The Raw and the Cooked (2001, Grove Press)
Jim Harrison at his romping best as he rages through food and wine and the wilderness (which includes the film industry and Los Angeles); a burly set of essays by the burley man himself [but is he just tying to be Hemingway?]
Fast Food Nation (2001, Houghton, Mifflin)
Eric Schlosser takes on the fast food industry and industrial food in America and finds it not only greatly lacking but dangerous for us as well
Secrets of Saffron (2001, Beacon)
Pat Willard's delightful account of the history of the spice saffron; poetic and sensual, and even erotic, writing makes this more than just a food book.
The Taste of America
John L. Hess & Karen Hess (1972, 2000, Illinois)
The Hess's diatribe on what is wrong with food in America today; they find fault with the accepted canon of food and cooking history and with various food celebrities and cooks; their history and views seem better, but the rant gets old after a while
Everything You Pretend to Know About Food Nancy Rommelmann (1998, Penguin)
This is a great guide to food and cooking term; to help pull the wool over the eyes of those you want to impress-at least for a minute or two
Eat Your Way Across the USA, rev.ed. Jane and Michael Stern (1999, Broadway)
The Sterns cross the USA showing us where to eat in the best diners and other "All-American eateries;" these are not necessarily cheap places, but the food is good and it is American [for more of the Sterns' food reviews and views on food see their website]
Stuffed, Adventures of a Restaurant Family (2001, Knopf)
Patricia Volk's history about one hundred years of her fascinating New York Jewish family; only about 30% is about food and the family restaurants along with a few recipes; not sure this is really a food book
Puget Sound Culinaria, A Cook's Guide to Ethnic Markets (1998, White Paw Publishing)
Georgia Lord Watanabe takes us on a tour of the ethnic markets in the Seattle area; where to find spices, specialty items, vegetables, meats, fruits and other cooking staples for various ethnic dishes; includes a few recipes; but it leaves out markets and is already way out of date with store closings and openings
Copyright 2002 by Robert Derrick, All Rights Reserved