Nigel Slater is “a cook who writes”. He’s British and widely known on the European continent for his simple, understated, straightforward manner to cooking. He doesn’t call himself a chef. In fact, he believes that “celebrity chefery” is all fluff and fuss, and prefers simple suppers made with care and thought. His cooking style and delivery are inspiring. I have The Kitchen Diaries, a year long memoir of what Nigel ate almost everyday of the year. He wrote this book simply to document how to eat the best during a specific time of year:
“I wanted to know exactly when I might find something at its glorious, juicy, sweetly flavored peak. If something is to be truly, remarkably good to eat, then isn’t it worth knowing precisley when that moment might be?”
I was (and am) hooked. This book has been a constant resource and companion for days when I’m looking for something new or when I need a bit of a pick me up. He reminds me about the present, what’s happening right now; whether it’s the flavor of a fully ripened peach, the smell of chai, or the texture of toast. Opening up the book to September and reading the first entry, I am instantly drawn in. Having done this myself, I remember relishing every moment of it:
“One of the great joys of this little garden is to walk round in September and pick a handful of raspberries, or snap a green bean and crunch it raw as I walk. Yet nothing quite matches picking a tomato and eating it like and apple. I do this twice today. The first time at about 9:30; the second just before lunch when I bring a large and knobby Costoluto Fiorentino inside and slice it thinly. No pepper, no oil, a very little salt. No bread either, just a great, fat, gloriously ripe tomato. If only lunch could always be as simple as this.”
I get a little giddy when I read through his straightforward prose. It’s even better when I make his no-fuss recipes. His words and delivery manifest themselves into a dish, right in front of me and here I am, about to eat them all. I’m not sure why it took me a while to read his more famous book and memoir, Toast. Maybe it’s that idea of relishing a really good book or saving that last slice of cake (maybe even putting it in the freezer for a who-knows-when-you’ll-need-it day). I savor books. I wait until I know I am going to need that escape, a gentle nudge, a sincere everythings-going-to-be-OK. Not that the endings of my favorite reads always involve someone riding off into the sunset. I find comfort in memoirs (especially food memoirs) because of the tales of regular human trials and tribulations; everyone makes mistakes and takes wrong turns. What they learn and how they learned are the most interesting, and comforting, for me.
Toast (also one of my favorite things to eat when I’m by myself) was witty, honest, and real. I appreciated Nigel’s 10 year old voice, confident, sassy, and afraid of being alone. He reminded me that when we are young, we know. How much we know is not as important as what we intuitively know deep down. He was interested in food, cooking, and the grocery store from the age of 8. Through taunts at home and school, his father’s disappointment, his mother’s death, and moving away from the home he grew up in with his hard-edged stepmother, he did not at one time stop being true to himself. It’s admirable, especially through such tender years. But maybe that “tender” thing is BS anyway. I think people at a young age are much more solid and strong than society gives them credit. And Nigel is testament to this. I came away reading this book with a little more optimism in the world. Bad things do happen to good people; but if anyone knows how to turn lemons into lemonade, it would be Nigel Slater.
Wait! It’s not quite over, there are a few more good reads I wanted to include in this list 
. Here they are:
Pie, A Global History, by Janet Clarkson: I first discovered Janet only a few weeks ago when I was introduced to her blog, The Old Foodie. It has quickly become one of my favorites, packed with tons of historic food, kitchen, and eating anecdotes and recipes. I enjoy her stories and personal interjections, plus she has published quite a few books. She has a series out called The Edible Series, and Pie, A Global History is only one of them. I can’t wait to check them all out!
Menus from History, Janet Clarkson: Another book by Clarkson, this is a very complete, and intricately detailed compilation of what has been served through time and at momentous events throughout history. A wonderful addition to any history food buffs collection.
The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry, by Kathleen Flinn: A story set in motion by unforeseen events in Ms. Flinn’s life, this is a wonderful tale where following your heart (or gut) will get you where you need to be. She has done what so many would only dare dream of doing, and yet she is as real and normal a person as anyone. This book was lovely, touching, and wonderfully written.
The Sweet Life in Paris, David Lebovitz: I truly appreciate Lebovitz’s honest and humorous outlook on life. His accounts of living in Paris give a well-rounded insight to the trials, tribulations, and beauty of living there. He doesn’t sugar coat anything, but has a wonderful and subtly sweet outlook on people and life. One of my favorite chapters was where he just reinterprets what French people say into they really mean, in list format–you’ve got to read it:). And there are some great recipes in here!
Cheers!
(I Know How to Cook image via here)
When I was a little girl, I always had my nose in a book. Reading, I quickly discovered, opened up my hungry mind to entire new worlds and ideas. Books were a means of transport for my eleven year old self. The story would unfold in my head and I would watch and interact with it like a play or movie. As an adult, not much has changed in that regard– I still eat up books, devouring them with my imagination, inspiring new waves of creativity and thought.
I wanted to share with you a short list of some of my favorite books–cook books, non-fiction, and art–that I’ve read this year as well as some I haven’t read yet, but am really excited about getting my nose into soon. I’ve been asked by quite a few of you for book recommendations this year, so I thought I’d compile a concentrated list for everyone. I’d love to know what some of your favorite reads were this year too!
