What Are You Reading?

[Chris Cognac]

we are reading Culinaria, The Caribbean by Rosemary Parkinson. she is the Jamaica Gleaner food reporter and quite an interesting person. My wife and I had the pleasure of joining her for 2 days of eating in Jamaica this summer.

Its a big book and weighs about 5 lbs!..But lots of pics and great stuff. I know that she is in the process of writing a new book on Jamaican food.

[Squeat Mungry]

I'm halfway through Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page's The New American Chef. It is delightful to have an entertaining pageturner that will also be awarded permanent kitchen status.

And a shout out to eGullet for turning me on to it!

Holiday Cheers,

Squeat

[LaurieA-B]

I've been reading Bittersweet by Alice Medrich throughout December. Lots of stories/essays along with recipes. So far we've tried one recipe--Matthew made the chocolate mousse, which was delectable. This book really teaches you a lot about chocolate. I am a bit curious as to whether Medrich has really been as influential regarding chocolate in America as she says; I have no reason to doubt her claims, I just don't have any basis for judgment. It's a delightful book.

[Fritz Brenner]

M.F.K. Fisher's "The Art of Eating."

gooooood stuff.

[plax]

I'm reading Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating, by Ari Weinzweig, though it's something I can only dip into because it provides so much to think about. Also Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan-- which makes me want to stop and bake all the time.

Neil

[scrappycat]

I'm reading "The Man Who Ate Everything" Jeffrey Steingarten.

"The Art of Eating" by M.F.K Fisher stays permanently on my nightstand. I read an essay or two in between other books.

[hwilson41]

Willie Gluckstern's The Wine Avenger (which I discovered while perusing eGullet). Absolutely delightful. Great info, and devoid of the puffery, pretension, and bullshit you usually find in "wine" books.

THW

[Andy Lynes]

Re-reading The Fourth Star by Leslie Brenner and Portale's Gotham Cookbook. I also have Colicchio's new book and "Mastering Simplicity:A Life in the Kitchen" by Christian Delouvrier on order as late Xmas presents for myself.

[AzRaeL]

Alton Brown's Gear for your Kitchen

[Anna N]

...at a charity shop:  Dinners for Two by Sharon O'Connor (Recipes from Romantic Country Inns)

Anna, What a coincidence! An organization I belong to runs an annual used book sale. (It's our major fund raiser.) During the year, we members sort the books and have first dibs on what comes in. Two weeks ago, I took home the very same Dinners for Two.

That is an amazing coincidence. It's a bit dated but some of the dishes still look interesting.

[Maliaty]

Steingarten's "It must have been something I ate"...and I have just finished rererereading the China Moon cookbook which I love to death. For Christmas this year, we swapped one batch of homemade China Moon inspired chilli szechaun peppercorn oil for brother in law's killer bbq sauce...

cheers

Maliaty

[Anna N]

Steingarten's "It must have been something I ate"...and I have just finished rererereading the China Moon cookbook which I love to death. For Christmas this year, we swapped one batch of homemade China Moon inspired chilli szechaun peppercorn oil for brother in law's killer bbq sauce...

cheers

Maliaty

Yes, the China Moon book is now on my list of must-haves - the library will insist I return their copy in less than three weeks!

[rozrapp]

...at a charity shop:  Dinners for Two by Sharon O'Connor (Recipes from Romantic Country Inns)

Anna, What a coincidence! An organization I belong to runs an annual used book sale. (It's our major fund raiser.) During the year, we members sort the books and have first dibs on what comes in. Two weeks ago, I took home the very same Dinners for Two.

That is an amazing coincidence. It's a bit dated but some of the dishes still look interesting.

One of the reasons it interested me was that, out of the 20 inns, we have been to 8.

[Okbrewer]

Garrett Oliver's The Brewmaster's Table

[tryska]

hmm. right now i'm reading Wolves of The Calla by Stephen King - it's got some food stuff in there.

actually a lot of food-related stuff, now that i think about it.

Edited December 29, 2003 by tryska (log)

[fifi]

I was at friends' house last night for a lovely dinner. They gave me Best of the Best. It is an anthology of the best 100 recipes from the best cookbooks of the year, put out by Food & Wine. This is a fun book and I am flipping through it now.

[jrufusj]

As I've been (and will be) flying a lot, I've been reading Best Food Writing 2003, featuring among its contents a few pieces by eGulleteers. It is compact and broken into bite-size morsels, so it is good for travelling.

Back on the bedside table at home is David Thompson's Thai cookbook. I've also just finished the Page/Dornenburg Culinary Artistry. Somehow, I never read it before.

I've also been browsing my way through a bunch of newly acquired Korean-language Korean cookbooks and a very good Japanese food dictionary (helpful as it uses both kanji/kana and romanized names).

I'm not the greatest fan of compilations like the first-mentioned book above, but I've enjoyed this one because it has pointed me to some writers with websites of whom I would like to read more.

Jim

[Bicycle Lee]

I just got the El Bulli book and I am constantly stunned by it...

[howard88]

Another vote for "The man who ate everything", since I didn't remember I had read it before and checked it out of the library. Also looking through Lidia Bastianich's Cookbook from her current tv series, and I cannot recall the title right now.

[Mabelline]

Maybe this should be a different thread, but does anyone buy or check out older cook or cooking related books? 40's, 50's, 60's,70's,80's, what? Name your favorites!

[FistFullaRoux]

fifi - twitch and check your local library's card catalog. if they don't have it ask for an interlibrary loan and if you really like it then buy it. i do it all the time

DUH! Library! I'm headed there very shortly. I'm glad you mentioned that. I'm so in the habit of popping down to a bookstore and buying a book that looked like it would be interesting, but turned out to be a doorstop, that I completely forgot about all of those tax dollars sitting there collecting dust.

Thank you for reminding me that the damn things still do exist.

[tryska]

the library is the best thing ever.

[Mabelline]

Many of the best books are easily accessed at the the library. And many that are hard to find. The charity and secondhand are ab fab for oldies. I have found excellent books at Estate Sales (New York Times & New York Times American Heritage in almost new condition for 2$ each).

[JLN67]

I am rereading an old favorite - More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin.

I loved her two books on cooking! I need to re-read them myself. Thanks for the reminder. I'm currently reading An Alphabet for Gourmets by M.F.K. Fisher. I'm also finally getting around to reading my copy of Cookwise.

[Okbrewer]

Estate sales are great for finding all kinds of books, including cook books. At one sale I bought AUTOGRAPHED copies of books by Jacques Pepin and Emeril, less than $5 for each.