Inside the California Food Revolution: Thirty Years That Changed Our Culinary Consciousness (California Studies in Food and Culture)

These days television viewers and food consumers alike are treated to lots of familiar phrases such as “eat fresh, eat local” and “seasonal ingredients” and “farm-to-fork,” but many folk today are unaware that thirty years ago – in one of the most populous states in the United States – these catchy lines were yet to be uttered. Author Joyce Goldstein artfully regales readers with the information-packed tales of ordinary (but curious) chefs launching an initially quiet food revolution. These adventuresome chefs experimented with area edibles and overhauled their menus, re-interpreting known dishes using fresh, local ingredients… a practice later labeled “California Cuisine.”

This book begins at a time when items commonly used today – such as arugula and goat cheese – were wholly unknown in average United States kitchens, before the establishment of various food and cooking channels. A successful chef, author and restaurateur, Goldstein writes with a strangely calm exaltation, clearly taking pride in having lived through such game-changing trends in food preparation, fondly recounting for readers the stories of many a rising super-star in California cuisine.