I have been sick with fever for the last nine days, which has slowed me down considerably. The upside to this unexpected leisure (grasping at straws, here) has been the opportunity to get some real reading done, a once daily indulgence that's been slowly turning into a luxury.
The book I've been reading all weekend is Life, on the Line by the chef Grant Achatz. It's a memoir not only about food and becoming a chef, but about overcoming advanced stage tongue cancer (of all things). I'm not finished yet so I can't give you a full review, but I'm greatly enjoying it and recommend it.
At any rate, I started thinking about my favorite food/chef memoirs and how they've changed my life over the years. I have never aspired to be a chef, not even a pastry chef, but these books have changed the way I've thought about food, changed the way I eat, given me a deeper appreciation for artistry and craft, and inspired me on multiple levels. It also helps that chefs tend to have colorful lives and eccentricities that can't help but entertain.
Without further ado, here are other food related books I couldn't put down - my comfort food over the years. They can all be found on Amazon, along with detailed reviews. As for me, if I can't get off the sofa anytime soon, it looks like there are plenty of other recent, well-reviewed chef and food memoirs to keep me sated.
Life, on the Line by Grant Achatz & Nick Kokonas
Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl
The Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman
The Soul of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman
Heat by Bill Buford
Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
I hope you feel better soon! I've sooooo enjoyed keeping up with your blog. It's always enriching.
Posted by: Margery | 04 October 2011 at 08:06 PM