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Far Flung and Well Fed: The Food Writing of R.W. Apple, Jr.
Celebrated journalist R. W. (“Johnny”) Apple was a veteran political reporter, a New York Times bureau chief and an incisive and prolific writer. But the role he was most passionate about was food anthropologist. Known both for his restless wideopen mind and an appetite to match, Apple was also a culinary witty, wide-ranging and intensely knowledgeable about his subjects. Far Flung and Well Fed is the best of legendary Times reporter Apple’s food writing from America, England, Europe, Asia and Australia. Each of the more than fifty essays recount extraordinary meals and little-known facts, of some of the world’s most excellent foods —from the origin of an ingredient in a dish, to its history, to the vivid personalities—including Apple’s wife, Betsey—who cook, serve and eat those dishes. Far Flung and Well Fed is a classic collection of food writing— lively, warm and rich with a sense of place and taste—and deserves to join the works of A.J. Liebling, Elizabeth David, M.F.K. Fisher and Calvin Trillin on the bookshelf.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2009
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266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 4, 2010
Johnny Apple’s essays have to be the ultimate chairside or bedside reading for foodies. No one should sit down and plow through this whole book. The essays should be savored one at a time, and I love having a nice read with a glass of wine when the day is winding down.
It helps that Apple is a fabulous wordsmith. Also that he has a discerning palate. Some of the essays are about expensive restaurants, others about down home foods like cheesesteak and bratwurst. But my favorites are the ones which focus on single foods, like the peppercorn, the giant grapefruit from Texas, and the white asparagus of Germany. The essay on marmalade explores references from medieval manuscripts, the competitive struggles of family-owned enterprises, and the very best home recipes.
This book will stay by my chair for rereading.
It helps that Apple is a fabulous wordsmith. Also that he has a discerning palate. Some of the essays are about expensive restaurants, others about down home foods like cheesesteak and bratwurst. But my favorites are the ones which focus on single foods, like the peppercorn, the giant grapefruit from Texas, and the white asparagus of Germany. The essay on marmalade explores references from medieval manuscripts, the competitive struggles of family-owned enterprises, and the very best home recipes.
This book will stay by my chair for rereading.
December 17, 2011
“Sunshine in a can, sanity in a can, salvation in a can”, Apple describes the magical moment when first eating a San Marzano tomato.
Johnny viewed food as an insight to the people, culture and its history. Apple’s passion to discover the origin of his meal’s main ingredient led him to eagerly investigate the history for items such as: marmalade, walleye, morels, rye bread, Armagnac, and Dover sole.
“Far Flung and Well Fed” is fittingly titled as Johnny’s food excursions covered the United States, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Furthermore, Apple would delve into “gastronomic trenches”, often with his beloved travel companion and wife, Betsey, eating 3-4 lunches or dining at 3 restaurants in order to get a better understanding for the city and culture. He desired to steer the reader away from tourist areas and discover the beauty and cuisine of other less known regions such as the Margaret River, Western Australia or Sheboygan, WI.
Johnny discovers delicacies worldwide, yet he writes convincingly when a region or restaurant specialty falls short of his superior culinary experience. He claimed there is no real New York Corned beef left in New York nor does he think the Chesapeake soft shell crab is the world’s best.
Johnny’s prose is personal and casual yet often pretentious. He helps readers understand that “mustard in crab is as important as marbling is to flavor of sirloin”. However, in the same essay he is elaborate describing eating crab as “excavating every last bite of sweet snowy meat with all the fervor of an Egyptologist opening a pharaoh’s tomb.”
Johnny’s tasty dissertations may inspire you to visit his discoveries but beware Apples’ food adventures were expensive. Johnny was known for his elaborate expense account; meals would cost $200+ a person. Apple would dabble in inexpensive cuisine, especially while in Asia, nevertheless there he still discovered the most expensive restaurants.
“Far Flung and Well Fed” will make you hungry and eager to travel the world. Enjoy a chapter at a time and escape on a culinary expedition. During one of Apples’ last interview he advised the New York Times food section to “Make room for enthusiasts. Make people want to call up and order what you’re writing about, to go out and eat it.” “Far Flung and Well Fed” has achieved this splendidly.
Johnny viewed food as an insight to the people, culture and its history. Apple’s passion to discover the origin of his meal’s main ingredient led him to eagerly investigate the history for items such as: marmalade, walleye, morels, rye bread, Armagnac, and Dover sole.
