Samin Nosrat's Favorite Books About Food and Cooking

1 On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee

"This explains everything. Literally. I am so grateful to Harold for his tirelessness, his patience, and his commitment to answering the whys of the kitchen."

1 / 7

2 The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael Twitty

"Dr. Twitty is one of the country's most provocative culinary thinkers. A historian who cooks traditional antebellum meals wearing what he calls 'historical drag,' Twitty never hesitates away from the uncomfortable while exploring both his own and this country's past and identity."

2 / 7

3 Building Houses Out of Chicken Legs: Black Women, Food, and Power by Psyche A. Williams-Forson

"This is the first, and only, book I've ever read which explores the connection between food and the economic empowerment of African-American women. It's fantastic."

3 / 7

4 Edna Lewis: At the Table With an American Original edited by Sara Franklin

"Most Americans have never heard of African-American chef and cookbook author Edna Lewis. Despite her importance — she inspired culinary luminaries such as Alice Waters, MFK Fisher, and James Beard, and is considered the progenitor of the farm-to-table movement — Lewis never became a household name. Though Miss Lewis's contributions to the food culture of this nation far surpassed those of many of her white contemporaries, she and her work have actively been forgotten. This book is vital, introducing a new generation of readers and eaters to the deeply important life and legacy of Miss Lewis."

4 / 7

5 The Hungry Ear: Poems of Food and Drink edited by Kevin Young

"I thumb through this collection of poems every time I need a little inspiration, whether in my writing or my cooking."

5 / 7

6 Hippie Food: How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs, and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat by Jonathan Kauffman

"As much about culture as it is about tofu, this book is fascinating. As a young cook, I was encouraged to obsess over the history of things like Parmesan and soy sauce, but it never occurred to me to ask the same questions about the foods I grew up eating in a semi-hippie household. And now that I've brought so many of those same foods back into my kitchen, I'm especially grateful to Jonathan for sharing these stories with me."

6 / 7

7 Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables by Joshua McFadden

"This award-winning book is an extraordinary paean to seasonality, to flavor, and to cooking with vegetables. I sometimes wonder if Joshua is my culinary soulmate."

7 / 7