Greatest 13 Food Books Of All Time For a Knowledgeable Foodie To Read

Regardless of your particular affiliation as a food lover, be it ethnic food, sweet food, spicy food, meat-exclusive, vegetarian, vegan, keto, paleo, Atkins, etc. there’s surely been a series of books exclusively written with your particular preferences in mind.

No matter which preference you hold, all foodies can acknowledge food as the object of their adoration and be appreciative of the fact that there are lots of books dedicated to any subsection of foodie culture in existence. This is a good thing since there we have lots to offer you.

The greatest food books of all time allow you to get a glimpse on the psychology, rationality, and ultimately, the appreciativeness the author sense of taste for the particular food. They are a representation and a testament of the different characters of foodies out there and worth studying to any lover of food.

#1 A Really Big Lunch: The Roving Gourmand on Food and Life by Jim Harrison

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The A Really Big Lunch: The Roving Gourmand on Food and Life by Jim Harrison was recommended by Ben Myhre from Ramshackle Pantry. You can find out more about Ben Myhre here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

While most famous for the classic Legends of the Fall, Jim Harrison was also a prolific food writer. This book of essays brings a unique literary eye and poetic feel to the dinner table. Harrison may have overindulged, but he did it so we don’t have to and can find the beauty in his experiences. Every foodie who appreciates a good book and gets excited about food should pick this one up.

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#2 The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty was recommended by Dr. Julia Skinner from Root. You can find out more about Dr. Julia Skinner here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

Michael interweaves personal and social history in powerful ways, using food as the engine for building connections and finding identity. This book revolutionized how I thought about my work as a food historian, and has revolutionized our field as a whole by asking that we critically consider where our food traditions come from, and that we not shy away from the darker part of national history or from sharing our own personal stories to do so.

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#3 The Flavor Bible by Karen Page

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The The Flavor Bible by Karen Page was recommended by Natalia Levey from Healthy Intent. You can find out more about Natalia Levey here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

Natalia Levey is a healthy gourmet chef, restaurateur, author of Cravings Boss,” which fixes pesky food cravings for good. As the founder of Healthy Intent, Natalia shares her passion for delicious and nutritious food through recipes, workshops, online courses, and YouTube channel.

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#4 Ramadan Express by Lina Saad

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Ramadan Express by Lina Saad was recommended by Janine Hornsby from Austin Macauley Publishers. You can find out more about Janine Hornsby here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

Winer of ‘Best in the World’ by the Gourmand awards. Announced on the 27th May 2018 by Mr Edouard Cointreau. Author Lina Saad shares her favourite recipes to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan. Other winners on the same night included celebrities like James Macintosh, TV celebrity chef Chin and Darina Allen Who is Rachel Allen’s mother in law.

Lina Saad has developed delicious recipes inspired by her heritage, the years she spent in Beirut and her time living in London. Lina was born in Sierra Leone, West Africa. During the 1980s Lina attended Evangelical School in Beirut and lived through the Civil War, experiencing the severe stress the Lebanese went through at this time.

In 1986, she joined her parents back in Sierra Leone until she completed her education and then returned to Lebanon to graduate from high school. Lina graduated from Westminster College with a BA (Hons) in Hotel Management and established Alicia Restaurant in Warren Street, London.

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#5 52. A year of recipes to share with family and friends by David Wilshin

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The 52. A year of recipes to share with family and friends by David Wilshin was recommended by Janine Hornsby from Austin Macauley Publishers. You can find out more about Janine Hornsby here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

52. guides the reader through the yearly food calendar with weekly, seasonally-inspired recipes, drawn from author David Wilshin’s years of experience in the food industry in the UK and around the world. Each recipe is accompanied by sumptuous photographs and simple, clear instructions that are accessible to all.

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#6 Beginners Cookbook by K. Mortimer

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Beginners Cookbook by K. Mortimer was recommended by Janine Hornsby from Austin Macauley Publishers. You can find out more about Janine Hornsby here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

You will find no gourmet recipes in here. It will only be the quick and easiest way to make something edible. Quick, relating to the preparation time rather than the cooking time. It is aimed at someone leaving home for the first time to which a cooker is a stranger, or a student who has suddenly got to feed themselves, or even someone who has never cooked before, but has decided to give it a go.

