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50 Foods: The Essentials of Good Taste
BY Behr, Edward ( Author ) [{ 50 The Essentials of Good Taste (CD) By Behr, Edward ( Author ) Oct - 31- 2013 ( Compact Disc ) } ]
432 pages, Hardcover
Published October 31, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 15, 2017
50 Foods: The Essentials of Good taste..By Edward Behr..I won this book through Goodreads. This book list 50 foods, how to prepare them,what wines if any to go with them. A history of the variety, the best or most popular cut of meat. How to purchase the food item, the taste, how to store. Complimentary foods, how to eat the food, spices used in cooking the food. For instance the best crab is the blue crab. The best cut of beef is the rib eye steak. This book will compliment many receipe books. It will be on my shelf. Thanks Goodreads.
June 16, 2022
This was an extremely light-weight book. Behr is a food snob. There is one proper way to cook asparagus. Strawberries last only one day. There are maybe six villages in France that produce good goat cheese. Good food comes from France, Italy and sometimes Spain. That sort of thing. I learned some cool facts about food, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
November 1, 2017
This book made me hungry.
July 17, 2017
Should I know who Edward Behr is? Maybe he's a big name in the food world and I've just never heard of him? He must be, otherwise why would someone publish a book about their 50 favorite foods? And when I say foods I don't mean dishes, I just mean foods. Apples, pears, vinegar, sweetbreads, and a lot of cheese. Of his 50 foods I think only like 5 are actual dishes that have been prepared. Not at all what I was expecting when I first picked this up. I didn't necessarily think it would be all prepared dishes but I did think it would be items the average person would be at least somewhat unfamiliar with. Nope, it's just food the author likes.
The books break down in three segments:
1) The major of each section is the history of the food and these parts are rather enjoyable. We get the where and when of an apples origin, we get the processes of the making of Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, we get the colors of different salmon. Again, there is some interesting information here even if it doesn't tell us much that would enhance the enjoyment of the item or do the reader much good beyond a possible right answer from playing along at home to a game of Jeopardy.
2) A short section on what foods enhance (and are enhanced by) the mentioned food. This section is largely nothing much more than a salute to Captain Obvious. What's that Mr Behr? Apples taste good with cinnamon? Vinegar goes great with olive oil? Butter goes great with a whole lot of things? I had no idea.
3) Lastly, another short section on what wine pairs with aforementioned food. Apparently I'm the only one who doesn't drink wine with every meal. This section is even more repetitious than section 2 as the author seems to predominately go for white Burgundy, red Bordeaux, and other European wines. I had a running joke with myself to see how long I would have to read before the author would suggest a white from the Jura region of France. Old World wines are food wines, everyone knows this, thus they are go with food. Often the author suggests a Chataneuf-de-Papf because we all have $50-$75 (or more) to burn while enjoy a plate of cheese, fruit, or nuts. The author's near single-mindedness in regards to wine does the book a disservice in my opinion. I think vodka gets mentioned once with caviar, dark beer once, and single malt scotch once though the author doesn't differentiate between a peaty (smoky) and non-peaty option which though both scotch, are very VERY different in flavor. Usually, if the author doesn't feel a food pairs with wine he'll just say "None" and the chapter ends without even trying to suggest an non-wine alternative. What a cop out.
The books break down in three segments:
1) The major of each section is the history of the food and these parts are rather enjoyable. We get the where and when of an apples origin, we get the processes of the making of Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, we get the colors of different salmon. Again, there is some interesting information here even if it doesn't tell us much that would enhance the enjoyment of the item or do the reader much good beyond a possible right answer from playing along at home to a game of Jeopardy.
2) A short section on what foods enhance (and are enhanced by) the mentioned food. This section is largely nothing much more than a salute to Captain Obvious. What's that Mr Behr? Apples taste good with cinnamon? Vinegar goes great with olive oil? Butter goes great with a whole lot of things? I had no idea.
