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The Best Books for Foodies of 2010

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Cover art for KNIVES AT DAWN
NONFICTION
Released: Dec. 1, 2009
Kirkus Star KNIVES AT DAWN: AMERICA’S QUEST FOR CULINARY GLORY AT THE LEGENDARY BOCUSE D’OR COMPETITION
by Andrew Friedman
"Edge-of-your-seat food writing of the highest caliber."
A vibrant portrait of the world's most significant cooking competition, the Bocuse d'Or, in Lyon, France. Read full book review >
Cover art for RIPE
NONFICTION
Released: March 1, 2010
RIPE: THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT TOMATO
by Arthur Allen
"An eye-opener for foodies, consumers and social-justice activists alike."
A robust tale of how tomatoes get to the table and why some don't taste very good when they get there. Read full book review >
Cover art for MY EMPIRE OF DIRT
NONFICTION
Released: April 27, 2010
MY EMPIRE OF DIRT: HOW ONE MAN TURNED HIS BIG-CITY BACKYARD INTO A FARM
by Manny Howard
"An occasionally snarky, consistently engaging experiment in environmental science."
A magazine journalist cultivates a farm in his Brooklyn backyard. Read full book review >
Cover art for EATING WITH THE ENEMY
NONFICTION
Released: April 27, 2010
EATING WITH THE ENEMY: HOW I WAGED PEACE WITH NORTH KOREA FROM MY BBQ SHACK IN HACKENSACK
by Robert Egan, Kurt Pitzer
"An enlightening, and precarious, experiment in the ways opposing cultures can merge and acquiesce."
International political relations are creatively managed by a New Jersey restaurant owner. Read full book review >
Cover art for 52 LOAVES
NONFICTION
Released: May 4, 2010
52 LOAVES: ONE MAN’S RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF TRUTH, MEANING, AND A PERFECT CRUST
by William Alexander
"Entertaining and educative."
A clever weekend baker learns some life lessons, loaf by loaf. Read full book review >
Cover art for 97 ORCHARD
NONFICTION
Released: June 1, 2010
Kirkus Star 97 ORCHARD: AN EDIBLE HISTORY OF FIVE IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN ONE NEW YORK TENEMENT
by Jane Ziegelman
"A tasty, satisfying stew of history, sociology, cultural anthropology and spicy prose."
The director of the forthcoming Culinary Center at New York City's Tenement Museum embarks on a cultural and culinary tour of the building at 97 Orchard St., which serves as the museum's principal display. Read full book review >
Cover art for EMPIRES OF FOOD
NONFICTION
Released: June 15, 2010
Kirkus Star EMPIRES OF FOOD: FEAST, FAMINE, AND THE RISE AND FALL OF CIVILIZATIONS
by Evan D.G. Fraser, Andrew Rimas
"Spanning the whole of human civilization, this is a compelling read for foodies, environmentalists and social and economic historians."
A panoramic overview of the vulnerability of global food networks to climate change. Read full book review >
Cover art for FOUR FISH
NONFICTION
Released: July 19, 2010
Kirkus Star FOUR FISH: THE FUTURE OF THE LAST WILD FOOD
by Paul Greenberg
"Hugely informative, sincere and infectiously curious and enthusiastic."
An award-winning food journalist brilliantly dissects the relationship between humans and the four fish that dominate the seafood market. Read full book review >
Cover art for PALMENTO
NONFICTION
Released: Sept. 1, 2010
PALMENTO: A SICILIAN WINE ODYSSEY
by Robert V. Camuto
"The author digs deep into the rich artisanal soil of Sicily's wine culture, unearthing centuries-old lineage and lore while closely studying villages, vintages, vintners, vats and a few intriguing vendettas."
An Italian-American writer embeds himself in the Sicilian wine trade for a year. Read full book review >
Cover art for AMERICAN TERROIR
NONFICTION
Released: Sept. 14, 2010
AMERICAN TERROIR: SAVORING THE FLAVORS OF OUR WOODS, WATERS, AND FIELDS
by Rowan Jacobsen
"Savory information presented on a stylish plate."
A locavore and James Beard Award–winning food writer adapts the French wine-growing concept of terroir, "the taste of place," to champion a variety of foods from the Western hemisphere. Read full book review >
Cover art for AMERICAN WASTELAND
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 1, 2010
Kirkus Star AMERICAN WASTELAND: HOW AMERICA THROWS AWAY NEARLY HALF OF ITS FOOD (AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT)
by Jonathan Bloom
"Refreshingly, Bloom offers solutions as well as jeremiads, and not a minute too soon--an urgent, necessary book."
An eye-opening account of what used to be considered a sin--the willful waste of perfectly edible food. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE VERTICAL FARM
NONFICTION
Released: Oct. 12, 2010
THE VERTICAL FARM: THE WORLD GROWS UP
by Dickson Despommier
"A captivating argument that will intrigue general readers and give policymakers and investors much to ponder."
Despommier (Microbiology and Environmental Sciences/Columbia Univ.) details his optimistic vision of a sustainable future based on urban agriculture. Read full book review >