Category: Food

Takeaway: Stories From a Childhood Behind the Counter, by Angela Hui (Trapeze Books, 2022)

~ Eamonn ~ Leave a comment

An autobiography, focusing on childhood and adolescence as the daughter of Chinese takeaway owners in 00s South Wales. An engaging account, addressing stressful family relationships, the mechanics of independent fast food, being an outsider in an insular community, experiencing racism, and reconciling multiple identities. Plus recipes, both family and commercial. Plenty to appreciate and to think on, basically.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

The Delicacy, by James Albon (Top Shelf Productions/IDW, 2021)

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Brothers collaborate on a farm-to-table restaurant: a rare ingredient promises success. While there’s some wonky plotting and not all the story and character threads pay off, this graphic novel is nevertheless a hugely entertaining, brilliantly paced (a rushed coda aside), and authentic-feeling exploration of foodie hubris. Lots to recommend it.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

The Hungry Years: Confessions of a Food Addict, by William Leith (Bloomsbury, 2006)

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A shambolic writer investigates the diet industry while facing up to his own issues. Funny in places and well-written in confident journalese, this kinda autobiography is as 00s as it gets, dated in some respects (a reliance on James Frey), padded at times, but is good on self-loathing. The secret? Therapy: food and other substance issues are linked to unresolved psychological problems, per this account.

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My own books here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

The Ten (Food) Commandments, by Jay Rayner (Penguin Books, 2016)

~ Eamonn ~ Leave a comment

The food journalist and restaurant critic offers ten simple rules for the good food life. A mix of personal philosophy, common sense, accessible nutritional science, and autobiography with a few decent recipes thrown in to illustrate the points being made. All good stuff, and the pork, butter bean and chorizo stew offered is a belter.

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My own books here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

My Last Supper: One Meal, a Lifetime in the Making, by Jay Rayner (Guardian Faber, 2020)

~ Eamonn ~ Leave a comment

The restaurant critic and journalist ponders mortality through food. A kind of autobiography, structured around assembling a final meal, and with it a playlist. The Desert Island Discs-ish structure works well, making for an episodic but enjoyable set of culinary investigations, observations, and reminiscences.

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My own books here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Chewing The Fat, by Jay Rayner (Guardian Faber, 2021)

~ Eamonn ~ Leave a comment

A collection of the journalist and restaurant critic‘s columns for the Observer Food Monthly supplement. And a very decent brisk read this too, with articles taking on topics from Christmas entertaining to what restaurants get wrong. Rayner is funny, good with a comparison, likes decent grub, and adopts the customer’s / home cook’s perspective throughout. Recommended.

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My own books here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Your Simple Guide to Reversing Type 2 Diabetes, by Professor Roy Taylor (Short Books, 2021)

~ Eamonn ~ Leave a comment

As promised, a pacy and straightforward overview of the relationship between excess pancreatic fat and type 2 diabetes, and how a direct no-nonsense approach to dieting can address this health issue. Perhaps easier said than done, but the book makes a clear case for action, outlines what’s needed to be achieved and why, and tells you how to do it. That’s pretty good going. Recommended.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

The Diet Myth: The Real Science Behind What We Eat, by Tim Spector (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2016)

~ Eamonn ~ Leave a comment

A systematic debunking of popular canards about eating, weight loss, and food lifestyle. A persuasive, detailed, accessible, and comprehensive overview of the territory. Twin focuses become apparent: that gut bacteria diversity is important, and that First World tendencies towards processed, refined foodstuffs laced with antibiotics are problematic. Lots to think about here.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.

Why We Eat (Too Much), by Dr Andrew Jenkinson (Penguin Books, 2020)

~ Eamonn ~ Leave a comment

An overview on current thinking on diet and nutrition. A clear, comprehensive and accessible account of contemporary science related to diet, obesity, and weight control. As might be expected, there’s a lot of bad advice/science to overcome, and a radical rethinking of nutrition advice given made, so the Western obesity epidemic might be approached. Recommended.

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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.