Michael Harden

This is no usual cookbook experience. A social history of a street, it weaves through the decades documenting the fascinating history of people and food--from hangouts for the seedy underground to boarding houses for young Italian fellows the underlying theme is one of the food trail that has sustained the Jewish, Greek, Lebanese, Spanish, Chinese, Indian, German, Thai, Jamaican and Malaysians who have called it home. The first espresso machine, the first pizza oven, wine bars that only sell local wine, Stephanie Alexander/Tony Bilson, HQ of the Labour Party, the music shops--the tapestry of people's connections are woven brilliantly. The retro photographs and the layout all add up to a fascinating book experience of a true culinary melting pot.… (meer)