American Food Writing

Now in paperback, this groundbreaking anthology from celebrated food writer Molly OA'Neill is a history of America as told by our tastebuds. Here are classic accounts of iconic American foods: Thoreau on the delights of watermelon; Melville, with a mouth-watering chapter on clam chowder; Mencken on the hot dog; M.F.K. Fisher in praise of the oyster; Ellison on the irresistible appeal of baked yams; Styron on Southern fried chicken. American writers abroad describe the revelations they find in foreign restaurants; travelers to America discover native delicacies. Great chefs and noted critics discuss their culinary philosophies and offer advice on the finer points of technique; home cooks recount disasters and triumphs. American Food Writing celebrates the astonishing variety of American foodways, with accounts from almost every corner of the country and a host of ethnic traditions. A surprising range of subjects and perspectives emerge, as writers address such topics as fast food, dieting, and the relationship between food and sex. Throughout the book are fifty authentic recipes that tell the story of American food and will delight and inspire home chefs.

Molly OA’Neill, editor, was for a decade the food columnist for The New York Times Magazine and the host of the PBS series Great Food. Her work has appeared in many national magazines, and she is the author of three cookbooks, including the award-winning The New York Cookbook. Her most recent book is Mostly True: A Memoir of Family, Food, and Baseball.