For centuries, skeptical foreigners—and even millions of Americans—have believed there was no such thing as American cuisine. In recent decades, hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza have been thought to define the nation's palate. Not so, says food historian Paul Freedman, who demonstrates that there is an exuberant and diverse, if not always coherent, American cuisine that reflects the history of the nation itself. Traveling the country and spanning 200 years, Freedman's illustrated history takes stock of fast food and farm-to-table cuisine, industrialization and immigration, advertising and gender roles, to create a portrait of who we are as defined by what we eat.