Culinary book review: Fed, White, and Blue by Simon Majumdar

Fed, White, and Blue by Simon Majumdar
Like many foodies in America, I first met Simon Majumdar through his book Eat My Globe: One year in search of the most delicious food in the world. To be honest, I picked up that book only because I saw that he had written about Kansas City, my hometown, among his global travels. Then I started noticing him as a guest judge on reality cooking shows (Iron Chef, Next Iron Chef, etc), and I appreciated his blunt honesty.
So it was with great anticipation that I read his newest book, Fed, White, and Blue, which is British native Majumdar's account of getting to know the people and food of America while he pondered becoming a U.S. citizen. Using social media, Majumdar asked where he should go to get an authentic  taste of America. It goes without saying that he has already eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world, and the purpose of this tour of American cuisine wasn't to see, at least not exclusively, fine dining. Many of the places he visited were in the Midwest, my home base, and a part of the country frequently neglected on the national scene. Majumdar writes about working in a Phillipino restaurant, experiencing a Fourth of July celebration in Minnesota, digging clams and fishing off the south Jersey shore, working a competitive BBQ competition with friends in the snow in Kearney, Nebraska, holding Shabat in Kansas City. The book is full of anecdotes both about the travels and people he met, as well as background information relating to America and food. For instance, in the chapter where Majumdar follows his steak from farm to table in Nebraska, he writes about the role of antibiotics and feedlots in the American beef production industry. On a trip to Philadelphia for a competitive eating contest, we get some history on the competitive eating world (that chapter might be the most creatively titled of the book: You Heave, You Leave). Other American food topics include the state of our cheese, Korean food in LA, Latino food in the U.S. (and the Latino impact on the American restaurant scene), family farms, microbrews, Alaska, Native American cuisine, a tailgate at a University of Texas football game (this from a Brit who knows the real game of football), and the quiet but persistent problem of hunger in a land of plenty.
If you've not read Mujumdar before, imagine Bill Bryson's travelogues with more of a focus on food rather than, say, long walks in the woods or kangaroos. You don't have to be a foodie to appreciate the stories Majumdar is telling. And since food impacts all of us, the various chapters highlight the state of food in America today, and what our prospects look like in the near future.  He doesn't offer many answers, but raises plenty of questions that impact all of us. Fed, White, and Blue is an entertaining and informative read. Recommended for general reading collections, and highly recommended for collections with an emphasis on travel or food writing.