Customer Reviews

Arthur Schwartz's New York City Food: An Opinionated History and More Than 100 Legendary Recipes

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New York City Food is clearly aimed at those who grew up in New York, and I must include myself among them. Schwartz brings back the memories of the food we (and our parents) grew up with, and provides plenty of history that we never knew.

In 21 chapters, Arthur Schwartz covers NYC's food history. For example, a whole chapter is devoted to Delmonico's, which brought us such well-known dishes as the Delmonico steak, Delmonico potatoes, eggs benedict,and lobster newburg; the restaurant introduced the upper crust to such newfangled ingredients as eggplant and artichokes. The restaurant was important as a see-and-be-seen destination, but its less obvious influences are longer-lasting: it was the first successful a la carte restaurant in the U.S.

Five chapters are devoted to the food and influences of the major (and many) immigrants who came to New York City: the Germans (from delicatessens to Luchows), the Jews (the interview with Sol Kaplan, the original owner of Guss' Pickles, may make the book worth the purchase price), Italians, Irish, Chinese -- you get the idea. Other chapters focus on something historical or quintessentially New York: hot dogs, the glamour years (including the 21 Club), the golden age of cocktails.

Schwartz gives plenty of fun history -- at least it's fun if you have your own memories of Dinty Moore's, or remember your Mom wishing she could go to the Rainbow Room -- as well as a wonderful business and social context (such as the low regard with which the Irish were held in the 1800s, or why Diamond Jim was such a major figure in the City).

Even better, he provides recipes for many of the dishes that make New Yorkers most nostalgic. Everything from the original Thousand Island Dressing (introduced at the Waldorf) to a good knish. I haven't tried any of these, but they do make me swoon. (NYC has a reputation for pizza and bagels; the truth is you can get good versions of these in most major cities. Pickles and knishes, though -- that's another matter.)

All in all, it's entertaining and interesting -- and a lovely way to bring yourself back to childhood. It'll be a likely present for one of my sisters, who lives in California now; it's probably a good present for any of your ex-NYer friends, too.

Would it be as useful for a non-New Yorker? Not quite as much so. My husband grew up on a midwestern farm. Although he lived in NY for a couple of years, and he likes _New York City Food_, this book isn't quite as compelling for him.

It is the perfect gift for any New Yorker, former New Yorker, or wannabe NYer. I bought one for myself, showed it to my dad, and now I have to order another one for myself. I just love it - the photos and text are wonderful, and the recipes are an added treat. Arthur put so much work into this book, and I can honestly say it is a masterpiece! I am planning on bringing a copy to one of his appearances to get autographed.

The history parts are interesting, and doubtless many people will buy the book for those alone. Just wanted to say that the recipes are excellent too - I've made the Blackout Cake, the Red Velvet Cake, and the Crumb Cake so far. All had excellent flavor and texture, and I'm looking forward to trying other recipes from this book, esp. the Lindy's cheesecake and Junior's cheesecake.

I am married to a native New Yorker and we spent an entire weekend looking over this book and talking about many of the wonderful places it mentions, many of which we still visit today. As an extra bonus for avid cooks, there are recipes. For anyone who remembers Luchows or any of the other venerable, now closed restaurants the book mentions, it will take you back to happy times and good memories. It's an excellent book and clearly Schwartz has poured a great deal of research into what is his labor of love.

This book shows a pictorial and editorial history of New York through its foods and diverse cultures and communities.
Not as many recipes as I would have liked but the recipes it did have were great. Really a gem for anyone who has an interest in regional cuisines and cultures.

This is a great book, written by someone with impeccable credentials ... former chief food columnist for the New York Times, and a NYC born and bred native.

The author delves deeply into the history of NYC, and then works his way forwards to the present era - but he spends most of his time and energy covering the topic from the gilded age of the 1890's through the late 1980's. Between those dates he overviews all the most well known and influential restaurants of the day, along with information on who the movers and shakers were, what was served, and how they influenced the trends of the day. The author also includes about 100 classic recipes, from a wide variety of sources, directly relating to the names that he covers.

