Books

Coffee's Role in Your Sex Life

by Jessie Cacciola, Posted Apr 14th 2011 @ 5:00PM

Coffee, Philosophy for Everyone: Grounds for Debate Photo: Amazon

If you're reading this over a cup of joe, you're likely a modern, optimistic existentialist -- so says Jill Hernandez, author of one of 18 essays in the newly released book on the storied beverage, Coffee, Philosophy for Everyone: Grounds for Debate. The oft-coveted and controversial drink -- the subject of debate on ethics, environment, economy and even virility -- has been on philosophers' minds since the first seeds were consumed for their energizing effect in Ethiopia centuries ago.

Today, the coffeehouse is an innocent commonplace establishment, but when roasting began in the 15th century, the dark brew was sinful imbibing seen as an alternative to beer, and an addictively good one. "Why this Satan's drink is so delicious," exclaimed Pope Clement VII upon his first sip. By the 17th century, public coffeehouses, or "penny universities" as they were known in Britain, became popular meeting places for activists planning the French Revolution and the Boston Tea Party -- Voltaire, Johann Sebastian Bach and Sartre, among them, says Mark Pendergrast in his essay, "Black Puddle Water or Panacea." Our days' ambitions may seem paltry in comparison but many of us won't tackle morning emails without a shot.

Filed under: Books, Coffee

Unofficial 'Mad Men' Cookbook in the Works

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by Slashfood Editor, Posted Mar 3rd 2011 @ 2:30PM

Don Draper, Mad Men cookbook launching Photo: Michael Yarish / AMC

The show may focus on the cocktails, but the characters on "Mad Men" have to eat, too. The folks over at iVillage report that those who want to dine like Don Draper are in luck: The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook will hit bookshelves next winter. The authors, Judy Gelman and Peter Zheutlin, told Grub Street that the book will contain recipes for dishes featured in the show, from Sterling Cooper power lunches to Betty's "around the world" dinner. But it just wouldn't be Mad Men without the drinks, so don't worry -- there's a section for those, too.

Read the whole story at iVillage.com.

Filed under: Television/Film, Books

A New Fast-Food Comic Book from the Makers of 'Super Size Me'

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by Bill Sertl, Posted Feb 25th 2011 @ 2:00PM

Supersized comic book Photo: Amazon.com

Hold the mayo. Hold the fries. Maybe hold everything. The guys who scared the hell out of us fast-food fans with the Oscar-nominated documentary Super Size Me are at it again. But don't wait up Sunday night to see if any Academy Awards are headed their way -- MTV's SplashPage reports that Supersized: Strange Tales from a Fast-Food Culture is a comic book this time. Director Morgan Spurlock and writer Jeremy Barlow penned the book, which hits shelves on March 9.

What can you expect from a fast-food comic book? Well-known graphic artists such as Lukas Ketner, Tony Millionaire and Ron English provide the illustrations, which at times are not so comic at all. The pages hold some original tales and also a few repeats spun out from Spurlock's movie. To kill time until then, why not queue up Super Size Me on Netflix. Or if you haven't seen them already, Fast Food Nation and Food, Inc. But don't expect to ever eat chicken again, much less fast food.

Filed under: Books, Fast Food

Best Books for Eaters and Readers

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by Jason Best, Posted Dec 22nd 2010 @ 3:00PM

Photos: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images; Amazon.com

Looking for last-minute (and we mean seriously last-minute) gift ideas for the book-loving foodie on your Christmas list? Then check out the recommendations from Michael Pollan (above right) and a variety of other high-profile gastronomes of the best books they've discovered this year, courtesy of Grist.

It seems like every year there's that one book that's a must-read for socially conscious foodies everywhere (good luck following the chatter at your next locavore-themed dinner party if you haven't read it). This year the book of the moment is Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food, which details New York Times's writer Paul Greenberg's exploration into how we fish, overfish and/or genetically alter and farm seafood. The book pops up several times on the Grist lists, garnering kudos from Ruth Reichl (above left), former editor-in-chief of Gourmet, Grist's own Tom Philpott, and Politics of the Plate blogger Barry Estabrook.

