Reference sources are great places to begin research, especially if you are not very familiar with a topic. For example, an encyclopedia article can in a page or two show you the most important facts, events, people, statistics. This will help you understand more complex information you will use later.
Online reference books and databases from the library will lead to more reliable information than you usually get from a web search. A good place to start is:
Gale eBooks - A collection of over 90 specialized encyclopedias. You can search all the collection to find general background information, definitions of terms, and more.
Credo Reference - Online collection of general and subject-specific reference works on all major topic areas.
Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center - Offers detailed "how-to" instructions and creative ideas. Information for small business opportunities and sustainable/green business practices. Content includes full text magazines and books, videos, hobby profiles and recipes. Information on cake decorating, cooking, baking and winemaking plus all other hobbies and crafts.
Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology - A comprehensive encyclopedia that focuses on industrial processes and other topics on chemical technology. An excellent source for information on food chemistry including properties, manufacturing and uses of chemical substances.
Small Business Reference Center - Click here for how to use. This database offers a wide variety of information on small business and entrepreneurial subject areas, common business types, a help and advice section, and provides information on how to create business plans, plans that lead to successful funding. It offers state-specific resources with demographic data and other local information, included are business videos that provide critical information for business owners including interviews, "lessons learned" features, lectures and "how to" videos to help foster success in all aspects of managing a business.
Content/Features Include (Coverage List):
Nearly 400 full-text periodicals and Over 450 full-text reference books
Hundreds of business videos and State-specific resources
Business Basics and Start-up Kit & Business Plans
General Business Areas
Industry Info
Oxford Reference Online - A collection of over 100 specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias and other references arranged by broad subject. Again, this is a good place to find general background information, definitions and more.
Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia - A comprehensive general scientific reference.
To see a complete list of the library's electronic resources, click here.
Beer FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the World's Most Celebrated Adult Beverage
(FAQ Lifestyle). Here is a no-nonsense guide to the world of beer, answering many burning questions about the diverse array of styles, ingredients, and international brewing and drinking traditions that drive the world's most popular beverage. Beer FAQ features insight not only on how it's made, but how it makes the journey from the brew house floor to the drinker's glass. The book offers a touch of history, a bit of globetrotting, and a look at the companies and enterprising individuals leading the modern brewing renaissance. It also offers a nostalgic look at beer's evolving role in pop culture from advertising to television to movies over the past century. After reading Beer FAQ , readers will have a better understanding of not just what kinds of beers to drink, but the best places to drink them and the best ways to enjoy them, from the ideal packaging to the proper drinking vessels.
Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry
Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry offers a definitive guide to the many rich dimensions of the bean and the beverage around the world. Leading experts from business and academia consider coffee's history, global spread, cultivation, preparation, marketing, and the environmental and social issues surrounding it today. They discuss, for example, the impact of globalization; the many definitions of organic, direct trade, and fair trade; the health of female farmers; the relationships among shade, birds, and coffee; roasting as an art and a science; and where profits are made in the commodity chain. Drawing on interviews and the lives of people working in the business--from pickers and roasters to coffee bar owners and consumers--this book brings a compelling human side to the story. The authors avoid romanticizing or demonizing any group in the business. They consider basic but widely misunderstood issues such as who adds value to the bean, the constraints of peasant life, and the impact of climate change. Moving beyond simple answers, they represent various participants in the supply chain and a range of opinions about problems and suggested solutions in the industry. Coffee offers a multidimensional examination of a deceptively everyday but extremely complex commodity that remains at the center of many millions of lives. Tracing coffee's journey from field to cup, this handbook to one of the world's favorite beverages is an essential guide for professionals, coffee lovers, and students alike. Contributions by: Sarah Allen, Jonathan D. Baker, Peter S. Baker, Jonathan Wesley Bell, Clare Benfield, H. C. "Skip" Bittenbender, Connie Blumhardt, Willem Boot, Carlos H. J. Brando, August Burns, Luis Alberto Cuellar, Olga Cuellar, Kenneth Davids, Jim Fadden, Elijah K. Gichuru, Jeremy Haggar, Andrew Hetzel, George Howell, Juliana Jaramillo, Phyllis Johnson, Lawrence W. Jones, Alf Kramer, Ted Lingle, Stuart McCook, Michelle Craig McDonald, Sunalini Menon, Jonathan Morris, Joan Obra, Price Peterson, Rick Peyser, Sergii Reminny, Paul Rice, Robert Rice, Carlos Saenz, Vincenzo Sandalj, Jinap Selamat, Colin Smith, Shawn Steiman, Robert W. Thurston, Steven Topik, Tatsushi Ueshima, Camilla C. Valeur, Geoff Watts, and Britta Zeitemann
