Weekend Book Giveaway: 'Secret Ingredients, the New Yorker Book of Food and Drink'

Required Eating

Weekend Book Giveaway: 'Secret Ingredients, the New Yorker Book of Food and Drink'

Posted by Ed Levine, February 16, 2008 at 10:30 AM

The Serious Eats Weekend Book Giveaway is back with a vengeance this holiday weekend with a really cool book, Secret Ingredients: The New Yorker Book of Food and Drink, edited by New Yorker Editor-in-Chief David Remnick. The book features food and drink-related stories and cartoons that have appeared in the New Yorker by such heavyweights as Calvin Trillin, Anthony Bourdain, A. J. Liebling, Jim Harrison, John McPhee, and Roz Chast. It's the perfect bedside table companion for serious eaters.

Thanks to the generous folks at Random House, we've got seven copies of this book to give away. Just answer the following question in the comments:

Who is your favorite food writer?

Winners will be chosen at random from among the comments below. Comments will remain open until 6 p.m. ET, Monday, February 18. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.

Comments are Closed. | Tags: books, contests, Secret Ingredients, The New Yorker, Weekend Book Giveaway

Comments are closed: 399 Comments:

anthony bourdain. sure he comes off a little harsh, but he's awesome

missmicker at 10:37AM on 02/16/08

Harold McGee. When I have food questions, his books (usually) have extremely useful answers.

mongoose at 10:41AM on 02/16/08

Even though he bashes vegetarians and my beloved NY Mets, I still like Anthony Bourdain.

charm city cupcake at 10:43AM on 02/16/08

thefoodwhore.com

I love her writing.

image415 at 10:43AM on 02/16/08

have to second McGee

einscheusal at 10:47AM on 02/16/08

One of my favorites is Nichola Fletcher. She wrote the book Charlemagne's Tablecloth. It's a book about the history of feasting; how grand dinners played a vital role throughout the history of the world. It shows how grand dinners didn't always happen around a table(one it profiles took place in a medieval bathtub; another was held on horseback on the 4th floor of a New York restaurant in 1903. It delves into anceint persia, medieval Europe and contemporary celebrations of rites of passage. Another book like it is Feast by Roy Strong.

Jo-Ann Burton
jenni_purrr@yahoo.com

jenni_purrr at 10:48AM on 02/16/08

Tony Bordain, Alan Richman

bessfour at 10:51AM on 02/16/08

Without a doubt, MFK Fisher.

lemons at 10:52AM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain (even though I'm a vegetarian and he thinks my kind is the scourge of the earth)

sarahbeam at 10:54AM on 02/16/08

bourdain

hedgehog at 10:54AM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain and Ruth Reichl's books ...

They both remind me of aspects of my father (a chef). They share some of his views on food and ingredients, the stories often take me back into his kitchens, and remind me of his crazy employees ...

katalia at 11:03AM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain

amysahba at 11:03AM on 02/16/08

M.F.K. Fisher . . . and James Villas if I'm in the mood.

mmclau28 at 11:07AM on 02/16/08

That's a tough one. I was going to say McGee, but decided on Michael Pollan.

micap at 11:11AM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain, and Clotilde Dusoulier, of Chocolate & Zucchini.

Allan at 11:11AM on 02/16/08

Now and Forever: MFKF!

srhcb at 11:12AM on 02/16/08

Calvin Trillin

wisekaren at 11:17AM on 02/16/08

ruth reichl. after i read some of the passages in tender at the bone, i needed a cigarette.

cybercita at 11:18AM on 02/16/08

Clearly Calvin Trillin.

Mizbee at 11:19AM on 02/16/08

Jeffrey Steingarten, Michael Pollan, & Michael Ruhlman.

acidspit at 11:20AM on 02/16/08

I prefer Bourdain's brutal honesty over anyone else's even mild fluff.

LunaPierCook at 11:22AM on 02/16/08

bourdain, mfk fisher

Marilyn at 11:25AM on 02/16/08

The late, great Laurie Colwin

MadameTart at 11:26AM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain, by far

jbramley at 11:29AM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl has such a friendly, even, and especially evocative tone.

Gourmet Guy at 11:32AM on 02/16/08

Chris Sherman

kevlney at 11:33AM on 02/16/08

Another vote for MFK Fisher.

slloyddouglass at 11:34AM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl has such a friendly, even, and especially evocative tone.

Gourmet Guy at 11:35AM on 02/16/08

Laurie Colwin - reading her always makes me feel better about life in general...