3) Lastly, another short section on what wine pairs with aforementioned food. Apparently I'm the only one who doesn't drink wine with every meal. This section is even more repetitious than section 2 as the author seems to predominately go for white Burgundy, red Bordeaux, and other European wines. I had a running joke with myself to see how long I would have to read before the author would suggest a white from the Jura region of France. Old World wines are food wines, everyone knows this, thus they are go with food. Often the author suggests a Chataneuf-de-Papf because we all have $50-$75 (or more) to burn while enjoy a plate of cheese, fruit, or nuts. The author's near single-mindedness in regards to wine does the book a disservice in my opinion. I think vodka gets mentioned once with caviar, dark beer once, and single malt scotch once though the author doesn't differentiate between a peaty (smoky) and non-peaty option which though both scotch, are very VERY different in flavor. Usually, if the author doesn't feel a food pairs with wine he'll just say "None" and the chapter ends without even trying to suggest an non-wine alternative. What a cop out.
September 24, 2013
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This book reminded me of The Story of English in 100 Words. An expert defines his field with a set number of key components. Both ordered their components alphabetically. Because arguments of inclusion and exclusions is interesting, and arguments over order are tedious.
Edward Behr provides a book for those who are beyond cookbooks. Those that want to delve deeper into food. Reading some chapters I had a few, why didn't I think of that moments. Each of hte fifty foods was given a brief history, where ideally found now, where it tastes best from, and how to buy and prepare said food. Gardening advice was sprinkled in certain chapters where Mr. Behr had firsthand experience. An incredibly dense book, full of mouth watering knowledge, advice, and insightQuotes from people closely tied to the food were in some chapters. You may want to keep a notepad while you read to jot down tasty ideas to apply in your next meal. Like sauteed apples in butter to serve with your porkchop.
There was some overlap. The aforementioned idea appeared early on in the apple chapter and near the end in the porcine chapter. I occasionally rolled my eyes at some of the food topics. The biggest offender in my eyes was caviar. Each chapter ends with a wine pairing for the food. The introduction starts out dismissive of other alcoholic beverages which I found to be a bit snobbish. But Mr. Behr does have tradition on his side. If wine and food pairings keep you up at night, this book will relieve all stress and pressure about such conundrums. Six chapters were on cheese and the author mentioned in the beginning that he had to constrain himself to not make it all about cheese. The better path is obvious, make a second book all about cheese!
This book reminded me of The Story of English in 100 Words. An expert defines his field with a set number of key components. Both ordered their components alphabetically. Because arguments of inclusion and exclusions is interesting, and arguments over order are tedious.
Edward Behr provides a book for those who are beyond cookbooks. Those that want to delve deeper into food. Reading some chapters I had a few, why didn't I think of that moments. Each of hte fifty foods was given a brief history, where ideally found now, where it tastes best from, and how to buy and prepare said food. Gardening advice was sprinkled in certain chapters where Mr. Behr had firsthand experience. An incredibly dense book, full of mouth watering knowledge, advice, and insightQuotes from people closely tied to the food were in some chapters. You may want to keep a notepad while you read to jot down tasty ideas to apply in your next meal. Like sauteed apples in butter to serve with your porkchop.
There was some overlap. The aforementioned idea appeared early on in the apple chapter and near the end in the porcine chapter. I occasionally rolled my eyes at some of the food topics. The biggest offender in my eyes was caviar. Each chapter ends with a wine pairing for the food. The introduction starts out dismissive of other alcoholic beverages which I found to be a bit snobbish. But Mr. Behr does have tradition on his side. If wine and food pairings keep you up at night, this book will relieve all stress and pressure about such conundrums. Six chapters were on cheese and the author mentioned in the beginning that he had to constrain himself to not make it all about cheese. The better path is obvious, make a second book all about cheese!
December 3, 2013
This book discusses 50 foods, each in (ahem) a bite-sized chapter. The five-star rating is for what the book attempts to be, which is a discussion of foods as they are used primarily in European cuisine. Though not explicitly stated, the author appears to rank cuisines and origins of ingredients generally as follows (with exceptions for specific foods, e.g. Parmigiano-Reggiano, salmon):
(1) French
(2) French
(3) Italian
(4) American
(5) Swiss
(6) German
(7) Japanese
(8) everywhere else
If you expect a discussion of foods as they are used and valued in, say, India or China, you will need a different book.
