New York is hailed as one of the world's "food capitals," but the history of food-making in the city has been mostly lost. Offering a vibrant account of four centuries of food production in New York City, Joy Santlofer re-creates the texture of everyday life in a growing metropolis—the sound of stampeding cattle, the smell of burning bone for char, and the taste of novelties like chocolate-covered matzoh and Chiclets. With an eye-opening focus on bread, sugar, drink, and meat, this 2017 James Beard Award nominee recovers the fruitful tradition behind today's local brewers and confectioners, recounting how food shaped a city and a nation.