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University of California Press

The Art of Eating Cookbook

Essential Recipes from the First 25 Years
by Edward Behr (Author), James MacGuire (Contribution by)
Hardcover eBook
Price: $29.95 / £25.00
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Edition: 1st Edition
Title Details:
Rights: World
Pages: 296
ISBN: 9780520949706
Endowments:
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About the Book

From his first newsletter, issued in 1986, through today’s beautiful full-color magazine, Edward Behr has offered companionship and creativity to avid culinary enthusiasts, including some of America’s most famous chefs. This book collects the best recipes of the magazine’s past twenty-five years—from classic appetizer and vegetable side dishes to meat entrees and desserts. Each section or recipe is introduced with a note on its relevant cultural history or the particular technique it uses, revealing how competing French and Italian cultural influences have shaped contemporary American cuisine.

About the Author

Edward Behr is the chief writer, sometime photographer, and publisher of The Art of Eating, the widely acclaimed magazine about food and wine. He is the author of The Artful Eater: A Gourmet Investigates the Ingredients of Great Food.

Reviews

“Whether you're a cook or not, this one makes for a good read.”
— Denver Post
“What distinguishes the recipes is the same quality that sets the Art of Eating apart from all other food publications: a relentless focus on the qualities of good food (as well as wine, and occasionally beer) and how to achieve those qualities in a home kitchen. . . . This is real food for real people, whether plain or fancy. It originates very specifically in Ed's Vermont kitchen, though its inspiration may come from restaurant chefs, domestic cooks and food producers (cheese-makers, wine and olive oil producers, et al.) whom he has met in his travels.”
— Zester Daily
“Culled from 25 years of the Art of Eating, arguably America's most erudite and prestigious food publication. The items in the collection are gracefully composed.”
— Wall Street Journal
“Behr is a francophilic cook, a fine writer and a natural teacher who has an unerring gift for making you want to try his recipes. This book is larded with many fine bits of knowledge you’ll soon want to pass off as your own.”
— Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Authenticity and simplicity inform the writing and recipes in this 279-pager. Behr shares knowledge gleaned from research and travels, each recipe prefaced with information about relevant history, origins, or perhaps a certain technique required for the preparation. There is no advertising in the magazine, and no silly filler in the cookbook. The author's standards are uncompromising, his attention to details meticulous, his attitude iconoclastic. He has been called ‘possibly the most food-obsessed individual in America and certainly one of the world's most knowledgeable and talented food writers.’ This is, in fact, a damn good cookbook.”
— Miami New Times
“Do not expect glossy photos and edgy writing. No, this is a cookbook in its purest and most elegant form. The recipes aren't too complicated and don't require terribly exotic ingredients. Instructions are clear and concise. At a time when cookbooks are going off in all directions, it's great to have a culinary reference like this that emphasizes classics done right. An asset to every cook's bookshelf, this book will be stimulating for both the beginner and advanced cook.”
— The Gazette (Montreal)
“Each traditional dish has a classic story to tell.”
— Santa Barbara News-Press
“His thoughtful ruminations on the glories of cooking, mostly French food, done from the cozy confines of his Vermont home, read like notes from the frontier on how to live well. This cookbook is a keepsake, in part, of this highly civilized and informative magazine, representing 25 years’ worth of artful eating.”
— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Needless to say, the recipes are foolproof and as authentic as possible while keeping an eye on kitchen innovations and ingredients.”
— The Montreal Gazette
“This comprehensive guide to mastering the kitchen includes recipes in all food groups: from breads and charcuterie to pasta and vegetables to seafood and game. Each recipe includes easy-to-follow instructions and a unique and fascinating story to make you fully appreciate every dish you cook and enjoy.”
— The Blue Lifestyle
“I have always loved Ed Behr’s approach to food: he peels back the layers to get to the true, pure heart of a dish. His deep gastronomic understanding allows him to create recipes with a kind of beautiful simplicity.”

Alice Waters, Executive Chef, Founder, and Owner of Chez Panisse



"The Art of Eating has been a not-so-guilty indulgence of mine ever since the first issue. Ed Behr has pointed the way to outrageously good meals, whether in Venice or Vermont, with the underlying themes of authenticity and simplicity. Finally, with The Art of Eating Cookbook, we have a collection of recipes that was born of passion and first-hand experience rather than yet another slavish bow to healthy convenience. Bravo!"

Christopher Kimball, Founder and Editor, America's Test Kitchen



“Edward Behr’s carefully curated and tested recipes from his always-excellent magazine provide not only fabulous eating but also intelligent and beautifully written lessons from which every cook, both amateur and professional, can learn.”

Wolfgang Puck, Chef and restauranteur



“The Art of Eating Cookbook is the cookbook we all wish we'd written. Combining the insight of an epicure with the appetite of a hedonist, it's entertaining, authoritative, and -- most important of all -- delicious.”

Dan Barber, Chef and Co-Owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns



“For a lucky generation of cooks and readers, The Art of Eating has delivered the seductive delights of tradition--described in fine prose with great recipes--making each beautiful issue a satisfying feast. The dishes in the cookbook are true, simple, and pure, they feel like old friends--even the ones I am meeting for the first time.”

Judy Rodgers, Chef and Co-Owner of Zuni Café



“This is no common cookbook but rather an elaborate menu, the delicious contents of which inspire meals for all seasons and occasions. The recipes themselves celebrate in large part the culinary traditions of Italy and France with a clear ring of authenticity that echoes Ed Behr’s dedicated travels to the source.”

Paul Bertolli, Chef and Founder Fra' Mani Handcrafted Foods



"The Art of Eating has been a source of culinary education for me for many years. I'm relieved to now have a cooking companion in Ed Behr's unique and insightful style."

David Chang, Chef and Owner of Momofuku



Media

Interview with the author.