The New Yorker & White Heat

A word to the wise: go out and get hold of this week's issue of the New Yorker and whilst you're in the literary mood, pre-order White Heat.

Every year the New Yorker publishes its food issue and the September 3 issue, is that issue this year. Some of the editorial is available online for free, such as the gripping story about wine forgeries and one man's tenacious pursuit of justice. Unfortunately, you will have to buy the mag if you want to read the equally excellent interview of Claudia Roden. I have to say, I am secretly flattered that my podcast with her - which you can listen to here - covered much of the same ground as the article. Despite that, try and read the article, especially if you are as interested with cookbooks as I am. It gives a fascinating insight into their gestation and purpose, which is not simply telling you how to cook a given dish.

Speaking of cookbooks go and buy yourself White Heat. This all time classic is about to be reprinted.

Stupidly I missed out on the opportunity to buy it the first time round, assuming the luxurious writing and sexy recipes would ensure the book would always be in print. I have to be very thankful that Marco has decided to sell his soul and do some TV work, thus ensuring a reprint to coincide with Hell's Kitchen, his new TV series.

If you are into photos more than food, it is worth buying the book just for Bob Carlos Clarke's beautiful shots. You can even see a young and not so shouty Gordon Ramsay, in the early days, before he fell out with MPW, getting a good shooing from the broody one.