The history of food-making in New York City has been mostly lost. Since the establishment of the first Dutch brewery, the commerce and culture of food enriched New York and promoted its influence on America and the world by driving innovations in machinery and transportation, shaping international trade, and feeding sailors and soldiers at war. Santlofer re-creates the texture of everyday life in a growing metropolis, recovers the fruitful tradition behind todays local brewers and confectioners, recounting how food shaped a city and a nation.