Foodie Find: a pair of James Beard–nominated cookbooks from Canada
The nominations for the 2013 James Beard Awards were announced last week, and the two Canadian cookbooks that made the cut could hardly be more different.
Burma: Rivers of Flavor ($40) is the latest masterwork of culinary anthropology and travel writing from Toronto author Naomi Duguid, who, with her ex-husband Jeffrey Alford, won four James Beard awards for her previous books. This one, nominated in the International cookbook category, explores the unique blend of Chinese, Indian and Thai flavours that makes up Burmese food. Meanwhile, Toqué!: Creators of a new Quebec gastronomy ($70) is a compendium of ambitious recipes from the pioneering Montreal restaurant wrapped in a love letter to the various artisanal suppliers who have helped define its cuisine. It’s also filled with riotously beautiful photographs of signature Toqué dishes, the chefs who created them and the Quebec countryside, which helped it secure a nomination in both the Photography and Professional Point of View categories. More than just recipe books, each is a celebration of the idiosyncratic cuisine of a unique place.
The Cookbook Store, 850 Yonge St., 416-920-2665, cook-book.com
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