More Books To Devour

I posted last month on some of my favorite foodie reads: Books to Devour.  If you didn't read it, I'd love for you to skim it and add your favorite food-centric reads.  I also set up a special shelf on Goodreads for these tantalizing tomes.

Today, I'm adding to it all the books on my foodie "to read" list.  Although I just read and couldn't get enough of The Hunger Games trilogy, I suppose they don't technically count.  As the winter months approach, here are a few of the books I'll be tackling from my hibernation post on the couch by the fireplace:

1.  Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

2.  How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking by Nigella Lawson

3.  The Sweet Life in Paris: A Recipe for Living in the World's Most Delicious City by David Lebovitz

4.  Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer by Novella Carpenter

5.  Hometown Appetites: The Story of Clementine Paddleford, the Forgotten Food Writer Who Chronicled How America Ate by Kelly Alexander and Cynthia Harris


6.  Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession by Julie Powell

7.  Plenty: One Man, One Woman and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon

8.  Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford

9.  The Feast Nearby: How I lost my job, buried a marriage and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering and eating locally (all on $40 a week) by Robin Mather

10.  A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines by Anthony Bourdain

These are all catalogued along with those I've already read on my Goodreads "Books to Devour" shelf.  I note with some amusement that the vast majority of the books on this list offer the clever minimalist one to three word title followed by a colon and an exhausting interpretation as you might read on the book jacket if you wanted to further explore the book's premise.  It's ok, they've done it for you right there on the cover!

Any additions?  Which foodie books are whetting your appetite?

Also: I'm excited about launching a series next Wednesday, October 12 (my Mom's birthday) honoring her and the (foodie) life lessons she taught me in the kitchen.  I hope you'll tune in for the rest of the month and share some of your own stories of kitchen inspiration!

Books to Devour

During this summer's vacation, I noticed I had selected a number of food-centric books, which I promptly (and appropriately) devoured.  More, by the way, on the vacation food in a forthcoming post.  Anyway, being an avid reader, it also occurred to me that some of my favorite books are rather food focused.  It seemed appropriate to begin (for others to finish) a foodie book list.  That, of course, got me thinking about foodie films, so that will be forthcoming as well.  

As an aside, check out the Top Northwest Food Blogs You Should Be Reading over at my friend Lyndi's NWA Foodie blog.  I'm honored that The Food Adventuress is included on her list, and would contend this novice blog aside, these are some of the best blogs you'll read just about anywhere.  Plus, it's a great time to visit NWAFoodie since she is doing some amazing giveaways to celebrate her blog's second anniversary!


Without further ado, a few of my favorite foodie books, with fingers crossed you'll add your own at the end:

1.  Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel: Obviously.

2.  Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell: The story of a New Yorker's challenge to cook every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking - not only is this a great food read, it's also a great read for bloggers.

3.  My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme: It's a treat to read both this and Julie & Julia in any order.

4.  The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand Normally not the kind of book I pick up if judging its cover, which features an exuberant couple and therefore makes me want to skip it and other romance-esque tomes, but a quick review of the premise had me hooked, and the first few pages are a summer restaurant menu in Nantucket - sold!

5.  Anything by Peter Mayle: From A Year in Provence to A Good Year, Mayle is the epitome of the food, wine and travel author.  While the books don't always go deep on the recipes and specifics, each conveys a confound sense of place that makes you want to hop a jet - stat.

6.  Boulangerie Now obviously, this is not a cookbook list (although we'll do that soon!), but I would argue that this one teeters beautifully on the edge.  It's really a treat to read (and obviously, I lean toward the francophile picks) and the photography is stunning, in addition to the great recipes toward the end.  I've tried my hand at a pretty passable baguette more than once based on this book.

7.  A Cultivated Life by Joy Sterling: A firsthand account of life at Sterling Vineyards in Sonoma and a light, fun peek at the wine industry.

8.  French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure

9.  Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: As if the world is not already familiar with this tome.








What are your favorite food-centric reads?  Which of your bookshelf selections evoke a sense of good food and good company?  I'm looking forward to your additions.

I've ranted about my love of Goodreads in a tirade called In Praise of Reader's Digest Condensed Books and Toast on my other blog, The Little Magpie - you should definitely check it out if you're not already a member.  It seems overwhelming to take on another website or social media app and to add your books at first, but it's worth it - and seeing what your nearest and dearest are reading means you'll never be at a loss on what to pick up next time you're at the book seller or library.  You can also access my list of these "Books to Devour" via Goodreads if you like.


I'll be sharing the foodie books on my "to read" list soon as well.  Looking forward to your food-fantastic selections!