The Roaring 20s: The Pleasures of the Damned, Charles Bukowski

November 10, 2009

20something Foodies: Why We Cook

I’m the first person to admit I am addicted to cooking. I am, dare I say it, obsessed. I cook, and bake, and talk nonstop about what I’m cooking and baking. I’m sure my friends are sick of hearing about my latest pesto adventure, or how an undercooked loaf of pumpkin bread actually made me cry. One time I was making caramel and it seized up, hardening prematurely, and I freaked out…but that’s another story for another day.

I attended an AAP Seminar last week, and we were talking about how the cookbook market is seeing a lot of growth among 20somethings. Why do you think that is? The last few years have seen Top Chef, Iron Chef America, Chow, Eater, Grub Street, dessert trucks, and hot-shot chefs with anger management issues…Food has become a part of popular culture where it wasn’t before. Maybe it’s that third wave feminism told women that we should have the option of getting back in the kitchen, for fun and not as housewives. Maybe it’s just a cultural fad that will gradually shift out of style again…I have no idea.

So between episodes of Top Chefand my next pot of butternut squash soup, I’m asking my 20something readers the following question: Why do you cook? The most thoughtful comment wins one of the following books: Kitchen Confidential, Ace of Cakes, or The Pleasure is All Mine.

Posted at 12:40 PM in Ace of Cakes, Anthony Bourdain, Books, Bravo, Cooking and Baking, Current Affairs, David Chang, dessert trucks, Duff Goldman, Eater, feminism, Food and Drink, Food Network, Grub Street, Iron Chef America, Kitchen Confidential, Suzanne Pirret, The Pleasures of the Damned, Charles Bukowski, Top Chef | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: 20somethings, AAP, Ace of Cakes, Anthony Bourdain, baking, Bravo, Chow, cookbooks, cooking, David Chang, dessert trucks, Duff Goldman, Eater, Food Network, foodie culture, Grub Street, Iron Chef America, Kitchen Confidential, Suzanne Pirret, The Pleasure is All Mine, third wave feminism, Top Chef

July 22, 2009

Okay, I know I'm being too cute here, but I couldn't resist. As of next Friday, I will be leaving my 5th floor office and moving to a cubicle on the 23rd floor. Change is hard, especially when you're used to having a huge bookshelf and a door that closes. And so, yesterday I went through my sizable book collection, and chose which books to give away and which to take with me to my new cube. I won't reveal the titles I tossed, but here's a sampling of my cubicle must-haves: