The Armchair James Beard

“A beautifully selected anthology.” -Library Journal

“Always inspiring, probing, playful, these articles express the pure love and passion that James had for the gastronomic world.” -Jacques Pépin

“I am thrilled that John Ferrone has brought together these inspiring writings of this extraordinary man.” -Alice Waters

For more than four decades, in dozens of national magazines and newspapers, James Beard offered recipes and advice that collectively are nothing short of encyclopedic. Portions of Beard’s articles were harvested for his cookbooks, but much of his writing survived only the month, week, or day in which it appeared in a given publication. This volume brings to light sixtyfive articles, none of which appear in his previous books, including three selections never before published, and is the only collection to draw on the full scope of Beard’s magazine journalism and his syndicated column.

Together, these pieces cover his broad range of cooking expertise (from how to peel garlic to the best time to eat cassoulet), as well as regale autobiographical details, which create a memoir of Beard’s rich and enormously passionate and productive life. Full of the opinionated master’s notions of good food and the good life, THE ARMCHAIR JAMES BEARD is meant for browsing and meditating on food, rather than for cooking. But it does contain 130 recipes, so it is sure to send readers back to the kitchen to try their hands at the tempting dishes that Beard sets forth in this charming collection. He lives in New York, New York.