FOOD STORIES
(excerpts from posts)
(If you want to retell any of the stories listed below, be sure to obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain)
Click on the underlined titles in blue to find out more. Check all the options as some used book prices start at $.01!

1) Holy Mole!: A Folktale from Mexico by Caroline McAlister (August House 2007 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
When the Spanish viceroy comes for an unscheduled visit to the monastery, the cook goes into a frenzy. What will they feed this important ambassador to the king? Carlos, the orphan boy who works in the kitchen, tries to stay out of the way as lunch is hastily prepared, but his curiosity gets the best of him. His eagerness results in a moment of crisis, followed by what Brother Roberto can only assume is a miracle. This story, inspired by the Mexican folk tradition, explains the origins of mole, the popular national dish that combines chocolate with turkey, spices, and nuts.
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2) Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl (Ruth Reichl is Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet magazine). How food plays into our remembrances of people and events. (1999)
Amazon.com
New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl shares lessons learned at the hands (and kitchen counters) of family members and friends throughout her life, from growing up with her taste-blind mother to the comfort of cream puffs while away at boarding school on "Mars" (Montreal seemed just as far away) to her most memorable meal, taken on a mountainside in Greece.
Her stories shine with the voices and recipes of those she has encountered on the way, such as her Aunt Birdie's maid and companion, Alice, who first taught Reichl both the power of cooking and how to make perfect apple dumplings; the family's mysterious patrician housekeeper, Mrs. Peavey, who always remembered to make extra pastry for the beef Wellington; Serafina, the college roommate with whom Reichl explored a time of protest and political and personal discovery; and, finally, cookbook author Marion Cunningham, who, after tales of her midlife struggles and transformation, gave Reichl the strength to overcome her own anxieties.

Reichl's wry and gentle humor pervades the book, and makes readers feel as if they're right at the table, laughing at one great story after another (and delighting in a gourmet meal at the same time, of course). Reichl's narrative of a life lived and remembered through the palate will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.
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3) Clever Cooks: A Concoction of Stories, Charms, Recipes and Riddles, Lothrop, 1973, collected by Ellin Green.
The Woman Who Flummoxed the Fairies (a delightful, cumulative story of an Irish Woman Baker)
The One-Legged Crane (a humorous tale of loving Italian cook, Chichibio,)
Clever Oonagh (a Finn McCoul folk tale.)

Recipes are included with the other stories too.
The Old Woman Who Lost Her Dumpling
Dwarf Long Nose
Pinto Smalto
Clever Grethel
The Birth of Simnel Cake
The Perambulatin' Pumpkin
The Old Woman and the Tramp

Reader's review
I actually got this in the '70s and didn't realize it was still in print; I found it in a box of stuff when I moved and was charmed by it all over again. It's a collection of short stories and fables, mixed with a few riddles, along with about a dozen recipes. I'd never seen the stories before, though all of them are acknowledged from previously-published sources from around the world. The recipes seem easy enough for kids, though some might be challenging. They include roast chicken, butter cookies, cherry dumplings, chocolate potato cake with frosting, pancakes, honey butter, pumpkin chiffon pie, and soup. One recipe I thought was good was one for molasses milkshakes. This cookbook, unlike other "kids'" cookbooks, assumes kids are pretty functional in the kitchen if given half a chance. Nothing here should be really dangerous; nothing's more complicated than sifting. The illustrations for this (b/w line drawings) are particularly charming. I'd suggest this for anybody who likes kids' cookbooks or who wants to combine fairy tales and food.
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4) Stone Soup by Heather Forest. (August House 1998 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang. As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be in greater need than we are.
Other versions:
• Stone Soup (Stories to Go!) by Marcia Brown. (2005 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
First published in 1947, this classic picture book has remained one of Marcia Brown's most popular and enduring books. The story, about three hungry soldiers who outwit the greedy inhabitants of a village into providing them with a feast, is based on an old French tale.
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• Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth. (2003 - Baby-Preschool)
Book Description
Three strangers, hungry and tired, pass through a war-torn village. Embittered and suspicious from the war, the people hide their food and close their windows tight. That is, until the clever strangers suggest making a soup from stones. Intrigued by the idea, everyone brings what they have until-- together, they have made a feast fit for a king! In this inspiring story about the strength people possess when they work together, Muth takes a simple, beloved tale and adds his own fresh twist.
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• Stone Soup by Ann Mcgovern, Winslow Pinn and Ey Pels (illustrators). (1986 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
A clever young man tricks an old woman into believing that soup can be made from a stone. As the pot of water boils with the stone in it, he urges her to add more and more ingredients until the soup is a feast "fit for a king." In print for 30 years.
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• The Real Story of Stone Soup by Ying Chang Compestine. (2007 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
A stingy fisherman always makes his three young helpers do all his work. One day he scolds the “lazy boys” for forgetting to provide lunch. “Don’t worry,” they say. “We can make stone soup.” The boys dig a hole and fill it with water and “flavored” stones. They trick the fisherman into making bowls and chopsticks, and fetching salt and sesame oil. While he’s busy, they stir in bird eggs, add wild vegetables, and slip fish into the soup. By the time the old man returns, they have a feast fit for a king. To this day, “Egg Drop Stone Soup” is a traditional dish in southeast China. A recipe is included.
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• Stone Soup (Puffin Pied Piper) by Tony Ross. (1992 - Ages 4-8)
From Publishers Weekly
As he has done with other folktales, Ross here offers his own wacky interpretation of the popular fable. In the conventional version, a stranger comes to town and persuades the locals to add various vegetables to a soup he is making, using only boiling water and a stone. In Ross's version, a clever hen persuades a Big, Bad Wolf to put off eating her until she has made him some stone soup. While she adds vegetables, the hen gets the wolf to do her household chores. He enjoys the soup so much that he forgets to eat the hen; he just makes off with the stone. Though this retelling lacks the clever moral of the usual version, Ross's marvelous illustrations make his version distinctive. Ages 4-8.
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5) Chicken Soup with Rice: A Book of Months by Maurice Sendak. (1991 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
Each month is gay,
each season nice,
when eating
chicken soup
with rice.
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6) Turtle of Koka from Margaret Read MacDonald's Storyteller's Startup Book about making turtle soup.

