Yummy: A History of Desserts by Victoria Grace Elliott (author and illustrator) is an amazingly fun book. However, it can be a little dense at times and therefore, is not a quick read. It is a treat for the budding chef/pastry lover and an amazing addition for the classroom to help teach history so it is relatable. From cookies, cakes, pies, gummies and more, you get all the treats! Tasty: A History of Yummy Experiments is book two (or the companion) graphic novel (where things like cheese and pickles will take center stage). And in both we have facts, legends, and recipes. There are story times and even science experiments. Yummy was the only one I read, but I am looking into finding Tasty. I enjoyed the legends mostly, as though they were the “ones counting” they might not be the “whole truth” and therefore, it’s fun to think what else could have happened.
The not so good part is the fact that unfortunately, slavery and colonization have happened and that shaped foods. Not only did people like the Portuguese take from the Chinese people when they started trading with them (then colonization occurred), the Chinese people took ideas from the Portuguese then adapted them to make them more “Chinese.” The nice thing is, that while this is not glossed over, it is not “too hard or detailed.” The good thing about all of this is the fact that because of happy accidents we have some of today’s favorite treats. But perhaps my most favorite part is the idea of how “old” food is and how it changed. Such as pies were not always for deserts (in fact you can have meat pies) and how they were around in ancient times.
As an adult I know way less about cooking than I probably should, so as an adult reading this, I was tickled at how much I did know but also surprised at how much I did not.. And while the younger readers might have trouble with the heaviness of things, this really works for most ages but probably best for ages 10 to 14 and adults.
