Food in fiction

January 26, 2017 by
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We've reviewed books in which food plays a major part on this blog before, writing about which great meals in literature, and the top kitchens in literature, among others. Over at the website bookriot.com, writer Sarah Nicolas is really diving into the topic. She's got a list of her favorite 100 works of food fiction.  Nicolas has divvied up her… read more

Vancouver cookbook store to close

January 25, 2017 by
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  I'm afraid we have some sad news to report in the world of cookbook stores. After a 20 year run, Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, is shutting its doors. In her letter, owner Barbara Jo says that she will keep the website and will report there on her future plans at a later date. … read more

Are James Beard’s six essential herbs right for today’s cooks?

January 24, 2017 by
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In 1974, James Beard published his iconic Beard on Food. In that tome, he listed the six herbs that he couldn't cook without (actually seven because he felt parsley was so universal that it didn't need to be named). The Beard Foundation recently excerpted the list and Beard's explanation of his selections. The must-have herbs were basil, bay leaf, rosemary, savory,… read more

Ruby Tandoh takes on the clean eating phenomenon

January 23, 2017 by
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It seems that every food website you see has a feature or two on 'clean eating'. Bloggers who promote the tenets of the movement (few or no carbs- especially sugar, few processed foods, and a focus on vegetables) have become nearly overnight sensations. GBBO contestant and bestselling cookbook author Ruby Tandoh recently contributed an opinion piece to The Guardian in which she… read more

Recipe hoarders

January 22, 2017 by
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  Have you ever had a dish that you wanted to recreate, so you asked for the recipe - only to be denied by the person who made the dish? It might be understandable for a chef to keep a recipe trademarked, but what about your neighbor or family member? Is it fair to keep recipes a secret? Over at… read more

Stories about food and women

January 21, 2017 by
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  Many men love to cook and are well represented in professional kitchens, but for centuries the everyday task of feeding the family has predominantly rested on the shoulders of women. They are the ones who toiled, day in and day out, often in difficult circumstances, to make sure that everyone was fed. Many of us learned to cook at… read more

Why cookbooks still matter (plus a giveaway)

January 20, 2017 by
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  When you're planning what to cook for dinner, you might begin your search for the perfect dish on the internet (hopefully using EYB!) instead of your bookshelf. With the ever-increasing volume of quality online recipes, your search might end on the internet too. Yet even though you may reach for your cookbooks less frequently, they remain important, says Julie Thomson of… read more

Taco Tuesday (and Wednesday and Thursday…)

January 19, 2017 by
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  Do you love tacos enough to eat them every day for a year? Food critic Mike Sutter does. For a series he's writing for the San Antonio Express-News, Sutter plans on eating tacos every day in 2017. There's no doubt he can pull off this feat - he did it before, in 2015, when he worked in Austin, Texas. The project is… read more

Eat peppers and live longer?

January 18, 2017 by
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If you are a fan of spicy foods, you're going to like the findings of a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Vermont. The study found a reduction in mortality for those who consumed hot red chili peppers, especially for deaths due to heart attack or stroke. Researchers used data from more than 16,000 people in the… read more

Famous chefs criticize competition cooking shows

January 17, 2017 by
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  For many years, chef competition programs like Bravo TV's 'Top Chef' and the Food Network's 'Chopped' have been highly popular with food lovers. Some food media experts credit this show and others like it for reinvigorating interest in home cooking. But a few people don't think that the program is doing cooking any favors. Culinary icons Alice Waters and… read more

How to snap out of a cooking rut

January 16, 2017 by
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  Even the most enthusiastic of cooks runs out of inspiration at some point. Whether it's a busy schedule that leaves you too tired to plan, a healthy eating resolution, dreary weather or just plain boredom, you can find yourself in a dull routine, making the same dishes and not feeling inspired to do anything different. If this describes you,… read more

Dan Barber to bring experimental food waste restaurant to London

January 15, 2017 by
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Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill Farms in New York didn't always plan to be a chef. Originally, he wanted to be a novelist, enrolling in English Literature at Tufts University in Massachusetts. He turned to food service in an attempt to earn money for college, working in Los Angeles' fabled La Brea Bakery. Food soon became his main passion,… read more

The resurgence of rye bread

January 14, 2017 by
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  Rye is one of the ancient grains that is receiving renewed interest from chefs and home bakers alike. Recent cookbooks like The Rye Baker: Classic Breads from Europe and America by Stanley Ginsberg explore the world of rye breads beyond the classic mild-flavored deli loaf. But that is just one example of rye's resurgence. You can learn more about its… read more