7) The Russian tale Who Will Wash the Pot?

8) Dragon Stew by Tom McGowan. (1969)
Reader's review:
Overall a lovely tale about a scheming wayward young man determined to "live off the best of the land" and not lift a finger to do so. He finds himself in quite a pickle as his own deception of the king threatens his career as "Royal Cook". Great illustrations and storyline - much enjoyed as a child. As an adult, a little older and wiser, I find that the stereotypes used in the book are a little hard to take. The obese king can ONLY think about food and plans his whole day around his meals and snacks. The busty wenches sit giggling on the cook's knee. Not so sure I want my kids to have those kinds of things reinforced so I feel I have to talk to them about other ideas regarding the words used and pictures. Overall a good story if you're not too sensitive about being politically correct!
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9) Anansi and the Talking Melon by Eric Kimmel. (1995- Ages 5-8)
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2-Another of Kimmel's retellings of the fabled African spider and his escapades, joining Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock (1990) and Anansi Goes Fishing (1992, both Holiday). In this tale, lazy Anansi eats his way into Elephant's melon but is then too bloated to crawl out. The always sneaky spider decides it is a perfect opportunity to play a trick and so convinces the animal that he owns a talking melon. Elephant can't wait to share his discovery with King Monkey. Along the way he is joined by Hippo, Warthog, Ostrich, Rhino, and Turtle. King Monkey, skeptical at first, becomes irate when the melon insults him. Of course, the resulting mayhem only adds to Anansi's delight. The same elements that made Kimmel's earlier books popular are in evidence here. The snappy narration is well suited for individual reading or group sharing. The colorful line-and-wash illustrations are filled with movement and playful energy. Stevens's anthropomorphic animals are both expressive and endearing. A surefire hit.
Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI
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10) Why the Sky Is Far Away: A Folktale from Nigeria by Mary-Joan Gerson about an edible sky. (1974 - Baby-Preschool)
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-- This pourquoi tale, first told 500 years ago by the Bini tribe of Nigeria, has a topical message that is accessible to children without being heavy-handed. ``In the beginning,'' the sky was so close to the earth that anyone who was hungry could just reach up, take a piece, and eat it. The sky was delicious, tasting sometimes of meat stew, sometimes of roasted corn. But the people grew careless with the sky's gifts, taking more than they needed to satisfy their hunger. The sky grew angry, threatening to withhold its gifts if the people continued to waste them. True to its promise, the sky moved far away, and the Bini were forced to plow the fields and hunt the forest. Golembe's striking illustrations deepen and enrich this simple tale, adding immensely to the book's appeal. Using a strong, sure line and a palette of deep, vibrant colors, she evokes a timeless African landscape, resonating both the mythic and contemporary themes. The symbolic qualities of the story are strengthened by a deceptively simple composition and the weight of the flat, stylized figures, done in dense, pure black. An eye-catching choice for folklore or picture book collections, and especially useful in supplementing multicultural and ecological curricula. --Linda Boyles, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL
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11) Tops & Bottoms (Caldecott Honor Book) by Janet Stevens. (1995 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
Hare solves his family’s problems by tricking rich and lazy Bear in this funny, energetic version of an old slave story. With roots in American slave tales, Tops & Bottoms celebrates the trickster tradition of using one’s wits to overcome hardship. “As usual, Stevens’ animal characters, bold and colorful, are delightful. . . . It’s all wonderful fun, and the book opens, fittingly, from top to bottom instead of from side to side, making it perfect for story-time sharing.”
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12) Sody Sallyratus by Teri Sloat. (1997 - Ages 4-8)
From Kirkus Reviews
