dja777's review against another edition
4.0
Really interesting account of how food trends rise and fall. People are even more nuts about bacon than I realized! Recommend to anyone who is interested in reading about food.
bookshy's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this in depth look at why some foods are "trendy" and why some are not. It gets a bit dodgy and boring there in some chapters, but overall I'd recommend.
settingshadow's review against another edition
3.0
I found this a shallow but enjoyable exploration of the trendy foods of the last few decades and who the major movers and shakers in those food fields were. Sax doesn't particularly get into the whys of particular trends, so I think there's more depth that could have been there, but it was fun enough.
julieawallace's review against another edition
5.0
If you buy one "Foodie" book this year, make it this one.
Superbly researched and written "Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy for Cupcakes But Fed Up With Fondue" by David Sax is one hell of a tasty read. Sax explains in painstaking detail why cupcakes are all the rage, how bacon became trendy, and why chia seeds are up and comers in the food fad marketplace.
This humble blogger is just one very small piece of a huge market powerhouse with fluctuating economics, grand failures, glowing successes, and taste and spinmakers. Just one look around Pinterest, and you'll know that the cupcake fad (which gained ground from one brief appearance on Sex and the City) hasn't lost any steam. The cupcake pins are relentless. For example, in my Pinterest feed I see:
*Greek Yogurt Cupcakes with Blackberry frosting
*Neapolitan Cupcakes (that really taste like the ice cream in cupcake form)
*Apple Pie Cupcakes
*Cake Batter Ice Cream Cupcakes (a concoction of yellow cake, cake batter ice cream, and whipped cream)
*Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
*Godiva Hazelnut Crunch Cupcakes (that look like an ice cream sundae)
There are cupcake boards from Betty Crocker, Foodista, and every blogger out there - except me, I do not have a cupcake board. Yet - I'd rather have bar cookies.
There are so many fascinating quotes in "Tastemakers" that it's truly a challenge for me to pull one out to share. Here's just one that addresses the phenomenon of the superfood (think pomegranates, chia seeds, acai, agave nectar, Greek yogurt, etc.):
"We also buy into a narrative...that simplifies a complicated lifestyle down to a single ingredient. The seductive power of many of these superfoods lies in their place in remote, somewhat mystical cultures. Whether it's the longevity of Greek goat herders, Okinawan fisherman, Amazonian tribesmen, or Mexican tribal joggers, the tremendous difference between their health and ours has a hell of a lot more to do with the fact that we drive cars, sit at computers, and have access to super-sized sodas than the fact that they eat yogurt, salmon, acai, or chia...Superfoods exist simply to sell more pomegranates, chia seeds, or other foods that are good for us, even if they are not the fountain of youth. And the inevitability with any of these labels is that they are abused."
If you're a food blogger, get yourself a copy of this book today. If you love food, or are just purely curious about what drives food trends -and why we eat the food that we do- go get yourself a copy. The more educated you are about where your food comes from and how it is marketed to you, the more you start to crave what's grown in your own back yard. Or at least grown by a nearby farmer.
(I won this in a Library Thing giveaway, and the review was originally published on my blog.)
Superbly researched and written "Tastemakers: Why We're Crazy for Cupcakes But Fed Up With Fondue" by David Sax is one hell of a tasty read. Sax explains in painstaking detail why cupcakes are all the rage, how bacon became trendy, and why chia seeds are up and comers in the food fad marketplace.
This humble blogger is just one very small piece of a huge market powerhouse with fluctuating economics, grand failures, glowing successes, and taste and spinmakers. Just one look around Pinterest, and you'll know that the cupcake fad (which gained ground from one brief appearance on Sex and the City) hasn't lost any steam. The cupcake pins are relentless. For example, in my Pinterest feed I see:
*Greek Yogurt Cupcakes with Blackberry frosting
*Neapolitan Cupcakes (that really taste like the ice cream in cupcake form)
*Apple Pie Cupcakes
*Cake Batter Ice Cream Cupcakes (a concoction of yellow cake, cake batter ice cream, and whipped cream)
*Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
*Godiva Hazelnut Crunch Cupcakes (that look like an ice cream sundae)
There are cupcake boards from Betty Crocker, Foodista, and every blogger out there - except me, I do not have a cupcake board. Yet - I'd rather have bar cookies.
