Best Food Writing: December 2008

National/International

Africa's hungry tribe: The Masai's struggle to subsist
Alex Renton — The Guardian Observer
Just a reminder that not all food writing is about amuse bouches and sea urchin foam. A must read.

Journeys - Le Tour du Chocolat
Amy Thomas — The New York Times
Talk about "painting a picture" with words. This is what vicarious food/travel writing is all about.

Corrigan's review
Giles Coren — Times Online
Reading a Giles Coren restaurant review is like going out with that one totally crazy friend you have. You're pretty much just along for the ride and you have no idea where things will end up.

Helene Darroze at the Connaught
Jay Rayner — The Guardian Observer
An otherwise run of the mill restaurant review, I liked this write-up for two reasons: 1) he used the word "oleaginous." Ooohhh...that's a good word. I had to look it up. It means ingratiating. It also means "oily." Oily waiters? Hahahaha!, and 2) He compares his experience in this Michelin-starred chef's restaurant to being leg-humped by a sex-starved dog. C'mon Jay, tell us how you really feel!

Houston Local

Oyster Moments Slideshow
Robb Walsh— robbwalsh.com website
Robb Walsh's new book, Sex, Death and Oysters, is out and it's all about our favorite edible shellfish. His website has a great photo album of his world travels in pursuit of everything oyster. Purchase a copy of the book on Amazon or head over to Brazos Bookstore.

Banquette Etiquette: 3 simple rules for close-quarters dining
Alison Cook — Cook's Tour blog
My closest experience to a religious experience with a food blog, mainly due to my exhortations of "Amen sister!" while reading it.

new @ rainbow lodge
neverfull — i'm never full blog
A luxurious photo essay and comprehensive write-up of a recent Houston restaurant visit.

Port for the Holidays
Jay Francis — Eating...Our Words blog at Houstonpress.com
Everything you always wanted to know about the fortified wine known as Port but were afraid to ask.

Merry Christmas! Love, She Eats
K — she eats. blog
No food writing here, but this blog post is EPIC.

If you know of any sources of great food writing, post a comment and let me know. It can be national, international, or local. I'd really like to find individualistic food blogs that reflect the personality and experiences of the blog writer.