Sody Sallyratus, the stuff that makes biscuits rise, will give readers a rise too, in this retelling of a familiar tale. Son, daughter, Pa, and Ma each head off to the general store to buy baking soda, only to get swallowed up on the return trip by a big bear. A little brown squirrel outfoxes the bear, by allowing himself to be chased up a tree whose branches then collapse under the bear's weight. Animal lovers needn't fret; the bear waddles off unharmed. Sloat (The Hungry Giant of the Tundra, 1993, etc.) adds a few touches of her own, and closes the book with a folksy recipe for baking soda biscuits. Filled with autumn oranges, browns, and the crunchy look of fallen leaves, the illustrations capture the boisterous energy of the story. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)
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13) Sebgugugu the Glutton by Verna Aardema and Nancy L. Clouses (illus). (1993)
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-- This folktale from Rwanda features Sebgugugu, a poor man with a young family and only one cow. One day he thinks he hears a crow telling him to kill the cow; in return, he will get a hundred more. Although Sebgugugu's wife warns him not to "do anything so foolish," he slaughters his cow. As his starving family searches for food, Sebgugugu implores Imana, the mythical Lord of Rwanda, to save them. Imana appears and leads them to a magical vine, but Sebgugugu is ordered not to cut it. Twice more, Sebgugugu behaves foolishly. This time Imana does not give him another chance; his family disappears. Aardema's adaptation is lively and readable, with vivid, onomatopoetic language. Repetition and swift action will appeal to beginning readers. The wife's repeated warnings are accompanied by illustrations that show her increasing alarm. These pictures are rendered in a primitive style; they are more suggestive than realistic. In general, they work quite well with the text. True to the original tradition, this is a didactic folktale that shows children proper values and warns them of the consequences of violating those principles. Its message, however, is also a contemporary one. --Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Siena College Library, Loudonville, NY
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14) The Giant Turnip, a Russian tale by Henriette Barkow and Richard Johnson (illus). (2001)
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15) The Gingerbread Man. Many versions, including:
• The Gingerbread Man by Catherine McCafferty. (2001 - Ages 4-8)
Book Description
The freshly baked Gingerbread Man escapes from the oven and outruns all those who try to catch him. But will he be able to avoid the clever fox or end up as his tasty snack? Beautifully illustrated, this classic tale will capture children’s interest and spark their imagination page after page, encouraging a love of reading that is vital to success in school and life! This title is also available in an English/Spanish bilingual edition! Children will find hours of entertainment in the pages of these timeless tales! Our Brighter Child® Keepsake Stories are delightfully illustrated classic stories of magic, imagination, and inspiration that will delight children again and again! Collect all of the titles in this wonderful series today! Select titles available in an English/Spanish bilingual version!
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• Musubi Man: Hawaii's Gingerbread Man by Sandi Takayama and Pat Hall (illus) (1997 - Ages 4-8)
Card catalog description
A freshly baked musubi man escapes from the old woman's kitchen and eludes his pursuers in this Hawaiian version of the Gingerbread boy.
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13 The Gingerbread Man, The Roly-Poly Rice Cake and all those other runaway edibles.

14) The Old Jar by Laurence Yep in Rainbow People.

15) The Talking Eggs by San Souci.

16) Also Kangaroo Stew, Squash Pie and Monster Soup (all picture books), and Fat Cat--who eats everything and everyone in sight!

17) And don't forget Wide Mouth Frog!

18) Aphrodite by Isabel Allende.

19) The Burmese story A Costly Smell from Cathy Spagnoli's book Asian Tales and Tellers. There are also Malaysian and Middle Eastern versions.

20) Chinese food stories:
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa022200a.htm
Chinese food name origins (with recipes)

20) Chinese Tea Stories
http://www.firehorseportfolio.com/tea/
Only a couple of the tales are really about food, but the stories are worth seeing.

21) http://iparentingstories.com/Food_Stories/
A couple of cute little personal anecdotes

22) http://www.thingsasian.com/destination/stories_list.jsp?category_id=8
Things Asian - I think these are more news stores, but might provide some
material for other kinds of "stories".

