Beard on Food: The Best Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom from the Dean of American Cooking

This is not a recipe-driven cookbook, although there are many recipes in it. I read cookbooks like some people read summer novels--and this one was such a treat. Each recipe comes with an essay, or homage to that food. His celebration of each food is just wonderful. My favorite chapter was the one on Bread, Cheese, and Wine, closely followed by Handwork and Gadgetry. His passion around bread is clear to see. James Beard was generally a food leader before I graduated from cookies and cakes and 4-H. I wish I had been introduced to his work earlier.

Lovely food journey from one of the revered Chef, food historian, and all around good guy. Worked for him one summer, loved the experience and the camaraderie and

If you liked the late Mr. Beards cookbooks you might like this. Kind of like sitting down with him and just chatting about good food. His great knowledge of food is displayed in an unpretentious manner with charm and grace. Takes you back to a not to distant time where a meal was savored and remembered.

one of my all time favorite food books - this is not, one should note, a cookbook per se, but a collection of this food maven's newspaper columns, though they almost invariably do include a recipe or two pertinent to whatever subject he's discussing. James Beard's writing style was straightforward and easy to read and understand and often witty - and his knowledge of cooking - especially of American food, was encyclopedic. If, like me, you enjoy reading about food - buying it, preparing it, serving it - you'll find this a veritable treasure trove

Great James Beard ok on food with his "James Beard" touch. You can taste the food just reading about it in his books. A real joy to read.

If you're a pro or a serious home cook, this one needs to be in your library. Beard is still it on the roots of American cookery. If Michael Simon uses this for inspiration, you and I might want to have a gander as well.

Although old (Beard has been long dead), the book is still fresh. Not every article was of direct interest (these were first printed in the NYT), many included recipes I will use. Especially the spaghetti sauce,

James writes as if he is in your living room, and you are his peer. Delightful mix of story line and recipes plus technique information. A great gift for a fellow foodie!

I have read James Beard, man and boy, for many years and go back to his works again and again. Elegant, erudite, entertaining, his work is easy to read and easy to follow. Ranks among the very best of writers whose subject is food in its wider sense. I find his work warm and good and the results speak for themselves. One of a small band of writers, most of them American, strangely, who are simply an integral part of my long life.