Corby Kummer

Corby Kummer's work in The Atlantic has established him as one of the most widely read, authoritative, and creative food writers in the United States. The San Francisco Examiner pronounced him "a dean among food writers in America." More

Corby Kummer's work in The Atlantic has established him as one of the most widely read, authoritative, and creative food writers in the United States. The San Francisco Examiner pronounced him "a dean among food writers in America." Julia Child once said, "I think he's a very good food writer. He really does his homework. As a reporter and a writer he takes his work very seriously." Kummer's 1990 Atlantic series about coffee was heralded by foodies and the general public alike. The response to his recommendations about coffees and coffee-makers was typical--suppliers scrambled to meet the demand. As Giorgio Deluca, co-founder of New York's epicurean grocery Dean & Deluca, says: "I can tell when Corby's pieces hit; the phone doesn't stop ringing." His book, The Joy of Coffee, based on his Atlantic series, was heralded by The New York Times as "the most definitive and engagingly written book on the subject to date." In nominating his work for a National Magazine Award (for which he became a finalist), the editors wrote: "Kummer treats food as if its preparation were something of a life sport: an activity to be pursued regularly and healthfully by knowledgeable people who demand quality." Kummer's book The Pleasures of Slow Food celebrates local artisans who raise and prepare the foods of their regions with the love and expertise that come only with generations of practice. Kummer was restaurant critic of New York Magazine in 1995 and 1996 and since 1997 has served as restaurant critic for Boston Magazine. He is also a frequent food commentator on television and radio. He was educated at Yale, and came to The Atlantic Monthly in 1981. He is the recipient of five James Beard Journalism Awards, including the MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award.
Scenes From 'This Horror' in Iowa

Scenes From 'This Horror' in Iowa

Our reporter talks to people in Clarion, Iowa, about living with the changes DeCoster hog factories have brought—and the stink More »

Wright County Egg Mounts a Defense

Wright County Egg Mounts a Defense

Our man on the scene in Iowa gets the first copy of the egg producer's defense of its role in the current egg recall More »

Egg Safety: In Too Many Baskets

Egg Safety: In Too Many Baskets

Everybody has lessons-learned wish lists from the current Salmonella outbreak. Here's mine. And animals aren't at the top—people are. More »

Which Came First, the Brewpub or Deregulation?

Which Came First, the Brewpub or Deregulation?

Who really let a thousand brewpubs bloom? Was it Jimmy Carter? Fallows has been looking into the matter, and the discussion has turned ... sudsy. More »

Customer Service at Napa Whole Foods

Customer Service at Napa Whole Foods

Nice live music—what it might take to compete with a big and popular Trader Joe's a few doors down More »

As Important as the Food in 'Local Food'

As Important as the Food in 'Local Food'

It's the sense of community—what keeps me devoted to everything I say I'm doing because I'm so right-minded More »

Another Reason French Food Has Fallen So Far

Another Reason French Food Has Fallen So Far

The people willing to pay for the best local products, especially cheese, are foreign foodies like me—not French chefs More »

New Way to Pay for Fresh Food: By Rx

New Way to Pay for Fresh Food: By Rx

A new program from Wholesome Wave increases access at the next wave of farmers' markets: non-yuppie More »

Food-Stamp Pillaging: More From Josh Green

Food-Stamp Pillaging: More From Josh Green

Josh weighs in on robbing the food stamp program to pay teachers: good goal, rotten method More »

Hunting the Lobster Roll, Dipnetting for Salmon

Hunting the Lobster Roll, Dipnetting for Salmon

Frank Bruni reminds me of my recent lobster-roll quest—and the same dinner makes me wish I could dipnet More »

Tim Zagat Explains Restaurant Week

Tim Zagat Explains Restaurant Week

He invented it, after all. I just know it's bad for restaurant critics—but, as he says, it's good for everybody else More »

Food Stamps, Holey English Muffins, Cranberry Aid

Food Stamps, Holey English Muffins, Cranberry Aid

Supposedly sleepy summer Saturday newspaper reading—as usual, the best edition of the week More »

Foreign-Food Letdowns, Food-Channel Finds

Foreign-Food Letdowns, Food-Channel Finds

A particularly rich Food Channel week: shots of coffee and tea history, and a jolt of travel-food realism too More »

Hello, Danny!

Hello, Danny!

At last—the key members of the restaurant group that sets the country's standards will be Food Channel regulars. I can't wait for more. More »

The Man Who Was Everywhere

The Man Who Was Everywhere

I never didn't see Michael Batterberry at a New York food event. But he was much more than just social. More »

Blood-Red Bluefin: The New Ortolan?

Blood-Red Bluefin: The New Ortolan?

Sam Sifton writes of his intense pleasure and guilt eating tuna—but, as Barry points out, there's still wild salmon More »

Maine: Where the Wild Blueberries Are

Maine: Where the Wild Blueberries Are

I not only have an appetite for limitless lobster when Down East: I go through industrial quantities of wild berries too More »

As Fancy Soap Goes, So Goes Olive Oil

As Fancy Soap Goes, So Goes Olive Oil

Twee olive oil tasting rooms seem to be copying scent shops, with silly flavored oils and vinegars—but, I shudder to admit, I didn't mind chocolate balsamic More »

Lobster Reprieve

Lobster Reprieve

As I get ready to drive north for my family's annual lobster rite, southern New England lobstermen are spared a five-year fishing ban—for now More »

Swallowed by Coke

Swallowed by Coke

Honest Tea sold a 40 percent stake to Coke, which started calling a few shots—or trying to. Next year, it hopes to sell the rest. Will that mean certain selling out? More »

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