The author does the job credit - the historical information is meticulous, the recipes authentic (and he even included a recipe index in the back), and the book is well organized and well packed with classic photos and anecdotes, and plenty of New Vork verve and originality.

Want to know the origins of Steak Diane" ? Porterhouse Steak ? Lobster Newberg ? NYC Pizza ? It's all in there.

Just a few minor nits, in no particular (there are really just my own notes, to serve as a memory jog for eventually writing a letter of feedback to the author).

* Seafood (chapt 2): This chapter was already obsolete at the time it was first published. There are no photos of the Fulton Fish Market (gasp), nor is there any significant coverage of it's recent relocation to uptown. That section DEFINITELY needs update and expansion, both text, photos, and recipes.

* Porterhouse: very interesting and nicely done, but it could be expanded a tad to better clarify the distinction (in modern usage) between the Porterhouse, T-Bone, and Sirloin steaks. Many people are confused by those terms, and usage varies from region to region & country to country, so it's important to clarify the New York usage of those terms. The first two (as I'm sure you already know) are cut from opposite ends of the same "short loin" primal, and the third is from the sirloin primal just behind (rumpward) of that.

* Pictures: the pic of a bagel with lox & cream cheese in the front matter should have been repeated on p.119.

* Italian: the Italian section, at 24 pgs, is only given half the page count as the section on Jewish, at 44 pgs. Understandable I suppose, given that the author is Jewish, but it could use some expansion in a future edition ... the section on pizza, for instance, lacks a recipe, and sausage & peppers is given short shrift. Both can be made easily at home, from scratch, either with or without fancy tools & casings.

* Other nations: the sections on more recent contributions by immigrants from other nations could all be expanded by at least a page each, and include a recipe or two ... Japanese (ex: Nobu), Korean (the name of a top restaurant I went to in Queens escapes me ATM), etc.

* Restaurants: Loved all the historial info, but a few of the blurbs end a bit abruptly, without mention of whether or not they were still open at the time of this book's publication.

* Recipe Index: I wish that more authors remembered to include them. Minor editorial nit - it should have started on a new page, and been clearly differentiated from the main index with a header of some sort.

New York City Food is a cool combination of a food history of the greatest city in the world combined with recipes for those of us who hate the fact that we can't get to NYC often enough! It's NOT a restaurant guide, so careful not to try to use it as such. But it's a great read and can help you navigate the Apple's neighborhoods on your next trip. Thanks to this book, I found the "holy grail" of half-done pickles on the lower east side on my last trip!

You needn't have ever boiled water to love this book. What a gift! Thank you, Arthur Schwartz. Not only is this a fabulous, true-voice book for anyone who draws breath and has any interests past the tip of his or her own nose, it is a rarity to find such a soulful history. Schwartz somehow manages to make you feel you were there when it all happened -- where it continues to happen. (And I was not fortunate to live in the City). And the recipes are quintessential.

This book should be considered collectible as one of the finest examples of this unique genre. It is 'Pruniers' a thousand times over. You won't read it once and shelve this book; you will reread passages and quotes, so wonderfully complemented by Chris Callis' photographs and all the archival images, and take a little trip into New York City and the world.

I enjoyed reading this book,because it brought back memories of the great city of New York and inspired me to visit more often. Recipes are fabulous! I never made corned beef before, or Irish soda bread, but they were easy and wonderfully delicious. Great gift, as I'm sure my city daughter appreciates. A one-of-a-kind cookbook, for anyone who loves to cook. So glad I found it at Amazon.com.

Everybody knows about Junior's cheesecake, Mama Leone's, Ebbinger's Bakery, Lundy's (not Lindy's) the Stork Club, 21, etc., But this books brings it all together in a wonderful compendium of insights into the history of great dining in the restaurant capital of the world. No place on earth offers the variety and quality in both Haute Cuisine and everday fare as does NYC. Mr. Schwartz, unlike some actually recognizes that there is more than one borough in NYC and finds the best of the best in all of them. There are beautiful recipes, amusing stories, wonderful pictures in a book that really captures the spirit of the many places it describes.

If U LUV NY and U LUV NY DINING, then you have to have this book.