New Summer Reads

Many words are written about food – volumes in fact. Food is popular on television. There are lots of food magazines. Many publications have food writers or at least articles or columns about it. There are real food personalities out there. Chefs are no longer relegated to the kitchen.

Cookbooks have long been popular. It’s always one of the largest sections in a book store. Just to see, I did a Google search on “cookbook” and got 68,400,000 results. I think a subset is in order.

I get the opportunity to know about happenings in the food and restaurant business somewhat sooner than many people. The same is true of food and wine publications. I looked at a new book last week that won’t be published until the fall.

Quite simply I enjoy reading about food. I find it interesting. It’s a part of my work. And I write about it. The summer is a great time to read. (OK anytime is a great time to read.) With that in mind, let’s look at some new reads in the cookbook category that I have found interesting.

Chef Gordon Ramsey has a new book out. He calls it “Gordon Ramsey’s Home Cooking: Everything You Need to Know to Make Fabulous Food.” I am not a fan of Mr. Ramsey’s personal style. But his book is excellent. It stems from a cooking show and sets out basic recipes that home cooks can follow. The nice part is that he adds something to each to give the final dish a really special touch. That's a Foodtasmic basic.

On the more exploratory side there’s “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation” by Mark Pollan. He takes lessons in using cooking basics. He learns about fire from a BBQ pit master. Water, air and earth are addressed in interesting ways. We learn alongside Pollan as delves into the secrets of basic cooking.

Todd Gray has written a very nice book - “The New Jewish Table: Modern Seasonal Recipes for Traditional Dishes.” This is a cuisine and sometimes an approach to cooking and eating that are unfamiliar to many of us. What this book does is bring together traditional Eastern-European fare and seasonal American ingredients and cooking. Think farm to table Matzos. It’s a fun read to try.

There’s an entire series of books out there that start with the name of a city followed by “Chef’s Table.” There’s a new one out about New Orleans. The title goes on the say “Extraordinary Recipes from the French Quarter to the Garden District.” This volume is by Lorin Gauden. Great cookbook? Not really. But it showcases some famous restaurants along with others and has excellent photography. It will make a Foodtasmic gift.

A very entertaining TV food personality is Nigella Lawson. She has a new book out – “Nigellissima – Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes.” If you have watched her shows, you will know that she is all about making a meal and using basic fresh ingredients and simple methods to do it. This book reveals her teenage fascination with all things Italian. She went to Florence and learned the language and now shares her yearn for this great cuisine with us.

There is no more entertaining food TV person than Guy Fieri. His unique style - and hair – have made him one of the most recognizable hosts. He has a new book – “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: The Funky Finds in Flavortown: America’s Classic Joints and Killer Comfort Food.”  

Perhaps you have heard Guy say, “If it’s funky, I’ll find it.” Well this book does just that. It takes us on a tour that is fun and informative. Pictures, recipes and stories keep your interest from beginning to end. Sounds Foodtasmic to me.

Famous restaurateur Danny Meyer has released a book that is a good one. It’s titled “Union Square Café Cookbook: 160 Favorite Recipes from New York’s Acclaimed Restaurant.” The Union Square Café is a winner of the James Beard Beast Restaurant in America award. That’s pretty tall stuff. Here is a collection of recipes from that great place.

Chef Edward Lee has penned a winner – “Smoke and Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a New Southern Kitchen.” Chef Lee is known for what is called patchwork cuisine. That’s sort of like fusion cuisine kicked up a notch or two with, in Lee’s case, a tilt toward Korean American.

“The New Persian Kitchen” by Louisa Shafia is a very good book. This is a cuisine that’s not common outside of that area. Persian restaurants aren’t in every town. “Hey, let’s go eat Persian,” isn’t a regular Saturday request. The rich wonders of this food – meat, grain, veggies and fruits - deserve your attention.

A new TV personality is Alex Guarnaschelli. She has a book out titled “Old School Comfort Food: The Way I learned to Cook.” Now this is not a mac and cheese book. But it’s equivalent foods from other places and backgrounds are set out in a easy to use format.

Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park fame has given us a new book. “I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes” deserves a place in any foodie’s reading or giving list. This book takes a look at the farming side of New York. There are a good number of farms close to New York City that provide great ingredients to use. Even though not as practical as some, the book is surely a good one.

Here’s a great title – “VB6.” It’s Mark Bitmann’s new book about a way of eating. This means vegan before 6:00. His postulate is to consume a basically vegan diet before 6 PM. After that you can have whatever you want in moderation of course. He says you will lose weight and restore your health for good.

Hopefully your interest has been awakened for something new to read that’s about food. Give a couple of these a try. Go together with some friends and get a book or two each. Have some parties and make something from the books. Then pass the books around so that everybody can read them. That's the Foodtasmic way to do it.

This is a great way to learn new things and share good times while doing it. It will also allow everybody to build a perfect list for gifts to give. Fun and play laced with something practical. Sounds like a good idea to me.