An editor once handed me a cookbook they were publishing…in the process of printing…and because it was a “French” cookbook written by an American he wanted my opinion. I immediately saw a lot wrong with it from a French cuisine point of view but to be sure I let a room full of French people read through it. Confirmed all of my criticism. I never told the editor/publisher for fear I’d be put on his black list… should I have? Anyway, I always suggest people go to Amazon and read the comments to a cookbook to get a good idea if the book is good or bad, what people who actually make the recipes say. As you said, a cookbook is a flop if the recipes don’t work or aren’t comprehensible.
Great post, as usual, Dianne. I've thought a lot about cookbook criticism. I wish there were more honest, detailed criticism of cookbooks. I mentioned this in my recent newsletter, too. Some cookbooks are more or less objectively bad: clearly un-tested and under-edited recipes, especially some that are "written" by celebrity chefs. (I have one with a recipe that has vanilla in the title but no vanilla in the recipe, for example. And the book contains many such recipes.) I'd also appreciate reading more nuanced reviews of cookbooks that are more than just instructions. I want to know that cookbooks are a good cover-to-cover read, which ones excite/challenge/illuminate something in the reader. If I just need a recipe, I'll Google it. I want to read a cookbook.
But who determines what makes a cookbook good or bad? Is it the intricate recipes, the stunning food photography, or the engaging writing style that ultimately decides its fate? The truth is, the answer is far more complex than a simple thumbs up or thumbs down.
Authors, food writers, and columnists alike find themselves walking a precarious tightrope when it comes to critiquing cookbooks. While constructive criticism can provide valuable feedback for improvement, overly harsh reviews can have dire consequences. Editors and publishers may shy away from working with those who are known for tearing apart cookbooks.
This really struck a chord with me too and reminds me of something I just read in Small Fires by Rebecca May Johnson where she compares recipe writing to translating the Odyssey and questions why recipes aren't considered as epic: "The recipe is the most epic text that does not have reams of scholarship devoted to it. It is epic and yet is at the scale of a hand, a spoon, a nose. The recipe is an epic with infinite potential translators."
I honestly wouldn’t know about any of this industry news without you! So focused and in a silo (of proposal writing ) so I’m grateful to always come here as a touch base.
An editor once handed me a cookbook they were publishing…in the process of printing…and because it was a “French” cookbook written by an American he wanted my opinion. I immediately saw a lot wrong with it from a French cuisine point of view but to be sure I let a room full of French people read through it. Confirmed all of my criticism. I never told the editor/publisher for fear I’d be put on his black list… should I have? Anyway, I always suggest people go to Amazon and read the comments to a cookbook to get a good idea if the book is good or bad, what people who actually make the recipes say. As you said, a cookbook is a flop if the recipes don’t work or aren’t comprehensible.
Great post, as usual, Dianne. I've thought a lot about cookbook criticism. I wish there were more honest, detailed criticism of cookbooks. I mentioned this in my recent newsletter, too. Some cookbooks are more or less objectively bad: clearly un-tested and under-edited recipes, especially some that are "written" by celebrity chefs. (I have one with a recipe that has vanilla in the title but no vanilla in the recipe, for example. And the book contains many such recipes.) I'd also appreciate reading more nuanced reviews of cookbooks that are more than just instructions. I want to know that cookbooks are a good cover-to-cover read, which ones excite/challenge/illuminate something in the reader. If I just need a recipe, I'll Google it. I want to read a cookbook.
But who determines what makes a cookbook good or bad? Is it the intricate recipes, the stunning food photography, or the engaging writing style that ultimately decides its fate? The truth is, the answer is far more complex than a simple thumbs up or thumbs down.
Authors, food writers, and columnists alike find themselves walking a precarious tightrope when it comes to critiquing cookbooks. While constructive criticism can provide valuable feedback for improvement, overly harsh reviews can have dire consequences. Editors and publishers may shy away from working with those who are known for tearing apart cookbooks.
Thanks for the shout out, Dianne! Looking forward to diving into many of the links you shared.
This really struck a chord with me too and reminds me of something I just read in Small Fires by Rebecca May Johnson where she compares recipe writing to translating the Odyssey and questions why recipes aren't considered as epic: "The recipe is the most epic text that does not have reams of scholarship devoted to it. It is epic and yet is at the scale of a hand, a spoon, a nose. The recipe is an epic with infinite potential translators."
Loved the podcast Lebovitz did with Deb Perelman; these two are pioneers (along with you). Looking forward to perusing the "best cookbooks" links.
I honestly wouldn’t know about any of this industry news without you! So focused and in a silo (of proposal writing ) so I’m grateful to always come here as a touch base.