The Savory Sausage: A Culinary Tour Around the World

Rating:
Summary: The History of the World Through Sausage-Making
Review: I bought this book when I decided to make sausage at home. And it is still my bible for that purpose. Merinoff's recipes for breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, chorizo, bratwurst, New York "red hots," and others are all definitive, as far as I'm concerned.

And while each sausage recipe is spot on, I keep coming back to the book for its very well-written, entertaining history of civilization from the perspective of a sausage lover. The "comparative civilizations" aspect of the book is similar to Michael Jackson's books on the beers of the world. Merinoff explains how various sausages came to be made in their particular area of the world--and it is usually due to climate, migration, trade routes, and large armies.

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" may explain the dominance of western civilization, but, according to Merinoff, a wide variety of sausage is the result.

She also includes recipes that use the various sausages she describes. I will admit I refer to them less than the recipes for the sausage itself. But the ones I have used are solid.

Rating:
Summary: The History of the World Through Sausage-Making
Review: I bought this book when I decided to make sausage at home. And it is still my bible for that purpose. Merinoff's recipes for breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, chorizo, bratwurst, New York "red hots," and others are all definitive, as far as I'm concerned.

And while each sausage recipe is spot on, I keep coming back to the book for its very well-written, entertaining history of civilization from the perspective of a sausage lover. The "comparative civilizations" aspect of the book is similar to Michael Jackson's books on the beers of the world. Merinoff explains how various sausages came to be made in their particular area of the world--and it is usually due to climate, migration, trade routes, and large armies.

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" may explain the dominance of western civilization, but, according to Merinoff, a wide variety of sausage is the result.

She also includes recipes that use the various sausages she describes. I will admit I refer to them less than the recipes for the sausage itself. But the ones I have used are solid.