Eating Books

It is a fact (and not just promotional copy) that I often have my nose in a cookbook. There are piles on both sides of the bed with titles both new and old and I truly love to put my physical person into the pages. It's a life-long quirk, beginning at the age of two when I requested my own newspaper and shouted out headlines in toddler speak. I would cover myself in the newsprint and almost eat my books with glee.

This time of year brings out the year-end reviewer in all of us, which is particularly helpful in the world of cookbooks since there are skedaddles to choose from. To get the book party started, check out this week's Food section, which offers a
comprehensive cookbook roundup, organized in five handy categories, plus a sampler of recipes, so you can try before you buy.

Great minds think alike, so I won't repeat many of the titles already mentioned in the list. On my dime, here's what I'd buy not just for myself but for cooks who like to eat books, too.

Health-minded without being a stick in the mud is how I'd characterize "12 Best Foods Cookbook" by Dana Jacobi (Rodale, $21.95). The "Best" Jacobi refers to is defined by their superfood qualities, keeping you and your bodily machine running like a champ. Every recipe contains one of the twelve magic ingredients.

Yeah, I know there are tons of books on the topic, but I'm throwing a shout out to "Holiday Baking" by Sara Perry (Chronicle Books, $18.95). I have personal issues with oversized books; they don't work for me in a practical sense. Perry, who has written several one-subject books (Everything is Better With Bacon, Great Gingerbread, The New Tea Book), takes on November and December holidays with finesse, by offering a variety of ideas that doesn't feel overwhelming.

It's the first time I'm seeing a reference book on sushi, which makes me happy. All you need to know at the sushi bar, from types of fish to rituals and etiquette are packaged in a school bag-sized "The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi" by Dave Lowry (Harvard Common Press, $14).

Pitmaster Mike Mills teamed up with his daughter Amy Mills Tunnicliffe to pen "Peace, Love and Barbecue" (Rodale, $19.95), which is more like a travelogue and ode to barbecue than it is a how-to collection. This is exactly why I really dig this book. If you're at all interested in the wacky characters who live and breathe barbecue smoke, this book is a must-have. I've only begun to dig in, but am having a grand time reading the tales of their 15-state adventure.

Another topic sorely needing attention got some love with the release of "Bones" by Jennifer McLagan (Morrow, $34.95). The title is all about 'em -- ham bones, fish bones, chicken bones -- how to use them in stock, how to cook meat on the bone, how to roast bones, what the hell to do with marrow. What a great idea.

Culinary history meister Clifford Wright does it again with his great scholarship "Some Like It Hot" (Harvard Common Press, $18.95), a collection of spicy recipes from around the world. He blew me away with "A Mediterranean Feast," which is the quintessential reference on the history of ingredients and culinary traditions from that part of the world. I can't wait to dive into this new collection of global tidbits.

I was breathless when I read the personal stories of Grace Young's family in "The Breath of a Wok," (Simon & Schuster, $35). Young, whose parents immigrated from China, brings you into the family fold, as she teaches you about the history and traditions of wok cookery. A great reference for cooks interested in a topic that often stumps beginners.

If there ever were an opportunity to dub a food book as KOD-centric, this one is it: "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats" by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Alusio (Ten Speed Press, $40). This writer-photographer team traveled to 23 countries (plus around the US) breaking bread with 30 families and documenting what they ate over a course of one week. It's the politics of food at its most poignant and provocative. A coffee table book that will certainly make coffee interesting.

By kimodo |  December 8, 2005; 12:43 PM ET  | Category:  Cookbooks , Gifts
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