“Far Flung and Well Fed” is fittingly titled as Johnny’s food excursions covered the United States, South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Furthermore, Apple would delve into “gastronomic trenches”, often with his beloved travel companion and wife, Betsey, eating 3-4 lunches or dining at 3 restaurants in order to get a better understanding for the city and culture. He desired to steer the reader away from tourist areas and discover the beauty and cuisine of other less known regions such as the Margaret River, Western Australia or Sheboygan, WI.
Johnny discovers delicacies worldwide, yet he writes convincingly when a region or restaurant specialty falls short of his superior culinary experience. He claimed there is no real New York Corned beef left in New York nor does he think the Chesapeake soft shell crab is the world’s best.
Johnny’s prose is personal and casual yet often pretentious. He helps readers understand that “mustard in crab is as important as marbling is to flavor of sirloin”. However, in the same essay he is elaborate describing eating crab as “excavating every last bite of sweet snowy meat with all the fervor of an Egyptologist opening a pharaoh’s tomb.”
Johnny’s tasty dissertations may inspire you to visit his discoveries but beware Apples’ food adventures were expensive. Johnny was known for his elaborate expense account; meals would cost $200+ a person. Apple would dabble in inexpensive cuisine, especially while in Asia, nevertheless there he still discovered the most expensive restaurants.
“Far Flung and Well Fed” will make you hungry and eager to travel the world. Enjoy a chapter at a time and escape on a culinary expedition. During one of Apples’ last interview he advised the New York Times food section to “Make room for enthusiasts. Make people want to call up and order what you’re writing about, to go out and eat it.” “Far Flung and Well Fed” has achieved this splendidly.
April 21, 2020
especially during a time of shelter in place, this book helped transport me to destined places and desired locations. I think about 1/2way through, it became a bit hard to push through bc it was a new experience of reading numerous food essays but for every new essay I started, I was glad for it after a page in. I especially enjoyed the historical elements to learning how and why certain cuisines or drinks originated, who was thriving and who was new to market when the essays were written. did not care for some of the elitist drippings or non-PC descriptions from the 90s and was warned of them in the intro. but the description of food and its people was eloquent, precise and expertly done.
September 20, 2018
Some of the best food writing I’ve read in years. Comparable to AJ Liebling’s best food adventures as well. Apple was a legendary correspondent with an even more legendary expense account and love for food, and these essays taken from his NY Times articles are educational, enlightening, amusing, and will cause absolutely ravenous hunger. It’s not wise to read this on an empty stomach, and you’ll also want to immediately travel to these cities and countries Apple visited, to follow in his footsteps and eat where he did ... but alas, none of us have a legendary expense account to do that.
December 20, 2020
What a great read if you’re a foodie. And even if not. Love his writing. You can tell he is a true lover of food and people.
Some reviews said this wasn’t a book to be read straight through. Just in bits. Choosing certain sections and then picking it up again later. BUT since this is 2020 I was very happy to read it straight through. Although when my husband was within listening distance I’d read ones I knew he’d like out loud.
Thoroughly enjoyable even though all was written 10+ years ago. Having traveled through the years it was fun to revisit areas and dream of meals past.
Some reviews said this wasn’t a book to be read straight through. Just in bits. Choosing certain sections and then picking it up again later. BUT since this is 2020 I was very happy to read it straight through. Although when my husband was within listening distance I’d read ones I knew he’d like out loud.
Thoroughly enjoyable even though all was written 10+ years ago. Having traveled through the years it was fun to revisit areas and dream of meals past.
April 8, 2020
The discerning Apple is a wonderful writer. He takes you on a culinary tour around the globe and is unabashedly snobby whole describing every single spice and ingredient until your mouth waters. I loved it.
Read
July 11, 2019I had difficulty finding connection to a lot of these essays. They felt dated even though most were around 20 years old.
April 23, 2023
Interesting book mostly about foods I’ve never had or heard of! Lots of things to investigate and research. Very enjoyable.
February 3, 2017
This is a collection of RW " Johnny" Apple's articles that ran in the NYT in the early 2000's. Each chapter is a stand alone article, and the articles are grouped by geographic region (Europe, Southeast Asia, U.S., etc.)
Johnny was a bon vivant in every sense. He attacked his food, his wine, his travel, his writing with gusto and joy. I'm sure his style isn't to everyone's liking, but I personally enjoyed traveling with him through his stories, reading about his culinary adventures with his wife Betsey along for the ride.
The book doesn't feel dated, per se, though when you get to the end of each article and see when it originally ran, you realize it was 15+ years ago and you wonder if some of those restaurants (and their proprietors) even exist anymore. That said, even if they don't, his writing inspires you to want to travel and find your own hidden gems in countries new to you.