24) http://www.giftideacenter.com/Holidays/Halloween/Halloween_stories.htm
This is a site that gives ideas for food props for using with Halloween stories.

25) Moon Cakes to Maize by Norma Livo is a new book with cooking and food stories. It
can be ordered at 800-992-2908 Delicious World folktales but maybe it's in your library.

26) Hansel & Gretel.

27) The Greek Tantalus whose food eluded him as punishment

28) The African Why the Sky is Far Away (the people eat & waste the sky).

29) The Lord Peter Wimsey Cookbook by Elizabeth Bond Ryan & William J. Eakins.

30) Esquirel, Laura (Translated by Carol Christensen & Thomas Christensen) LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE NY Doubleday 1992. ISBN 0-385-42016-1.

32) The Theft of Smell is in one of Pleasant DeSpain's early collections of tales and also in Sharon Creeden's book of justice tales. Pleasant de Spain's book title: Twenty-Two Splendid Tales to Tell from Around the World, Volume 2.

33) Another version: Sanji and the Baker by Robin Tzannes, Korky Paul (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover - 32 pages (April 1998)
Oxford Univ Pr Childrens Books; ISBN: 0192799606

34) That reminds me of The Magic Pomegranate, version by Penninah Schram in Ready to Tell Tales by Holt and Mooney. Also, The Legend of Obi Gui Gui or Why Coconuts Fall From the Trees by Luisah Teish in More Best-Loved Strories Told at the National Storytelling Festival.

35) This is a great site for food trivia and stories. One story I use to open my Researching Stories on the Internet Workshop I found on this site. It is a Chinese Legend about the discovery of salt. (see second link)
SOUP OF THE EVENING...BEAUTIFUL SOUP
http://www.soupsong.com/
FoodTale:
http://www.soupsong.com/fsalt.html

36) You didn't mention what age group you will be working with; high school, elementary? I am not sure if these are the types of stories you are looking for but here are some suggestions for a variety of ages.
Found in Ready To Tell Tales by Holt and Mooney:
The Magic Pomegranate
Lazy Jack - he is really foolish with a variety of foods, milk, cheese, ham
Why Meat Loves Salt - good way to introduce a seque about seasoning food. Also this Chinese folktale about the discovery of salt. FoodTale:
SALT
http://www.soupsong.com/fsalt.html
Maruska and the Twelve Month Brothers - Russian folktale. Here is one version.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/6064/cinder7.html
Also known as Strawberries in Winter on Dan Keding's tape and Twelve Months by Rafe Martin. It is a Cinderella variant and she is sent to search for for apples, strawberries and violets in winter.
The Ginger Bread Man
The Great Enormous Turnip - good interactive story for the wee ones.
The Little Red House - features an apple. Found in Easy To Tell Stories for Young Children by Annette Harrison
The Baker's Dozen GOS #7 ~ The Baker's Dozen
http://www.aaronshep.com/storytelling/GOS07.html
In Through the Grapevine by Hamilton and Weiss:
The Baker's Daughter
Scrambled Eggs
Watermelons and Walnuts
Why Anansi the Spider Has A Small Waist - found in Stories in My Pocket by Hamilton and Weiss
The Donkey Egg - found in Noodlehead Stories by Hamilton and Weiss
Also a different version:
The Mare's Egg - found in Trickster Tales - Forty Folk Stories from Around the World by Josepha Sherman
The Three Wishes - sausage ends up on her nose
The Banquet found at Story Arts | Stories in a Nutshell | The Banquet
Anansi and the Hat Shaking Dance - story is about Anansi stealing a pot of beans. Also another version is Anansi's Good Day in found in Easy To Tell Stories for Young Children by Annette Harrison
Hungry Spider - 33 Multicultural Tales to Tell by Pleasant DeSpain
Why the Sky Is So Far Away - African Folktale about how people used to be able to grab pieces of the sky for food.
Stone Soup
The Little Red Hen in More Ready to Tell Tales by Holt and Mooney:
Tigertail Soup
Sweet and Sour Berries
The Barking Mouse - get the children to name healthy things to put in the picnic basket.
Story stretches for the little ones found in Crazy Gibberish by Naomi Baltuck
Grandma's Going to the Grocery Store
Who Stole The Cookie From the Cookie Jar
My Mother Works in a Bakery
Peanut Butter
Interesting tidbits about food:
Unaga Tamaglav
http://baatar.freeyellow.com/story1.html
There is also a book, Mooncakes to Maize by Norma Livo. The entire book is about folktales and food. You can find it at
http://www.amazon.com
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(This web page updated 11/13/03; 3/16/08)