The Wilder Shores of Gastronomy: Twenty Years of Food Writing (Alan Davidson and Helen Saberi)

In 1979, a remarkable culinary congress took place at Richard Olney's kitchen table in London, where he was entertaining Alan and Jane Davidson. Stumped by an edict from his publishers at Time-Life, Olney was looking for an outlet to print a few recipes for later inclusion in his “Good Cook” series. The idea of a journal took shape, and with the help of Elizabeth David, a remarkable venture began. Sixty-seven issues later, Petits Propos Culinaires is still directing its critical eye at the obscurer corners of the food world.

In addition to the formidable trio of Davidson, Olney, and David, such esteemed food writers as Jane Grigson, Claudia Roden, and Charles Perry became regular contributors, ensuring a spirited, erudite discourse with each issue. THE WILDER SHORES OF GASTRONOMY is the first-ever anthology of writings from this seminal publication. Hand-selected by Mr. Davidson, the anthology reflects the remarkable breadth of the journal. The arcane (“An Experiment in Bronze Age Cooking”) rubs shoulders with the practical (“Photographers' Cheesecake”), exotic (“Among the Yoruba Mushroom-Eaters”), and highly entertaining (“The Great Norwegian Porridge Feud”). The result is a highly eclectic collection of extraordinary food writing.