Rachel Laudan
Rachel Laudan

Rachel Laudan

A Food Historian Cooks
https://www.rachellaudan.com
Biography

Rachel Laudan argues that never have so many people eaten so well, so safely, and so healthfully, a position she supports with research, international kitchen experience, and a farming background. She is author of the multiply-reprinted “A Plea for Culinary Modernism: Why We Should Love Fast, Modern, Processed Food” (2001) and two prize-winning food histories, Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History (2013) and The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii’s Culinary Heritage (1996). She is a popular speaker with food professionals as well as academic and general audiences. In a former career she was a recognized academic historian with a Ph.D from University College London. She specialized in the history of science and technology, holding appointments at American research universities and receiving grants from Fulbright, the National Science Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Rachel grew up on dairy and wheat farm in England. She has seized the opportunity the academic life gave her to cook in England, France, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, as well as the United States. After fifteen years in Mexico, she and her husband now live in Austin, Texas.

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Rachel's recommendations
Jane Grigson's Fruit Book

Jane Grigson's Fruit Book

Jane Grigson

For its intelligence, lyrical writing, and fine recipes. Also the Vegetable Book or Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery
French Provincial Cooking

French Provincial Cooking

Elizabeth David

And the rest of her early work.
Good Food on a Budget

Good Food on a Budget

Georgina Horley

For concentrating as much on kitchen practice through the year as on recipes
The Joy of Cooking

The Joy of Cooking

Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker

For helping me understand American cooking
A Book of Middle Eastern Food

A Book of Middle Eastern Food

Claudia Roden

The Classic Italian Cookbook

The Classic Italian Cookbook

Marcella Hazan

50 Great Curries of India

50 Great Curries of India

Camellia Panjabi

For unpacking the basic principles.
Cooking in a Bedsitter

Cooking in a Bedsitter

Katharine Whitehorn

I don't know a better (or more hilarious) introduction to cooking for a novice with a gas ring, two pots, and the only water down the hall.
The Book of Pastry

The Book of Pastry

Dorothy Johnston w. Spry Cookery Service

Because some industry/home ec cookbooks are excellent, especially on baking. This is one of them (Spry is the British Crisco).
The Microwave Gourmet

The Microwave Gourmet

Barbara Kafka

For having the courage to show the potential of a new technology when most food people were dumping on it.
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