Olney was born in Marathon, Iowa. He lived in a house above the village of Solliès-Toucas in Provence, France, for most of his adult life, where he wrote many classic and influential cookbooks of French country cooking. He had first moved to France in 1951, to Paris, where he was close friends with (and painted many of) the American and English bohemian expatriate set, including James Baldwin, filmmaker Kenneth Anger, painter John Craxton, poet John Ashbery, and composer Ned Rorem.
His deep knowledge of traditional classic French food and wine got him a job writing a column entitled Un Américain (gourmand) à Paris for the journal Cuisine et Vins de France beginning in 1962. After The French Menu Cookbook was published in English in 1970, his then-revolutionary approach of seasonal menus and close attention to wine pairings began to attract notice in Britain and America. By the time he wrote Simple French Food in 1974, he was one of the most important food writers of the era, with a huge impact on nouvelle cuisine and California cuisine.
Alice Waters, of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California, and Kermit Lynch, the well-known Berkeley wine writer and retailer, were both disciples. He introduced Lynch[1] to many French wine growers, including Lucien and Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier, who were then re-establishing the Bandol AOC as a vineyard area of the first rank. James Beard was an important American mentor, and Olney, in the midst of his career, taught a series of cooking classes in Beard's West Village apartment. Despite this, Olney, in a memoir, presents a mixed picture of Beard's character.
From 1977 to 1982, Olney edited the 28-volume Time-Life book series The Good Cook. By the time of his death, from heart failure, in addition to the Time-Life set he had written many of his own brilliant, idiosyncratic, poetic books about food and wine. His last book, Reflexions, a memoir, was published posthumously by Brick Tower Press. Olney died aged 72 in Solliès-Toucas, France.
The Observer Food Monthly panel of chefs, cooks, writers and restaurateurs elected The French Menu Cookbook as their favourite cookbook in early 2010, but were saddened that it was very difficult to find. Since then the book has been republished.[2]
English bibliographyedit
The French Menu Cookbook: The Food and Wine of France—Season by Delicious Season—in Beautifully Composed Menus for American Dining and Entertaining by an American Living in Paris and Provence (1970), ISBN0-671-20365-7
richard, olney, food, writer, other, people, named, richard, olney, richard, olney, disambiguation, richard, olney, april, 1927, august, 1999, american, painter, cook, food, writer, editor, memoirist, best, known, books, french, country, cooking, richard, olne. For other people named Richard Olney see Richard Olney disambiguation Richard Olney April 12 1927 August 3 1999 was an American painter cook food writer editor and memoirist best known for his books of French country cooking Richard OlneyBorn 1927 04 12 April 12 1927Marathon Iowa U S DiedAugust 3 1999 1999 08 03 aged 72 Sollies Toucas FranceOccupationsPaintercookfood writereditormemoiristKnown forBooks on French cooking Contents 1 Biography 2 English bibliography 3 References 4 External linksBiography editOlney was born in Marathon Iowa He lived in a house above the village of Sollies Toucas in Provence France for most of his adult life where he wrote many classic and influential cookbooks of French country cooking He had first moved to France in 1951 to Paris where he was close friends with and painted many of the American and English bohemian expatriate set including James Baldwin filmmaker Kenneth Anger painter John Craxton poet John Ashbery and composer Ned Rorem His deep knowledge of traditional classic French food and wine got him a job writing a column entitled Un Americain gourmand a Paris for the journal Cuisine et Vins de France beginning in 1962 After The French Menu Cookbook was published in English in 1970 his then revolutionary approach of seasonal menus and close attention to wine pairings began to attract notice in Britain and America By the time he wrote Simple French Food in 1974 he was one of the most important food writers of the era with a huge impact on nouvelle cuisine and California cuisine Alice Waters of Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley California and Kermit Lynch the well known Berkeley wine writer and retailer were both disciples He introduced Lynch 1 to many French wine growers including Lucien and Lulu Peyraud of Domaine Tempier who were then re establishing the Bandol AOC as a vineyard area of the first rank James Beard was an important American mentor and Olney in the midst of his career taught a series of cooking classes in Beard s West Village apartment Despite this Olney in a memoir presents a mixed picture of Beard s character From 1977 to 1982 Olney edited the 28 volume Time Life book series The Good Cook By the time of his death from heart failure in addition to the Time Life set he had written many of his own brilliant idiosyncratic poetic books about food and wine His last book Reflexions a memoir was published posthumously by Brick Tower Press Olney died aged 72 in Sollies Toucas France The Observer Food Monthly panel of chefs cooks writers and restaurateurs elected The French Menu Cookbook as their favourite cookbook in early 2010 but were saddened that it was very difficult to find Since then the book has been republished 2 English bibliography editThe French Menu Cookbook The Food and Wine of France Season by Delicious Season in Beautifully Composed Menus for American Dining and Entertaining by an American Living in Paris and Provence 1970 ISBN 0 671 20365 7 Simple French Food 1974 ISBN 0 689 10575 4 Yquem 1986 ISBN 0 87923 644 2 Ten Vineyard Lunches 1988 later reprinted as Richard Olney s French Wine amp Food A Wine Lover s Cookbook 1997 ISBN 0 940793 23 7 Provence the Beautiful Cookbook Authentic Recipes from the Regions of Provence 1993 ISBN 0 00 255154 3 Lulu s Provencal Table The Exuberant Food and Wine from Domaine Tempier Vineyard 1994 ISBN 0 06 016922 2 Romanee Conti The World s Most Fabled Wine 1995 ISBN 0 8478 1927 2 Cooking for Two 1996 ISBN 0 297 83650 1 The Good Cook s Encyclopedia 1997 ISBN 1 899988 95 5 ed Richard Olney s French Wine and Food A Wine Lover s Cookbook 1997 ISBN 1 56656 226 0 Reflexions 1999 ISBN 1 883283 20 5 anthologized in American Food Writing An Anthology with Classic Recipes ed Molly O Neill Library of America 2007 ISBN 1 59853 005 4References edit Kermit Lynch Interview Terrance Gelenter Archived 2015 10 03 at the Wayback Machine Observer Food Monthly December 2010 no 115 External links editThe Independent obituary The New York Times obituary The Guardian December 2010 The New York Times Style Magazine August 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard Olney food writer amp oldid 1145592529, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
