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charsiew21's review against another edition
3.0
Reichl's storytelling prose is relaxed and engaging, and this book was a pleasure to read.
I suppose it's easy to think that being a food critic is the easiest and/or most enviable job in the world and makes you wonder how these people were lucky enough to land that gig. After reading Tender at the Done, I'm filled with new respect. It definitely made me want to read Reichl's other books.
I suppose it's easy to think that being a food critic is the easiest and/or most enviable job in the world and makes you wonder how these people were lucky enough to land that gig. After reading Tender at the Done, I'm filled with new respect. It definitely made me want to read Reichl's other books.
niharikaaaaaa9's review against another edition
4.0
This book wasn't a cohesive story - every chapter was a little vignette about her life. Some were more exciting and relatable than others, but overall, a good book!
sarah_reading_party's review against another edition
4.0
I think I could read anything written by Ruth Reichl. She makes anything interesting and appetizing. I loved this book and can't wait to read more of her writing.
sbelasco40's review against another edition
5.0
"It's hard to remember a time when food memoirs were not part of the general landscape," Ruth Reichl writes, "but when I was writing TENDER AT THE BONE, the genre did not exist. As I was trying to think about telling my story through food, it occurred to me that the recipes could function the way photographs did in other people's books. I wanted readers to get to know the characters through the food they cooked and ate, to be able to taste the time."
I'm not sure why I've never read Reichl before, but she's so great. I think there's this tendency in the food world, especially these days when so much food is fetishized, to cultivate this snobbery around food that basically implies the only good food in the world exists in so-called food cities like New York or San Francisco or Paris. While there's no denying there's an abundance of options in such places, Reichl makes a pretty good argument for the fact that you can find good food everywhere, and not only that, but you can create it. The most powerful foodies are those that can cook. If I learned anything growing up in a house with a food scholar for a father, it's that food isn't really about place. It's about people, and stories, and history. Reichl understands something very fundamental about that, and her food photographs in this book feel authentic and personal and beautiful and sometimes heart-wrenching. Food is love. Love is food. I want to read everything she's written now.
I'm not sure why I've never read Reichl before, but she's so great. I think there's this tendency in the food world, especially these days when so much food is fetishized, to cultivate this snobbery around food that basically implies the only good food in the world exists in so-called food cities like New York or San Francisco or Paris. While there's no denying there's an abundance of options in such places, Reichl makes a pretty good argument for the fact that you can find good food everywhere, and not only that, but you can create it. The most powerful foodies are those that can cook. If I learned anything growing up in a house with a food scholar for a father, it's that food isn't really about place. It's about people, and stories, and history. Reichl understands something very fundamental about that, and her food photographs in this book feel authentic and personal and beautiful and sometimes heart-wrenching. Food is love. Love is food. I want to read everything she's written now.
nicollej's review against another edition
3.0
I want to give this book four stars but I'm giving it three. It kind of lost my interest in a few parts and I feel like it just ended out of nowhere.
I like the addition of the recipes throughout the book as well as Reichl's re-telling of her teenage years. I would recommend this to someone to read if they like cooking memoirs but I think only the specific genre. I didn't care for it was a flat-out memoir but I liked it as a culinary study/memoir.
I'll probably add her other book to the TBR shelf.
I like the addition of the recipes throughout the book as well as Reichl's re-telling of her teenage years. I would recommend this to someone to read if they like cooking memoirs but I think only the specific genre. I didn't care for it was a flat-out memoir but I liked it as a culinary study/memoir.
I'll probably add her other book to the TBR shelf.
elizcgregg's review against another edition
5.0
This book is great for anyone who really loves food or is interested in cooking. it is a memoir, but all of her stories revolve around food and the people connected to that food....it even includes some recipes that i will eventually try. well-written, and really fun stories. if you aren't passionate about food, you will probably find this really boring.
herbiehickmott's review against another edition
4.0
Ruth Reichl's writing is captivating and her impeccable description of food is so enjoyable to read.
I liked the book a lot, but found some of the sentiments around race/people of color to be a little cringe-worthy (even if they likely were well-intentioned.)
I liked the book a lot, but found some of the sentiments around race/people of color to be a little cringe-worthy (even if they likely were well-intentioned.)