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oceansky's review against another edition
4.0
Ruth Reichel's coming of age and discovering the joys of good food is captivating as a memoir and also as a chronicle of American culinary history. She was in Berkeley at the dawn of Chez Panisse and the birth of the slow food movement.
rac26's review against another edition
5.0
Good bit: The food.
Bad bit:The weight gain; it;s so difficult reading about eating.
Bad bit:The weight gain; it;s so difficult reading about eating.
kittycat2302's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely food memoir that we read for book club. Definitely want to read the next two in this memoir series of hers. Just gotta clear a few of my "to be read" books first, lol.
I also want her cookbook! I wanted to cook my way through this whole thing! YUM!
I also want her cookbook! I wanted to cook my way through this whole thing! YUM!
happylilkt's review against another edition
3.0
The memoir style of writing used in this book (with a refreshing disclaimer by author Reichl informing the reader that she has taken liberties with the truth in the interest of storytelling) is sprinkled with the sensuous details one expects of a food critic / writer. The reader follows Reichl along her path of discovery (of food and otherwise) and Reichl is generous enough to share many of the recipes along the way. One can sense that Reichl's interest in food truly runs deep to the bone; and her descriptions are tender - delivered with the love of an artist.
As for content, I admit the childhood memoirs were my favorite. The childhood gives way to adolescence and coming of age in the 60s, so there is some mature content, but Reichl is never coarse in her details. Also, I found it interesting to observe how the thread of French language and culture accompanied the expected thread of cuisine.
As for content, I admit the childhood memoirs were my favorite. The childhood gives way to adolescence and coming of age in the 60s, so there is some mature content, but Reichl is never coarse in her details. Also, I found it interesting to observe how the thread of French language and culture accompanied the expected thread of cuisine.
headingnorth's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but this was not it. There was plenty about food in here, but mostly it was about Reichl's early life, which was wild and unusual. The stories about her mother! The traveling! The living in a commune! It was really quite a ride.
amesreading's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
heatherlou81's review against another edition
5.0
Ruth Reichl is up there with Nigel Slater when it comes to heart-rendering, mouth watering, tear compelling memories of food, eating, the past, and how all those things shape who we are. Any one of her memoirs is good eating and good reading.
jess_mango's review against another edition
5.0
Reichl's endearing memoir about growing up with a manic-depressive mother who was anything BUT an excellent cook. Her mother was frequently serving up food that the health department would shut down any restaurant for: food past its expiration date, unrefridgerated meat...
Reichl recounts how she survived this food-trauma and became the Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet magazine.
Reichl recounts how she survived this food-trauma and became the Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet magazine.