""In almost any culture, at any time, you can find food writing," writes guest editor Mark Bittman in his introduction. "Food means growing and hardship, and health and medicine, and work and holiday. In its abundance it is a gift and a joy, and in its absence a curse and a tragedy. If a culture has writing, that culture has food writing." The stories in this year's Best American Food Writing are brilliant, eye-opening windows into the heart of our country's culture. From the link between salt and sex, to Syrian refugees transforming ancient Turkish food traditions, to the FDA's crusade on alternative non-dairy milk options, to Black farmers in Arkansas seeking justice, the scope of these essays spans nearly every aspect of our society. This anthology offers an entertaining and poignant look at how food shapes our lives and how food writing shapes our culture" --

Foreword --

Introduction --

Restriction as possibility; lifestyle as politics / Alicia Kennedy -- Salt and sex / Amy Loeffler -- Border lines / Anya Von Bremzen -- What counts as fresh fish? / Bee Wilson -- Double life of New York's black oyster king / Briona Lamback -- Elusive roots of rosin potatoes / Caroline Hatchett -- Detroit's Chinatown and Gayborhood felt like two separate worlds. Then they collided / Curtis Chin -- Time is strong / David Streitfeld -- Foraging New York City's wild, edible margins with Journei Bimwala / Grey Moran -- He knew it all / Hugh Merwin -- Is the "future of food" the future we want? / Jaya Saxena -- Kimchi with a side of whale / Jennifer Fergesen -- There is no such thing as Italian food / John Last -- "You don't look anorexic" / Kate Siber -- Teach a man to fish / Kayla Stewart -- Thanksgiving is an RPG / Khadjiah Johnson -- Effortless Anonymity / Lyndsay C. Green -- What we write about when we write about food / Ligaya Mishan -- On the road, a taste of home / Madhushree Ghosh -- Regulating the food industry: an inspirational agenda / Marion Nestle -- FDA is coming for your almond milk / Tom Philpott -- Tales of a accidental cooking club / Mike Diago -- Black farmers in Arkansas still seek justice a century after the Elaine Massacre / Wesley Brown