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A review by mainon
Best Food Writing 2015 by Holly Hughes
5.0
If you have ever enjoyed a piece of food writing (whether by a food critic, a chef, or just a Yelp reviewer), I think I can guarantee you'll find something you enjoy in this collection. It's incredibly varied, and most surprisingly to me, represents a LOT of points of view.
There are the types of pieces I expected: a eulogistic article on the closing of Wylie Dufresne's avant-garde restaurant WD-50, for example. Or articles based around "the perfect recipe for ___".
Then there are some articles that really go beyond food itself, to plumb the anthropology behind what we eat, how we eat, and why we eat what and how we eat (I know, you may have to reread that sentence). The "coding" of restaurants in DC, for example -- how do you know if you're opening a restaurant that will be more "white" or more "black" in terms of what diners it attracts, and how do restaurateurs try to control that? I was fascinated by the examinations of aspects of dining that typically go unexamined.
And finally, there are articles that surprised me because they seemed so un-foodie-like. The history of Starbucks's Pumpkin Spice Latte. An argument for Taco Bell being the best Mexican food in the US. An article about depression that's food-related only in that the depressed writer is baking bread while contemplating his depression.
In short, there's definitely something for everyone. It's a great book to keep somewhere you might read for short periods, since each article is discrete and does not need to be read in order.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
There are the types of pieces I expected: a eulogistic article on the closing of Wylie Dufresne's avant-garde restaurant WD-50, for example. Or articles based around "the perfect recipe for ___".
Then there are some articles that really go beyond food itself, to plumb the anthropology behind what we eat, how we eat, and why we eat what and how we eat (I know, you may have to reread that sentence). The "coding" of restaurants in DC, for example -- how do you know if you're opening a restaurant that will be more "white" or more "black" in terms of what diners it attracts, and how do restaurateurs try to control that? I was fascinated by the examinations of aspects of dining that typically go unexamined.
And finally, there are articles that surprised me because they seemed so un-foodie-like. The history of Starbucks's Pumpkin Spice Latte. An argument for Taco Bell being the best Mexican food in the US. An article about depression that's food-related only in that the depressed writer is baking bread while contemplating his depression.
In short, there's definitely something for everyone. It's a great book to keep somewhere you might read for short periods, since each article is discrete and does not need to be read in order.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.