Bon Appetit's Summer Reading List

Fourteen foodie reads, including newbies and oldies but goodies

May 31, 2012

With Memorial Day came the kick-off of hazy beach weekends this season. And while we're all about bronzing (and, let's face it, a little boozing) in the sand, we'll also be using the free time to do a spot of reading. (And yes, cookbooks require reading.) Here's what will be in our beach totes:

"In celebration of the summer peach crop, I'm going to be rereading Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach out loud to my niece." --Deputy Copy Chief Faye Chiu

"Believe it or not, I never read Kitchen Confidential. After watching Anthony Bourdain rip Alan Richman a new one at his GQ roast party, it has to happen. After that, Waverley Root's The Food of Italy." --Web Editor Emily Fleischaker

"At Home on the Range by Margaret Yeardley Potter. It's a cookbook, but it's more about the writing." --Executive Editor Christine Muhlke

"I'm cooking my way through the (best kind of the) glut of new ice cream cookbooks. Looking forward to putting Humphry Slocombe head-to-head with Bi-Rite, Molly Moon and People's Pops cookbooks." --Senior Associate Editor Meryl Rothstein

"When I go to the coast of North Carolina in July, I'm taking a mash-up of oldies but goodies and a couple of newbies. Oldies: Rick Stein's Complete Seafood and Dave Pasternack's The Young Man and the Sea to brush up on techniques for the fish that I plan on catching. And I better catch some. Bob Garner's Guide to North Carolina BBQ for road trip fodder when I take the family on an excursion to Skylight Inn in Ayden, NC. Newbies: Nigel Slater's Ripe to put me in the mood for cooking berries galore. Stephane Reynaud's Barbecue & Grill for grilling inspiration. And for the funny illustrations. Angelo Sosa's Flavor Exposed for his fiery salad ideas." --Our very ambitious Food Editor Hunter Lewis

Time to hit the book store, folks, and happy reading!