I think that's the best part of this book - it's ability to inspire you to dream and plot your own next adventure, even if it looks nothing like the one he experienced.
Johnny was a bon vivant in every sense. He attacked his food, his wine, his travel, his writing with gusto and joy. I'm sure his style isn't to everyone's liking, but I personally enjoyed traveling with him through his stories, reading about his culinary adventures with his wife Betsey along for the ride.
The book doesn't feel dated, per se, though when you get to the end of each article and see when it originally ran, you realize it was 15+ years ago and you wonder if some of those restaurants (and their proprietors) even exist anymore. That said, even if they don't, his writing inspires you to want to travel and find your own hidden gems in countries new to you.
I think that's the best part of this book - it's ability to inspire you to dream and plot your own next adventure, even if it looks nothing like the one he experienced.
November 30, 2011
I wish I could put down books I don't like without finishing them. Never could...always waiting for the page when it gets better, then good.
Well-marketed to the point it was hard to find, this is a collection of the food articles written by R.W. Apple, the well respected Times food writer. Maybe they are better read one at a time, once a week. But altogether, a frustrating read. Each starts with a short intro - and then reads like a menu...and then we ate this and this and this and saw this and this and this ...in rapid fire.
A fan of the genre and the likes of Elizabeth David, MFK Fisher, Laurie Colwin and Judith Jones, to name just a very few, Apple never made me taste, see and smell the food, feel the mood, enjoy the moment.
Read most of the day just to finish it and get on to the next book in the pile.
Well-marketed to the point it was hard to find, this is a collection of the food articles written by R.W. Apple, the well respected Times food writer. Maybe they are better read one at a time, once a week. But altogether, a frustrating read. Each starts with a short intro - and then reads like a menu...and then we ate this and this and this and saw this and this and this ...in rapid fire.
A fan of the genre and the likes of Elizabeth David, MFK Fisher, Laurie Colwin and Judith Jones, to name just a very few, Apple never made me taste, see and smell the food, feel the mood, enjoy the moment.
Read most of the day just to finish it and get on to the next book in the pile.
Read
October 21, 2012As much as anything, my schedule can affect my enthusiasm for a book. This book was probably a casualty of my schedule. I've been busy at work, and I have been tired when I get home. Therefore, I only read for a few minutes before falling asleep. Anyway, this book gave mucho info regarding restaurants in certain area, and he talked about the good food they had. Unfortunately for me, I don't live in or often travel to those places. So, this book fell flat for me. It was informative about these restaurants and their fare, but the book lacked enough of a story to keep my interest.
July 12, 2010
I really enjoyed these pieces on food and places all around the world. Some are eating tours of a place, others focus on the history and current state of particular foods/drinks, such as buffalo milk mozzarella, whiskey, or pho. He's an excellent writer, an enthusiastic eater, and a lover of people, history, and travel.
July 28, 2011
I don't even know how to rate it, because I read so little of it. Super skimmed doesn't even apply. I did read the first two essays and they weren't bad at all. But I wasn't seduced, I've got lots of books to read, my attention wandered, and that's that.
Good to know about him, that he existed, and his legacy.
Good to know about him, that he existed, and his legacy.
April 18, 2013
I found this really dragged. It seemed more a list of restaurants than an interesting description of food, and could definitely have used more recipes. I'm accustomed to more entertaining food writing and this wasn't, particularly.
Want to read
July 8, 2011I heard about this book on NPR. The author's wife is a gem. It has been a fun read so far. I put it on my kindle for my phone so I could read it while I am waiting for kids. It never ceases to wet my appetite.
January 2, 2012
Light, enjoyable and easy to read; combines two of my favorite things: food and travel. I was gratified that the bouchon we eat at on a trip to Lyon, France last week was listed as a place to visit! Easy reading...
September 23, 2010
Extremely disappointing. Perhaps it's better to retain a fond memory of his Times articles...
June 8, 2010
Reader beware: this book will make you want to travel and eat! I just love a book that opens with harvesting soft shell crabs in the Rappahannock River in Virginia!
July 28, 2010
Had to return to the library- only got 1/4 way through, but loved the descriptions of his food travels. Will have to check out again.
Read
July 10, 2010terrific...what a sophisticated writer, lover of food, and traveller......
March 29, 2011
Loved it! Not a good book if you're on a diet.
December 8, 2012
entertaining
July 4, 2014
A thoroughly enjoyable collection of stories about food, by a man who was a true foodie.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews