Read Why MFK Fisher is the Best Food Writer
I honestly can’t recall how I first stumbled on M.F.K. Fisher. All I know is one day she simply appeared in my reading life — and once you’ve read her, you never forget her.
M.F.K. Fisher’s first book, Serve It Forth, wasn’t a cookbook in the traditional sense — its a manifesto about how food is culture, history, and desire. Published in 1937, it set the stage for a new genre of writing and remains essential for anyone who loves stories as much as supper.
First published in 1937 — and for its time, it was a bit revolutionary. Fisher wasn’t writing recipes, she wasn’t instructing, and she wasn’t hawking the latest kitchen gadget. Instead, she was telling stories. She brought food to life as culture, memory, power, and pleasure — long before “food writing” was even considered a real genre. She's considered the OG of food writing and it's not to see why.
What I love about this little book, is its format. Short little essays that are half history lesson, half salon conversation with a healthy dose of irreverence that is a 100% fresh interpretation. One moment you’re with Frederick the Great, the next you’re in ancient Egypt sipping honey, then on to Greece or the Orient, spanning from 3000 B.C. to 100 A.D. The book drifts through centuries as if you’re at a long dinner table and she’s pouring you another glass of wine while telling you why some long-dead king insisted on asparagus at every meal.
Her style is erudite, but never stuffy. She writes with wit and a seductive intelligence that makes you feel smarter just by reading. This isn’t a cookbook for the kitchen counter; it’s a book for the armchair, the library, the nightstand. Fisher understood that food is rarely just food. It’s desire. It’s history. It’s survival. And it’s absolutely human.
If you love a good story, if you’re the kind of person who collects conversational tidbits for your next dinner party or just enjoys connecting dots between history and the plate, Serve It Forth is the perfect starter book.
Once you start reading her, I guarantee you will be hooked and want to read more.
