A review by thatokiebird
Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

4.5

Bite By Bite is the second book I’ve read by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, and is very similar to World of Wonders, but this time revolving around food. It’s the same kind of 2-8 page essay style, weaving memoir with research and facts and memories for a very assorted collection of food. From onions and watermelons to risotto and snow cones. This book weaved more memoir into each essay, leaving me wishing there was more about the food. She’s such an excellent writer, and I also love memoir, but in a book about food I thought I’d be reading more about food. 

 

I read an essay or two or three each night before bed, and enjoyed savoring this book over a couple of weeks. There were some heavier stories, and tons about motherhood, and memories from pregnancy and parenting. I enjoyed the stories about her parents, their home countries and foods they grew up with and the memories the author developed this way in her own childhood and how she passed it down to her children. Makes you think about food differently, the memories and first times and smells and relationships. I really enjoyed it overall, and will continue to pick up her future books.