What Are the 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die?

Written by a former New York Times restaurant critic, this substantial book will keep your appetite satisfied for a lifetime.

When was the last time you sat down to a meal of harnam meshwi, also known as grilled pigeon, which is most likely to be found on a menu in Egypt? Or travelled to Oslo, Norway, for a breakfast of freshly caught shrimp? The answer is probably never.

However, thanks to former New York Times restaurant critic, Smithsonian contributor and author Mimi Sheraton’s latest book, 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die, your culinary life is about to become much more interesting.

Inspired by Patricia Schultz’s bestselling 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, which was also published by Workman Publishing, Sheraton has assembled 1,000 must-try dishes, restaurants, markets, cultural feasts and even some relatively universal foods, such as bananas, olive oil and whipped cream, which transcend regional categorisation.

Selected from cuisines around the world, the items have been brought together in one large volume. The book also provides details about their historical and cultural contexts, advice on how to prepare particular dishes or where to try them, and several dozen recipes.

The project took ten years to complete. It is both an impressive demonstration of Sheraton’s extensive knowledge of food -- she has been writing about the subject for sixty years -- and a celebration of the extraordinary diversity of the world’s cuisines.

The book is the ultimate gift for a food lover. In the same way that 1,000 Places to See Before You Die reinvented the travel book, 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die is a joyful, informative, dazzling and mouth-watering life list of the finest food in the world.

The book is organised not according to country or type of food, but according to the experience of eating itself. Its sections guide readers through categories such as "Street Food & Snacks", "Comfort Food" and "Sweets & Treats".

This structure encourages unexpected discoveries. A reader searching for a classic French pastry might encounter a traditional Indonesian dessert and become fascinated by it.

Sheraton’s entries are more than simple items in a list; they are miniature stories. She explains why a particular cheese from a remote Greek village is worth finding or how a particular noodle dish reflects the history of trade routes in Southeast Asia.

This narrative approach transforms the book from a simple checklist into a compelling exploration of culture, history and human connections through food.

Of course, a list containing 1,000 items is certain to provoke some controversy. Some critics question the inclusion of widely available foods such as bananas, arguing that this reduces the exclusivity of the list.

Others have suggested that the book may be biased towards European and North American cuisines. Sheraton, however, defends her choices by referring to the extensive research and personal travels that informed them.

She emphasises that the book is a personal but expert guide rather than a definitive and objective ranking. Its purpose, she states, is to inspire curiosity and appreciation, not to bring an end to debate.

Ultimately, 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die serves as a passport to gastronomic adventure. It challenges readers to look beyond their culinary comfort zones, whether this involves searching for a rare ingredient, attempting a complicated recipe at home or simply ordering an unfamiliar dish at a local restaurant.

For Sheraton, the book represents the culmination of a lifetime’s passion for food. It is an invitation to enjoy the remarkable diversity of flavours that the world has to offer, one unforgettable bite at a time.