Food Lover's Companion

Do you have a Food Lover's Companion? This one (there are many variations) is by Sharon Tyler Herbst. It's one of my most favorite books that sit on my cookbook shelves. But, it's not a cookbook. Instead, it's more like a food dictionary. This book gives you the pronunciation, definition, origin, tips on buying and nutrient content of every food-related item you can think of.

Do you know what a cloudberry is? Click on these photos to make them larger/more readable.

Now you do. What about the proper way to pronounce quinoa?

Now you can let it roll off your tongue, confident you are saying it right. What about gnocchi? Can you say that?

Look at you learning! Want to know their definition of shoofly pie (since I talked about it yesterday)?

What about clabber? I hear that Jamey's uncle was using this word just the other week. Way to go, Uncle Dan!

Well, I highly recommend having a book like this on hand. It's great if you come upon an ingredient in a recipe you've never heard of, if you aren't sure how to prepare a certain fruit or vegetable or when your kids are bemoaning having to eat this or that vegetable- just look it up and you can lecture them on it's origin and nutrient contents.

Now, what I am not recommending is that you go order/buy this book. You heard me. I'm trying to reign in my limited spending and it is Lent, for goodness sake. Instead, grab the list you keep in the drawer next to your refrigerator- well, that's where I keep it- and jot down this book. This list is your wish list. Keep it going all year. This way, when your birthday or Christmas or Mother's Day (this one is coming up!) comes along, you won't be scrambling to think up or make up ideas of what folks can get for you. You'll be all set.

And, before long, you'll be wowing people with your food knowledge. Pin It