The fifth edition of this widely praised and highly esteemed reference guide has been updated with new information to reflect the way we eat in today's world. This latest version is updated to take into account our healthier lifestyles and more diverse palates, including: Over 500 new cultural listings, including Korean, Persian, and South American additions Updated information for hundreds of existing entries A blood alcohol concentration chart for men and women An extensive breakdown of food labels and nutritional facts Department of Agriculture recommendations for a 2,000 calorie per day food plan Among the myriad of foods and culinary subjects defined and explained are cooking tools and techniques, meat cuts, breads, pastas, and literally everything else related to good food and enjoyable dining-a veritable food bible for the novice home-cook, culinary student, or the self-proclaimed foodie. Handy appendices cover many topics including suggestions for substituting recipe ingredients, a microwave oven conversion chart, recommended safe cooking temperatures for meats and fish, and much more. The New Food Lover's Companion is a reference guide-not a cookbook-but it includes hundreds of cooking tips plus an extensive bibliography of recommended cookbooks. More than 7200 entries plus line art are included in this seminal work.