Charcuterista at 11:36AM on 02/16/08

David Gumpert

kweiblen at 11:38AM on 02/16/08

I enjoy Ruth Reichl and Anthony Bourdain...

jenberger at 11:41AM on 02/16/08

Calvin Trillin. His bone dry sense of humor, eye for the absurd, and passion about his subjects always entertains me.

Marc at 11:42AM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain, definitely.

sevter at 11:48AM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl, especially in "Garlic and Sapphires"

beegoode at 11:48AM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain

zekks at 11:49AM on 02/16/08

No question about it: Calvin Trillen

chgoeditor at 11:50AM on 02/16/08

mark bittman

squishy622 at 11:51AM on 02/16/08

I like Jacques Pepin and sometimes I sit and just read Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours. Such a pleasure.

cam00023 at 11:53AM on 02/16/08

I love Dorie Greenspan's books.

mseriouseats at 11:53AM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain.

kdjmom3 at 12:08PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

mcclojjtz at 12:09PM on 02/16/08

M. F. K. Fisher and, in a very different style, Ruth Reichl

tmdonahue at 12:11PM on 02/16/08

For once, a great book I already have! I got it for Christmas, which makes me feel a little smug. :) For the record (though of course I don't want to win a second copy) it's a toss-up for me between M.F.K. Fisher, Ruth Reichl, and David Lebowitz.

Christina at 12:16PM on 02/16/08

Calvin Trillin!

winnekat at 12:18PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl and Mark Bittman - it's a tie

linda at 12:19PM on 02/16/08

old school M.F.K. Fisher...new school Bourdain

kathyvegas at 12:22PM on 02/16/08

Bourdain. Entertaining, insightful, learned in the art, snarky as hell, and he's irritated by the same celebri'chefs that I am.

cooksultant at 12:22PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

Natalie at 12:22PM on 02/16/08

definitely. bourdain.

andylutes at 12:31PM on 02/16/08

MFK Fisher

SelimaCat at 12:32PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain--he's funny, sarcastic, honest, has good timing (like when to inject just a touch of nostalgia), and knows his stuff.

OneWallKitchen at 12:32PM on 02/16/08

I don't really consider Michael Pollan a food writer, so I will say Calvin Trillin, though lately I love Adam Roberts of the amateurgourmet. He just cracks me up continuously.

alixwall at 12:32PM on 02/16/08

Second votes on MFK Fisher, Pollan, Trillin and McGee. Can't believe nobody has mentioned Brillat-Savarin, and Claudia Roden.

chloe103 at 12:36PM on 02/16/08

Laurie Colwin - both her essays and her fiction.

maryr123 at 12:38PM on 02/16/08

Harold McGee fo sho

mozart23 at 12:39PM on 02/16/08

I love many on this list, but recently Peter Hoffman at Savoy exposed me to the Fulton Fish Market, McSorley's and other food profiles of New Yorker writer Joseph Mitchell. His prose is poetry.

Brian Halweil at 12:42PM on 02/16/08

Frank Rich

awtane at 12:43PM on 02/16/08

Dorie Greenspan has a very friendly and encouraging voice.

salty at 12:45PM on 02/16/08

M. F. K. Fisher
James Villas

wookie at 12:47PM on 02/16/08

Nigella Lawson
I read her from cover-to-cover. She's found a voice that makes her cookbooks accessible and funny. I don't even have to enjoy her recipes (not that I don't)--she's just fun to be with.

Fiammetta at 12:48PM on 02/16/08

Bittman

sjwoodin at 12:50PM on 02/16/08

Bourdain- I also really enjoyed Bill Buford's Heat.

GoldenEel at 12:52PM on 02/16/08

Laurie Colwin, MFK Fisher... I'm old skool.

lisapeet at 12:54PM on 02/16/08

Calvin Trillin was my first foray into food porn, and I've tried others but I always go back!

outinwoods at 12:55PM on 02/16/08

Dorie Greenspan

sfbookgirl at 12:58PM on 02/16/08

MFK Fisher and Mark Bittman.

dksbook at 1:02PM on 02/16/08

currently Anthony Bourdain

bobcatsteph3 at 1:05PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl has my vote if there can be only one. Her personable writing style really speaks to "me". However, I truly enjoy Jeffrey Steingarten, Amanda Hesser, Laurie Colwin and so many other notable journalists too numerous to mention.

