If I could choose one key phrase to describe the experience of bakery construction, it would be “hurry up and wait.” There are many moments where we rush, rush, rush to get things done. But other times, we’re waiting for equipment to be delivered, for folks to return phone calls, and for the stars to align, enabling our plumber, electrician, and contractor to all be in the same room at the same time to brainstorm the latest plan to overcome the latest setback. During long periods of waiting, I like to keep busy by reading books about my favorite topic: food. It keeps boredom at bay and my nerves (mostly) calm. Here are a few books I’ve read recently that I’ve found really interesting and inspiring. If you’ve recently finished a good food book that you think I or others might enjoy, please share it in the comments. I’ll need more reading material soon enough!
Grocery Story: The Promise of Food Co-ops in the Age of Grocery Giants
By Jon Steinman
This fascinating book presents compelling research about how grocery store chains shape American food culture. From illegally undercutting the competition and price fixing to charging new vendors impossible slotting fees, this book forever changed how I look at a chain grocery store. Steinman begins the book by saying that reading his work may make you angry; this is an accurate disclaimer. Throughout the book, he does an excellent job of connecting the dots between corruption in the grocery business and the lack of government oversite protecting consumers. He presents the food co-op as the solution: community owned, locally controlled, and based on a set of values, not an insatiable drive for higher profits. Steinman shows us many examples of how food co-ops have made real change in their communities, and the work is inspiring and hopeful while still being honest about the challenges many food co-ops face. Grocery Story makes it clear that supporting food co-ops is essential work if we want any alternative to the chain grocery store, and Steinman sure makes the case that we do.
The New Rules of Cheese
Anne Saxelby
This pocket-sized book on cheese packs way more information than seems physically possible. Laid out in an easy to read format, Saxelby takes us on a delicious journey into her world of all things cheese. As a renowned cheesemonger and the founder of her eponymous cheese shop, the late Anne Saxelby has lots to share. And yet, her tone is approachable and exciting, making this book a fun and relaxing read. This was my second time reading The New Rules of Cheese, and honestly I’ll probably read it again in a few years. Its compact size makes it the perfect cheese knowledge refresher, and the beautiful drawings set me fully in the cheese mindset!
Sugar, Salt, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us
By Michael Moss
I’m only about a third of the way into this book at the moment, but I just cannot put it down. Like many captivating books, the hero is always one step ahead, barely evading capture. Except in this book, the hero is more of an anti-hero: the giant food conglomerates that control most of what we eat in the United States. What they’re constantly working to avoid is being caught, or rather, being caught up in research about the dangers of processed foods and how their products are making people sick. Always trying to stay one step ahead, the “Food Giants” as Moss calls them are quick to use deceitful marketing tactics to deflect from damning research. The book focuses on the moment when the “bliss point,” or idealized level of salt, sugar, and fat became the main focus of processed food development. Aiming to turn customers into addicts while simultaneously controlling their image, the story of the food giants really is a fast-paced thriller.
Your Table is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D'
By Michael Cecchi
I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Cecchi twice, first during his days at Le Coucou, and later at his own fabulous restaurant, Cecchi’s. Both times he struck me as a refined, courteous older gentleman who was just about as reserved as anyone could be. This (apparently false) impression I had of him made my experience of reading his autobiography even more shocking. The New York City dining scene in the 90’s was full of sex and drugs, and Cecchi was right in the middle of it all. His book is one of the funniest things I’ve ever read, and he does an amazing job of transporting his reader to the exact moment when the coke kicked in, causing him to drop a whole fish on a diner’s head. There are some tough topics in this book that Cecchi approaches honestly, like the impact of the AIDS epidemic. This book is not for the faint of heart, but Cecchi paints an honest picture of the food industry, and he does it in such a skilled way that I’m sure this book will become a classic.
"Hurry up and wait" - what a true and also funny key phrase! I also see how this would look great on a T-shirt.