Also, this is not a cookbook; there are no recipes as commonly thought of, and even few descriptions of ingredients in specific dishes. Presumably the reader has cookbooks and/or knows how to use a search engine.
The author is clearly opinionated, but has also clearly researched all of these foods extensively, not only via first-hand tasting but also investigating their history, talking to modern chefs, and traveling to where they are produced. His opinions are well-grounded in fact and experience. The book is clearly a labor of love. On a related note, I have trouble imagining the size of his pantry and refrigerators.
Highly recommended for what it is trying to do.
(1) French
(2) French
(3) Italian
(4) American
(5) Swiss
(6) German
(7) Japanese
(8) everywhere else
If you expect a discussion of foods as they are used and valued in, say, India or China, you will need a different book.
Also, this is not a cookbook; there are no recipes as commonly thought of, and even few descriptions of ingredients in specific dishes. Presumably the reader has cookbooks and/or knows how to use a search engine.
The author is clearly opinionated, but has also clearly researched all of these foods extensively, not only via first-hand tasting but also investigating their history, talking to modern chefs, and traveling to where they are produced. His opinions are well-grounded in fact and experience. The book is clearly a labor of love. On a related note, I have trouble imagining the size of his pantry and refrigerators.
Highly recommended for what it is trying to do.
August 6, 2018
More like 1.5 stars.
Audiobook. Reader a bit monotonous. The writing more so. Though I have heard of the Art of Eating I was not familiar with Behr's work.
I got about halfway through and said enough. I love food,cooking, history of food but this book bored me to sleep each time I tried to listen.
Some foods are dealt with in alphabetical order by specific name not variety, i.e. there are multiple cheese entries such as Cheddar,Gruyere.
While I agree that getting the freshest best food you can is a good thing the writer was very elitist in his choices. He obviously has access to anything he wants. For example he went on and on about butter, unpasteurized, grass fed, only this old etc. Great but not all of us can afford to pay the prices such things cost.
The key to getting freshest and best has to include mid range items affordable to most.
His recommendations, more like directives, for cooking didn't resonate with me at all. I thought his essentials of good taste were rather stodgy.
I didn't get much past H.
I think this is a book that might be better on paper, able to skip around or browse now and then. In small doses the author might be less annoying.
Audiobook. Reader a bit monotonous. The writing more so. Though I have heard of the Art of Eating I was not familiar with Behr's work.
I got about halfway through and said enough. I love food,cooking, history of food but this book bored me to sleep each time I tried to listen.
Some foods are dealt with in alphabetical order by specific name not variety, i.e. there are multiple cheese entries such as Cheddar,Gruyere.
While I agree that getting the freshest best food you can is a good thing the writer was very elitist in his choices. He obviously has access to anything he wants. For example he went on and on about butter, unpasteurized, grass fed, only this old etc. Great but not all of us can afford to pay the prices such things cost.
The key to getting freshest and best has to include mid range items affordable to most.
His recommendations, more like directives, for cooking didn't resonate with me at all. I thought his essentials of good taste were rather stodgy.
I didn't get much past H.
I think this is a book that might be better on paper, able to skip around or browse now and then. In small doses the author might be less annoying.
April 18, 2024
My girlfriend is a food scientist, so let me settle something. Cream should not be left out at room temperature to develop flavour. That "flavour" you're tasting is compounds from the microorganisms which have been given a fertile food source (the cream) and the perfect temperature at which to reproduce (anything from 5-60 degrees Celcius is the "danger zone"). Pasturisation is a process carried out by qualified food safety technologists for the purposes of killing bad bacteria which can cause illness if consumed in large amounts (ideal conditions will produce large numbers of bacteria quickly).
