FlavBlog

I enjoy reading immensely. One can find my head in a book reading on the bus to and from work, at my work commons during lunch, walking the streets of Capitol Hill, or sitting on my couch at home. For the last year, I’ve read a variety of different food books.  A large portion of my nonfiction reading for the past couple of years has focused on food literature. Some reads have influenced me in a way that it altered our purchasing, cooking, and eating habits. Others, I found entertaining and generated fond memories of past and hopefully future food-related travels. The rest were simply informative and helped me add random trivia or food facts to conversations. What food books have influenced you recently?

"Food Rules, An Eater’s Manual." By Michael Pollan:  Easy to flip through health guide for eating. Some of the "rules’ seem obvious- "19. If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t (pg.41)," wise but rarely thought about- "27. Eat animals that have themselves eaten well (pg.61)” and necessary- "44. Pay more, eat less (pg.99).” The one we live by in our home: "51. Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it (pg.113)" Recommended to people who should learn about a healthy eating lifestyle.

"Eating Animals," By Jonathan Safran Foer:  Foer’s "Eating Animals” made me conscious think about all the animals I’ve eaten since a kid and will continue to eat as I grow old. He does in a subtle manner push a veggie lifestyle. But to be frank, I will never give up meat. I like it too much. The least I can do is to make a conscious choice to eat ethically treated meat and seafood versus factory farmed. On his website he has a Call for Action. I thought this aspect was missing from the book, which begged for people to act. Recommended to people who eat way too much meat.

"The Edible Series" A Global History. (Hamburger. Cheese. Pizza. Pancake.):  Each subject matter stands alone in roughly 125 pages and there are several other single subject matters in publication. They review the food from it’s origins, focuses on subgroups within the subject matter, and offers a short list of recipes. The books are brief enough to keep them entertaining and yet filled with trivia (e.g. the first fast food hamburger stand in CA selling burgers for a few cents). These books are not for the person who wants an extensive thorough background on a food subject. Recommended to people who play Trivia or watch Jeopardy. 

"Eat My Globe," By Simon Majumdar:  Majumdar spent one year traveling around the world eating everything he could. His descriptions are not for the faint hearted, but for those with tough stomachs. He is raw and brash and at times it can be disappointing because of his fast paced travel schedule. He did hit some excellent food cultures of the world (France, China, and Argentina), but was rather brief and apologetic about other food meccas, specifically San Francisco. Recommended to people that read arm chair travel.  

"Beans, A History," By Ken Albala: Albala offers the most extensive review of beans I have ever seen or read. The legume’s history ranges from various Western nations and parts of Asia. I chose to read the book because I rarely buy, order, or eat beans and thought maybe if I learn more about them…..I’ll want to include them more often in our cooking. Recommended to people who think they know everything about beans.

"Grape vs. Grain," by Charles Bamforth: Bamforth sets up a entertaining debate of grapes (wine) versus grain (beer).  Which one wins?  Probably beer, at least he spends more pages talking about it. I enjoyed the descriptions of the different malts, grains, and hops. However, I found the wine sections lacking in detail and breadth. Regardless, he challenges one to reach out for the variety of flavors and blends a beer has to offer, and brings up an interesting point that beer has amazing complexity. Recommended to people who think they dislike beer.

"The Botany of Desire," Michael Pollan:  Pollan sets out to describe four subjects: apples, tulips, cannabis, and the potato. He nails each one in a picture perfect sense. He sets out to say that there is still hope for maintaining a unique apple species. The largest variety of cut flowers are sold daily at the Aalsmeer flower market. The cannabis bud continues to ignite controversy in both theory and use. The NewLeaf genetically modified potato was stuffed, yet other genetically modified preservative "food" remains on the table.  Recommended to people who desire more truth and detail about botanical delights.

"Salt: A World History," Mark Kurlansky:  Kurlansky explores every aspect of salt: cultural and religious history, chemistry, and economics. This text exclaims the significant use of salt throughout Chinese, British, Middle Eastern, and United States.  Salt’s amazing ability to be used in so many contexts both within and outside the world of food makes it one of the worlds most important minerals. Recommended to people who like history.  

"Fat, An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient with Recipes" By Jennifer McLagan:  McLagan stresses the importance of fat in the diet for a healthy lifestyle. Yes, fat, the part people cut away, throw away, or request to be removed before purchase.  Fat is demonized by our society, and McLagan goes into great detail to contrast many of the preconceived notions about fat.  Her book provides specific examples of fat’s benefits, types, and recipes. Recommended to people everyone who eats and enjoy fat.  

"Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper," Fuchsia Dunlop:  Dunlop took me back to the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Sichuan, China. This is one of my favorite non-fiction books of the year because it brought back the memories of the hot, spicy numbing Sichuan pepper hot pot, tea in the People’s Park at Chengdu, Buddha’s hands in the Red Sea (pig feet)  at the Chengdu cooking school with Mr. Lee, or the fried bread balls with a sweet sugar sauce at the Wolong Manor Hotel. I laughed out loud as I read Dunlop’s descriptions because many people share similar eating and cultural experiences as Westerners traveling in China. Recommended if you have ever traveled to China or desire to travel to China, this is the book to get you started or to rekindle old memories.