Reading Frenzy: 10 Foodie Books You’ll Want To Sink Your Teeth Into

Man sitting on table reading.

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Books to feed body and soul. Here, some of our favourite timeless reads from celeb chefs and gourmands that are a celebration of all things food.

 

Book cover for How to Read a French Fry. A photo of a fork holding a french fry in mid air with the text overlaid.

1. How to Read a French Fry and Other Stories of Intriguing Kitchen Science

Award-winning former Los Angeles Times food critic Russ Parsons ups your kitchen game by explaining the simple science behind common cooking techniques.

 

Book cover for Heat. The title is displayed on a yellow background.

2. Heat

New Yorker alum Bill Buford chronicles training as a chef under Mario Batali before travelling across Italy to learn the kitchen secrets of the old country.

 

The book cover for The Art of Eating. A photo of a bunch of grapes and a peach beside a glass of wine is overlaid with the title of the book written in cursive.

3. The Art of Eating

Celebrated food writer M.F.K. Fisher offers essays and anecdotes ranging from cooking prep to her experiences learning the culinary arts in France.

 

The book cover for Delights and Prejudices. A bronze coloured pot is displayed underneath the text.

4. Delights and Prejudices

James Beard takes readers on a foodie cruise around the world, proving why the New York Times dubbed him the “dean of American cookery.”

 

The book cover for The Man Who Ate Everything. The title is displayed on an empty plate save for a toothpick.

5. The Man Who Ate Everything

Vogue food critic Jeffrey Steingarten travels the world to try every food imaginable while overcoming his own personal distastes in this hilarious and personal memoir.

 

The book cover for chocolat. A bird's nest with chocolate eggs wrapped in gold paper is displayed underneath the author's name on a purple background.

6. Chocolat

Joanne Harris’s delicious novel chronicles the tension between the church and a chocolatier during Lent – the season of sacrifice – in a small French village.

 

The book cover for Dinner With Edward. Beneath the title and author is three animated icons: a martini, a building and a turkey.

7. Dinner with Edward: A Story of an Unexpected Friendship

Author Isabel Vincent chronicles her unlikely bond with a grieving widower, Edward, with whom she ponders love and loss over the exquisite dinners he prepares for her.

 

The book cover for best before. The title is displayed on the front of a milk carton.

8. Best Before: The Evolution and Future of Processed Food

Canadian-raised biologist and writer Nicola Temple explores the nature of processed food, how far it has come and its wide-ranging impact on our society in this new release.

 

The book cover for Poulets and Legumes. A cartoon chicken and beat is displayed on the cover.

9. Jacques Pépin Poulets & Legumes: My Favorite Chicken & Vegetable Recipes

Legendary French chef Jacques Pépin, 82, returns with recipes mined from five decades of travels. Bonus – he even illustrated the book with his own paintings.

 

The book cover for fast food nation. The title is written on the front of a carton of fries.

10. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

Eric Schlosser’s blockbuster inside look at the U.S. fast food industry is brilliantly researched and more delicious that anything you’ll grab at the drive-through window.

A version of this article appeared in the May 2018 issue with the headline, “Cheque Please,” p. 20.