Women in the Kitchen, Anne Willan
Women in the Kitchen, Anne Willan
List: $18.99 | Sale: $13.29
Club: $9.49

Women in the Kitchen
Twelve Essential Cookbook Writers Who Defined the Way We Eat, from 1661 to Today

Author: Anne Willan

Narrator: Imogen Church

Unabridged: 5 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/11/2020

Categories: Nonfiction, Cooking

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

Culinary historian Anne Willan “has melded her passions for culinary history, writing, and teaching into her fascinating new book” (Chicago Tribune) that traces the origins of American cooking through profiles of twelve influential women—from Hannah Woolley in the mid-1600s to Fannie Farmer, Julia Child, and Alice Waters—whose recipes and ideas changed the way we eat.

Anne Willan, multi-award-winning culinary historian, cookbook writer, teacher, and founder of La Varenne Cooking School in Paris, explores the lives and work of women cookbook authors whose essential books have defined cooking over the past three hundred years. Beginning with the first published cookbook by Hannah Woolley in 1661 to the early colonial days to the transformative popular works by Fannie Farmer, Irma Rombauer, Julia Child, Edna Lewis, Marcella Hazan, and up to Alice Waters working today.

Willan offers a brief biography of each influential woman, highlighting her key contributions, seminal books, and representative dishes. The book features fifty original recipes—as well as updated versions Willan has tested and modernized for the contemporary kitchen.

Women in the Kitchen is an engaging narrative that seamlessly moves through the centuries to help readers understand the ways cookbook authors inspire one another, that they in part owe their places in history to those who came before them, and how they forever change the culinary landscape. This “informative and inspiring book is a reminder that the love of delicious food and the care and preparation that goes into it can create a common bond” (Booklist).

About Anne Willan

Anne Willan founded La Varenne Cooking School in Paris in 1975 and has written more than thirty books, including the double James Beard Award­–winning, The Country Cooking of France, the Gourmand Award­–winning The Cookbook Library, and the groundbreaking La Varenne Pratique, as well as the Look & Cook series, showcased on PBS. In 2013, she was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Awards Hall of Fame. Willan serves as an Emeritus Advisor for The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. She divides her time between London and the south of France.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Alicia

This is a somewhat interesting book that profiles 12 women who wrote American cookbooks throughout history. The premise is that these are the women who "defined" cooking but I'm not sure I agree with her choices. Not that I am any kind of culinary expert, but I haven't heard of most of them other th......more

I don't think this author had enough material to do write the book she intended, about the American canon of cookbooks. First, she's not even American and second, she starts with English cookbook authors whose books were best-sellers on this side of the Atlantic. Well yes because there weren't any A......more

When I first read about this book, I was fascinated with the idea. I’m so happy I decided to read it. WOMEN IN THE KITCHEN is much more than just a cookbook. Author Anne Willan brings to light the history and recipes of 12 inspiring culinary creators. From Hannah Wooley 1622-1675 through to Sarah Ru......more

Goodreads review by Jessica

Women in the Kitchen profiles 12 different women who wrote and published cookbooks from as early as the 1660's all the way through current times. Most of these cookbook authors are British or American and they come from various walks of life. There are well-known names profiled in the book (Julia Ch......more


Quotes

"Imogen Church's lively narration pairs well with Willan's informative, often playful survey of women cookbook writers (in the UK and US) who changed culinary history. Church's deliciously entertaining and painlessly educational interpretation serves up fascinating insights about food and its preparation. The audiobook traces changes in kitchens from Hannah Woolley's hearth fires of the mid-1600s to today's stovetops presided over by well-known giantesses Julia Childs and Alice Waters, noting what each profiled author offers as distinct contributions. Church's amiable British voice exudes enthusiasm; her beautiful pacing, with its ample emphasis and pausing, helps listeners digest many historical insights. She even enlivens the delivery of iconic recipes associated with each chef—and the audiobook comes with a pdf of recipes adapted for the modern kitchen."