Holly Hughes (1) (1953–)

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.… (more)

How do you review an anthology like this? I can't go into detail on each piece, because that would take ages, and you probably don't care. So let me just keep my review short and to the point -- I was pleasantly surprised by this collection of articles.

I didn't know what to expect going in, because I haven't read any of the previous Best Food Writing books. I love to cook, so I was thrilled to see articles about making a great bolognese, or how to make proper carnitas. Some were great life lessons too, like important things to know about cast iron pans. Others were great to think about, like why exactly people don't cook when they easily could.

When I finished this book, I actually felt like I had learned something about cooking, and about food culture in general.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy!… (more)