Food on Foot: A History of Eating on Trails and in the Wild

Güzey’s fascinating treatise on pedestrian food, the latest book in the Food on the Go series, explores the food traditions and technological advances that people have made in order to eat on the move. She covers polar and mountain expeditions, pilgrimages, exploring new lands, and good old-fashioned hiking. Güzey’s research shines through as she provides cultural and historical references for each type of food. She also shares intriguing facts: Italian soldiers during WWII hated their rations so much that they called them Asinus Mussolini (Mussolini’s Arse), and the Third Reich created a version of crystal meth for their soldiers, which was included in their rations. Güzey’s writing is concise and each chapter (e.g., “Desert Travel,” “Army Rations,” “Street Food”) nicely showcases the wide variety of food enjoyed (or hated) during each type of “walk.” Even those with only a passing interest in the history of food will find Güzey’s work enjoyable. Photos. (Mar.)

This review has been corrected. A previous version mistakenly referred to the author a "he" in one instance.