The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation by David Kamp is the entertaining study of how the American palate has grown since the start of the last century. He uses James Beard, Julia Child, and Craig Claiborne as his starting points. The book revolves around what happened before they were on the scene and then what happened during their "foodie" reign and then aftermath of their influence on how America eats.
It is fascinating to see how much Kamp manages to fit in his book. Everything from the East Coast restaurant scene, to the latest cookbook craze to the trickle down effect of gourmet food for the masses. He touches on the rise of French restaurant cooking in the U.S., to the Alice Waters/California effect, then to other international cuisines, and then the "Chef as a rock star" - thanks to the rise in food media coverage including the Food Network.
Even if you are not a true "foodie" (- would love it but can afford it!) this will take you on a study of the rise of your favorite cuisines and the wackiness of food trends. Kamp writes very well and this history of what and why we eat, is a whirlwind read from start to finish. Excellent!
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