 Garlic
and Sapphires
Ruth Reichl
Gourmet's editor in chief goes undercover to reveal the theatrical
in the foodie world. Ruth Reichl adopts several disguises in order
to keep restaurateurs guessing and her reviews from skewing because
of preferential treatment. Performance and identity play out with plenty
of food and the backstage reality of the restaurant world. Hardcover,
333 pp, $36.00.
A Meal Observed
Andrew Todhunter
Todhunter has a keen eye for both the pleasure and terror inherent in dining
at Paris’s legendary Taillevent. Compare his version of the famed marquise
with pistachio sauce with that in Patricia Well’s Food Lover's Guide
to Paris ($28.95). Hardcover, 228 pp, $35.00.
 Feeding A Yen
Calvin Trillin
A familiar voice at The New Yorker for 40 years, Trillin treats us to another
journey in gastronomy, particularly dishes of local specialty across the U.S.
Tantalizing. Hardcover, 197 pp. $34.95.
 The
Last Days of Haute Cuisine: The Coming of Age of American Restaurants
Patrick Kuh
A great social and cultural history of American eateries and their celebrity
chefs. The book explores the renewal of food and dining and the evolution of
American 'high-style' restaurants. The chapter on "The Formidable Mrs.
Child" is endearing. 240 pages. $20.00.
  Man Who Ate Toronto
James Chatto
If you've ever dined out in Toronto, you'll want to read this book. The restaurant
critic James Chatto's memoirs are witty, urbane and eminently readable. Out
of print/Not available
 Hotel
Bemelmans
Ludwig Bemelmans
Long before Anthony Bourdain, there was Ludwig Bemelmans. His experiences
in the hotel/restaurant world of the 20s and 30s reveal a fascinating,
if surreal, microcosm that is as captivating as it is relevant to the
modern foodie. Witty and delightful, Bemelmans’ writing is infused
with a wry humour that spans decades. Hardcover, 302 pp. $36.00.
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