Your fantasy book store

[pastryelf]

I am doing research for a business proposal that my husband and I are working on.

I am curious what books you eGulleters find indispensible, compelling, classic, sexy, trustworthy, fascinating, voyeuristic, enviable, inspiring and just down right can't live without for no explanable reason....

I would like to know what books you turn to on a regular basis, and which ones are your food porn. I am interested in the cookbooks, but also the reference, the politics, the commentary, the history and the fiction. And it does not need to be limited to works that are obviously about food. Proust had his Madeleines.

I am aware that this is a rather large request, but my guess is that most food people always have a running list of the books that mean the most to them in their head. And if not, it would only take a few moments of reflection to come up with a pertinent list. I am in no particular hurry so if you can't get to it right now, come back when you can. I have found some invaluable information on these forums and greatly respect the input of this community. Therefore I would gratefully appreciate any and all contributions.

When we are a little further along in this project we will share it's full construct with you all, and are hoping to become a resource for those interested in the written word on food.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

[Lindacakes]

Are you asking what books about food we'd like to see stocked in a bookstore?

[FlavoursGal]

My fantasy book store already exists - The Cookbook Store in downtown Toronto. They stock culinary-related books only.

www.cook-book.com

[pastryelf]

yes, I am interested in what food books you would like to see in a book store. That is, if you couldn't make it to Toronto....

I asked this question a while ago because my husband and are going to open a store devoted to books on food and wine and related topics in Portland, Maine within the next few months. We have many ideas of our own about the stock, but would love to hear any feedback offered. We are planning to offer new, used, out of print and rare books on all topics related to the procurement, preparation, production, enjoyment and discussion of food and wine. So if there is some book you have been looking for or don't know where to find, please let us know. We would like to become a resource for any and all food curious folks. Preliminary info is available on our website (and I am hoping I am not breaking any rules by posting it here, assuming I will be notified it I am) at rabelaisbooksDOTcom.

Thanks, in advance, for your time and interest.

Samantha

[Daniel Rogov]

Perhaps a few hints at http://www.stratsplace.com/rogov/cookbooks_aficianados.html

[Reefpimp]

Travel: Amundsen, Perry, Cahill, Shacochis, Mayle.

Food Essay: Wolfert, Steingarten, Ruhlman, Bourdain, CIA, Hariss, Pollan

Food Cooking: Peterson, CIA, Bouloud, Trotter, Ruhlman, Bourdain, let your conscience be your guide, include RR or Paula Deen or Sandra and i will hunt you down and berate you ad nauseam.

Architecture/Furniture: Pei, Wright, Gaudi; Krenov, McIntosh, Stickley. Greenly

The Sporting Life: Ruark, Hemingway, Van Deimm, Capstick, Pretorius, Bell, O'Connor, Whelen, et al

Aero-and Hydrodynamics: Airplanes and yachts: Skinner, Skeane, Boeing, McIntosh, Post, Eagan, et al. Contact Peter Eagan c/o Cycle World magazine; he won't steer you too far wrong with lists of authors.

General Fiction: The Great American Novel. The Great American Poem. The Great British Novel. The British Interwar Poets. {The novel is the great encyclopaedia of the human condition; the poem is the great encyclopaedia of the human heart. No bookstore can lay claim to that name without its inclusion of the named above. No bookstore should therewith be without either cat or dog or preferably both; preferably older, fat, and mild; of the ginger Tom in the one case and Labrador or Basset persuasion in the other.}

I like your idea. Let me know when it opens and I will be as steady a customer as I can manage to be.

[pastryelf]

ReefPimp, thank you for your interest and the list. Was happy to see we had all of the food writers you mentioned, and were pleased to add some of the travel/sporting authors. My husband is the architecture specialist so those titles were already in our sphere. Because we also share a love of photography there will be titles in this field as well. (oh yeah, and there is a dog, small scruffy friendly, the cat, I'm not so sure about. We are trying to break the mold of bookstore stereotypes.)

We are hoping to be comprehensive, at least in our reach. Meaning that we will try and touch on all the subject areas that relate to appetites of all sorts... As my research grows deeper I am continually impressed with the depth of the field (food & wine). Sometimes it is an overwhelming feeling, but we will strive to include any title we can find that has relevance, in or out of print. This is the joy of stocking new, out of print, used and rare books. We should be able to find it somewhere, whatever it may be, in some condition.

If anyone else out there has burning desires (in printed form) please do let us know. The most direct route is through the website Rabelais Books, but I am on this forum regularly. Still shooting to open our doors early April. Renovation of the space begins for real this week. I will post details, may be blogging about the process. Will certainly let the forum know when we open, would love to see any of you there!

thanks for the support,

samantha

Rabelais Books

Middle street, Portland, Maine

[Marlene]

My fantasy book store already exists - The Cookbook Store in downtown Toronto.  They stock culinary-related books only.

www.cook-book.com

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I was in this store for the first time this weekend. What a fabulous store, and they were doing a wine tasting at 2:00 which unfortunately we couldn't stay for. It has cookbooks, food mags, food reference books. You name it, and it's probably there.