It’s hard to imagine a time when food was more central to our collective imagination than it is today. These days, what and where we eat says as much about us as the clothes we wear or the places we live; meanwhile, social media has allowed us to project and share our private food experiences with the world as never before. But our fixation is not new. “As a species, we’re hardwired to obsess over food,” Matt Siegel explains as he sets out “to uncover the hidden side of everything we put in our mouths.” The Secret History of Food is a rich and satisfying exploration of the historical, cultural, scientific, sexual and, yes, culinary subcultures of this most essential realm. Siegel is an armchair Anthony Bourdain, armed not with a chef’s knife but with knowledge derived from medieval food-related manuscripts, ancient Chinese scrolls, and obscure culinary journals. Funny and fascinating, The Secret History of Food is essential reading for all foodies.