"What Is Queer Food weaves the constellations of possibility underlying our cuisines in Birdsall's gorgeous, ebullient prose. Warm and generous, precise and exacting, this book is one of a kind, tied together by Birdsall's knowingness and generosity. An absolutely gorgeous work." -Bryan Washington, author of Family Meal

"Delectable, delightful, delovely! Birdsall's genius has given us a queer chronicle, full of both famous names and untold stories, revealing the subversive secret life of food in America. And done with all the charm and wit of MFK Fisher—a seemingly effortless feast of the senses." -Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Less and Less Is Lost

"John Birdsall’s What Is Queer Food is a staggering, sweeping work full of wit and bite. The book defies category: it’s a history and a philosophical argument, a chain of interconnected stories told in Birdsall’s unmistakable voice, sexy and joyous and angry and thrumming with life—it casts a bright light on an essential, under-recognized dimension of American gastronomic history." -Helen Rosner

"John Birdsall masterfully unveils the hidden stories of influential figures who have shaped American cuisine—individuals whose queer identities often remain unrecognized. With compassion and insight, he brings their journeys to life, celebrating their strengths while thoughtfully examining their complexities and humanity. Walk in their footsteps and be captivated by their stories." -Nik Sharma, author of The Flavor Equation and Veg-Table

"Poetically tracing the fascinating, elusive history of queer people and food, John Birdsall, author and former chef, serves us a scrumptious buffet of queer bakers, chefs, cookbook writers, eaters, foods, food parties, food writers, restaurant owners and reviewers, and the wait persons who carry it to us—in a nutshell everything and everyone from soup to nuts. Chewing the fat in the first person, Birdsall serves us a repast for thought. What is Queer Food? is a feast to remember! (Full disclosure: I make a quick walk-on as the young boy who asked the very butch restaurant owner, Esther Eng, for a 'dikery.' I meant a 'daiquiri')." -Jonathan Ned Katz, author of The Daring Life and Dangerous Times of Eve Adams

"Not only is this an important decree of Queer visibility in food history, excavating and restoring a narrative long buried and obstructed, it is also a miracle of well written prose and wildly entertaining. I couldn’t help but read large portions of this book out loud to give the masterful storytelling a voice and ring loud. John Birdsall continues to establish himself as one of my most anticipated writers." -Lisa Donovan, author of Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger