Anyone hungry for milkweed pods?
I love a good food book, and Reichl’s novel Delicious! delivers on that score. Reichl is mostly known for being a food critic, so that shouldn’t be surprising. Her book opens with the most evocative descriptions of spices, from nutmeg to cardamom, as the protagonist develops her signature recipe for gingerbread. Later, the protagonist walks the streets of NYC, tasting her way from one shop to the next, from the chocolatier to the butcher to the cheese monger. I was drooling! These sensual descriptions are the strength of the book.
In Delicious! Reichl heaps mystery upon mystery about a young woman who goes to work for a food magazine (but who claims not to cook despite her amazing palate) and a secret cache of letters from World War II written to American Food forefather James Beard (this is where those milkweed pods come in). While the book is interesting, it becomes a bit overbaked for my liking. The middle of the book lagged, and I found myself wanting to speed through some pages of letters.
Overall, Reichl’s book is one to read if you like a good food book–but be prepared to come away hungry! Anyone else out there enjoy food books? I’m far from a professional chef, but I love to read about food people. Any books/authors you’d recommend?
This sounds pretty fascinating. I’ve always wanted to try the genre but I’ve never found a nice enough book that captures my attention >.<
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I read a lot of auto/biographies about food industry people, and they can sometimes be dry (and ego heavy). Reichl’s nonfiction books have a lot of personality to them, and this, her first novel, is a nice melding of her food knowledge with story. She even manages to throw in a bit of history with discussion of what people were eating to survive WWII rationing. Hope you enjoy it if you check it out!
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I’ll definitely keep an eye out for that one or order online since I doubt it’ll be available in my city 🙂
Thanks xx
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Thank goodness for online shopping, right?! I try not to buy too many books (WAY too many already), so I rely on my library’s interlibrary loan program. I’m sure they get tired of holds coming in with my name on them!
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I’ve been influenced by Tamara Adler’s _An Everlasting Meal_. It’s cooking that concerns itself more with fresh, local ingredients than complicated recipes. And she throws in a little philosophy too.
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Another to add to my list–thanks! I read a summary and really appreciate the idea of “instinctive cooking,” with emphasis on using what’s local and on hand. I’m a huge Michael Pollan fan, and he’s so about knowing where food comes from–such a simple and important lesson.
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Oh me too! I’ve seen him on PBS though haven’t read his books.
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I found Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma a life-changing book. I don’t think I paid much attention to food before that point. It’s amazing to find those books!
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I’ll have to look that one up – thanks!
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Hi Amy
Nice to meet you 🙂 I found your blog through meet & great. Just came around to say a Hi. Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Have a great day!
Arcane owl
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Thanks for visiting. I just returned the favor–some beautiful work on your site. The photos really captured my attention–great imagery! I look forward to more!
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Thanks for checking out my blog. I really appreciate it. Have a great day!
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