Does that mean you shouldn't drink milk straight from a cow? It's a contentious topic at the very least, not to be dismissed as it is in this book. Most definitely there are bacteria on the outside of a cows teat which ends up in the milk, but if consumed shortly after milking, the bacteria likely will not have time to multiply to the numbers necessary to cause illness in humans. Refrigeration can slow down the multiplication and therefore extend the life of the milk. Pasturisation, and furthermore, microfiltration, can extend the life of a dairy product to the point that many are safe to consume even after weeks on the fridge shelf (see their best before dates).
Could a healthy and fit person consume cream that has been left out for three days at room temperature and not get sick? Perhaps! But an immuno-compromised person, an infant or an elderly person might have a harder time fighting the bacteria and can in extreme cases end up hospitalised. Nuance is important.
Does pasturisation kill flavour? Yes, some of it is lost. Is it always better, as the book suggests, to find unpasturised milk when possible? (Well, in some places it is actually illegal to sell.) If you can afford it and you're a fit and healthy person, maybe. But oftentimes these products are produced by smaller manufacturers who have to charge a higher price for their product to be able to run a viable business (equipment is smaller scale and they can't mass produce and therefore turn over more revenue as could a large-scale manufacturer). The everyday person cannot afford boutique dairy products. So while it is short-sighted to suggest that this is the better way to consume cream and milk, it is further remiss to not mention that mass produced milk is mass produced to serve a large population. It is pasturised as a measure of safety and public health.
This is important to mention because this book makes no effort to acknowledge the circumstances under which a consumer would be acting in their best interest to buy pasturised, mass produced cream.
It's really important to be educated about the safe consumption of food. Food poisoning is unpleasant for those healthy to fight it, and it can be life threatening for those who can't. As others have mentioned, the recommendations in this book come across as quite pompous, so readers might well assess those recommendations within the context of the author's experience. However, if my review encourages someone to look up their local laws or food guidelines, all the better.
Here are some links for further reading. I live in Victoria, so my search results are Australian, but I'm sure a quick google search can connect you to somewhere more specific to your area. For the most part food is food, and practices around its safe preparation and consumption are standard, but you never know, there may be local laws particular to where you live.
https://www.dairysafe.vic.gov.au/cons...
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/food-sa...
https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publ...
Does that mean you shouldn't drink milk straight from a cow? It's a contentious topic at the very least, not to be dismissed as it is in this book. Most definitely there are bacteria on the outside of a cows teat which ends up in the milk, but if consumed shortly after milking, the bacteria likely will not have time to multiply to the numbers necessary to cause illness in humans. Refrigeration can slow down the multiplication and therefore extend the life of the milk. Pasturisation, and furthermore, microfiltration, can extend the life of a dairy product to the point that many are safe to consume even after weeks on the fridge shelf (see their best before dates).
Could a healthy and fit person consume cream that has been left out for three days at room temperature and not get sick? Perhaps! But an immuno-compromised person, an infant or an elderly person might have a harder time fighting the bacteria and can in extreme cases end up hospitalised. Nuance is important.
Does pasturisation kill flavour? Yes, some of it is lost. Is it always better, as the book suggests, to find unpasturised milk when possible? (Well, in some places it is actually illegal to sell.) If you can afford it and you're a fit and healthy person, maybe. But oftentimes these products are produced by smaller manufacturers who have to charge a higher price for their product to be able to run a viable business (equipment is smaller scale and they can't mass produce and therefore turn over more revenue as could a large-scale manufacturer). The everyday person cannot afford boutique dairy products. So while it is short-sighted to suggest that this is the better way to consume cream and milk, it is further remiss to not mention that mass produced milk is mass produced to serve a large population. It is pasturised as a measure of safety and public health.
This is important to mention because this book makes no effort to acknowledge the circumstances under which a consumer would be acting in their best interest to buy pasturised, mass produced cream.
It's really important to be educated about the safe consumption of food. Food poisoning is unpleasant for those healthy to fight it, and it can be life threatening for those who can't. As others have mentioned, the recommendations in this book come across as quite pompous, so readers might well assess those recommendations within the context of the author's experience. However, if my review encourages someone to look up their local laws or food guidelines, all the better.