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#7 Italian And Roman Feasts by Gilly Hall Travers

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Italian And Roman Feasts by Gilly Hall Travers was recommended by Janine Hornsby from Austin Macauley Publishers. You can find out more about Janine Hornsby here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

This Cookery book is a modern interpretation of Ancient Roman repasts, a fusion of Roman and Italian cuisine transported from the Roman culina into today’s Italian kitchen; but maintaining the history and integrity of the original classical recipes. They are inspired by the gastronome and bon viveur Marcus Apicius, who lived, cooked and entertained during the reign of Emperor Tiberius in Imperial Rome some 2,000 years ago.

He was, by all accounts, the Antonio Carluccio of his time. Over 450 of his recipes were recovered and translated in the aftermath of the decline of the Roman Empire, circa 350 AD, and these form the foundation of this book, brought up to date into the Italian kitchen. The dishes are simple, imaginative and colourful – Italian modern-day food with a classical twist.

A cornucopia of piscean platters, chicken and duck, veal, venison, pork and beef, the menus are accompanied with double sauces and explosions of fresh herbs and spices and a wide range of recipes prepared with the best of Italian vegetables, pulses, salads and sun-blessed fruit. Each recipe is heralded with an English, Italian and Latin title.

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#8 Starting From Scratch by Karl Hoffrichter

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Starting From Scratch by Karl Hoffrichter was recommended by Janine Hornsby from Austin Macauley Publishers. You can find out more about Janine Hornsby here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

So, you want to start cooking but don’t know the basics, this book will teach you how to make the perfect Bolognese, Lamb Shanks or even a Classic burger, also, will teach you the basics in all the allergies and diseases, vegetables and meat cuts. A how-to section and legal documents if you want to turn it into a career, perfect for apprentices, teens and anyone who just wants to start cooking. Because it’s never too late. Karl Hoffrichter is a head chef and food writer and shares his simplistic recipes, tips and secrets on how to master those dishes that will impress for friends and family.

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#9 Cooking, Making, and Baking: 100 Recipes and DIY Ideas for All Seasons and Reasons by Cynthia O’Hara

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Cooking, Making, and Baking: 100 Recipes and DIY Ideas for All Seasons and Reasons by Cynthia O’Hara was recommended by Brenda Knight from Mango Publishing. You can find out more about Brenda Knight here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

From the creative mind of the Harried Housewife blog comes a beautifully packaged one-stop-shop book bursting with DIY recipes and ideas for the entire year! Cooking, Baking, and Making includes 60 DIY recipes with bonus designs and 40 DIY ideas that tie your home together for all 365 days.

For spring, serve Herbed Cucumber Tea Sandwiches and a make a Spring Centerpiece as you watch the flowers bloom. In the hot summer, delight your guests with Fresh Berries and Cannoli Cream and make your own decorative coasters. In autumn, admire the turning leaves as you bake Dilled Beer and Cheddar Bread and make Autumn Harvest Potpourri. And in winter, enjoy Creamy Eggnog Cupcakes and make Festive Votives while snuggling by the fire. Cynthia O’Hara presents incredibly user-friendly projects and dishes that make replicating her flavors and designs as natural as the changing of the seasons.

The Harried Housewife has written articles and developed a wide variety of recipes that reflect a simpler time and are ideal for budget-conscious families. The Harried Housewife’s Recipe Box column is syndicated nationally in regional newspapers.

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#10 The Healthy Teen Cookbook: Around the World In 80 Fantastic Recipes by Remmi Smith

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The The Healthy Teen Cookbook: Around the World In 80 Fantastic Recipes by Remmi Smith was recommended by Brenda Knight from Mango Publishing. You can find out more about Brenda Knight here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

Who knew healthy cooking could be so awesome and delicious?! A Chopped kid chef and entrepreneur is on a mission to bring healthy food options and easy-to-cook scrumptious recipes to a busy and heavily-scheduled generation of teens.

Remmi Smith is a 16-year-old chef, who hosts two cooking shows and serves as a national Student Ambassador for a leading food services company providing education solutions to nearly 500 school districts. She has appeared on Chopped, The Harry Connick Show and the Food Network. Chef Remmi Smith’s creation is not your typical teen cookbook: it’s written for kids by a kid, and is filled with tried-and-true recipes with budding cooks in mind, using limited ingredients and steps.

