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What we eat, where it is from, and how it is produced are vital questions in today's America. We think seriously about food because it is freighted with the hopes, fears, and anxieties of modern life. Yet critiques of food and food systems all too often sprawl into jeremiads against modernity itself, while supporters of the status quo refuse to acknowledge the problems with today's methods of food production and distribution. Food Fights sheds new light on these crucial debates, using a historical lens. Its essays take strong positions, even arguing with one another, as they explore the many themes and tensions that define how we understand our food—from the promises and failures of agricultural technology to the politics of taste.In addition to the editors, contributors include Ken Albala, Amy Bentley, Charlotte Biltekoff, Peter A. Coclanis, Tracey Deutsch, S. Margot Finn, Rachel Laudan, Sarah Ludington, Margaret Mellon, Steve Striffler, and Robert T. Valgenti.

When the Saulnier sisters suffer one disappointment too many in their native France, they decide to pack up and try their luck in America. As journalists they have the run of the country, following stories that take them to places where most Americans have never been—from the back roads of Appalachia to an underground village of homeless people in the New York City subway system. Tight on time, and even tighter on budget, the Saulnier sisters slid easily into a drive-thru diet.Along the way they dined on:• Nathan's Famous hot dogs at the annual hot dog eating contest in Coney Island• Snapping Turtle Soup as prepared by the Native American elders of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe• Cheesy Grits from the Armadillo Diner in Texas• And Burgers, burgers, burgers everywhere!As the Saulnier sisters adopted the American way of eating, their relationship to food shortly changes; they soon gain weight—and lose their self-esteem. This new diet is especially hard on Victorine, who temporarily abandons her vegetarianism. It's not until they meet a couple running an organic farm in upstate New York that they realize how far they've strayed from their native food values—and learn that you can eat well in America, too.

Farmer Jane profiles thirty women in the sustainable food industry, describing their agriculture and business models and illustrating the amazing changes they are making in how we connect with food. These advocates for creating a more holistic and nurturing food and agriculture system also answer questions on starting a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, how to get involved in policy at local and national levels, and how to address the different types of renewable energy and finance them.