Rodale

In America the Edible, Travel Channel host Adam Richman tackles the ins and outs of American cuisine, demonstrating his own unique brand of culinary anthropology. Believing that regional cuisine reveals far more than just our taste for chicken fried steak or 3-way chili, Richman explores the ethnic, economic, and cultural factors that shape the way we eat—and how food, in turn, reflects who we are as a nation. Richman uses his signature wit and casual charm to take you on a tour around the country,explaining such curiosities as why bagels are shaped like circles, why fried chicken is so popular in the South, and how some of the most iconic American food—hot dogs, fries, and soda—are not really American at all. Writing with passion, curiosity, and a desire to share his knowledge, he includes recipes, secret addresses for fun and tasty finds, and tips on how to eat like a local from coast to coast.

Part travelogue, part fun fact book, part serious culinary journalism, Richman’s America the Edible illuminates the food map in a way nobody has before.

ADAM RICHMAN is the host of the Travel Channel series Man. v. Food. He earned his master’s degree from Yale University, has appeared in several TV shows, and has worked in many restaurants around the country. He lives in Brooklyn.