Best Food Writing 2012 by Holly Hughes

Best Food Writing 2012 Reviews

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  Ben Miller

  Even the "best" food writing straddles a very thin line between preeminent and pretentious.
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  Talia

  Book Riot Read Harder 2022: a best ___ writing of the year
  
  Obviously these compilations are mixed bags as far as content, and this one is no exception. Food writing is a topic that can easily fall into a "snooty" tone, a good portion of these essays didn't stick with me at all. There is an essay about maple syrup processing that was pretty funny, I still think of that one.
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  Eden

  She’s having a food writing moment in 2023! I have huge feelings about “best” claims, but I love an anthology, and I really enjoyed most of the pieces in this one. Why were there so many barbecue essays though??
• 
  E

  Read in between other books. A mixed bag of genres and foods and moods
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  Jackie Tilks

  This book was a nice sampling of writing from North America in 2012. It is amazing how food speaks to so many of the emotions and the senses. It becomes a lens through which we view relationships, cultures, our inner-development, politics and so on. This was a special present from my husband and I would recommend it to anyone who likes reading about the many experiences surrounding food. Since it is a series of articles about 3-12 pages each, it isn't a quick read as you have to re-acquaint yourself with the speaker, topic and theme every couple pages and the font is small...so take your time and enjoy each story like you would each bite of a meal.
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  Little-g

  "Whether things were ever simpler than they are now, or better if they were, we can't know. We do know that people have always found ways to eat and live well, whether on boiling water or bread or beans, and that some of our best eating hasn't been our most foreign or expensive or elaborate, but quite plain and quite familiar. And knowing that is probably the best way to cook, and certainly the best way to live."
  
  This was a great subway read, back and forth between Sunnyside and the Upper West Side, morning and afternoon -- whetting my appetite not so much for food but for creativity.
  
  "'You can do this girl . . . The more you fail, the better you get. That's the fun of cooking.'"
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  Kathleen

  Perhaps a little too breathless and reverential on its subject, this is a solid collection of strong writing on a favorite topic. I did end up skipping a lot of the more political pieces and also lost interest in the more emotional essays: "my Southern mother rejected me because I came out as a gay man, so now I eat her lemon cake to feel close to her..." Profiles, descriptions of technique and stories of travel/discovery were my favorite. Will seek out future "best food writing" collections in years to come.
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  Jess Martin

  Great book - little chapters taken from articles that summarizes a trend throughout the past year - be it fermenting, the gulf oil spill, or foraging - the article s are quick, but written from a passionate, knowledgeable author to quickly pull you into their craft. I plan on reading several years of these as I have time.
• 
  Marissa

  As you would probably expect with any anthology, especially one that is the "best of" anything, there are some hits and misses here. Most memorable is the one that made me want to read more about breeding tomatoes, though I probably have about two dozen of the articles bookmarked for later reference.
• 
  Ann

  No, not every piece was outstanding. But overall, a very enjoyable collection that I looked forward to picking up each day.
  
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  Jo

  Read the series every year. Never disappointed.
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  Amy

  I want to give 4.5... very fun collection of food writing. Can't wait for the 2013 collection :)
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  Evonne

  I'm not a cook, but I love to read about food and this is some of the best food writing of the year. Loved it!
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  Amy

  Insufferable.
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  Melanie

  Enh. Not interested enough to finish it. (Only got about 1/3rd of the way in.) Disappointing because I usually really like this series, too. :(
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  Rebecca

  Just diving into this but so far the most promising titles: On Killing, Angry Breakfast Eggs, and The 2011 Dyke March Wiener Taste Test.
  
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  Debbie Manzanares

  A collection of food essays... How Can you go wrong?
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  Katherine

  Unfortunately ran out of time on this book and was forced to return it to the library. It was soooooo good though - definitely would buy it and will definitely finish reading it sometime soon.
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  Kathy

  Two articles on Athens in this book. Very good. Enjoyed every story.