Do cookbooks work?

I didn’t realise there was such a large difference between American cookbooks and European ones. According to Slate in its review of G, Americans don’t have scales so I presume they measure everything by volume. It doesn’t really matter as most cookbooks apparently don’t work, as Laura Shapiro says: “Cookbook writers are different from you … Continue Reading

New model for cookbook publishers

The internet has changed publishing for ever. even if you are addicted to paper and binding, you can now produce your book on demand with very little effort at all. Michael Ruhlman, whose Elements of Cooking was recently published in Australia, looks at some of the new models adopted with Alinea in chicago taking a … Continue Reading

The belly of the critic: super sized Michelin style

More fat food writers and critics. While writing his latest book The Man Who Ate the World: In Search of the Perfect Dinner The Guardian’s Jay Rayner did what any self respecting food writer would do. He ate at Gordon Ramsay pretty much everywhere in the world he could. He even took more than a … Continue Reading

The chum bucket of new food

“For a moment, there’s the sense that you’re traveling out on some rusty-bottomed trawler with the alcoholic fishermen of Asheville, chugging rotgut until one of you (maybe you. Why not you? You’re a smart person) strikes upon the idea of dredging up kelp and Irish moss to add to the chum bucket and then drinking … Continue Reading

The fat of the media

Never trust a skinny chef? What about a stick-thin food writer? Are there any? I must admit that a year ago I piled on the pounds reviewing food and that I’ve learnt to leave food on my plate. I know Melbourne food critic Stephen Downes swims while The Age’s John Lethlean is cycling. Super-sizing is … Continue Reading

The little brown book

As little books go, this is one is living larger than one might expect. The Little Brown Book aka “What’s Your Poo Telling You?” is a field guide to human stools. Writing in Salon, Leslie Crawford: “…discovered that mine had an ideal shape, sinking nicely to the bottom of the bowl.