National Dish by Anya von Bremzen takes you round the world in a comprehensive and interesting history of food.

Anya von Bremzen's "National Dish" is a culinary odyssey that transcends borders, inviting readers to explore the rich tapestry of cultural identities woven into the fabric of our global cuisine. With a discerning palate and an insatiable curiosity, von Bremzen embarks on a journey that takes us from the charming streets of Paris to the bustling markets of Tokyo, from the vibrant kitchens of Seville to the historical flavors of Istanbul.

The book's central theme revolves around the age-old adage, "we are what we eat." However, von Bremzen takes this cliché and turns it on its head, revealing the complex and often surprising stories behind the dishes that define nations. Each chapter unfolds as a delectable exploration of a specific culinary heritage, offering insights into the decline of France's pot-au-feu, the misconceptions surrounding the origins of pizza, the fusion of indigenous and European influences in mole, and the intricate dance of multiculturalism in a meze potluck.

The narrative is a perfect blend of witty anecdotes and meticulously researched information, a testament to von Bremzen's prowess as a food writer. Her ability to weave personal experiences with historical context creates a narrative that is not only informative but also immensely engaging. Readers will find themselves immersed in the vivid descriptions of flavors, aromas, and the cultural significance of each dish.

"National Dish" delves into the paradoxes of our modern culinary landscape, where cosmopolitanism coexists with essentialism, and the locavore movement intersects with particularism. Von Bremzen navigates these complexities with finesse, uncovering the intricate relationship between food, cultural heritage, and national identity.

The book's strength lies in its exploration of how a nation's political and social identity is intimately tied to its palate. As von Bremzen takes us on this gastronomic journey, she prompts readers to reflect on the evolving nature of cultural identity in an era marked by globalization, migration, and culinary cross-pollination.

In conclusion, "National Dish" is a masterful work that transcends the boundaries of a traditional culinary exploration. Anya von Bremzen's meticulous research, combined with her witty storytelling, elevates the book beyond a mere collection of recipes to a profound examination of the intertwined relationship between food and culture. For anyone passionate about the intersection of gastronomy, history, and identity, "National Dish" is a literary feast that satiates the intellect and the senses alike.

This was an interesting book looking at food through a journey of different places and its history through conversations with cooks and people and somethings you realise food can be weaponised for Nationalism but overall found the book very interesting and informative.

This was a really interesting exploration of personal history, food and culture and it made me hungry as I was reading some of the chapters.
I was fascinated to see how often what we call a 'national dish' is a piece of marketing or propaganda and how proprietorial people can become over food. The adage that food brings you together isn't always true.
At times I got a bit bogged down and I'd also have liked a few recipes in the text.

Such an interesting read - often we consume food without even thinking why it's been considered famous enough to be called a national dish, where it came from and how it got to its prominence, My only gripe with this is that the book has too much author in it, but it is down to everyone's personal preference, of course.

Dieses Buch war ganz interessant. Jedoch hätte ich es schön gefunden hätte man ab und zu ein paar Bilder als Untermalung gehabt.

I have always been fascinated by the history of food and how what you eat is influenced by the culture you live in, hence my request for this book.
It was such a satisfying read, scholarly, intimate, playful and insightful journey through the bars, kitchens, restaurants and streets of six influential cities. We start in Paris, followed by Naples, Tokyo, Seville, Oaxaxa (Mexico) and Istanbul. The author travels with Barry who is a consistent presence in the travelogue and one hopes an enthusiastic taster of foods.
There is some mythbusting along the way - the origin of pizza margherita, the rise of ramen (US influenced), how marketing and propaganda have influenced what we currently perceive to be authentic iconic dishes. It is a delightful book which explores how dishes have become iconic, much to do with cultural diaspora to other countries. These people looked to recreate tastes of home with the ingredients they had to hand which in itself created a different authenticity.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC and to @fuschiadunlop for flagging this up in her Instagram account.

This was a really great insight into foods from around the world, many of which I'd not heard of before. I'm trying to explore more diverse ingredients in my own cooking, and this is proving a useful tool in finding more inspiration and ideas.

Thank you to the author, Pushkin Press/ONE and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book is interesting, but is quickly revealed as a fallacy - it is impossible to pinpoint one national dish as representative for a whole country. This will not be a surprise to anyone that has had any exposure to other cultures, and the author acknowledges this, but then still tries to squash the premise into the book. While I enjoyed the author's writing style - part memoir, part travelogue and encounters/interviews with locals, part historical trivia - overall I found it not as satisfying as I had hoped. Inconvenient truths seem to get swept aside in favor of less complicated ideas, cliches, and accounts of eating and drinking extraordinary amounts of food and alcohol. Having said that, I do want to clarify that the chapter on borscht was excellent - which is bolstered by her own cultural background and deep familiarity with food and history in that part of the world.

I love reading about the history of food and this book didn't disappoint, maybe the only way it did disappoint was that there were not enough dishes covered but that might be impossible to do. Anyway, I loved traveling around the world in some of most famous dishes in certain countries and to read about the history behind those dishes.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in food and its history.

An interesting book about the concept of 'national dishes' - this had everything I was supposed to love about nonfiction in one package. But what determined it for me was the writing style. I attempted to read Anya Von Bremzen's first book - a memoir about her early life in the Soviet Union - but found the writing style difficult to get along with. And whilst I managed to get through a solid half of this book before giving up, the writing still sometimes felt like wading through treacle. This is not a book to read with half your brain - it's a complex, tricky thing that requires your full attention at all times. There so many moving parts, so many people. She tries to weave history in with travelogue with memoir and it just didn't work for me. It wasn't bad at all, just not really my thing.

Highly enjoyable, although I preferred her previous book, "Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking". This one, about national dishes, covers just a few countries, starting with France which was the one I knew best and found somewhat lacking - the dish is pot au feu, which she says has been chosen as a unifying dish but then she writes there are regional differences but she doesn't go into detail... I found the chapter on Japanese food, ramens and Gohan rice, really interesting although it doesn't really cover rice as much as ramens. The final chapter on borsch (is it Russian? Is it Ukrainian?) was excellent.

I love food and love food from all countries. This is a book for me! A book where the author has highlighted 6 nationalities and the history of their food.

It is such an interesting book and one that will change your idea of where food and recipes come from and how they become developed into what we know today. It is fascinating, fun to read, very interesting if you love food and the history of it. It is an exploration of food and one that never got boring for me as I just couldn't put it down. I wanted to know more.

A great read, informative, interesting and ever so tasty.

Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.