We’re always looking for a good food book to sink our visual teeth into, so we asked our contributors if they’ve read any good food books lately. Here’s what they recommend:

Editorial Director and Woman on Wine columnist Amy Reiley likes:

From the same author as EatSomethingSexy product of the week The Zen of Fish, this book does admittedly explore one rather odd and very specific subject. But it does so in a manner that will make you love lobster, lobstermen and anything related to this luxury ingredient’s industry. And trust me, once you get through the chapter on lobster sex, you’ll never look at a crustatean the same way again.

I’ve read several tales on the topic of waiting tables and while they’re all been easy reads told with a spicy sense of humor (it must take a certain personality to succeed in fine dining service) this one stands out for the quality of its writing. The memoir of the only female captain (at the time) at Thomas Keller’s Per Se, Service Included was penned (more likely typed) by a writer who just happened to be fortunate enough to fall into the world of food while, “waiting for life to happen.”

Web Editor Ronie Reiley recently read:

Although it is a novel, this book made me realize just how little we truly understand about Chinese culture. Written by Nicole Mones, author of Lost in Translation, this beautifully written work of fiction offers a glimpse into the world of Chinese gastronomy, its intricacies, layers and time-honored traditions.

Diva Dish’s Diane Brown loved:

Single, thirtysomething, working as a writer in New York City, Kristin Kimball was living life as an adventure. But she was beginning to feel a sense of longing for a family and for home. When she interviewed a dynamic young farmer, her world changed. Kristin knew nothing about growing vegetables, let alone raising pigs and cattle and driving horses. But on an impulse, smitten, if not yet in love, she shed her city self and moved to five hundred acres near Lake Champlain to start a new farm with him. The Dirty Life is the captivating chronicle of their first year on Essex Farm, from the cold North Country winter through the following harvest season—complete with their wedding in the loft of the barn.

Blogger Sarah Goss was absorbed by:

The compelling story behind the years of Chef Grant Achatz’s life during the time of the opening of Alinea makes for one of the most interesting tales in recent food history. While climbing to the top of his profession, Achatz was diagnosed with tongue cancer. Rather than a story of survival, Life on the Line is the story of a restaurant and how Achatz’s life-threatening experience helped shape Alinea into one of the most unique and successful fine dining establishments in America.

What food books have you read lately? If you have a suggestion, email it to info@lifeofreiley.com.