How was 2013 for Colman Andrews?

Our Taste of America author offers a typically pithy taste from his past twelve months

As the year draws to a close, we're continuing our catch-up with a few of our authors and artists, including them Ferran Adrià, Roger Ballen and Bernhard Edmaier, to ask them how 2013 was for them: what were the things that inspired them, when were they at their most creative and what do they have planned for 2014. We'll be bringing you their answers - one a day - up until the new year. Go here to read our interview with Joel Meyerowitz, here for Martin Parr, here for Edmund de Waal.

 

The Taste of America illustration by Joel Penkman
The Taste of America illustration by Joel Penkman

Today its the turn of Colman Andrews. This year the author of our book, The Taste of America, continued to combine the keen journalistic skills, first developed writing for The LA Times and other titles, with his life-long love of great food. Andrews made initial appearance on Phaidon's list with Reinventing Food Ferran Adrià, and he remains an expert in Spanish cuisine. Yet it was Andrews' native passions that we delighted in during 2013, as he described such regional US delicacies as pimento cheese, stone crabs and turducken. He might only be offering you a taste from his year below, yet you can hear the man himself read selections from his book, here.

 

The Taste of America illustration by Joel Penkman
The Taste of America illustration by Joel Penkman

 

What was the thing that inspired you most this year?

As always, the need to make money.

 

What was your personal working highlight this year?

Keeping my job.

 

What can we expect from you in 2014?

More wisecracks—and a memoir of my life in restaurants, "My Usual Table," due out in March.

 

The Taste of America illustration by Joel Penkman
The Taste of America illustration by Joel Penkman

Keen to find out more? Then go here, to browse through some of Colman's readings from the book. You can also buy the book from the people who made it, here.