num_pages: 432
description: Finalist for the Art of Eating Prize A richly illustrated culinary tour of the United States through fifty signature dishes and a radical exploration of our gastronomic heritage. Following his critically acclaimed Preparing the Ghost  renowned essayist Matthew Gavin Frank takes on Americas food. In a surprising style reminiscent of Maggie Nelson or Mark Doty Frank examines a quintessential dish in each state interweaving the culinary with personal and cultural associations of each region. From key lime pie (Florida) to elk stew (Montana) The Mad Feast commemorates the unexpected origins of the familiar. Brazenly dissecting the myriad intersections between history and food Frank in this gorgeously designed volume considers politics sexuality violence grief and the cool creamy whoopie pie evokes toughness in the face of New England winters while the stewlike perloo serves up an exploration of food and race in the South. Tracing an unpredictable map of our collective appetites The Mad Feast presents a beguiling flavor profile of the American spirit. 50 illustrations
language: English
title: The Mad Feast: An Ecstatic Tour through America’s Food
publisher: Liveright