These three books (one factual journey, one memoir, one cookbook) have two things in common: they’re all new this year and centered around food. TWAIN’S FEAST – Andrew Beahrs Andrew Beahrs, an East Bay local, displays his affection for the great Mark Twain in this thoroughly researched book. Twain’s Feast explores the history of foods Twain waxed eloquent about that… Read more →
LEFT COAST LIBATIONS – Ted Munat with Michael Lazar Left Coast Libations, which came out September 1st (catch the launch party this Saturday, 9/18, at Heaven’s Dog), is, as far as I’m concerned, a must for the library of any West Coast cocktailian, not to mention drink aficionados everywhere. Ted Munat clearly displays a fan’s love of drink and the… Read more →
Like any self-respecting food lover (and writer), I’m well aware that, hands down, M.F.K. Fisher (Mary Frances) is our greatest food writer and I’ve been pursuing the pleasurable endeavor of working my way through her entire catalog over the years. As with my literature preferences, I find myself more often drawn to the classics, or, in this case, first flush… Read more →
“Everday Drinking” – KINGSLEY AMIS Kingsley Amis, the late, great British author (who was knighted in 1990, just a few years before his death) was more than an amateur imbiber. He describes himself as “having the reputation of being one of the great drinkers, if not one of the great drunks, of our time.” What stands out most, I think,… Read more →
Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table – Sara Roahen Certainly this was the ideal book to read prior to and on my recent trip to New Orleans. But on its own merit, Gumbo Tales is a tender, well-crafted memoir that caused my mouth to water and my heart to constrict with bittersweet longing. One of the… Read more →