Here are some links for further reading. I live in Victoria, so my search results are Australian, but I'm sure a quick google search can connect you to somewhere more specific to your area. For the most part food is food, and practices around its safe preparation and consumption are standard, but you never know, there may be local laws particular to where you live.
https://www.dairysafe.vic.gov.au/cons...
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/food-sa...
https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publ...
November 20, 2020
A very interesting book.I enjoyed getting an understanding of 50 foods the essential of good taste.by Edward Behr.
It gives ways to cook certain foods and what may go with each food and a bit of a history on each food.since I've always had to teach myself to cook,I find interesting information that makes me want to try foods that I never liked before.it is a different concept of writing but I recommend this to all new cooks.
It gives ways to cook certain foods and what may go with each food and a bit of a history on each food.since I've always had to teach myself to cook,I find interesting information that makes me want to try foods that I never liked before.it is a different concept of writing but I recommend this to all new cooks.
January 4, 2021
A simple A-Z book of foods for the novice cook. It offers simple explanations of what a particular food item is and equally simple options for preparing it. It is perhaps worthwhile for someone who is a newcomer to cooking and a harmless read for a more advanced cook.
January 24, 2018
Wonderful read . . .
September 5, 2019
Random selection of foods to focus on. Not my favorite.
July 1, 2020
This book is as dry as Wikipedia, and 100% focused on the southern coast of Europe. I wouldn't call that "good taste". The 50 foods seem like they were chosen in 1993, not in 2013.
September 12, 2013
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
The first thing I thought was "Why are there no pictures?" I'm a visual person when it comes to cooking. It turns out I didn't mind so much because this book is more of an explanation of food than a recipe book.
Each of the 50 chapters follows this format, with slight tweaks here and there: a description and history of the food, how to buy and prepare the food, complements to the food, and notes on wine.
The first chapter is on anchovies, which has always been a no-no for me. Ed Behr managed to makes them sound delicious as he writes, "...[the fish] are cleaned on the boats on the way back to port and then, still on the boats, grilled over hot charcoal with bay leaves; customers eat them right there, squeezed with lemon" and "...in the fall and winter anchovies are highly traditional in bagna caoda, the warm anchovy and garlic-filled sauce for dipping bell peppers and cardoons". Not bad sounding for something I associate with terrible pizza and salad drowned in Caesar dressing.
This wasn't a gripping read, but it was pleasant enough. The chapters are short, so it's easy to pick up for a few minutes in between tasks. I found myself skipping around to the things I was most interested in, and saving foods less to my liking for another time. I learned some things that I can put to good use one day, like how to order oysters or why I should put cold eggs in warm water before breaking them open. There's other food knowledge I don't suppose I'll ever put to use, like that from the Lamb and Mutton or Caviar chapters.
Long story short: If you enjoy simple eating or need some inspiration to put down that Hamburger Helper box or Lean Cuisine tray, this book will please. If you're looking for specific recipes or don't care to read on the history of a food item, move along.
The first thing I thought was "Why are there no pictures?" I'm a visual person when it comes to cooking. It turns out I didn't mind so much because this book is more of an explanation of food than a recipe book.
Each of the 50 chapters follows this format, with slight tweaks here and there: a description and history of the food, how to buy and prepare the food, complements to the food, and notes on wine.
The first chapter is on anchovies, which has always been a no-no for me. Ed Behr managed to makes them sound delicious as he writes, "...[the fish] are cleaned on the boats on the way back to port and then, still on the boats, grilled over hot charcoal with bay leaves; customers eat them right there, squeezed with lemon" and "...in the fall and winter anchovies are highly traditional in bagna caoda, the warm anchovy and garlic-filled sauce for dipping bell peppers and cardoons". Not bad sounding for something I associate with terrible pizza and salad drowned in Caesar dressing.
This wasn't a gripping read, but it was pleasant enough. The chapters are short, so it's easy to pick up for a few minutes in between tasks. I found myself skipping around to the things I was most interested in, and saving foods less to my liking for another time. I learned some things that I can put to good use one day, like how to order oysters or why I should put cold eggs in warm water before breaking them open. There's other food knowledge I don't suppose I'll ever put to use, like that from the Lamb and Mutton or Caviar chapters.
