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Average Customer Rating:

GETTING WEAKER AND WEAKER

Customer Rating:

GOOD SERIES IS GETTING WEAKER AND WEAKER. SURPRISING IN VIEW OF THE CURRENT EXPLOSION IN GOOD SHORT PERIODICAL FOOD WRITING. ALSO GRAVELY MARRED BY INCLUSION OF A DOWNRIGHT DISGUSTINGLY VULGAR PIECE OF TRIPE FROM CHEF PIERRE, WHO BUILT HIS FAME ON CONDUCT THAT WOULD BE EITHER A FELONY OR GROUNDS FOR A DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT IN OTHER CONTEXTS. LEAVE THE SHMUTZY LANGUAGE FOR THE GUTTER AND NOT IN A FOOD WRITING ANTHOLOGY. AND FOR SOME MYSTERIOUS REASON, THOSE HOTBEDS OF CULINARY INNOVATION AND REGIONAL EXCELLENCE, WISCONSIN, MINN. AND MICHIGAN, GET UNUSUAL PLAY IN THIS EDITION. WHILE MOST SOUTHERN STUFF HAS REAL TASTE, THE SUCESSES AND FAILURES OF AMATEURS WHO LOST THEIR SHIRTS, AND APRONS, IN THE UPPER MIDWEST IS OF NO INTEREST WHATEVER. THERE IS REAL COLOR AND ZIP TO THE WORST EXCESSES OF CAJUN, CUBAN AMERICAN, DELTA AND TEXAS CUISINES, THEIR RAW INGREDIENTS, TECHNIQUES, DIFFERENCES FROM HOME COOKIN' IN THEIR AREA AND THE VERY COLORFUL BACKGROUND AND LANGUAGE OF SOUTHERN, TEXAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPI, AND APPALACHIAN CHEFS AND RESTAURANTEURS. WHY SUCH UNUSUALLY LARGE ATTENTION TO SO MUCH MIDWEST NOTHING? AND WHERE IS THE COVERAGE OF LITTLE OLD BROOKLYMNY WHICH IS SURELY ENTITLED TO SOME EXPLANATION. GENTRIFICATION OF FORMER SLUMS AND DESERTED WASTELANDS INTO SOME VERY INTERESTING RESTAURANT CLUSTERS SERVING A VERY PALATE EDUCATED POPULATION DESERVES BOOK COVERAGE. UNLESS THE NEXT EDITION IS MUCH IMPROVED OVER '07, THIS SERIES MAY BE RUNNING OUT OF GAS -OR NEEDS A NEW EDITOR IN CHIEF TO SELECT THE MATERIAL. AND NO MORE REICHEL. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH SPINACH, BROCCOLI AND REICHEL TO LAST A LIFETIME.

Lover of Gourmet foods/ writing	Customer Rating:
Really liked this book- Perfect for those who just enjoy reading cookbooks for relaxation or the journalist- which my husband was for 20 years and thought the writing was excellent!

Good Stuff Here	Customer Rating:
This compilation of food writing is perfect for the foodie who doesn't have the time to sift through enormaous piles of literature to find a handful of good essays. Especially interesting was the article entitled "Josiah & the Giant Onion", describing America's pathetic passion for gigantic chain restaurants.

A pleasurable read	Customer Rating:
A good selection of writing covering a wide variety of topics. Each story was a delectable mystery as to what was coming, because although the common theme is food, the topics varied considerably. All contributors are highly polished, professional writers, so the quality of the writing is excellent. It wa a great winter bedtime read, to be parceled out, one story a night.

Not the best	Customer Rating:
I really liked the 2000 and 2001 versions of this series. Those anthologies had a more down to earth feel. This new 2002 edition seems to have more selections from food insiders who just come off as spoiled brats. My advice is to skip 2002. Maybe 2003 will be a better year for food essays.