I've read all of Anthony Bourdain's books and he is just so darned entertaining and such a potty mouth. He's my guilty pleasure read. And I really enjoy the running discourse between he and Ruhlman, another favorite.

frederika at 1:25PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl

ramy kin at 1:28PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

mnsteph at 1:29PM on 02/16/08

Craig Clairborne

jkershen at 1:31PM on 02/16/08

Harold McGee

Nikton at 1:32PM on 02/16/08

Steingarten is amazing! I aspire to be as witty as he.

emmab at 1:32PM on 02/16/08

The Sterns. Roadfood rocks.

cdziuba at 1:34PM on 02/16/08

Probably Calvin Trillin, but reading Anthony Bourdain lately.

etyper333 at 1:37PM on 02/16/08

Lost of cookbook authors, so how about Nora Ephron for a change of pace.

PerkyMac at 1:38PM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain!!!

sel123 at 1:41PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain.

joanne117 at 1:42PM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain is the best to me

mverno at 1:43PM on 02/16/08

Another vote for Dorie Greenspan

JEP at 1:44PM on 02/16/08

I like the late Pierre Franey -- his recipes always worked but never in 60 minutes (for me).

BostonDiner at 1:45PM on 02/16/08

Ruhlman

PIGMON at 1:50PM on 02/16/08

Barefoot Contessa

marlenec at 1:52PM on 02/16/08

Elizabeth David

Lauren B at 1:54PM on 02/16/08

alice waters.

tudogostoso at 2:02PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

dbaxgirl51 at 2:04PM on 02/16/08

So many good ones, but Anthony Bourdain is always entertaining.

lazer at 2:08PM on 02/16/08

So many greats on here! I love Mark Bittman for his cookbooks and recipe-based articles, but for essays and general writing on food, I have to add Nigel Slater to the stars already called out. His memoir killed me.

jenmeansgo at 2:10PM on 02/16/08

bill buford...loved the book "heat"

ceforrester at 2:13PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl. I loved Garlic and Sapphires.

musicalpandibear at 2:15PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain. He has such a distinctive style.

rffoodie at 2:18PM on 02/16/08

Bourdain!

mh330 at 2:22PM on 02/16/08

David Leite takes the cake! .. and the soup, and the main course, and the dessert!

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/

maningrida at 2:23PM on 02/16/08

Ruhlman.

lotuscat at 2:25PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain and Ruth Reichl's books.

My friend, Dan's blog, Kitchen Geeking at... redneckmuppet.blogspot.com

HMcChezz at 2:27PM on 02/16/08

MFK Fisher

jeanharlow at 2:27PM on 02/16/08

I hate to admit it, but I love reading Anthony Bourdain. Also, I love Roz Chast's illustrations (I'm a big New Yorker nerd!!)!

amwhiteh at 2:33PM on 02/16/08

Fischer, no doubt

louiseb130 at 2:33PM on 02/16/08

Amanda Hesser and Ruth Reichl

mrsbao at 2:33PM on 02/16/08

Dorie Greenspan, and David Lebovitz for the humor!

dreamsicle at 2:37PM on 02/16/08

Calvin Trillin (but there are so many others!)

justjoan at 2:43PM on 02/16/08

im goin with bourdain

nat85 at 2:45PM on 02/16/08

John Thorne, "Serious Pig"

louisralph at 2:48PM on 02/16/08

Jim Harrison as collected in The Raw and the Cooked.

icecoldvodka2 at 2:48PM on 02/16/08

Mark Bittman

tsegada at 2:50PM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain - nuff said............

Hunnyoil at 2:51PM on 02/16/08

Nigel Slater

DaveFaris at 2:55PM on 02/16/08

Jim Harrison

tacopants at 3:01PM on 02/16/08

Michael Pollan

sugarandspice at 3:12PM on 02/16/08

Amanda Hesser's columns in the New York Times' magazine about her romance with Mr. Latte--aka Jake, aka Tad Friend--is a charming, graceful and completely delightful example of great food writing.

ess12 at 3:14PM on 02/16/08

Mr. TRILLIN...has my vote. ;-) Thanks. Would love to win this for my older brother in Texas.

ccarolyn at 3:17PM on 02/16/08

Julia Child

toastworthy at 3:19PM on 02/16/08

Calvin Trillin. His humor and insight a love of local foods was ahead of his time.

turtwood at 3:20PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

murph675 at 3:29PM on 02/16/08

Bourdain, with a dash of Pollan and Bittman for good measure.

eternal at 3:29PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

Kimberly222 at 3:30PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

slcrose at 3:32PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichel... Love her... Can't wait for her next book....

samedog at 3:35PM on 02/16/08

Bill Buford, because "Heat" was the first food book I have ever read.

