While I’m on the subject of foodie-memoirs let me recommend a few more in addition to Alice B. Toklas.
Comfort me with Apples by Ruth Reichel
Reichel is obviously a legend when it comes to food writing but oddly enough this is the only one of her books that I have read(keep meaning to read more). She has written fiction,cookbooks and memoirs such as this; Comfort me with apples tells the story of how she came to write about food, her life as a food critic and shares a bunch of recipes along the way. It’s funny,feel-good and hunger inducing. utterly enjoyable.
Two towns in Provence by M.F.K Fisher
Together with Julia Child,Fisher is probably one of the people who have done the most to spread the gospel of french cooking in America, and it reads well up here too. This is a classic and very good holiday reading (although if you haven’t read A year in Provence by Peter Mayle you should start with that).
Mastering the art of Soviet Cooking by Anya von Bremzen
This book is brilliant. I will continue to claim that my recipe for blini is better , but such a joy to read. Bringing together Von Bremzens memories of growing up in the Soviet union(and what she ate), and escaping communism by moving to America(encountering new food), she embarks on a cooking project with her mother. The aim is to cook through a classic soviet era cookbook and the results is a wonderful book; with history as a backdrop and food in the front it’s a memoir to savour. Read it now; while it’s still borscht-weather outside.
Where shall we go for dinner by Tamsin Day-Lewis
Day-Lewis is a well-known food columnist and cookbook writer. This book is a memoir of of a love story and the meals they shared. Richard E Grant uses the word “gastromance” on the back. Pretty much sums it up. Not the best in this lot but if you come across it cheap, then buy it.
Life is meals by James and Kay Salter
How I love this book. The subtitle is “A food lovers book of days” and that’s what it is. Every day of the year has an entry with a personal anecdote related to food and drink, a recipe or the history of an ingredient. I have read this from cover to cover once but keep it in the kitchen to browse when waiting for something to be ready. A continuous course of joy.
Trail of crumbs by Kim Sunée
This is not in the pic as my copy was forgotten at the cottage. But it’s a gem. Sunée was adopted from Corea by an american couple, and then came to live in both Sweden and France. She tells her story and the food she cooked along the way; a mix of southern cooking,kimchee and french classics. She has published another book but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
I’ve probably forgotten a few that I’ve read(Julia Child etc), because I don’t have copies of my own, but at least I’ve made a few suggestions.
What are your favorite foodie-memoirs?
-Suss
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