Everything in [this book] is delightful to learn. Barnette takes us through languages and across millennia in a charming style . . . that offers endless food for thought. --The New Yorker . What makes the pretzel a symbol of religious devotion and what pasta is blasphemous in every bite? How did a drunken brawl lead to the name lobster Newburg? What naughty joke is contained in a loaf of pumpernickel? Why ischerry a misnomer and why aren''t refried beans fried twice? You''ll find the answers in