Long story short: If you enjoy simple eating or need some inspiration to put down that Hamburger Helper box or Lean Cuisine tray, this book will please. If you're looking for specific recipes or don't care to read on the history of a food item, move along.
April 15, 2015
I'm giving this four stars for the amount of practical knowledge I gained about different foods. I was sort of inching towards three stars, since so many of the suggestions are basically impossible for the less than wealthy and many of the foods are impossible to get outside of Europe. It was more than a little frustrating to read about something awesome...and then "it's only sold in two villages in Burgundy." But, yes, the practical tips and things -nthat I really should have known but didn't were well-integrated and explained. I think I will definitely have to pursue some of the things that Behr alluded to but didn't go into depth about, especially uses for the truffle salt I bought a month ago.
I am also in favor of the wine pairing at the end of each section. I really am huge into knowing which wines go with which foods and why, so I thought that was a really good idea.
Overall, this could be dry at parts and some of it felt inaccessible due to monetary limits, but I think the knowledge it offered was sufficient enough to make this worth a try for culinary beginners. (Like me).
I am also in favor of the wine pairing at the end of each section. I really am huge into knowing which wines go with which foods and why, so I thought that was a really good idea.
Overall, this could be dry at parts and some of it felt inaccessible due to monetary limits, but I think the knowledge it offered was sufficient enough to make this worth a try for culinary beginners. (Like me).
September 21, 2013
I received this book through a GoodReads giveaway.
50 Foods: The Essentials of Good Taste by Edward Behr is a book I will not soon finish reading. This is a book that I will continually use as a reference to enhance my knowledge, selection and use of many of the 50 foods listed (not all – no sweetbreads for me, thank you).
This is in no way a cookbook, rather it is a complement to cooking. Each chapter is usually 3-10 pages long, with the 12 pages being the longest (Goat’s Milk Cheeses – yum!). The information is brief, but in depth and appetizing. If it weren’t so appetizing, I would use this book as bed-time reading, sort of a culinary devotional.
I may feel compelled to add to this review after I experience the practical application of a few chapters.
This is a book that, had I not won it, I definitely would purchase. And almost, Edward Behr has me convinced that I need to make my own vinegar…
50 Foods: The Essentials of Good Taste by Edward Behr is a book I will not soon finish reading. This is a book that I will continually use as a reference to enhance my knowledge, selection and use of many of the 50 foods listed (not all – no sweetbreads for me, thank you).
This is in no way a cookbook, rather it is a complement to cooking. Each chapter is usually 3-10 pages long, with the 12 pages being the longest (Goat’s Milk Cheeses – yum!). The information is brief, but in depth and appetizing. If it weren’t so appetizing, I would use this book as bed-time reading, sort of a culinary devotional.
I may feel compelled to add to this review after I experience the practical application of a few chapters.
This is a book that, had I not won it, I definitely would purchase. And almost, Edward Behr has me convinced that I need to make my own vinegar…
April 9, 2014
Edward Behr writes with an opinionated, critical voice, bred of a discerning food palate. I suppose one of the reasons I like his book is that I agree with the majority of his opinions. He also knows what makes food real.
This is not a usual cookbook, not a set of precise recipes, but rather an education in the form of a reference manual. Readers learn the history of each food (from anchovies, apples and artichokes to truffles, vinegar and walnuts), with advice on how to shop for and prepare these 50 essential foods, including suggestions on which foods are complementary and which wines to serve with them.
Experienced cooks who consider an ingredients list sufficient for a recipe will like this, if they also like to listen to opinionated people. I do, as long as I believe the person has earned the right, through experience and good judgement as well as good taste, to be taken seriously.
Recommended for people who are serious about finding the best quality food.
This is not a usual cookbook, not a set of precise recipes, but rather an education in the form of a reference manual. Readers learn the history of each food (from anchovies, apples and artichokes to truffles, vinegar and walnuts), with advice on how to shop for and prepare these 50 essential foods, including suggestions on which foods are complementary and which wines to serve with them.
