Looking for something to read in 2009 to satisfy the “foodie” in you? Check out the Best Food Writing 2008, edited by Holly Hughes. You will enjoy fine selections from top magazine, newspapers and books, which will all push your gastronomic buttons.
As I was making the classic dish of Daube a couple of weeks ago, it was great to read “Slow Cooking” from The Art of Simple Food, by Alice Waters. Being a New Orleans wannabe, it was great to read “Rebuilding Mandina’s', from the Times-Picayune, by Brett Anderson. I have been fortunate to eat many meals at Mandina’s and it was this Creole-Italian restaurant that taught me the difference between tomato sauce and “red gravy”. Of course, one title alone by Molly O’Neill from Saveur, could make you want to buy a copy of this book – “Butter: A Love Story”.
This collection was valuable to give insight into some food history and on current trends. Yes, you will find some choice recipes throughout the pages. And, a must-have is “Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less”, by Mark Bittman, from the New York Times. Most of all, these stories gave me an itch to travel and eat!
