I have a confession to make: I am obsessed with cooking. I don't do much of it, and that's probably why I remain so enamored with watching cooking shows, reading cook books, and hearing all sorts of fun "foodie" chatter. Recently, I've been lucky enough to find other people out there who share in both of my loves: cooking tricks, and music. This magical pairing goes together even better than peanut butter and chocolate, and thanks to the fact that many people have discovered how well the two interests mix, there are a few cook books that have recently been published celebrating the connection between music and food.
The first one I've been eagerly awaiting is Lost in the Supermarket by Kay Bozich Owens and Lynn Owens. 
This book, which celebrates the pairing of food and music, also exists to provide a deeper understanding of how music and food tell everything you might want to know about a culture. In many ways, it's a cook book for the younger generations, featuring not only a number of recently hip recipes, but also specialties from a number of popular indie musicians.
So whether you're truly young and hip, or if you just want to prove to the world that you're young at heart and willing to adventure a bit in the kitchen, this book makes a great statement about how much fun it can be to crank up the stereo and get elbow deep in some great ingredients.
Don't let the title fool you; it shares a name with a song by British rockers The Clash, it isn't a value judgement on new chefs.
Similarly minded is the book Food that Rocks by Margie Lapanja and Cindy Coverdale. 
This book takes a peek into the most hallowed of spaces for the music fan/foodie: into the kitchens of our favorite musicians. The authors spent a great deal of time interviewing all sorts of members of bands to get their favorite recipes at home and on the road. If you're an aspiring musician, you can eat the same food following the same recipes as some of your favorite musicians, and just maybe that special rock star diet will help you achieve all of your musical dreams. But, more likely than not, you'll just be happy to have some interesting recipes from some unassuming sources that are easy enough for your average musician to handle.
Finally, there's I Like Food, Food Tastes Good by Kara Zuaro. 
Again, don't be thrown by the title: it isn't supposed to be reflective of the thought processes of why you cook, rather it's from a song by The Descendents, the punk rock darlings of Manhattan Beach.
Unlike the other two titles, this book is a bit more low-brow in its recipes, focusing more on what it is that the musicians we admire eat when they're on the road. Speaking as a musician with some touring experience, your main focus is something that doesn't cost much, and your secondary focus is something that is quick and easy. When you're not eating fast food, you are throwing together unlikely packaged foods with the hopes of finding something tasty to get you through hours in a van or bus.
While the recipes range from the simple and conventional (mixing Mac 'n Cheese with canned chili) to the gourmet (a Macaroni and Cheese recipe involving lobster and white truffles) this book lets you into the kitchens of all your favorite bands. As an added bonus, there is also a whole section on custom cocktails, which goes far beyond plain old beer and whiskey.
If you're like me, you wonder how this whole "food revolution" came to be. In the past, I have wondered to myself "How is it that offhand I know that I love raw yellowtail and mackerel,
or that I prefer smelt roe to salmon roe? Does it strike anyone else
odd that someone like me can discuss the
relative merits and differences between cooked eel (unagi) and fresh
sea eel (anago)? Did people twenty years ago get their veggies drizzled
with a cilantro-mango vinaigrette? Was aioli part of their daily
vocabulary? When did all of this happen?" I have found a book, recommended by a great friend of mine, that tries to tackle some of these burning questions. It's called The United States of Arugula by David Kamp. While it has no mention of music, it is a fascinating examination of how this emerging food culture came to be, and is a must-read for any self-proclaimed foodie. 
All of the books I've written about today are available for order at Barnes & Noble but I will forewarn you, Lost in the Supermarket isn't being published for another month, so just do as I did and put it on your wish list. Plus, don't forget that in addition to the everyday great deal of free shipping on all orders over $25, you also get 4% Cash Back from Ebates, so spice up your meal and your cook book shelf today!
