Real Food/Fake Food

Starred review from June 20, 2016
Olmsted, who writes the "Great American Bites" column for USA Today, boldly walks readers through a course in food authenticity that covers olive oil, cheese, Champagne, seafood, steak, coffee, and more. Readers will be inspired by his intensity and clarity, and floored by how far some counterfeiters go to fool consumers and some historic food institutions go to protect their products and their names. Olmsted's research is impressive, and he lets no stone go unturned. He lets the terrifying facts speak for themselves, adding just a little humor. The method for creating Parmigiano-Reggiano is a time-honored tradition used for hundreds of years; Olmsted warns that "because counterfeiting the King of Cheeses has become a global pastime, will be augmented with security holograms." But security measures haven't stopped stores and restaurants from making false claims on the food they serve. In one study of lobster dishes from independent eateries and big chains, "more than a third of the dishes did not contain lobster"at all. One eatery sold lobster ravioli that did not even have any seafood in it at all, just cheese. Olmsted's sharp language will hopefully put fires under counterfeiters everywhere, and he alerts shoppers to use a keener eye and a more questioning mind when choosing a restaurant or grocery aisle. With the guiding hand of a good friend and prose that keeps the reader's eye moving, Olmsted insists that readers "shop better and cook more."

July 1, 2016

Federal regulatory agencies, specifically the FDA, take a hands-off approach to the content of foodstuffs available to American consumers, according to this expose by food writer Olmsted (Getting Into Guinness). This is particularly troubling because some food sourcing practices have significant public health implications. Olmsted focuses on items such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Champagne, Port wine, and Kobe beef; products of specific geographic areas subject to strict production practices, except in the United States, where their names may be used on ersatz similar products. A scary chapter on seafood and a litany of additional foodstuffs threatened by fakery (fruit juice, honey, and maple syrup) demonstrate that official disregard for geographic protections isn't the consumer's only problem. Olmsted offers helpful tips for identifying "real food" and avoiding the inauthentic when shopping and dining. Chapter sequencing is quirky, with two chapters on cheese and two on beef each separated by several other chapters. The focus on top-tier items makes the content of limited direct relevance to budget shoppers, but despite its highbrow assumptions, this is an important book to help all buyers shop prudently and with a wary eye toward the claims of food producers. VERDICT Recommended for all consumers along with policymakers, those interested in food science, and marketing professionals.--Janet Ingraham Dwyer, State Lib. of Ohio, Columbus

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