The Deluxe Food Lover's Companion
Based on B.E.S. popular and authoritative The New Food Lover's Companion, this enlarged and enhanced reference volume was written for discerning home chefs and everybody else who wants to become more knowledgeable about good food and elegant dining. This second edition has been updated with new information to reflect the way we eat in today's world. The authors have taken into account our healthier lifestyles and more diverse palates to include: More than 500 new listings, including entries relating to Indian and Southeast Asian ingredients, plus expanded coverage of South American, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern cuisines Updated information for hundreds of existing entries A blood alcohol concentration chart for men and women An extensive breakdown of food labels and nutritional facts Department of Agriculture recommendations for a 2,000 calorie per day food plan More than 7200 entries plus line art are included in this seminal work. Miniature glossaries are interspersed throughout the text. Sidebar features throughout the book offer quick tips on food purchases, as well as Fast Facts and advice on preparation, serving, and dining. Handy appendices cover many topics including suggestions for substituting recipe ingredients, a microwave oven conversion chart, recommended safe cooking temperatures for meats and fish, and much more! The deluxe hardcover binding with dust jacket includes a ribbon place marker and golden-tipped page edges, making this gorgeous book as much a showpiece as it is an indispensable reference.
The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training: A Complete Ready-to-use Training Program for All Positions in the Food Service Industry
Book & CD-ROM. Training is an investment for the future, the only foundation on which success can be built. Training delivers excellence in product and performance, elevating a good restaurant into a great one. Training will keep the skills of its employees and management sharp. But in no other industry is its absence or presence as obvious as it is in the food service industry. It is hard to find good, qualified employees, and even harder to keep them. In addition, unemployment levels are low, and competition for qualified workers is tough. What's the answer? Training! Constant training and re-enforcement keeps employees and management sharp and focused, and demonstrates the company cares enough to spend time and subsequently money on them. And that's precisely what this encyclopaedic book will do for you -- be your new training manager. The first part of the book will teach you how to develop training programs for food service employees, and how to train the trainer. The book is full of training tips, tactics and how-to's that will show you proper presentation, and how to keep learners motivated both during and after the training. The second part of the book details specific job descriptions and detailed job performance skills for every position in a food service operation, from the general manager to dishwasher. There are study guides and tests for all positions. Some of the positions include General Manager, Kitchen Manager, Server, Dishwasher, Line Cook, Prep Cook, Bus Person, Host/Hostess, Bartender, Wine & Alcohol Service, Kitchen Steward, Food Safety, Employee Safety, Hotel Positions, etc. Specific instructions are provided for using equipment as well.
Ethnic American Food Today: A Cultural Encyclopedia
Ethnic American Food Today introduces readers to the myriad ethnic food cultures in the U.S. today. Entries are organized alphabetically by nation and present the background and history of each food culture along with explorations of the place of that food in mainstream American society today. Many of the entries draw upon ethnographic research and personal experience, giving insights into the meanings of various ethnic food traditions as well as into what, how, and why people of different ethnicities are actually eating today. The entries look at foodways--the network of activities surrounding food itself--as well as the beliefs and aesthetics surrounding that food, and the changes that have occurred over time and place. They also address stereotypes of that food culture and the culture's influence on American eating habits and menus, describing foodways practices in both private and public contexts, such as restaurants, groceries, social organizations, and the contemporary world of culinary arts. Recipes of representative or iconic dishes are included. This timely two-volume encyclopedia addresses the complexity--and richness--of both ethnicity and food in America today.