There are so many fascinating quotes in "Tastemakers" that it's truly a challenge for me to pull one out to share. Here's just one that addresses the phenomenon of the superfood (think pomegranates, chia seeds, acai, agave nectar, Greek yogurt, etc.):
"We also buy into a narrative...that simplifies a complicated lifestyle down to a single ingredient. The seductive power of many of these superfoods lies in their place in remote, somewhat mystical cultures. Whether it's the longevity of Greek goat herders, Okinawan fisherman, Amazonian tribesmen, or Mexican tribal joggers, the tremendous difference between their health and ours has a hell of a lot more to do with the fact that we drive cars, sit at computers, and have access to super-sized sodas than the fact that they eat yogurt, salmon, acai, or chia...Superfoods exist simply to sell more pomegranates, chia seeds, or other foods that are good for us, even if they are not the fountain of youth. And the inevitability with any of these labels is that they are abused."
If you're a food blogger, get yourself a copy of this book today. If you love food, or are just purely curious about what drives food trends -and why we eat the food that we do- go get yourself a copy. The more educated you are about where your food comes from and how it is marketed to you, the more you start to crave what's grown in your own back yard. Or at least grown by a nearby farmer.
(I won this in a Library Thing giveaway, and the review was originally published on my blog.)
kristennd's review against another edition
4.0
A surprisingly funny but very thorough look at contemporary food trends. Each chapter has a slightly different angle, so it doesn't get redundant. Cupcakes focused on how (and how quickly) a craze can spread. The bacon chapter was about economics, finally explaining exactly what pork belly futures are. Food trucks are an opportunity to look at the political and regulatory side of things. Etc. Questionable health fads and functional foods, like chia and acai and pomegranates, get their space, and we visit a fancy food show.
I was surprised that the chapter on Indian cuisine -- how it has been in almost-trend limbo for decades -- didn't mention Tasty Bites. And I was uncomfortable with his digs at his health-nut father. They weren't quite affectionate, and this isn't a memoir.
Sample quote from an industry executive: "Slowly but surely, the kale salad will make its way to TGI Friday's menu, then McDonald's, Kraft, and, eventually, as a Doritos flavor."
I was surprised that the chapter on Indian cuisine -- how it has been in almost-trend limbo for decades -- didn't mention Tasty Bites. And I was uncomfortable with his digs at his health-nut father. They weren't quite affectionate, and this isn't a memoir.
Sample quote from an industry executive: "Slowly but surely, the kale salad will make its way to TGI Friday's menu, then McDonald's, Kraft, and, eventually, as a Doritos flavor."
mohsints's review against another edition
5.0
Witty and incisive, with solid research and data points, this is one of the most fun books I've read in a very long time. Sax explores major waves in the world of food, not just accessibly, but also in an entertaining fashion. If you've ever wondered about the obsession with cupcakes or bacon that has swept the world, or been curious about where the hell Chia seeds came from, pick this up. You won't regret it.
rachelini's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting read! I liked that the author lived in Toronto - it wasn't just about the US, and some of the examples were very familiar to me.
anywiebs's review against another edition
5.0
I just loved this book!
It was very interesting and informative. I like to eat, but I am not the most attentive to trends and where they come from or go. But this book made me think about some trends I had witnessed myself, and participated in, and told me about many more I had never heard of.
This book focuses on North America, so of course not all trends have made it to Germany, others look at a consumer clientele I am not part of. Nevertheless it was fascinating to hear about them.
Something I really appreciated was the critical look he put on the health and diet trends that have evolved in the past and how he pointed out their workings and the influence of marketing on them.
It also made me think about the effect food trends have on the economy and society.
I con only recommend this to anyone who is interested in food trends or food in general. Because while listening to the book I wanted to eat everything that was talked about.
I would further recommend the audiobook as it brought the stories and facts to live. David Sax narrates the book himself and he does a wonderful job with that.
It was very interesting and informative. I like to eat, but I am not the most attentive to trends and where they come from or go. But this book made me think about some trends I had witnessed myself, and participated in, and told me about many more I had never heard of.
This book focuses on North America, so of course not all trends have made it to Germany, others look at a consumer clientele I am not part of. Nevertheless it was fascinating to hear about them.
Something I really appreciated was the critical look he put on the health and diet trends that have evolved in the past and how he pointed out their workings and the influence of marketing on them.
It also made me think about the effect food trends have on the economy and society.
I con only recommend this to anyone who is interested in food trends or food in general. Because while listening to the book I wanted to eat everything that was talked about.
I would further recommend the audiobook as it brought the stories and facts to live. David Sax narrates the book himself and he does a wonderful job with that.
iheartbooks72's review against another edition
3.0
I am really interested in this subject but the book wasn't very well organized and it was hard to make myself keep reading. This is an odd thing to say about a non-fiction book, but it felt over-researched to me. It felt like he was just throwing out information randomly because he had it. The book could have been more concise and better organized but it had some interesting information such as the economics of trends and the history of bacon.