Customer Reviews

Best Food Writing 2007

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This book is a perfect lazy day read. I picked it up at random from my local library, and have been reading it slowly savoring each entry. The entries are shorter than short story, just a few pages each and well written. Having not read any other year in this series (yet!) I can't say if it is the best, but you will not be dissapointed here.

I am accidenly learing alot about food culture and history, just half through the book. Such as- julia Child ruining America for cassaroles! Please check this book out, as I'm sure anybody would love it.

My first book in this serious was Best Food Writing 2005. It was excellent! I was looking forward to reading the rest of Best Food Writing. So I picked Best Food Writing 2007. argh, argh, teeth-grinding and headache - that's what 2007 left me with. Even if you try to make such an interesting subject more boring, you can't do it better than BFW 2007. If you are looking for something to put you to sleep or help you commit a suicide, then read it! For the rest of readers, read it at your own risk, you will not like food, yourself, or reading at all.

GOOD SERIES IS GETTING WEAKER AND WEAKER. SURPRISING IN VIEW OF THE CURRENT EXPLOSION IN GOOD SHORT PERIODICAL FOOD WRITING. ALSO GRAVELY MARRED BY INCLUSION OF A DOWNRIGHT DISGUSTINGLY VULGAR PIECE OF TRIPE FROM CHEF PIERRE, WHO BUILT HIS FAME ON CONDUCT THAT WOULD BE EITHER A FELONY OR GROUNDS FOR A DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT IN OTHER CONTEXTS. LEAVE THE SHMUTZY LANGUAGE FOR THE GUTTER AND NOT IN A FOOD WRITING ANTHOLOGY.

AND FOR SOME MYSTERIOUS REASON, THOSE HOTBEDS OF CULINARY INNOVATION AND REGIONAL EXCELLENCE, WISCONSIN, MINN. AND MICHIGAN, GET UNUSUAL PLAY IN THIS EDITION. WHILE MOST SOUTHERN STUFF HAS REAL TASTE, THE SUCESSES AND FAILURES OF AMATEURS WHO LOST THEIR SHIRTS, AND APRONS, IN THE UPPER MIDWEST IS OF NO INTEREST WHATEVER.
THERE IS REAL COLOR AND ZIP TO THE WORST EXCESSES OF CAJUN, CUBAN AMERICAN, DELTA AND TEXAS CUISINES, THEIR RAW INGREDIENTS, TECHNIQUES, DIFFERENCES FROM HOME COOKIN' IN THEIR AREA AND THE VERY COLORFUL BACKGROUND AND LANGUAGE OF SOUTHERN, TEXAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPI, AND APPALACHIAN CHEFS AND RESTAURANTEURS. WHY SUCH UNUSUALLY LARGE
ATTENTION TO SO MUCH MIDWEST NOTHING?
AND WHERE IS THE COVERAGE OF LITTLE OLD BROOKLYMNY WHICH IS SURELY ENTITLED TO SOME EXPLANATION. GENTRIFICATION OF FORMER SLUMS AND DESERTED WASTELANDS INTO SOME VERY INTERESTING RESTAURANT CLUSTERS SERVING A VERY PALATE EDUCATED POPULATION DESERVES BOOK COVERAGE.

UNLESS THE NEXT EDITION IS MUCH IMPROVED OVER '07, THIS SERIES MAY BE RUNNING OUT OF GAS -OR NEEDS A NEW EDITOR IN CHIEF TO SELECT THE MATERIAL.

AND NO MORE REICHEL. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH SPINACH, BROCCOLI AND REICHEL TO LAST A LIFETIME.