What food-related books are you reading? (2004 - 2015)

[et alors]

I'm reading the Dexter books. I've actually never had Cuban food (so sad), but now I want to try it desperately. In between the serial killing, he keeps talking about it.

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Sadly, I've been reading the Anita Blake Books in which she never mentions food except bad guys eat steak rare, and she eats it well. The authors discomfort with food and cooking shines through as well do many of her other shortcomings. But a friend dropped off a bag with the entire series and I'm consuming them like popcorn.

Also reading The Lady in the Palzzo which is an unapologetic food book about Italy. Except when she gets lost in her descriptions of charming rural vinettes, it's really quite pleasurable.

[tupac17616]

Just finished Jay Rayner's "The Man Who Ate The World", which I quite enjoyed.

Now going more old school with MFK Fisher's "Serve It Forth".

[prasantrin]

Just finished Jay Rayner's "The Man Who Ate The World", which I quite enjoyed.

Now going more old school with MFK Fisher's "Serve It Forth".

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Have you read Simon Majumdar's "Eat My Globe" yet? It's on my list, but I can't buy books this year, so it'll have to wait until next year!

[tupac17616]

Just finished Jay Rayner's "The Man Who Ate The World", which I quite enjoyed.

Now going more old school with MFK Fisher's "Serve It Forth".

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Have you read Simon Majumdar's "Eat My Globe" yet? It's on my list, but I can't buy books this year, so it'll have to wait until next year!

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I had forgotten about that one. My friend told me it was in the works a while back. That one is now next in the queue. Thanks!

[Julianne_Reddin]

I've been rereading 'Fish Flesh and Good Red Herring' by the late Alice Thomas Ellis which is brilliant for anybody interested in culinary history. It essentially a mish-mash of historical extracts from various book on housekeeping and cookery through the ages, mixed with personal anecdotes. It doesn't really have a set structure and you can pick it up at any page over and over again.

On the subject of M.F.K. Fisher, when I was at University I had a wonderful English lecturer originally from the States who gave me her copy of The Art of Eating when I graduated, because she had always said that if she ever met anybody passionate about food who wanted to become a food writer she would give them that book, I always thought that was really sweet and so I treasure that book in pride of place on my book shelf. I'm certain that my ability to turn any literary discussion into a food maybe had something to do with it!

Julianne

[Chris Amirault]

I just read Josh Ozersky's Hamburger: A History, a perfect airplane read. It's an opinionated overview of the development of the hamburger as a -- really, as the -- quintessential American food. Ozersky makes a very strong case for the bun, and not the burger, as the defining element.

[nakji]

I'm not reading anything at the moment, but I'm moving to China in the autumn, and I'm looking for books on the styles, history, philosophy, any other -ies of the food there. I'm moving to Jiangsu province, if that helps. Suggestions?

[daisy17]

Ruth Reichl's new book came out yesterday. Will be reading it shortly - her others are among my favorites.

[tupac17616]

... and 70 years later I catch on.

MFK Fisher is a friggin' fantastic writer.

Just read Serve it Forth. Working on Consider the Oyster now.

[rconnelly]

Ruth Reichl's new book came out yesterday.  Will be reading it shortly - her others are among my favorites.

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It'v small and can almost be read in one sitting. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, even though her I loved her others.

Reading Julie * Julia - truly enjoying it - don't want it to end.

[Kim Shook]

Has anyone read The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister? I just finished it and found it lovely. This is how I want to eat and cook and LIVE. I cannot imagine reading this book without becoming ravenous!

[Special K]

I cannot imagine reading this book without becoming ravenous!

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Oh, my favorite kind of book! This does look good - thanks for the rec.

[violetfox]

Libation:A Bitter Alchemy by Deirdre Heekin

[violetfox]

Libation:A Bitter Alchemy by Deirdre Heekin

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I should elaborate. Deirdre Heekin is co-owner of the restaurant Pane e Salute in Woodstcok VT. This is a book about wine and bitters, life and travel. It's extremely well-writtn and worth reading. One of those few books that I really wanted to read straight through and resented having to stop mid-read, and at the same time, didn't want it to end.

[suzilightning]

Has anyone read The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister?  I just finished it and found it lovely.  This is how I want to eat and cook and LIVE.  I cannot imagine reading this book without becoming ravenous!

