Many years ago, I was into a cozy mystery series about a caterer who lived in Colorado. Some of the book titles were "The Cereal Murders" and "Dying for Chocolate" . I think some of the books had recipes in them. The author's name is Diane Mott Davidson.

I don't know if that is what you are looking for or not. I enjoyed the five or so books I read back in the day.

Not sure if you’ve tried Mark Kurlansky. I’ve really only read his food history books like “Cod,” “Salt,” and “The Big Oyster,” and the milk one, but he has written a lot of both nonfiction and novels about food.

Have you read “Eating Animals” by Jonathan Safran Foer? It’s in the Michael Pollan realm about nutrition/diets. I liked it a lot.

Since you mentioned Ruth Reichl, I’m guessing you read “Garlic and Sapphires.” What about “The Man Who Ate Too Much,” the bio of James Beard?

Like Water for Chocolate

Madhur Jaffrey!

Dinner A Love Story is 90% recipes. I like it, but not what you're looking for.

How to Share an Egg - memoir, recent, very good

Bill Buford's Dirt - lots of technical detail on bread baking

Have you read Nora Ephron's Heartburn? A classic.

I liked Kitchens of the Great Midwest, and have wanted to read his next book - the Lager Queen of Minnesota.

Dinner A Love Story has been on my to read list for years.

If you want an easy summer read, maybe consider Elin Hilderbrand. A lot of her books touch on food, and I just asked google which one is most about food, and AI said: Elin Hilderbrand's The Blue Bistro is widely considered her most food-centric book, with its plot centered around a Nantucket restaurant and featuring extensive descriptions of food and culinary experiences. I read that one and liked it.

I read Ina Garten's new memoir recently. I liked it enough.

The Abundance by Amit Majmudar
Stanley Park
Afterlife

Conundrum. Whether to post this here on the book chat or in food and cooking. I am going to try here.

I am looking for recommendations for literary food writing (not cookbooks although there are usually recipes included). I have read so many over the years, I am having trouble finding the next read. Even though I am sure there are plenty of good books out there.

One problem, I haven't enjoyed a lot of the "newer" writing. I may be the only person who really did not like Kitchen Confidential. I also did not like Blood, Bones, & Butter. But, I enjoyed the first half, written by the chef, of the Grant Achatz book about him losing taste.

I have really liked MFK Fischer, all the stuff about Julia Childs, and all of Ruth Reichl's writing. I think Jacques Pepin's memoir is one of the best I have read, including those not about food.

I am also open to cooking adjacent books. For example, I think I have read most of Michael Pollan. I have liked the "travel to find myself" genre less (ex. Under the Tuscan Sun). Finally, I read a lot of fiction but haven't found that much of the fiction focused on food all that interesting but maybe I am reading the wrong books.

I'm open to suggestions as I am sure there is great stuff I am missing.