The United States of Arugula

One day we woke up and realized that our "macaroni" had become "pasta," that our Wonder Bread had been replaced by organic whole wheat, that sushi was fast food, and that our tomatoes were heirlooms. How did all this happen, and who made it happen? Journalist Kamp chronicles the transformation from the overcooked vegetables and gelatin salads of yore to our current heyday of free-range chickens and extra-virgin olive oil. He depicts the "Big Three" who led us out of the culinary wilderness: James Beard, the hulking Oregonian who made the case for American cookery; Julia Child, the warbling giantess who demystified French cuisine; and Craig Claiborne, the melancholy Mississippian who all but invented food journalism. The story continues with commentary from the food figures who followed: Alice Waters and Jeremiah Tower, Wolfgang Puck, the visionary chefs we know by one name (Emeril, Daniel, Mario, Jean-Georges), and many others.--From publisher description.