Top Ten Foodie Books I Bought in 2009 (2)

I’ve already listed Nos. 1 and 2 in my Top Ten of foodie books I bought this year. Here’s the continuation:

3. The End of Food – Paul Roberts

This is not a cookbook but an analysis of the global food economy and essential reading for anyone with an interest in food. I found this fascinating book very difficult to put down and was bereft when I accidentally left my copy in a hotel room. Never mind, I bought another one as I couldn’t bear not to have this book. There’s so much thought-provoking information in it.

Paul Roberts, a journalist, takes the premise that our food appears to be cheap but it’s not really cheap; it’s all based on a very vulnerable economic infrastructure which is likely to come tumbling down soon. What seems to be a time of plenty will soon result in widespread famine as the true costs of food production fall due for payment. It’s a bit scary, but very well worth a read.

The End of Food

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Paul Roberts
Paperback, 404 pages
2009, Bloomsbury
ISBN 978 0 7475 9642 4
RRP: £8.99

4. Mastering Knife Skills – Norman Weinstein

This is billed as “the essential guide to the most important tools in your kitchen”. Anyone who reads Not Delia will know that I’m a bit of a knife freak. (You might get a clue about that from my logo, which was professionally designed for me.) This book obviously appealed. It also comes with a DVD to show how to master your knife skills. It includes chapters about the history of knives, their construction, and various cutting techniques. It’s a superb piece of work, and essential kit for anyone who cares about their kitchen knives.

Marcus Wareing also has a book called Knife Skills, which was highly recommended in some magazines. I really didn’t think that Marcus Wareing’s book came close to the Norman Weinstein one in terms of depth of information.

Mastering Knife Skills