Experienced cooks who consider an ingredients list sufficient for a recipe will like this, if they also like to listen to opinionated people. I do, as long as I believe the person has earned the right, through experience and good judgement as well as good taste, to be taken seriously.
Recommended for people who are serious about finding the best quality food.
August 17, 2015
Essays on foods Behr thinks worth writing about, in some detail, pointing out how things like blue cheese and vinegar are made, what varieties of fruits and vegetables he thinks are tastiest, the changes that Big Ag has made to many foods, how best to prepare things simply, what foods complement each other, what kinds of wine he thinks go best with them.
Read as bedtime reading, an essay or two at a time. All of the essays were of a type, with similar structure, which he admitted right off the bat. All are elegant enough – Behr writes quite well about food. A food reference book to look back on. Ann Stewart immediately found, while just glancing through, some insight about how best to prepare lettuce (don't wash whole heads, just the leaves you will use immediately) that I in my just-before-bed reading immediately forgot.
I will remember that there is a lot of info here that is worth looking back on.
Read as bedtime reading, an essay or two at a time. All of the essays were of a type, with similar structure, which he admitted right off the bat. All are elegant enough – Behr writes quite well about food. A food reference book to look back on. Ann Stewart immediately found, while just glancing through, some insight about how best to prepare lettuce (don't wash whole heads, just the leaves you will use immediately) that I in my just-before-bed reading immediately forgot.
I will remember that there is a lot of info here that is worth looking back on.
March 2, 2014
For each food the author chooses to talk about, he explains his own preference for how to grow (if applicable), buy, prepare, consume and what to consume it with. I might have gleaned a few useful tips on how to prepare a chicken or whether or not to peel an asparagus, but on the whole I found the advice to be fairly shallow and pithy. You can sum up all of his sourcing advice thusly: "grow yourself or buy locally." He spends a lot of time talking about pairing with wines and is one of those people who claims to taste things like 'vanilla, horse saddle, baby diaper, chamomile' in wines or cheese or...apples. Not a particularly recommended book.
April 24, 2014
Extraordinarily elitist yet not snobby; Behr enjoys good, quality food items, and can write about food in rapturous, sensuous language. But if we followed his instructions and only found local sources, harvested humanely and sustainably, we'd be in the car all day, driving to each sensitively sourced food supplier. So while I won't be driving around looking for single flower honey or a local source of goats cheese, I will be more mindful the next time I shop for olive oil.
February 9, 2017
The concept of 50 types of food that are essential is an interesting one. For each food there is a little history, where it is from, species, what kind is recommended, how to cook/eat it, and what wine compliments it. I admit the author's taste paler is probably more sensitive than most people, it was a little bit too "I think..." The chapters are a short way to learn about a specific food. I learned a lot of interesting tidbits.
June 6, 2015
Edward Behr knows a lot about food. In this book, he writes brief (5-10 page) essays about 50 of his favorite foods - foods that he considers important. He covers the history of each food, how to tell the best ones, how to shop for it, basic methods of cooking with it and so on. There is a heavy emphasis on European cuisine - if you are looking to learn about food from the rest of the world, look elsehwere - but it is very good for what it is.
October 3, 2013
Disappointing. Patronizing instead of enthusiastic.
November 22, 2013
Particularly enjoyed the wine pairing recommendations. As Ed says: Wine is simply the best thing to drink with food.
November 30, 2013
50 Foods - the author, Edward Behr, tells us his favorite 50 with descriptions on how to buy and use in a simple dish.
March 15, 2014
Would have been 3 stars but the illustrations are wonderful.
April 21, 2014
should have been subtitled the wino's guide to food.also if it has been raised, grown or processed in the u.s.a. it is horrible in taste and texture.
July 4, 2016
Bit tedious, not as lurid as his other books.
July 9, 2016
too focused on Italian and French origins/ingredients but nonetheless a comprehensive guide on 50 foods we should not live without.
October 4, 2014
Behr's book features short pieces on what he feels are 50 important foods. The writing is pretentious in that foodey way.
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