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Nibbles: The Deluxe Food Lover’s Companion

In many cookbooks and food magazines and newspapers, authors often assume a knowledge or jargon or technique many don’t understand. In a recent cookbook, I ran across these: “soubise,” “harissa,” “quinoa,” “black rice risotto,” and “confit.” Sure, you can find out definitions on a computer, but not how to use it, cook it, or eat it. That is where the Food Lover’s Companion comes in. I have probably owned three or four editions. It was originally written by Sharon Tyler Herbst. She died some time ago, but her husband has kept it going ever since. The deluxe edition is incredible with 6,700 entries that includes pronunciations and an appendix that will blow your mind. Sometimes I take the book off my office shelf and pore through 20 or 30 of the 800 pages. The most recent edition is 2015. At Amazon, it costs about $30 in hardcover. Once you have this, your food library is complete.