Robyn Metcalfe

Robyn Metcalfe

Founder and Director, Food+City

https://www.foodandcity.org
Dr. Robyn Metcalfe is the founder and director of Food+City (formerly the Food Lab at The University of Texas at Austin), an innovative platform for bold exploration of the global food system. Food+City provokes fresh perspectives on the realities of how we feed cities, and inspire action.  Robyn has had a lifelong interest in food from before the age of 10 when she began selling avocados that grew in her family’s backyard from her little red wagon. Past careers include writing and and production management for Sunset Magazine, strategic planning for Arthur D. Little, Inc., and writing articles and books on a wide range of topics from food history to the theft of high technology. In 2012, her book, Meat, Commerce and the City: The London Food Market, 1800-1855, was published by Pickering & Chatto. She founded Kelmscott Rare Breeds foundation in Maine in 1994, a working farm that raised heritage breeds and established educational programs. Between 1994 and the present, Robyn has completed the Cordon Bleu certificate for culinary skills (London), obtained the Cheese Certificate (Boston University) and completed the basic meat/butcher’s skills course (Fleisher’s Meats in update New York.) Robyn received her BA in American Studies from The University of Michigan and a MA and PhD from Boston University in History. 

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Robyn's favorite cookbooks

French Provincial Cooking

French Provincial Cooking

Elizabeth David

A dear friend of mine in England introduced me to Elizabeth David and through this book I learned about a classic British food writer, English cuisine and its relationship to French cuisine. And love her warning, “..let’s not treat the food processor as though it were a waste-disposal unit.”

The Voluptuous Vegan

The Voluptuous Vegan

Myra Kornfeld

While not a vegan (my family dared me to be a vegan for a week and I spent an angry, resentful week eating food that aspired to be meat and cheese), I find this book the best there is for those who thrive on vegetables. The recipes play up the best character of each vegetable and indeed make you feel voluptuous after a meal.

Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen

Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen

Elizabeth Andoh

While on a trip to Japan, I had the good fortune of attending a cooking class in the home of Ms. Andoh. She is intensely dedicated to the fine details and practices of Japanese cuisine and patiently guides you through what would seem an endless process of learning rituals and the art of japanese eating.

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The Simple Art of Perfect Baking

The Simple Art of Perfect Baking

Flo Braker

This book is a daring invitation to baking cakes and goodies that would otherwise seem ridiculously complicated. My copy is full of sticky pages, all because I was determined to bake fastidious cakes for our two children, who are now addicted to marzipan.

Breakfast, Lunch, Tea

Breakfast, Lunch, Tea

Rose Carrarini

This is one of those beautiful and exquisite Phaidon books that always delight. Rose has some very simple, yet tasty recipes, including one very nice banana smoothie.

The Silver Palate Cookbook

The Silver Palate Cookbook

Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso

Another of our cookbooks that is covered in drips and spills. Long ago, we used this book for its recipe for carrot cake. Good for anyone who misses a cookbook that is unapologetic about the use of wheat, fats, and sugar.

What We Eat When We Eat Alone

What We Eat When We Eat Alone

Deborah Madison

I eat alone much of the time and this book contains perfectly portioned, delightful recipes for single dining. The well-written prose is perfect for reading while enjoying one of her herbed frittatas.