I’m not sure what it is about food and books that go so well together, but they’re definitely a complimentary pair. I’d say it’s because it puts two of my favorite things together, but I’m not alone in this thought. There are scads of blogs out there that embrace the book/food pairing by creating recipes from literature, inspired by literature or simply juxtapose food with books. For a brief sampling try: Outlander Kitchen; Yummy Books, Paper/Plates, Paper and Salt, or Food in Literature, all fun blogs with great content and intriguing recipes.

Here at the South Branch, we’ve been acknowledging people’s love of food and books for a while. From our chocolate seminars, to our cooking demonstrations and hosting cookbook authors, there’s hardly a better place to indulge your yearning for food knowledge than here (except, maybe, for the Cookbook Club @ the West Branch). We’ve got some exciting upcoming programs that bring food into the library this summer, so if you’re hankering for an evening out and eager to sample a free program, check out these upcoming morsels:

The Baker Chocolate Company: A Sweet History

Whole Foods Cooking Demonstration

If after that, you craving more books that celebrate food, try some of these titles:

Food: A Love Story: I’ll be honest, I wrote this post largely so I could recommend this book. Jim Gaffigan has the healthiest, unhealthy relationship with food and it’s hysterical; I’m fairly certain he’s a real-life incarnation of Garfield. I’m listening to the audiobook (read by the author) in my car and have gotten some strange looks from other drivers because I’m laughing so hard. That pretty much gets a book an automatic thumbs-up from me. Gaffigan is a self-proclaimed food lover, but NOT a foodie, preferring to have fast food over good food that takes forever to find. You’re likely to find something relatable in this book and you’re more likely to find many things that will tickle your funnybone and possibly awaken a long-suppressed craving for hot dogs. If you, too, believe that “bacon bits are like the fairy dust of food community” do yourself a favor and read this book, immediately.

Mystery Writers of America Cookbook: From Mary Higgins Clark to James Patterson; Sue Grafton to Harlan Coben, mystery writers can’t seem to keep food out of their texts. And why should they? Food is a sensual experience that can drive someone further into a story by stimulating more than just the eyes. It can be a respite from intense drama or help us get to know a character better by learning his/her taste. This book collects some of America’s favorite mystery writers’ recipes: from dishes mentioned in a novel, to a writer’s favorite recipe to make at home. You’ll be hard-pressed not to find something appetizing here. (Murder and mayhem are optional.)

Taste: What You’re Missing: Turns out, we’re missing quite a lot from our everyday experience of taste.  I’m not sure Barb Stuckey’s tome got the popular attention is should have given how many considered it more of an academic book. However, Taste is extremely accessible, enjoyable and even a bit fun! Should you decide to experience some of the concepts the author talks about, she offers some exercises to try them out. (Bonus, they can also double as party games if you’re throwing a party for foodies.) She covers a lot here, but it’s broken down into small doses and the chapters stand alone, so skipping around to what interests you is definitely an option here. I read the whole thing cover-to-cover, though, and found it very enjoyable, so I recommend giving it a try!

Medium Raw: Oh, Tony Bourdain. I’ve gladly followed you from the jungles of Malaysia to the boardwalk of Coney Island and everywhere in-between on TV and in text. The man is insightful, sarcastic and eloquent (if a bit heavy on the f-bombs). While many tout the value of his breakout hit Kitchen Confidential (it is a great book, to be sure) and far too few mention the outstanding, albeit short-lived TV series based on that hit, I find this book to be Bourdain at his blunt, snarky best. He’s not shy about discussing the ways he’s been taken in by trappings of mainstream culture throughout his career, but he’s also brutally honest about what he likes, what he doesn’t like and what he’s tried to stay true to, and this makes Medium Raw not only a tantalizing, but also an enjoyable read as well.

The Belly of Paris: I was hungry pretty much through all 300+ pages of this book. It has: people eating; people talking about food; the author describing food; the business of food; the way that food is a commentary on social status; the way food feeds the drama of the plot (see what I did there?) … Heck, I’m getting hungry just writing about it. If you want a book that is pure indulgence, but still calorie-free, you won’t go wrong here. You may want to have a snack handy, though, just in case.

I hope I’ve persuaded you that food and books are not only a logical pairing, but a mouthwatering one as well. Thank you for putting up with all of my food puns. Till next week, dear readers! I need to find myself a snack…