Best Food Writing 2003

by Holly Hughes (Editor)

Best Food Writing 2003 assembles, for the fourth year, the most exceptional writing from the past year's books, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and websites. Within its six sections—Stocking the Larder, Home Cooking, Someone's in the Kitchen, Dining Around, The Recipe File, and Personal Tastes—read our best writers on everything from celebrated chefs to extraordinary restaurants, from histories of vital ingredients to food-inspired memoirs. Included are pieces from such stars of the genre as John Thorne, Amanda Hesser, and Calvin Trillin. Selected as required reading by the Culinary Institue of America for all of its undergraduate students, neither cook nor food lover should be without this remarkable annual collection.

Genres: Food, Food Writing, Cookbooks, Nonfiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2003

About the author

Holly Hughes has edited the annual Best Food Writing series since its inception in 2000. The author of Frommer's 500 Places for Food and Wine Lovers, she lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic writing, all about my favorite subject, food! My favorites were the pieces by Gabrielle Hamilton, Nigel Slater, Sara Roahen, Miriam Sauls and Rick Nichols, but there weren't any that I found hard to read. Very recommended.

[Susan's Sweat Smells Like Literature · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of an uneven collection, as far as good writing goes.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed most of the essays. Going back in time 20 years was interesting, too.

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm working my way through all of the best food writing collections and this is a much earlier version. It's interesting to see how the compilation has evolved and which writers are on the 2006 version and how the standard of food writing has gotten much higher. The categories have also changed.

Same of my favorite essays include: a man's intense obsession with his viking stove, an essay comparing the politics of independent restaurants and awesome blossoms (hah!), a man's journey making his own butter, the story of Mario Batali's dad (a man who quit his job to become a sausage maker), and an unbelievable essay entitled: "Travels with Captain Bacon"-- that's right--- a road trip story about a man who is on the quest for delicious bacon (!!). This essay is what alerted me to the existence of the bacon of the month club-- something I will probably buy myself for my birthday.

This year also featured some wonderfully evocative food-based memoirs-- chefs learning how to cook, memories of parents and the food of former social classes, food from homelands far away, and stories of old traditions that people are clinging to (pig killing, anyone?)

Though some of the essays are less savvy than the '06 compilation, this book was chock full of love for pork, and cured meat. Clearly, I'm a huge fan.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can you NOT read a collection that contains an essay called "Travels with Captain Bacon"? I never thought about food writing long enough to consider that there might be a "worst of....". Why would you read about food? I want to eat it! Well, let me say, that these essays are super and there IS such a thing as great food writing. Yay!