Through the colorful, easy-to-read book, Chef Remmi sets out to inspire her peers to adopt healthy eating habits by introducing them to the glorious pastime of cooking. The Healthy Teen Cookbook takes you on a culinary journey across the seven continents, highlighting a country and its top food items in each one. Each section features a map, a full menu (from appetizer to dessert), fun facts, helpful tips and fantastic recipes―making it a geography lesson, a cookbook and a social studies class all in one.

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#11 Geek Sweets: An Adventurer’s Guide to the World of Baking Wizardry by Jennifer Burgesse

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Geek Sweets: An Adventurer’s Guide to the World of Baking Wizardry by Jennifer Burgesse was recommended by Brenda Knight from Mango Publishing. You can find out more about Brenda Knight here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

A baking cookbook for the truly geeky, filled with recipes for cookies, cupcakes and cakepops in increasing difficulties, as well as party ideas with a fantasy / adventure theme. Big, beautiful photographs, recipes, printable templates and step-by-step how-to’s for every adventurer – from the squire just starting their journey, to a well-worn dragon slayer looking for a challenge. Quest through a tome of countless fandoms, including Minecraft, Dungeons & Dragons, The Legend of Zelda, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, and many more!

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#12 Eating Well to Win by Richard Ingraham

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Eating Well to Win by Richard Ingraham was recommended by Brenda Knight from Mango Publishing. You can find out more about Brenda Knight here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

Chef Richard Ingraham has been personal chef for NBA star Dwyane Wade for more than a decade. The Miami native is also a Chopped contender and the founder of the private chef network, ChefRLI, which caters to professional athletes. Now this chef to star athletes is ready to share the secrets of cooking for a peak performance lifestyle. Chef Richard’s book is designed for those who want to change their diet to achieve peak performance, whether that be at the gym or the office. This is an insider’s guide to how it really happens.

Step-by-step in 90 recipes, he will show the CrossFit enthusiast, the working mom and the weekend golfer how to eat for optimum performance because he knows all of the secrets, and it’s not all kale smoothies and grilled chicken. In addition to his recipes, Chef Richard will share what he’s learned about eating well to live well throughout his career from his parents and grandparents, who were his first culinary instructors, to his celebrity clients. Readers will get advice on how changing what you put in your body will change what you put out into the universe and make you feel better physically and emotionally. It’s not just about making sure you get the right mix of veggies and carbs. This is about feeding your spirit as well. Chef Richard is serving up recipes for inspired living.

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#13 Keto Meal Prep by FlavCity: 125+ Low Carb Recipes That Actually Taste Good by Bobby Parrish and Dessi Parrish

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[su_box title=”Who suggested this book?” style=”noise” radius=”0″]The Keto Meal Prep by FlavCity: 125+ Low Carb Recipes That Actually Taste Good by Bobby Parrish and Dessi Parrish was recommended by Brenda Knight from Mango Publishing. You can find out more about Brenda Knight here or read their book recommendation below.[/su_box]

Bobby and Dessi Parrish know good food. With over 1,000,000 fans, FlavCity is known as the go-to spot for healthy meal prep and keto recipes to help you lose weight. On their hit YouTube channel, they’ve shown that you can lose weight on the keto diet without sacrificing the joy of delicious food. In Keto Meal Prep, the Parrish duo show you how to maximize your time and prepare seven days of healthy meals in one evening―and maintain your ketogenic diet.

You’ll spend less time cooking and more time enjoying. Tired of eating bland, boring, healthy food? Keto Meal Prep includes more than 125 low carb recipes full of flavor. You’ll meet your weight loss goals with dishes perfectly calibrated to the ketogenic diet. Each easy-to-follow recipe can be prepped in advance, so when you’re tired and hungry, a healthy meal is just minutes away. Mix and match the base recipes and your meal combinations are endless.

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Ben Myhre from Ramshackle Pantry

Dr. Julia Skinner from Root

Natalia Levey from Healthy Intent

Janine Hornsby from Austin Macauley Publishers

Brenda Knight from Mango Publishing

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