Don’t know a Tourtiere from Poulet Basquais? Ever wonder what the heck bouillabaisse actually is? Me too. Over the weekend, I found what’s quite possibly the coolest book ever, 1001 Foods to Die For, a compendium of the most fascinating foods in the world, with entries written by a who’s who of food — from the New York Times’ Mark Bittman to Mario Batali, Donna Hay, Marcella Hazan, Alice Waters and Roadfood’s Jane and Michael Stern with an intro by Atlantic Monthly food writer Corby Kummer.
It’s a big fat read, with tons of lush foodie porn, recipes and straightforward explanations.
So puzzle no longer over okonomiyaki or Welsh Caerphilly gastro-nerds. This Bulgogi’s for you.
1001 Foods to Die For, Andrews McMeel Publishing, $39.95