Baking with Julia, edited by Dorie Greenspan: This cookbook caught me by surprise. I had seen it many times before, even languidly flipping through the pages on more than one occasion. But it wasn’t until my best friend sent me a copy and I sat down and spent some time with it that I realized what a gem it truly is. This book is packed with mouthwatering recipes for every level in the kitchen. The recipes are easy to follow and there is in depth explanations about what you are doing and why. I’ve already tabbed over half the book with post-it notes for what I am going to make…
I Know How to Cook, by Ginette Mathoit: While I haven’t yet laid hands on this book, I am totally intrigued. It has been called France’s “Joy of Cooking” first published in 1932 and been compared as a companion to Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It was recently translated by Clotilde Dusoulier, author of the blog Chocolate and Zucchini. It’s classic recipes, french instruction (I am intrigued in how it is written and how/if it compares to Julia’s thoroughness) and amazing illustrations are just a few reasons I have been hankering to try this book out though!
The Art of Simple Food, by Alice Waters: I am constantly referring to this now classic cook book. I love how Alice Water’s writes out her recipes–it stays true to her premise of simplicity. I am constantly looking for ways to simplify in the kitchen through recipes, stocking it, arranging it, and planning meals. Reading this made me realize that this has been a life long project and goal for Alice Water’s–and she’s done a damn good job achieving it.
The Complete Tassajara Cookbook, by Edward Espe Brown: While I do not own this book, I would love to. Brown writes so the reader can start to cultivate an intuitive relationship with food, flavor, taste, and smell. This new edition–I’ve read–doesn’t leave readers confused if they haven’t made that intuitive leap yet with half written recipes. Rather the recipes have been written step by step, woven with intuitions and meditations on the food itself. It is full of seasonal, fresh produce, whole grains and how to use them. I made this Apple, Avocado, and Kale salad a few weeks ago–it was wonderful.
The Art of Eating, M.F.K. Fisher: This book lives by my bed. I literally pick it up, flip to the closest chapter beginning, and just start reading. Fisher reads like a satisfyingly deep breath, she was a pioneer in food writing, strength in femininity, thought, and life. If you haven’t read her, I highly encourage you to try–you may just fall in love.
Comfort Me with Apples, Ruth Reichl: Reichl’s stories of growing up, her mother, and the pivotal role of food in her life are not only a joy to read but they are fascinating. I absolutely appreciate her honesty and humorous approach to life–she reminds us all to live closer to our hearts and open them to all the wonderful possibilities this life has to offer. Riechl has given her readers–and the food/literature world–so much through her ability to honestly see through to herself, write about it, and then live it. (Her other books, Tender at the Bone and Garlic and Sapphires, are just as phenomenal).
Trail of Crumbs, Kim Sunee: The story begins in an orphanage in South Korea. Sunee’s journey as a baby from Korea to New Orleans to Europe will captivate you. Food became a way for her to ground herself, to find what home meant. Her taste memories became a map for her piece together her own story. I had a hard time putting this one down…
My Life in France, Julia Child: This is the story of Julia Child, her life growing up in California, attending Smith College, meeting Paul in China, living in France, and the start of her long and infamous career. I aspire to be as open to possibilities, in tune with my innate capabilities, joyous, curious, and all around receptive as this woman was. She never stopped learning, growing, or smiling. She loved life and people loved her all the more.
What We Eat When We Eat Alone, by Deborah Madison: Deborah Madison is one of my favorite cookbook authors, she wrote Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. So when I heard she had a new book–a nonfiction book--I became intrigued. And I still am, because I haven’t gotten the chance to read this yet, but apparently there are some humorous and wonderful antidotes from her interviews with people and what they eat when they are by themselves. The responses are apparently all over the map, surprising, honest, hilarious, and entertaining–I can’t wait to find out for myself!
The Joy of Eating, edited by Jill Foulston: I haven’t read this yet, but it is at the top of my list. It is an international cacophony of food literature written by women through the ages. “…indulge your appetite with such diverse writers as Edwidge Danticat, Barbara Pym, and J. K. Rowling. Try making Elisabeth Luard’s Afghan Betrothal Custard, Martha Washington’s marzipan birds, or Nigella Lawson’s favorite comfort food. Dorothy Wordsworth noted her pie-making sessions in her diary and Anne Frank observed the eating habits of her companions in hiding.” I can’t wait to read this.
The Physiology of Taste, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: This is a classic. Written in 1825, the ideas, observations, and even rules about food from this book have become standard within many a gourmand’s food-lexicon. “Brillat-Savarin, whose genius is in the examination and discussion of food, cooking, and eating, proclaims that ‘the discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a star.’ “
A Natural History of the Senses, Diane Ackerman: I have recently discovered Ackerman and she is now one of my favorite authors. She divides the book up by each sense and dives into a full cross-examination of each, giving antidotes, histories, quotes, and insight about humans and the relationships (or non-relationships) we have with our humanity. I seem to hang onto every word, mesmerized not just by what she is saying, but how she says it.
Eat Love, Marije Vogelzang: The grand duchess of eating design herself, this is Marije Vogelzang’s portfolio of projects she has been cultivating for the past ten years. Engaging, captivating, thought-provoking, and unusual, this book is one of my favorites that I own.
crEATe, Martin Raymond and Chris Sanderson: Another thought provoking book and published by Gestalten, this is a must have for anyone looking for creative ways to think about, approach, or make food. It covers everything from packaging, environmental concerns, hospitality, interior spaces, psychology, and more. Another favorite of mine.
Don’t forget, I’d love to know what you’ve been reading too! Cheers!