For those with a taste for the more obscure, consider these weighty stocking-stuffers. Nikki Henderson, executive director of the People's Grocery in Oakland, California, recommends Food Rebellions by Eric Holt-Gimenez and Raj Patel. Based on her recommendation, it doesn't sound exactly like cozying up with Jane Austen, but it might just be perfect for the hardcore activist on your list: "It's not a feel-good narrative read, if that's what you're looking for," Henderson writes. "I needed a book that would give me an in-depth understanding of the 2008 food crisis, globalized food, and why sustainable agriculture can actually feed the world. It might take you a while to work your way through (it's very dense), but it's worth the time!"

Filed under: On the Blogs, Books

Jamie Oliver's Book Sets a Record

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by Jessie Cacciola, Posted Dec 10th 2010 @ 1:00PM

Jamie Oliver Photo: Ray Tamarra / Getty Images

Jamie Oliver's new 30-Minute Meals cookbook is literally selling faster than hot cakes. The book, much like his American TV spots, is based on "a revolutionary approach to cooking good food fast," and contains 50 recipes that follow through on that promise.

As Daily Mail UK reports, despite the book's hefty price of £26 (that's close to $45), it has remained on bookstores' bestseller's lists every week since it was released, just two months ago. It has already sold 735,000 copies, they say, which is "an average of 10,500 a day." In fact, it's the fastest selling non-fiction work -- ever.

That means it already beat out the "ten-week sales record previously held by comedian Peter Kay's memoir The Sound of Laughter which sold 483,000 copies" after it came out in 2008, reports the Mail. And in the past week alone, the book sold "well ahead" of The Guinness Book of World Records and The Simples Life, another British high-seller. It won't be beating out the highest selling book ever (the Bible) anytime soon, but there is speculation that it may bump another TV chef out of the running: Britain's Della Smith, whose book How to Cook is the reigning king with just over one million copies under its belt.

Jamie's publisher told the Mail: "Jamie proves [his approach], by mastering a few tricks and being organized and focused in the kitchen; it is absolutely possible, and easy, to get a complete meal on the table in the same amount of time you'd normally spend making one dish!" That's good enough for this year's Christmas tree, we think.

Filed under: Books, Chefs

Cookbook Gift Guide

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by T. Susan Chang, Posted Dec 7th 2010 @ 11:00AM

cookbook gifts Photos: Amazon.com

When it comes to giving a cookbook as a gift, there's no such thing as one size fits all -- sometimes you want a cookbook for a serious cook; sometimes you want a sweet-and-simple general-interest cookbook, and sometimes you want a cookbook for someone who doesn't actually cook but likes to read about cooking. We've asked T. Susan Chang -- food writer, cookbook reviewer for KitchenDaily and The Boston Globe, and a frequent contributor to NPR's Kitchen Window series -- to do the sorting for you. Here are her favorite gift-cookbook picks:

Cute little books for anybody:

• Tea and Cookies: Enjoy the Perfect Cup of Tea--with Dozens of Delectable Recipes for Teatime Treats, by Rick Rodgers (William Morrow, $21.99). Cookie cookbooks are a gift that keeps on giving, especially if you happen to be invited over for tea. A smart selection in a delightful package.

• Simply Ming One-Pot Meals: Quick, Healthy & Affordable Recipes, by Ming Tsai (Kyle Books, $29.95). Nobody likes cleaning pots. Keep it to a single one, with Asian-fusion how-tos from the cutest Chinese chef on TV.

Filed under: Books, Reviews, Cookbook Spotlight

Julia Child, Pen Pal

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by Nanette Maxim, Posted Dec 6th 2010 @ 1:00PM

Photo: Elizabeth Hait, AOL

To fall for As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child & Avis DeVoto (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26), it doesn't matter if you know a beef bourguignon from a beef patty. It doesn't matter if you've never even lifted the cover of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, or, for that matter, even heard of Julia Child. For As Always, Julia is, beyond the correspondence that helped launch one of the greatest cookbooks of our time, an intimate portrait of a deep and enduring friendship.

