Book Description
Food nourishes our souls and is a vital part of our religious ceremonies and secular celebrations. Sacred Food explores the dishes that are traditionally served at significant moments in human life-birth, puberty, courtship, betrothal and marriage, death, burial, and remembrance-and unravels why and how we celebrate with food. More than 40 recipes include pan de muertos, prepared for the Mexican Day of the Dead; piroshki from Slovakia, to celebrate the birth of a baby; cassava with chili and peanuts, to mark an African girl's coming-of-age; and the honey cake, prepared for a Turkish wedding feast. One hundred stunning images bring to life a wealth of recipes and myriad cultures including those of Mexico, Japan, Spain, Italy, Indonesia, North America, the Middle East, Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain. 

About the author
Elisabeth Luard is an award-winning food writer and author of The Old World Kitchen and The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cookery. She is a regular contributor to Gourmet magazine.