The editor of the annual anthology Best Food Writing got in touch yesterday to say that an excerpt from Unquenchable will be published in this year’s edition.
The book collects the best food (and occasionally wine) writing of the year from magazines and books, such as Anthony Bourdain (Kitchen Confidential), Ruth Reichl (Gourmet Magazine), Gabrielle Hamilton (Blood, Bones & Butter), Frank Bruni (New York Times), Alan Richman (GQ), Madhur Jaffrey (Indian Cooking), and Colman Andrews (Saveur).
It also includes food-related writing from “non-food” writers such as Calvin Trillin (New Yorker), Michael Lewis (Moneyball, Liar’s Poker) and Barbara Kingsolver (Poisonwood Bible). If you haven’t read one of these collections, try it: it’s like a box of chocolates (or fresh mangoes) for the mind.
Reviews for the book:
San Francisco Book Review, 1/14/12
“Holly Hughes has gathered up some of the industry’s finest culinary-inspired stories and essays in this year’s dish: a real farmer’s market of variety here…There is sure to be something to satisfy every palate, from novice to connoisseur…No overwhelming aftertaste here, just a smoothly savoring sampler.”
USA Today, 11/4/10
“With this typically delectable and eclectic collection of culinary prose, editor Holly Hughes proves her point made in the intro that the death of 68-year-old Gourmet magazine a year ago didn’t lead to the demise of quality food journalism…There’s a mess of vital, provocative, funny and tender stuff…in these pages.”
Hudson Valley News, 10/5/11
“Foodies will want to own a copy of Best Food Writing 2011, edited by Holly Hughes, the latest addition to a timeless (annual) anthology of culinary prose that’s sure to inspire your inner gourmet…This is the perfect book for people who don’t only love to eat and to prepare food, but who love [to] read about it as well.”
Publishers Weekly, 10/24/11
“Hughes’s sense of humor and deft selections keep things balanced. There is truly an essay for every foodie here.”
SeriousEats.com, 10/9/11
“This year’s compilation is definitely worth a read…There’s a wide range of writing in this book and all of it is excellent. With Best Food Writing not only will you pick up some great stories, but you will also be exposed to a range of writers who otherwise might get lost in the expansive field of food writing.”
The Thirteenth, 11/2/11
“Hughes culls publications worldwide for great food writing and they’re all here in one neat, little package.”
Technorati.com, 11/13/11
“Best Food Writing 2011 isn’t only about food, but—more importantly—our relationships with food, how it serves us, how we serve it. For those who have developed the fine art of eating, whether it’s fried Twinkies or the incredibly-difficult-to-prepare fried lettuce, Best Food Writing 2011 is the gift to receive this holiday season.”
Edible Boston, Winter 2011
“Worth the list price.”
Curled Up With a Good Book
“Best Food Writing 2011 offers up an extensive and delectable menu of gastronomic delights. A must-read treat for anyone who loves food. Five stars.”
Colorado Springs Independent, 12/19/11
“This collection of food writing from across the country is again curated by Holly Hughes, who rarely fails to find a year’s don’t-miss stories.”
Midwest Book Review, December 2011
“From how ‘soul food’ expanded African American culture to how a cook changed from a recipe-follower to a cook operating on instinct and personal knowledge, this is packed with deliciously intriguing discussions of all types of foods, trends, and personal experiences and is a ‘must’ for literary and culinary collections alike.”
Tucson Citizen, 1/6/12
“This collection has something to please the tastes of almost every reader.”
WomanAroundTown.com, 12/26/11
“A compendium of all that’s new and exciting for lovers of delicious cuisine. Essays on the joys of frying, what the rich and the poor buy and why, and some delightful guilty pleasures make this paperback ideal reading for those with good taste.”
