Reference books are encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and other specially organized books. They're useful for finding summaries, definitions, and quick facts about a topic.
Subject Encyclopedias
Subject encyclopedias are a great first source to use when you begin researching a new topic.
Written by experts, entries in scholarly, subject encyclopedias give you crucial background information on a topic including:
The Cambridge World History of Food
Encyclopedia of Food and Culture by This link opens in a new window
The Atlas of Food: Who Eats What, Where, and Why by 
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America by 
Food in America: : The Past, Present, and Future of Food, Farming, and the Family Meal
Food in Context
The Gale Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Food Labels by 
The Oxford Companion to Food
