Jeffrey Steingarten is to food writing what Bill Bryson is to travel writing. Whether he is hymning the joys of the perfect chip, discussing the taste of beef produced from Japanese cows which are massaged daily and fed on sake, or telling us the scientific reasons why salad is a 'silent killer', his humour and his love of good food never fail. The questions he asks (like 'Why aren't the French dropping like flies?') will challenge everything you assume you know about what you eat, yet his characteristic wit imparts masses of revelatory information in the most palatable of ways. A must for everyone who's ever enjoyed a meal - this book contains everything you ever wanted to know about food, but were too hungry to ask...
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Jeffrey Steingarten was a lawyer until 1989, when an invitation to write for American Vogue effected his metamorphosis into a food writer--unquestionably a higher form of life. As the self-styled Man Who Ate Everything, he could allow himself no favourite foods nor irrational dislikes; consequently, the first piece in the book describes his heroic efforts to purge himself of all food phobias in preparation for his new post. The Six-Step Programme he devised was largely successful: as a result, kimchi (Korean pickled cabbage), anchovies, Greek food and clams ("I feel a mild horror about what goes on in the moist darkness between the shells of all bivalves...is the horror deeper than I know?) all assumed a place in his diet. He became the "perfect omnivore". Now he seems to travel the world, eating. The Man Who Ate Everything deals to a certain extent with food and cooking, but its real subject (aside from Steingarten himself) is our attitude towards what we eat--what our food choices reveal about us. So he discusses the complex issues surrounding choosing the best brand of bottled water; the pros and cons of cooking "French" fries in horse fat; the deadly toxins that infest a virginal salad. He travels to Alsace in pursuit of le Veritable Choucroute Garni, to Piedmont to join white-truffle hunters, to Kyoto to worship at the shrine of kaiseki ryori, formal Japanese haute cuisine. By turns witty, learned, satirical and riotously farcical, The Man Who Ate Everything is never less than passionate about his subject. --Robin Davidson
Review
'I have yet to meet anyone who hasn't adored this book once they've read it.' (Nigella Lawson )
'Gastronomic writing of the highest order, deserving a place alongside Elizabeth David and MFK Fisher.' (Independent )
'Here is a great feast of a volume, a banquet of a book. It is both long and rich, full of intense flavours, new discoveries, unexpected contrasts ... Splendid.' (Sunday Telegraph )
'Like the best modern-day food writers, Steingarten's style is a mix of wittily intellectual inquiry and glorious gluttony ... Little escapes his scrutiny, humour or delight.' (The Times )
'Absolutely not to be missed.' (Jennifer Paterson )
'Gastronomic writing of the highest order, deserving a place alongside Elizabeth David and MFK Fisher.' (Independent )
'Here is a great feast of a volume, a banquet of a book. It is both long and rich, full of intense flavours, new discoveries, unexpected contrasts ... Splendid.' (Sunday Telegraph )
'Like the best modern-day food writers, Steingarten's style is a mix of wittily intellectual inquiry and glorious gluttony ... Little escapes his scrutiny, humour or delight.' (The Times )
'Absolutely not to be missed.' (Jennifer Paterson )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Anyone who begins a chapter with the words, 'I like salad, eaten in moderation like bacon or chocolate, about twice a week' ought to be compulsory reading, for Steingarten's insouciant wit makes every chapter in this delightful book an indulgent pleasure. Cheer up your library with this work; give it to friends in hospital who care about real food - Steingarten does, e.g. in Primal Bread he writes: 'The world is divided into two camps: those who can live happily on bread alone and those who also need vegetables, meat, and dairy products. Isaiah and I fall into the first category....' A joy to enjoy, and it's calorie-free.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Absolutely wonderful. A food critic that would go to the ends of the earth to try something new, devour it and describe every mouthful so well that you feel full after reading.
I learnt more about food from this guy than a lot of the chef's out there.
I learnt more about food from this guy than a lot of the chef's out there.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Or if it doesn't make you hungry, it will certainly change the way you think about food. Funny and informative, this collection of essays is a treat for foodies everywhere. The author looks at food myths and cultures, shares recipes and ideas but most of all shares his love for food.
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Food writing at its best
Steingarten's style is like none other I've come across, and this is a good thing. I'm a huge fan of Bourdain, Ruhlman et al but Jeffrey Steingaarten is a step above them all. Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2010 by uncle_moe
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you only buy one book....
Never read this book in bed... you will get hungry and start cooking!
This it seems is a collection of foodie articles of the highest quality writing on a variety of... Read more
This it seems is a collection of foodie articles of the highest quality writing on a variety of... Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2007 by ingram
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
I bought this book in a store but it was so excellent that i did buy its follow up from Amazon as i read it in one weekend and have now been down the local supermarket for all the... Read more
Published on 1 July 2004 by Timothy
5.0 out of 5 stars
This made me hungry!
A great book. One must remember that it's actually a collection of separate magazine articles, so it's somewhat unfair to try and review it as a single cohesive critique of food... Read more
Published on 24 Nov 2000
4.0 out of 5 stars
If I had to research for a book, this would be the one.
The idea of driving round Alsace, staying in gorgeous hotels and trying out different forms of choucroute on a regular basis, is one that I'm particularly keen on. Read more
Published on 12 Feb 2000
5.0 out of 5 stars
I loved this book.
I have loved reading this book and in places it has made me laugh out loud. I like the variety of the articles and I am totally enamoured of the author's passion for his subject. Read more
Published on 20 Sep 1999 by Cassie's friend
3.0 out of 5 stars
Failed to match up to the hype
I actually though this was quite a good piece of writing. However I didn't think the critiques on the cover were talking about the same book! Read more
Published on 23 July 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Succulent, firm and nourishing.
This is a glorious book. A quest for pleasure and perfection. A desperate attempt to harvest the ultimate sensations from the corners of this shrinking and ever sanitised world. Read more
Published on 27 Jun 1999
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