As a lover of food, history and cultural traditions, I was excited when my friend LaManda Joy of the Peterson Garden Project recently recommended the book: A Thousand Years Over a Hot Stove: A History of American Women Told Through Food, Recipes, and Remembrances.

This meticulously researched and highly visual book was the recipient of a James Beard Foundation book award, and took the world by a storm when it was published in 2003. The pages are filled with tales of immigrant survival tactics, authentic recipes, historic photos and fascinating food facts.