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How Carrots Won the Trojan: Curious (but true) stories of common vegetables War by Rebecca Rupp is a delightful collection of little-known stories about the origins, legends, and historical significance of 23 of the world's most popular vegetables. Vegetables are more than just food for humans: they've been characters, companions, and even protagonists throughout history. Curious cooks, devoted gardeners, and casual readers alike will be fascinated by the far-fetched tales of their favourite foods' pasts. Readers will discover why Roman gladiators were massaged with onion juice before battle, how celery contributed to Casanova's conquests, how peas almost poisoned General Washington, why some seventeenth-century turnips were considered degenerate, and, of course, how carrots helped the Greeks win the Trojan War.