If you'd like to read even more about food, here are my favorite food books. If you have one to recommend, e-mail me and tell me why.

A Matter of Taste by Lucy Waverman and James Chatto
An Omelette and a Glass of Wine by Elizabeth David
As They Were by M.F.K. Fisher
Best Food Writing 2000 Holly Hughes, editor
Best Food Writing 2001 Holly Hughes, editor
Best Food Writing 2002 Holly Hughes, editor
Best Food Writing 2003 Holly Hughes, editor
Best Food Writing 2004 Holly Hughes, editor
Best Food Writing 2005 Holly Hughes, editor
Best Food Writing 2006 Holly Hughes, editor
Best Food Writing 2007 Holly Hughes, editor
Brothers in the Kitchen: A Celebration of Friendship and Fine Food Michel Deville and Brendan O'Farrell
Capital Dining by Anne Desbrisay
Comfort Me With Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl
Cook This: Recipes for the Goodtime Girl Amy Rosen
Culinary Artistry by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Dining Out by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Dinner For Eight: 40 Great Dinner Party Menus For Friends and Family Denise Landis
DiscCookery Jurgen Goethe
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain
Lucy's Kitchen : Signature Recipes and Culinary Secrets Lucy Waverman
The Art of Eating by M.F.K. Fisher
The Cocktail Chef Dinah Koo, Janice Poon, and John Szabo
The Greek for Love by James Chatto
The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten
The New American Chef by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
The Physiology of Taste by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
The Tummy Trilogy by Calvin Trillin
Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob

If you buy just one food and drink book this year, make it this one. Lucy's mouth-watering recipes pair beautifully with James' wine and spirit selections. Their witty, conversational approach makes you feel as though you're sitting at the table with them. You won't even realize that you're learning surprising insights about wine, food and how they go so well together. This is simply the best book on wine and food matching yet.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $35

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $23.06

Best known for her books on French cooking, this is a broader collection of essays from Vogue, the Spectator, the London Sunday Times and Gourmet.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $23.79

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $12.76

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $10.47

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $14.95

You can’t read just one of her books – she is described as a “national treasure” and one of the best prose stylists in the U.S.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: book CDN $15.26 cassette CDN $70.67

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $15.96

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: book US $10.40 cassette US $44.95

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $14.00

Collected essays on food and its impact on our culture from some of the best writers in America

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $19.67

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $14.06

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $10.47

Buy it from Barnes & Noble:

More wonderful writing.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $20.40

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $9.95

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $10.47

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $14.95

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $18.00

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $16.49

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $11.00

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $14.95

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $20.40

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $22.50

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $10.47

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $14.95

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $17.00

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $20.95

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $11.00

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $13.45

Buy it from Amazon Canada: $21.50

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: $21.50

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: $15.95

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: $15.95

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: $19.95

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: $15.95

Buy it from Amazon Canada: $19.50

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: $19.50

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: $15.95

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: $15.95

A delicious guide to the gourmet cooking of Provence.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: $39.53

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: $39.50

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: $39.50

This is Ottawa’s definitive dining guide. Enjoy the best spots to eat, both casual and fine dining, as vetted by our capital city’s leading restaurant critic of impeccable taste.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $13.56

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $16.95

Creative Bound Resources $19.95

Her memoir warmly recounts her development as a restaurant critic for the New York Times and then editor of Gourmet magazine.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: book CDN $17.85 cassette CDN $27.27

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $21.00

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: book US $11.16 cassette US $18.17

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $13.45

I love Amy’s saucy-smart attitude! But she’s got the brains and culinary acumen to back up the ‘tude. This is a great cookbook for anyone who’s looking to put some sass and flavor back into their meals.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: $24.95

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: $24.95

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: check for new stock

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: check for new stock

The book covers says it best: Through interviews with more than 30 of America's leading chefs—including Rick Bayless, Daniel Boulud, Gray Kunz, Jean-Louis Palladin, Jeremiah Tower, and Alice Waters—the authors reveal what defines "culinary artists," how and where they find their inspiration, and how they translate that vision to the plate. Through recipes and reminiscences, chefs discuss how they select and pair ingredients, and how flavors are combined into dishes, dishes into menus, and menus into bodies of work that eventually comprise their cuisines.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $30.09

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $23.75

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $20.96

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $23.96

If you enjoy dining out, you’ll love to read about the secrets of those who do it professionally: restaurant critics. This book is a fascinating look at some of the North America’s best critics, the process that they use and the ingenious methods they employ to keep their identity hidden. Andrew and Karen’s book is informative, witty and highly entertaining.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $31.47

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $29.66

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $20.97

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $29.95

Denise Landis knows her stuff: she’s tested both cookbooks and recipes for the New York Times. In this book, she offers us delicious menus for entertaining.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: $37.95

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: $37.95

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: $21.24

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: $27.95

Features some inventive updates on the traditional drinks such as the hot toddy and others along with more than 120 terrific recipes by CBC radio host Jurgen Goethe and his listeners.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $16.75

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $16.57

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $15.56

A muscular behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in restaurant kitchens, with useful tips such as not to order the fish on Mondays.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $14.09 Book; $31.47 Cassette

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $17.60

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $11.20 Book; $20.97 Cassette

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $13.45

A compilation of good home cooking based on Lucy's columns in the Globe & Mail newspaper and Food and Drink magazine.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $23.10

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $23.10

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: TBD

Buy it from Barnes & Noble:

Collected essays from America's best food writer ever – she writes with an angel’s pen. We’re just fortunate that food was her subject.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $25.46

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $17.15

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $13.97

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $17.56

This is an excellent resource for entertaining recipes. John Szabo, Canada’s first Master Sommelier, earned the title from the internationally recognized Court of Master Sommeliers in 2004.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $22.05

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $21.95

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $22.76

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $23.96

Not really a food book, though the passages about food are among the best there are in that genre. This travel memoir from from one of my favorite writers will entrance you with its lyricism and break your heart with its ending.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $15.96

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $19.95

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $23.95

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $21.51

The food columnist for Vogue magazine who has a boundless appetite, curiousity and expense account.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $31.50

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $7.95

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $21.00

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: 14.95

has wonderful insights on ten international cuisines and recipes to match.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $27.91

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $23.75

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $11.98

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $29.95

All credible foodies have read this bible written in 1825, and translated by M.F.K. Fisher in 1949.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $24.47

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $16.68

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $16.80

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $27.95

A New Yorker writer with a wonderfully dry wit.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $16.96

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $14.40

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $10.40

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $16.00

The best guide to food (and by extension wine) writing yet. Jacob is clear, insightful and practical with her advice. This is a must-buy for anyone thinking of a career in wine and food writing, as well as for those already practicing the craft.

Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $17.20

Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $16.34

Buy it from Amazon U.S.: CDN $10.85

Buy it from Barnes & Noble: CDN $15.95