Posts filed under 'Food Literature'
One of my icons is Betty Fussell, who has been researching and writing about food for over 50 years. Her memoir, My Kitchen Wars is a great read and a wonderful view into to the lives of the women of her generation who were laying the ground work for the woman’s lib movement.
One of her greatest tomes is The Story of Corn which has been recently re-published. I have yet to try her cookbooks but her ability to research and tell the story is not only thorough, but passionate. She has a new book out about the history of beef in the U.S. Raising Steaks, which is sure to be a thriller.
January 18th, 2009
Isak Dinesen (pseudonym for Karen Blixen) is one of my favorite writers and Babette’s Feast is a true flavorista classic. It is the tale of a renowned French chef who finds herself exiled from revolutionary France to a small Danish village as the maid to 2 elderly, repressed spinsters.
In 1988, this wonderful story was made into a movie which won the academy award for Best Foreign Picture. Kimberly knows of a culinary arts instructor who has his freshman students watch the movie to help them to understand the power of food and flavor. It is a gem of a book AND a movie, which is not often the case. If you have never seen this movie or read this book, cozy up and enjoy. It is a perfect excuse to take a moment during winter break to relax.
December 26th, 2008
To say that this book is a Mayone family favorite is an understatement. The Seven Silly Eaters, written by Mary Ann Hoberman and illustrated by Marla Frazee, is such a bedtime standard in this house that I can read it without looking at the words.
Parents of fussy eaters will enjoy this story because it is a tale about a family full of children who will only eat one thing. It begins with Peter who will only drink warm milk. His sister Lucy is stuck on lemonade, more specifically pink lemonade. The verse is fun and rhyming. The illustrations are superb. Each of my children have a specific picture that makes them laugh out loud. Vincenzo likes to point out the boy sitting on the potty. Lollie always loved the chaotic kitchen.
How does it end? We can’t tell. To find out, you’ll have to get it at the library or at the bookstore.
December 4th, 2008
If you like to give books as holiday gifts, be sure to add Calef Brown books to the top of your shopping list. The book shelf at Casa Mayone has a growing collection of Brown’s work. His writing is silly, whimsical and downright fun to read. His illustrations are pleasing to the eye with gorgeous colors and wild designs. We especially love his new book, Soup for Breakfast. I often find myself wondering how did he come up with that?
Donuts from Soup for Breakfast
Why do all grownups
like donuts so much?
They rave about flavors
and fillings and such.
They praise all the glazes.
They savor the dough.
Donuts are tasty.
We get it!
We know!!
I recently found out that Calef Brown has a blog, Polkabats with original art and musings. Check out Eschew The Stew to find out what happens to poor Sue when she orders the stew against everyone’s warnings.
November 5th, 2008
Molly O’Neill is a Flavorista Icon because she is fervently working to document our melting pot culinary heritage. She is a great storyteller, food writer, critic and chef. Back in 1992, she started on her quest with the New York Cookbook which is still in print sixteen years later! This is such an amazing tome of recipes that capture New York and the eclectic home cooks, firehouse cooks, and restaurant chefs that live there. Most recently, she edited a wonderful compilation called American Food Writing that lives at my bedside. There are fantastic writing tidbits and recipes from some of the best American writers about my favorite topic - food! Currently, she is a contributer to Saveur magazine. O’Neill is continuing on the compelling quest to chronicle American food so stay tuned for more from this tireless and committed flavorista.
September 21st, 2008
I am almost finished reading this wonderful book on growing and eating one’s own food by Barbara Kingsolver. The author and her family chronicled an entire year of being "localvores", those who live off what their land produces, supplemented only by food available locally. I recommend this book to anyone who is completely out of touch with how food is grown and processed in this country. It is the perfect book for those who are starting out with small attempts to grow their favorite foods. While rift with food politics, this book also has recipes and it is full of adages as to the time and effort it takes to tend a garden. I am inspired by and in awe of the chapter entitled "You Can’t Run Away on Harvest Day" which eloquently describes butchering.
I’d love to spend a week at harvest with Barbara Kingsolver. She posseses such a huge wealth of knowledge. I haven’t tried any of the recipes, but there seems to be quite a few that are truly creative; the kind of recipes that come from abundance- the onslaught of green beans, zucchini coming out of your ears and 2 tons of tomatoes needing processing. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is not only a lesson in food politics but a fantastic discourse on food in America and potentially in your own back yard. The website is a great resource for finding locallly produced foods.
September 18th, 2008
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