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just picked up this one as well as Sweet Honey, Bitter Lemons: Travels in Sicily on a Vespa by Mattew Fort and Mediterranean Summer: a Season on France's Cote D'azur and Italy's Costa Bella by David Shalleck last night.

Just finished B is for Beer by Tom Robbins which was a hoot and am almost halfway through Tom Standages's An Edible History of Humanity by the same guy who wrote The History of the World in Six Glasses - then included a seventh for our future, a book I found very thought provoking.

[LizD518]

I'm taking a break from reading a totally non-food-related fantasy / adventure series to read "the Omnivore's Dilemma". I feel about five years behind the times, but so far I find it absorbing - and disturbing.

[TimmDavis]

Reading "A Day At elBulli" at the moment, though almost finished and I'll go back to switching between Kitchen Confidential and The French Laundry Cookbook. Then it's on to Bouchon.

[kitchensqueen]

I just finished "Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China". I thought it was excellent. Anyone have any suggestions for something similar?

[nickrey]

I'm just about finished one of the best combinations of personal biography, food history, insights into regional cooking, and recipes that I've come across.

The book is Giorgio Locatelli's Made in Italy: Food and Stories. It won the Glenfiddich Food Book of the Year in 2007 and in 2006 was named the best Italian cuisine book in the world at the Gourmand world cookbook awards.

The recipe for Porcini (Cep) Risotto alone makes up for the cost of the book.

[pedie]

Has anyone read The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister?  I just finished it and found it lovely.  This is how I want to eat and cook and LIVE.  I cannot imagine reading this book without becoming ravenous!

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I read this book a few months ago. The beauty of this book snuck up on me. At first I found it slow and predictable, but as I read I began to find myself reading slower and savoring the words. I was delighted in a way that there were no recipes, but reading about the various dishes prepared and how the students of her cooking classes learn to "pay attention" to the ingredients as they create their dishes made me want to run into the kitchen and start pulling out ingredients. I think the book invites transformation, from the most essential ingredients in your food to the most essential ingredients in your life.

[emilyr]

I just got Food of a Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky that pulls together the works of WPA writers who spent their assignments traveling around the country writing about how Americans ate everywhere. The project shut down in the '40s because of WWII, so the pieces never got collected. I'm really looking forward to reading essays by '30s writers like Eudora Welty and Zora Neale Hurston.

[pedie]

Has anyone read The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister?  I just finished it and found it lovely.  This is how I want to eat and cook and LIVE.  I cannot imagine reading this book without becoming ravenous!

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I read it when it first came out and at first I thought it would be too predictable but it really drew me in. As I read I began to find myself reading slower and savoring the words. This author writes so beautifully. Yes, she awakens your senses but she also invites you to pay attention...to life around you, to what you touch, to scents, to sights. The basic story is about a restaurant owner, Lillian, who offers cooking lessons on the Monday evenings when her restaurant is closed. Chapters focus on the 8 diverse students, who they were entering the class and how the class changes their lives. The story lines of the students are familiar and develop predictably but what is so engaging is her prose as she conveys their stories. I love to cook and I anticipated recipes for the dishes the class prepares. But there are no recipes. The students learn to "pay attention" to the ingredients as they create their dishes. It made me want to run into the kitchen and start cooking!!

[chezcherie]

just finished the cheese chronicles by liz thorpe. seriously considered licking some of the pages, and immediately purchased several hundred dollars worth of cheese. as soon as i finished it, i started again with the first chapter. just LOVED it. delicious writing on a fascinating subject. i wanna meet her. hell, i wanna BE her! brava.

[Julianne_Reddin]

It was my birthday recently so I've just finished a glut of foodie reading including a Pierre Gagnaire retrospective (beautiful coffee table book) and the Le Gavroche recipe book.

I also got, quite randomly 'Barring Some Unforeseen Accident' by Jackson Tippett McCrae whch is a surreal comedy romp (for want of a better phrase) about a writer who is invited to a small town in the Southern States to compile a cookery book for members of the town's junior league - not a cookery book persay but it includes the recipes contributed by said ladies and is more about small town infighting and scandal - nevertheless pretty enjoyable - anyone else read this?

[anthonylee86]

I just recently read Hungry Monkey by eGulleter Matthew Amster Burton (mamster). It was a very good read full of lots of comedy. I joined eGullet because of his book and have really enjoyed my time here so far. I now have a huge reading list from both this thread and the cookbook thread.