Little did Julia Child know, when she wrote a letter congratulating scholar/journalist Bernard DeVoto on his Harper's story about the trouble with American knives, that she would find, in her own words, "a soul mate," in DeVoto's wife, Avis. As secretary to her husband, Avis answered Julia's letter, and from an exchange about the glories of French knives, the two (Child then living in Paris, and DeVoto in Cambridge, Mass.) rapidly progressed in letters to matters of the heart and of the kitchen, and often where the two intertwined.

Julia, of course, also found an unflagging champion for her expansive work with Simone Beck in the sophisticated, politically savvy, and intellectual Avis, with her Harvard ties and Boston literary connections and her culinary prowess. It was Avis who brought the massive project to Houghton Mifflin, and, later, when HM thought it too ungainly, to Knopf, where it found a home with the renowned editor Judith Jones, then early in her brilliant career.

Continue reading, and hear Julia and Avis, in their own words, after the jump.

Filed under: Books, Celebrities

Pasta Pairings Worthy of a Pro

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by Slashfood Editor, Posted Nov 16th 2010 @ 3:00PM

The Geometry of Pasta Book Cover Photo: Quirk Books / AP Photo

Which pastas go with which sauces, and why? Why is gemelli and pesto such a great combination, while gemelli and clam sauce doesn't really work at all? According to a Fox News story, you should look for answers in The Geometry of Pasta, a recent cookbook by graphic designer Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kennedy. The book deciphers pasta shapes (there are more than 300 of them), lays down the rules, and delves into the history, geography, agriculture, texture, mouth feel and graphic design of the pairings. Plus, there are more than 100 recipes. Hildebrand's book design features striking black-and-white illustrations that not only detail pasta in its many forms but make for a pretty dramatic, and unusual, presentation of our favorite carb, one that Publishers Weekly calls "an instant classic."

Deciphering the Geometry of Pasta

Filed under: Books, Recipes

The Worst Foods in America from Eat This, Not That! 2011

COMMENTS 49

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Nov 12th 2010 @ 5:00PM

The popular guide to making better choices at casual and fast-food establishments, Eat This, Not That! is out with a new 2011 edition. Exposed inside are the dirty secrets of the food industry; the best and worst foods to boost brain power; the newest picks from more than 50 fast-food and sit-down restaurants; and, our favorite section, the 20 worst foods in America.

Slashfood was lucky enough to get a peek at 10 of the 20 worst foods, including the worst fast-food burger, the worst salad and the worst meal overall. For photos and statistics, click through the gallery after the jump.

For the remaining 10 (including the worst supermarket meal, worst drink and worst appetizer), as well as tips on stocking your pantry with America's best packaged foods and a guide to getting your kids to eat more fruits and veggies, visit Eat This, Not That or pick up a copy of the book.

Visit Men's Health regularly for more Eat This, Not That!

Filed under: Books

If You Knew Paris Like He Knows Paris

COMMENTS 2

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Oct 19th 2010 @ 2:00PM

Dining in Paris Photo: LokoN Only One, Flickr

If you've been in Paris, you've probably been in this situation: It's 8:00, you're wandering around an unfamiliar arrondissement after a long day of staring at 18th-century paintings, your spoken French is way short of Madame Sarkozy's, and you're hungry and want to rest your dogs at a fantastic restaurant. Merde!

Calm down, weary traveler. Alec Lobrano, the former European editor for Gourmet and an American expat who's called Paris home for 25 years, has your back. With the recently released second edition of his Hungry for Paris, Lobrano supplies more than 100 in-depth suggestions, from the hautest dining rooms in town to the bistros where you can kick back with an omelet and a groaning plate of boudin noir (like La Bigarrade, Jadis, and L'Epigramme).

Filed under: Books, Restaurants