Food Books
The latest food books and food buzz!
What’s On the Menu? Libraries Know.
By Herb Gardener – In 1919 New York, Joe’s Restaurant on Brooklyn’s Fulton St. served up 416 dishes. How do I know what was on the menu? I visited New York Public Library’s (NYPL) What’s on the Menu? transcription site, http://menus.nypl.org/about. It’s the place where foodies congregate to learn about restaurants and menus of the […]
Nutella Nation
By Marsha Fottler – In the past Americans who went to Europe for long periods of time grew so desperate for peanut butter that they tried the local bread spread called Nutella. The hazelnut-chocolate spread grew on them and soon Americans craved Nutella when they came home. The food industry responded (slowly) and now Americans […]
Happy in the Hamptons
By Anna Dantoni – If what you know about the Hamptons comes from watching Revenge or Royal Pains on television, a new food book called The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook by Leeann Lavin is ready to separate the glamorous and racy fantasy of the Hamptons lifestyle from the reality of working, living and […]
When Wicked is a Good Thing, Even Delicious
By Robert Paul – If you spend any time talking to a New Englander, someone who lives in the Boston area specifically, you will invariably hear the word ‘wicked’ used often. In a land where old time Puritans routinely torched and drowned citizens for being ‘wicked’ as in a witch, maybe that’s not so surprising. […]
Support Your Local Pastry Chef
By Anna Dantoni – The recent American concern about obesity is both valid and long overdue. I just hope it doesn’t undermine a restaurant experience that seems to be on the wane lately, dessert. With the current craze for small-plate dining where a variety of savory dishes are served up for sharing, many diners end […]
Grilled Fish Wins in a Landslide
By Herb Gardener – Back yard live-fire enthusiasts, whether they favor Red Stripes or Blue Ribbons, will unite around a campaign featuring smoke or flame. When the coals open each summer, burgers, pork loins and chicken are the dominant candidates, but this year I’m punching my chad for fish. Why do I think too many […]
Flavors From Romantic Prairie Cookbook
By Marsha Fottler – Fifi O’Neill popularized the home decor concept of Romantic Prairie in a dreamy and delightful book that is a homespun house tour across America featuring farms, cottages, bungalows, even urban dwellings and outdoor spaces where homeowners have embraced the Romantic Prairie style of living. The important elements of the architecture and […]
It’s All Fenugreek to Me
By Herb Gardner – According to a recent Time magazine issue, 41% of American two-year olds’ daily vegetable calories come from French fries. Clearly, too many families have abandoned the produce aisle for the drive through line. Enter author and mother Pragna Parmita to restore discipline and sanity to meal planning for youngsters. Vegebaby as […]
A Daughter’s Kitchen Memories
By Anna Dantoni – Trying to manage her emotions as her beloved mother slips farther away into dementia, Lee Clayton Roper decided to collaborate on a book of recipes called A Well-Seasoned Kitchen along with mom, Sally Clayton, who died just as this book was in its final pre-publication phase. Consequently, this beautifully photographed hard […]