Littlebluesiren at 3:38PM on 02/16/08

John T Edge. I love the way he writes about southern food.

meredith at 3:40PM on 02/16/08

Got to say - Miss Ruth Reichl!

Teahlo at 3:47PM on 02/16/08

MFK Fisher tops my list. The usual suspects, Bourdain and Bittman are there too. Harold McGee helps make sense of it all and local boy made good Robb Walsh is always a fun read. These are the faves, but I'm a junkie... I'll read whatever I can lay my greedy little hands on as long as it's about food.

nellopea at 3:48PM on 02/16/08

A.J. Liebling. For an overweight man with a love of boxing and journalism, he certainly did right beautifully and humorously about his love for food.

Junie at 3:50PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl

bison61 at 3:52PM on 02/16/08

Emeril

LINDALSHOT at 3:57PM on 02/16/08

If I have to choose I guess it would be Jim Harrison, but they are all really great in their own respective areas.

CarolHarrity at 4:01PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

susan1215 at 4:01PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

vrtish55 at 4:07PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

deedleweedle at 4:29PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

patschraier at 4:42PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

schnitzel at 4:42PM on 02/16/08

My favorite food writer (blogger) is the Amateur Gourmet. I love Adam's colorful and thought provoking comments, his approach to a new recipe and his honest assesments that are often times "overlooked" by others.

Boscompb at 4:42PM on 02/16/08

I'm not particularly well-versed with the world of food writing yet so for now I'll have to say Nigella Lawson.

Vincci at 4:43PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

slb3334 at 4:43PM on 02/16/08

If bloggers don't count, my current favorite food writer/author would have to be Ina Garten. Ina is classic, comfortable and very seductive.

Boscompb at 4:48PM on 02/16/08

james peterson. so informative and straightforward.

ynot4me at 4:52PM on 02/16/08

don't have a favorite......sometimes, I feel that they are all a little over the top...

starsmom at 4:53PM on 02/16/08

Barefoot Contessa

whyreg666 at 4:54PM on 02/16/08

No favorite

sylmar at 5:06PM on 02/16/08

Michael Ruhlman for me!

PoignantTuna at 5:09PM on 02/16/08

any one who cooks

vergie at 5:13PM on 02/16/08

Can I vote for Robyn Lee - TGWAE? Because she cracks me up and actually puts into words what my brain says when faced with mountains of awesome foodness.

threedogkitchen at 5:13PM on 02/16/08

Brillat Savarin. Hands down. The fact that my favorite cheese is named after him only attests to his literary greatness.

purpleceline at 5:16PM on 02/16/08

MFK Fisher, because her book, "The Gastronimical Me", breaks my heart every time. And makes me very very hungry,

porkified at 5:19PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

kktwins at 5:19PM on 02/16/08

Jacques Pepin...I would love to have the book, thanks for the opportunity.

elaine nan at 5:21PM on 02/16/08

Mark Bittman---great writing

Dianalah at 5:22PM on 02/16/08

Shirley Corriher

dailybrownie at 5:23PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl and Jacques Pepin

LesDuLunch at 5:28PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl and Adam Roberts

Rocky at 5:31PM on 02/16/08

Graham Kerr

meredith13 at 5:33PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain.

HelloChris at 5:36PM on 02/16/08

John McPhee -- Never forget the first sentence-- the 10 best meals...

sysrick at 5:36PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

mcnerd at 5:38PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl, Anthony Bourdain

brunjaune at 5:40PM on 02/16/08

msecondo at 5:41PM on 02/16/08

lol to all

Ruth Reich

llinda29 at 5:45PM on 02/16/08

Could there be a more pleasant food fantasy than dinner with Calvin Trillin?

gala2 at 5:59PM on 02/16/08

Bill Buford

jimmyo at 6:41PM on 02/16/08

Every few weeks the weather changes, tilting toward rain and chills, stretching from snow to sun. I love the reminder that food depends on these changes, and when I feel a new season coming on I pull out Amanda Hesser's The Cook and the Gardener. I'm not sure if I can say Ms. Hesser is my favorite all-time food writer, but her memoir of cooking in France at the whims of a cranky and determined gardener is my most-read cookbook. She makes me want to eat carrots fresh from the ground, cassis aged from the cupboard. I'm getting hungry. I'm going to get it right now and get ready for March.

teri1 at 6:45PM on 02/16/08

Rachel Ray

drala625 at 6:47PM on 02/16/08

Michael Pollan.

inblackink at 7:03PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl.

