Top Ten Tuesday - FREEBIE - Favorite Things to Eat/Drink While Reading

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Since we are in the middle of the holiday season, I thought it would be fun to share a list of foods and beverages that I typically like to snack on while reading books.

1. Organic Hot Herbal or Decaf Tea - I'm generally not an iced tea lover.

2. Hot Cocoa - Cocoa can be dark chocolate cocoa or mint hot cocoa. Hold the marshmallows and whip cream, PLEASE!!

3. Sparkling Water - Plain or flavored, like lime, lemon, mixed berry, or orange.

4.  Larabars - Current favorite flavor is Banana Chocolate Chip.

5. Siggi's Vanilla Yogurt

6. Organic Dark Chocolate Bar

7. Organic Bananas

8. Organic Apple Slices with Almond Butter

9. Organic Dried Nuts - Usually almonds or walnuts these days.

10. Organic Popcorn - Either plain with light sea salt or the Kettle Corn flavor.

I try to eat on the healthier side. But during the holiday season I may end up snacking on desserts while reading books! 

Which snacks and beverages do you enjoy while reading books?

Top Ten Tuesday - Books Involving Food

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below are ten books related to food in some way. The first five books are ones I've read and really enjoyed reading. While the last five books are ones about food that I would like to read.

Below are five books I've read and loved that are focused on food!

1. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee

2. The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson

3. Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas

4. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

5. The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister

The following five books are ones that I would like to read that are focused on food!!

6. Our Fermented Lives: A History of How Fermented Foods Have Shaped Cultures & Communities by Julia Skinner

7. Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers by Deborah Cadbury

8. The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky

9. Caviar: The Strange History and Uncertain Future of the World's Most Coveted Delicacy by Inga Saffron

10. Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

Have you read any of the above books? If so did you like them? Let me know in the comment section below. Happy reading!

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee

Used Hardback Edition

Yes to reading a nonfiction food related book!! I love Chinese food... I have loved eating Chinese food almost my entire life... In fact, I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't like Chinese food. So, when I learned about The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee, I looked forward to reading it one day. 

I finally added this book to my ever growing book collection a few years ago when I found a used hardback edition for sale at the local FOL Used Bookstore in Carpinteria, California for $2. What a bargain!

I am so glad that I read The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee, even if it took me several years to finally get around to doing so. 

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee is well researched, fun to read, and contains a plethora of information regarding the history of Chinese food in the USA, the history of the fortune cookie, the history of chop suey, the history of General Tso's Chicken, the history of soy sauce, the greatest Chinese Restaurant outside of China, and so much more. Be prepared to be entertained and gain a wealth of knowledge about Chinese food.

The following is a summary for The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee from Goodreads:

If you think McDonald's is the most ubiquitous restaurant experience in America, consider that there are more Chinese restaurants in America than McDonalds, Burger Kings, and Wendys combined. New York Times reporter and Chinese-American (or American-born Chinese). In her search, Jennifer 8 Lee traces the history of Chinese-American experience through the lens of the food. In a compelling blend of sociology and history, Jenny Lee exposes the indentured servitude Chinese restaurants expect from illegal immigrant chefs, investigates the relationship between Jews and Chinese food, and weaves a personal narrative about her own relationship with Chinese food. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles speaks to the immigrant experience as a whole, and the way it has shaped our country.

Also watch the following YouTube video of Jennifer 8 Lee giving a Ted Talk about Chinese food!

I am giving The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Traveler Food & Books Restaurant in Union, Connecticut

I think I've found my next book related destination in Union, Connecticut, USA!! 

It's called Traveler Food and Books. It's a restaurant and a bookstore. When you order and eat a meal at their restaurant, you may choose three used books to take with you for free!! How cool and exciting is that??

Traveler Food and Books has been open for business since 1970. They also have a bookstore located in their basement with more books for sale as well.

Check out the video above for more information.

Books to Read For Foodies!

I haven't read tons of books about food... But most of the books I have read about food have been really good. One food related book that I enjoyed reading last year was The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson. 

I love sushi, so reading about the history of sushi was insightful for me and gave me a new appreciation into the world of sushi. I learned a lot from reading The Story of Sushi by Trevor Corson. For instance, I learned the following information from reading The Story of Sushi:

* "The Japanese believe eel meat to be an aphrodisiac." Page 226* Bluefin tuna are the fastest fish in the sea and can swim 50mph. If they swim too slowly, they'll suffocate. They are also warm blooded and can also weigh up to 1,500 pounds.* "The modern term for "sushi" refers not to fish, but to rice -- rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Any food made with this seasoned rice can be called sushi, whether it involves fish." Page 27* "In Japan alone, farmers have cultivated at least 2,000 varieties of rice." Page 38* The California Roll "was invented in L. A.'s Little Tokyo in the late 1960s, at Tokyo Kaikan, one of the first restaurants to open a sushi bar, and premier Japanese eatery in L. A. The California rolls' inventor was a chef there named Ichir Mashita." Page 81

Anyway, I read an article on Bustle's website titled, 11 Must-Read Books For Foodies Who Love To Read Deliciously by Alex Weiss. Fascinated by the title of the article, I decided to read it. In the the article, Alex Weiss writes the following:

One night, over a beautiful Italian dinner, my partner asked me, "So, what exactly is a foodie?" I — as someone who adores food and has been known to obsessively snap photos of my dishes and drinks — quickly explained it's really just someone who has a particular interest in food. Definitions may vary, but it really comes down to one thing: a foodie someone who eagerly explores food. One of the best ways to explore food (other than by eating it) is by reading one of these 11 new books for foodies.

I haven't read any of the "foodie" titles mentioned in the article Alex Weiss has written, but a few of the titles have captured my interest, so I'll be adding them to my ever growing reading wish list. Click on the second link from the top to discover which "foodie" books made the list!

Which books about food have you enjoyed reading?

Books That Combine Food & Love

I came across an article on The Huffington Post Website titled
16 Delicious Books That Combine Food And Love. The article highlights some terrific book titles that I look forward to reading, but was surprised that the article mentions books that have been around for quite awhile!!

I would have added The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister, Cooking for Harry: A Low-Carbohydrate Novel by Kay-Marie James, and Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas to my list of favorite foodie books!!

Literary Restaurants Around the World

In addition to my love of reading books, I absolutely enjoy dining out at restaurants. If it were economically possible, I'd probably dine out for every meal, hire a chef to cook all my meals for me, or some combination of the two... But, I digress.

Last night, I stumbled across an article on Flavorwire titled 10 Literary Restaurants for Hungry Book Nerds Around the World by Emily Temple. Wow, what could be better than creating the perfect space for dining that appeals to the literary nerd?? We all have to eat, right?

All of the restaurants sound awesome. I'd have fun visiting them all. Café du Livre in Marrakesh stands out the most for me though. Which literary restaurant would you most want to visit?