The James Beard Foundation released its list of 2007 nominees. Among the categories is “Writing on Food”. Nominated is:

Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford (click on the link to read a review by Anthony Bourdain - who seems to be doing a lot of “guest” jobs lately)

The Omnivore’s Dilema: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan

The United States of Arugula: How We Become a Gourmet Nation by David Kamp

Matt’s reading Heat right now and loves it. He says it’s fascinating and captivating. I’m half-way through Arugula and it’s extremely well written and informative (and if you don’t know who James Beard is, it’ll tell you). I’m up the part where Italian food starts to get gourmet and popular in New York. Omnivore is on my Amazon wish list. Maybe one day I will make a post that doesn’t mention Amazon.com.