Peasantwench at 7:05PM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain

chromiumman at 7:07PM on 02/16/08

There are so many I can't just pick one favorite.

missdeb1 at 7:21PM on 02/16/08

How is this a competition? Paula Deen deep fries butter. OMG. I just can't wait to see what she fries next. The woman is a treasure (and I'm not a cardiologist). I don't eat any of her crap but I just love to watch her. She's everything that's wrong with American Excess. God Bless Her.

ky2here at 7:30PM on 02/16/08

alice medrich

hungrykat at 7:32PM on 02/16/08

Paula Deen

JOYVEN at 7:33PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

countrybear07 at 7:40PM on 02/16/08

kingslover

tenpointfarmer at 7:52PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain, definitely!

haomom at 8:36PM on 02/16/08

Fisher, most of the time. Nigel Slater the rest of the time.

Eilen at 8:45PM on 02/16/08

Molly Wizenberg, http://orangette.blogspot.com

LiveToEat at 8:46PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

JennVozik at 8:47PM on 02/16/08

DORIE GREENSPAN!!! love her

merav13 at 8:59PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain. Though if we're talking strictly food, I'd go with Michael Ruhlman.

dadekian at 9:04PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain.

fangirl at 9:07PM on 02/16/08

The evil twins - Ruhlman and Bourdain

Karenck at 9:18PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain

edinat at 9:22PM on 02/16/08

I would have to say Anthony Bourdain

neneelynn at 9:26PM on 02/16/08

I have to add my vote for Bourdain. He goes places and eats things I can't even imagine.

chrissy75007 at 9:39PM on 02/16/08

Ruth Reichl

tracker at 9:43PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain, for his sheer gutsiness at what he'll eat, Ruth Reichl for how she weaves food into her life in her books, and oddly, Laura Ingalls Wilder, because those books are nearly a bible for how farmers got their food at that time period.

ErisianSaint at 10:03PM on 02/16/08

Rachel Ray

Janess at 10:03PM on 02/16/08

Anthony Bourdain, by far

pcbdolphins at 10:09PM on 02/16/08

anthony bourdain

stacy7911 at 10:21PM on 02/16/08

Nigella Lawson

ilikecitylights at 10:30PM on 02/16/08

Hands down, Anthony Bourdain. For his shear bluntness.

pacgirl44 at 10:39PM on 02/16/08

Jeffrey Steingarten, it was through his writing that I first thought about how food came to my plate. Also Micheal Pollan.

firni at 11:06PM on 02/16/08

I love to eat and drink. Pick me!

noelmaree7 at 11:09PM on 02/16/08

Duh I answered the wrong day's question. Sorry.
I love The Barefoot Contessa.

noelmaree7 at 11:12PM on 02/16/08

Michael Pollan - I recently saw him in the 'King Corn' documentary and almost swooned

jpark107 at 11:25PM on 02/16/08

Pierre Herme

fseriouseats at 11:39PM on 02/16/08

Even though he's more of a chef than a writer, I love Jamie Oliver's cookbooks and writing!

jkh020 at 11:45PM on 02/16/08

My favorite writer is Rachel Ray she writes her books just like I usually cook. (a pinch of this, a splash of that). I even get her magazine.

kathleenyohanna at 11:50PM on 02/16/08

John Edge

FMFats at 12:00AM on 02/17/08

I love Anthony Bourdain. He's adventurous, a true food lover and totally cool.
One of my friends has a big crush on him.
He's kind of like a rock star of the food world.

HYDEIST at 12:04AM on 02/17/08

Paula Dean's the bomb!

humbleh at 12:09AM on 02/17/08

I read James Beard's Delights and Prejudices and Edna Lewis' A taste of Country Cooking at least once a year when I first started to think about food in addition to consuming it ( I was already cooking from Julia, but I wasn't THINKING.)

islandexile at 12:38AM on 02/17/08

Bourdain, if I want cynicism and snarkiness. MFK Fisher, if I want good old-fashioned food writing.

madball911 at 12:48AM on 02/17/08

ruth reichl for comfy writing, bourdain for edgy writing

Toowylde at 12:54AM on 02/17/08

No single favorite, but a long list of those that I do like, many of which are listed above....

madeas at 1:25AM on 02/17/08

ruth reichl

kylad at 1:26AM on 02/17/08

Bourdain!

hammama at 1:28AM on 02/17/08

michael pollan