a culinary adventure unlike any other in the world. Hosting the homeland flavors of more than two hundred countries, the city encourages a vibrant mix of communities and cultures that results in a smorgasbord of fusions and flavors. Cuban-Chinese restaurants, Russian banquet halls with sushi bars, Afghani restaurants that are both halal and kosher-these combinations would not be possible without New York's unparalleled cultural resources and the infinite inventiveness of its inhabitants.Compiling a portrait that's both fascinating and deliciously fun, Gastropolis explores the endlessly evolving relationship between New Yorkers and food. From pre-European Lenape clamming to modern-day dining trends, Gastropolis builds a history that's much more complex than straight facts and statistics. The collection begins with cuisine combinations, such as Mt. Olympus bagels and Puerto Rican lasagna, and follows with a history of food and drink before the arrival of Europeans in 1624. It covers early farming practices; the function of place and memory Asian cuisine; growing and eating up in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx; avant-garde chefs, entrepreneurs, and patrons; peddlers and markets; Latino and Asian influences; the evolution of Jewish food icons; cooking in Harlem; and restaurant dining as it relates to identity. Touching on everything from religion, nutrition, and agriculture to economics, politics, and psychology, Gastropolis tells a story of immigration, amalgamation, and assimilation and the rich interplay between tradition and change, individual and society, and identity and community.