Food culture around the world series
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America
The second edition of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America thoroughly updates the original, award-winning title, while capturing the shifting American perspective on food and ensuring that this title is the most authoritative, current reference work on American cuisine.In over 1,400 entries, this new edition of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America reflects the many changes in American food consciousness during the twenty-first century. Once a niche market, food television has become ubiquitous, as are websites devoted to all sorts of regionalcuisines. New health consciousness has spawned obesity taxes, transfat and calorie-count laws, the slow food movement, and locavorism. Ethnic foods and the fusion of these have led to new crazes for such cuisines as Southwestern sushi and Filipino hamburgers.These timely trends and topics have been newly incorporated into the new edition of The Encyclopedia, adding one volume and over 300 new entries on these and other subjects such as food science and nutrition, molecular gastronomy, genetically-modified foods, food controversies, regional foods, thevolatile nature of food prices, and food traditions of major American cities. Entries from The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink have also been added, as have a substantial number of biographies of culinary personalities. All bibliographies and non-historical entries have been revisitedfor updating.
Street Food Around the World: An Encyclopedia of Food and Culture
In this encyclopedia, two experienced world travelers and numerous contributors provide a fascinating worldwide survey of street foods and recipes to document the importance of casual cuisine to every culture, covering everything from dumplings to hot dogs and kebabs to tacos. Street foods run deep throughout human history and show the movements of peoples and their foods across the globe. For example, mandoo, manti, momo, and bāozi: all of these types of dumplings originated in Central Asia and spread across the Old World beginning in the 12th century. This encyclopedia surveys common street foods in about 100 countries and regions of the world, clearly depicting how "fast foods of the common people" fit into a country or a region's environments, cultural history, and economy. The entries provide engaging information about specific foods as well as coverage of vendor and food stall culture and issues. An appendix of recipes allows for hands-on learning and provides opportunities for readers to taste international street foods at home. Presents an international survey of street foods in representative countries and regions that includes interesting facts and recipe to illustrate many of them Supplies the historical and environmental background of the country's street food Includes sidebars with fun facts and statistics about street foods Provides highly useful information for students studying geography and for travelers
Wine Bible
Announcing the completely revised and updated edition of The Wine Bible, the perennial bestselling wine book praised as "The most informative and entertaining book I've ever seen on the subject" (Danny Meyer), "A guide that has all the answers" (Bobby Flay), "Astounding" (Thomas Keller), and "A magnificent masterpiece of wine writing" (Kevin Zraly). Like a lively course from an expert teacher, The Wine Bible grounds the reader deeply in the fundamentals while layering on informative asides, tips, amusing anecdotes, definitions, glossaries, photos (all new for this edition), maps, labels, and recommended bottles. Karen MacNeil's information comes directly through primary research; for this second edition she has tasted more than 10,000 wines and visited dozens of wine regions around the world. New to the book are wines of China, Japan, Mexico, and Slovenia. And through it all the reader becomes ever more informed--and, because of the author's unique voice, always entertained: "In great years P#65533;trus is ravishing, elegant, and rich--Ingrid Bergman in red satin." Or, describing a Riesling: "A laser beam. A sheet of ice. A great crackling bolt of lightning."
