What is your favorite book about food?

You don't ask any easy ones, do you Sirlene?

If I had to pick just one, it would be The Horizen Cookbook and Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking Through The Ages.

Yeah, that really is the title, not the first chapter. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif

Published in 1968 it's long out of print. But it's one of my favorites, both because it's inherently a great read, and because it sparked my interest in food history; which has become a life-long interest.

 

Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing

(because a great hand crafted sausage is a beautiful thing)

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

(for those days when you want to change-up your regular flavor profiles)

and for recreation:

The Making of a Chef: Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute

(because Ruhlman has a writing style that makes you feel as if you are standing in a CIA classroom)

 

All Elizabeth David's books.

They were the books that my mother used in the 1950s.  The UK was coming out of the ration-ing period that had been the way of life since 1939...    Through them, she taught us about the foods of the South of France and of Italy  And she wrote such wonderful prose, too.

 

All of the books by  the wonderful late Keith Floyd, particularly Floyd on the Med, Floyd on Fish & Floyd in France. a very interesting but troubled man, a great Cook and wonderful food writer.

 

Whilst I agree with you on the books you name - he also 'wrote' /produced some absolutely dreadful series - like his Asian ones!

 

Anything by Rick Bayless.

 

The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. (in my top 10)

 

Agree Petals, McGee's On Food and Cooking, the Science & Lore is the bible of food & a lifetime's study (I noted McGee in another thread on waterless cooking here).  For a brief & entertaining read that's more recipe than science, I like Cooking Creative with Natural Foods by Edith & Sam Brown--creators of Brownies in N.Y.  I like the basic creativity of honest flavors & simple, time saving prep, especially the juice bar forays...great breakfasts! 

 

I have read few books about food other then recipe books and those are mostly regional or American cooking. Being less about people and travel then just plain recipes.

However, if you want to think outside the box, may I recommend the Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust. A fantasy novel series....but the descriptions of the restaurant Valabar's and the food they serve ( a recurring theme) make me want to be a better cook every time I read them.  Sadly, yes, I am dead serious.   The highest compliment I could give a restaurant is that they made me think of Valabar's. Hasn't happened yet.

 

I know you said one but...

"The Zen Of Fish" by Trevor Corson is a very cool book if you like fish. It goes through the history of sushi as well as a woman's experience going to the California Sushi Academy.

"Pig Perfect" takes author Peter Kaminsky to several locations around the world looking for the best pork.

"The Apprentice" is Jacque Pepins' autobiography. Beautifully written book about one of the true masters.

 

the united states of arugula is a fun read

 

The Man Who Ate the World by Jay Rayner. He's in search of the perfect meal and travels all around the world. Interesting and I love Jay.