What it’s like to be a cookbook ghostwriter

January 13, 2017 by
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  If you have a cookbook written by a celebrity chef, chances are that book has a ghostwriter. Chefs and other cookbook authors frequently hire ghostwriters to help them make sure the writing in their books is as good as the recipes. Bon Appetit magazine shares the stories of several ghostwriters in a recent article. As you might expect, writing… read more

The rags to riches story of Marie-Antoine Carême

January 12, 2017 by
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Exactly 184 years ago today, the world lost its first celebrity chef, Marie-Antoine Carême. The story of how Carême rose from impoverished beginnings in France to become the foremost culinary authority of his time is chronicled in an article from NPR's The Salt.  It's difficult to overstate Carême's influence on Western culinary traditions. He brought to life the "mother sauces"… read more

How sweet it is

January 11, 2017 by
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Many of us are approaching the New Year with resolve to eat a healthier diet, which includes cutting down on sugar. That makes Saveur Magazine's new series seem a bit cruel. Saveur has just announced The Sugar Files, an "extended series where we'll poke and prod at just a few of the ways sugar runs the world. We'll dig into… read more

Advice for converting recipes from one appliance to another

January 10, 2017 by
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  Slow cooker, Dutch oven, electric pressure cooker: you probably have at least one, if not all three, of these in your kitchen. Each has its own appeal. The slow cooker is a set-and-forget tool that doesn't require attention, Dutch ovens allow you to get a good sear on your meat and vegetables and can be used on the stovetop… read more

Cookbooks clubs are popping up everywhere

January 9, 2017 by
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  With the growth of cookbook sales continuing unabated, it would be logical to assume that cookbook clubs would be gaining in popularity as well. Judging from posts in my news feeds and a bit of Google searching, the assumption appears to be well founded. You may remember that in September, Jenny wrote about online cookbook clubs, where she highlighted… read more

White bread gets some respect

January 8, 2017 by
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  Few culinary products are as disparaged as soft white bread. Food lovers frequently gush about the charms of multigrain, sprouted, rustic, and artisan loaves but look down upon unadorned basic white bread. Nutritionists tut-tut its abundance of simple carbohydrates and lack of fiber. Despite this disdain, white bread continues to be popular because it's both comforting and versatile. It… read more

Julia Child’s kitchen design advice

January 7, 2017 by
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  As you may know, the kitchen that Julia Child used in her Massachusetts home (and which was featured in some of her shows) can be found in the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. Visitors can view all corners of Julia's kitchen through viewposts set into the doorways that existed in the house. If you have seen… read more

The history of poutine

January 6, 2017 by
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If you have ever wondered how poutine, the Canadian dish that combines French fries, gravy, and cheese curds, was created, you're not alone. Like most iconic foods, however, the origin story is murky and disputed. You can learn more about what is arguably Canada's second-most popular food export (after maple syrup) with Australian Gourmet Traveller's discussion of the history of… read more

What’s cooking in 2017?

January 5, 2017 by
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  As 2017 begins, you may be reinvigorated to create in the kitchen, especially if you received new cookbooks or kitchen gadgets for the holidays. I've already put together a list of recipes to try from cookbooks that have recently found their way to my Bookshelf, including Classic German Baking, Dorie's Cookies, Art of the Pie, and Marbled, Layered &… read more

Oprah’s new cookbook debuts

January 4, 2017 by
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No one can sell a book quite like Oprah Winfrey. For years she's been helping authors become overnight successes with her Book Club, and now she's doing it again, but this time with a book of her own. Her cookbook, titled Food, Health, and Happiness: 115 On-Point Recipes for Great Meals and a Better Life debuted yesterday, and it's already… read more

Tips on self-publishing a cookbook

January 3, 2017 by
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Have you ever flipped through a cookbook and thought "I could better myself"? Or perhaps you've gathered recipes for years and want to memorialize them to pass on to others. Maybe you have a "great idea" for a new and different type of cookbook. Whatever your motivation, if you've considered self-publishing a cookbook, Kendra Aaronson, writing for indexed blog Food52, shares insider tips… read more

Food resolutions for the new year

January 2, 2017 by
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  As the calendar page flipped from December to January, social media news feeds flipped as well, switching from posts about decadent desserts and holiday cocktails to links for clean eating and home organization. If you are the type to make New Year's resolutions, we've gathered a few posts for helpful tips that involve food resolutions.  We'll start off with… read more
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