Collections of non-fiction essays don't sound very hip and cool. They sound like something you're forced to read for Lit class. But if you have an interest in the topic or the theme, they can be great fun and a neat way to discover new authors. If you are an espiring foodie, or just concerned about what you eat, than this is the collection for you. Best Food Writing 2009 is edited by Holly Hughes and I am glad I finally checked it out. Besides being filled with local authors Monica Eng and Mark Caro from the Chicago Tribune, there are pieces from Ruth Reichl, Calvin Trillian and Marcella Hazan. Some highlights from a great group of essays are: Kate Liesener's on the joy of Marshmallow Fluff and how it is made, Lettie Teague on Wine Scams (very interesting and apparently not that hard to do), Rachel Hutton on the celebrity of Spam, Hugh Garvey on how Tokyo is the cocktail capital of the world (who knew?) and Tim Stark on the misunderstood habanero. (In fact, that essay made me read his book that this excerpt was from - more on that later.)
There are essays on the topics of food and the family, resturants and chefs, home cooks, and the joy of eating. Something for everyone. I can hardly wait for the 2010 edition and meanwhile I am going back and hunting down the older editions. A fun read.
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