World Cheese Book
World Cheese Book shows you how to enjoy more than 750 of the world's finest cheeses and includes tasting notes and serving tips. World Cheese Book is the comprehensive guide to cheese and covers more world cheeses, with more photography, than any other book on the subject. Discover the flavor profile, shape, and texture of just about every imaginable cheese in this exhaustive, at-a-glance reference. Written by a team of experts, each writing about their own region, World Cheese Book is a treasure trove of information for the truly adventurous cheese lover and a complete guide to the world of cheese. A tour of the finest cheese-producing countries reveals local traditions and artisanal processes — from Europe, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia to the Americas to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Images of each cheese (inside and out) give an up-close view of each variety. Step-by-step techniques show how to make cheese in your own kitchen. Complementary food and wine pairings round out the offerings in World Cheese Book with the best part of all: Learning how best to enjoy eating these uniquely wonderful cheeses.
The World Cookbook: The Greatest Recipes From Around the Globe
This is the only world cookbook in print that explores the foods of every nation-state across the globe, providing information on special ingredients, cooking methods, and commonalities that link certain dishes across different geographical areas. Increasing globalization, modern communication, and economic development have impacted every aspect of daily life, including the manner by which food is produced and distributed. While these trends have increased the likelihood and expansion of food influences, variations of the same popular dishes have been found in regions all over the world long before now. This book is an ecological, historical, and cultural examination of why certain foods are eaten, and how these foods are prepared by different social groups within the same--and different--geographical region. The authors cover more than 200 countries and cultural groups, featuring each nation's food culture and traditions, and providing overviews on foodstuffs, typical dishes, and styles of eating. This revised edition features in excess of 400 new recipes, several new countries, and additional sidebars with fun facts explaining unique foods and unfamiliar ingredients. More than 1,600 recipes for popular appetizers, main courses, desserts, snack foods, and celebration dishes are provided, allowing readers to construct full menus from every country of the world. Contains more than 400 new recipes for a total of more than 1600 recipes Includes the newly independent countries of Kosovo and South Sudan, and tiny countries like St. Kitts and Nevis, Nauru, Palau, and Vanuatu Features anecdotal information on typical dishes, styles of eating, and unusual ingredients for each country
World Food: an Encyclopedia of History, Culture and Social Influence from Hunter Gatherers to the Age of Globalization
This multicultural and interdisciplinary reference brings a fresh social and cultural perspective to the global history of food, foodstuffs, and cultural exchange from the age of discovery to contemporary times. Comprehensive in scope, this two-volume encyclopedia covers agriculture and industry, food preparation and regional cuisines, science and technology, nutrition and health, and trade and commerce, as well as key contemporary issues such as famine relief, farm subsidies, food safety, and the organic movement. Articles also include specific foodstuffs such as chocolate, potatoes, and tomatoes; topics such as Mediterranean diet and the Spice Route; and pivotal figures such as Marco Polo, Columbus, and Catherine de' Medici. Special features include: dozens of recipes representing different historic periods and cuisines of the world; listing of herbal foods and uses; and a chronology of key events/people in food history.
The World Religions Cookbook
Food is central to daily religious practice and holiday celebrations the world over. For instance, Orthodox Jews keep kosher, Muslims feast after fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and Hindus leave food offerings in the temple for the dieties. For many, food is seen as nourishment for the body and soul. This cookbook illuminates the food practices of followers of the world's major religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Shintoism. The narrative and nearly 300 recipes give a flavor of what is often eaten for sacred occasions and why. This volume will be useful for a range of cooks and purposes. It is targeted to middle school age to adults. Those looking for more and different recipes for religion class assignments and International Week Food Festival or even for browsing will be richly rewarded with a one-stop resource. Each chapter covers a religion or two with similar food practices. A brief overview of the religion is followed by a discussion of any dietary restrictions. Then the recipes are organized by holiday or special occasion, featuring from appetizers to desserts. Recipes are culled from a variety of countries and cultures where the religion is practiced. The recipes are contextualized and have clear instructions for the novice cook. A final section in some chapters allows readers to recreate what the religion's founder or major figures might have eaten during their lifetime. A glossary defines what might be unfamiliar cooking terms and food and kitchen items. An introduction, list of recipes, conversion measurements, bibliography, index, and illustrations round out the cookbook.
