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"At an early age, Ruth Reichl discovered that "food could be a way of making sense of the world. ... If you watched people as they ate, you could find out who they were." Her deliciously crafted memoir, Tender at the Bone, is the story of a life determined, enhanced, and defined in equal measure by a passion for food, unforgettable people, and the love of tales well told. Beginning with Reichl's mother, the notorious food-poisoner known as the Queen of Mold, Reichl introduces us to the fascinating characters who shaped her world and her tastes, from the gourmand Monsieur du Croix, who served Reichl her first souffle, to those at her politically correct table in Berkeley who championed the organic food revolution in the 1970s. Spiced with Reichl's infectious humor and sprinkled with her favorite recipes, Tender at the Bone is a witty and compelling chronicle of a culinary sensualist's coming-of-age"--Publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
This is a delightful read and it will make you smile, re-think your own cooking, and for many of us, be generally be thankful for the mother’s cooking that sustained us as we grew up. I heartily recommend this book.
It was a very pleasant read, and there was much more to it than just reading about food. It was interesting to see how Reichl had an enormous interest in food since childhood, and how lucky she was to stumble on great mentors: her nanny from Bermuda who happened to be a gourmet cook, her French school friend’s father who was a great connoisseur, and a collection of colourful food experts in really good restaurants she worked for. On the other hand, an ordinary child/adolescent/person wouldn’t probably have picked up on those chances, wouldn’t have even noticed them. She was also very focused and persistent, and despite her mother creating constant havoc in her life and her upbringing which was pointing elsewhere, she managed to persevere in what interested her.
Tender at the Bone is a collection of stories from throughout Reichl's life, each showing a step in her development as a "foodie" and as a storyteller. From learning how to cook her father's favorite German dishes as a young girl to an elite French boarding school, through communal living in San Francisco to an extended trip to North Africa, the reader is able travel along with Reichl as she begins to discover her passion.
Each story is able to stand alone, but a few threads run through them all--culinary discoveries, the individual's search for identity, and the power of family. Reichl's interactions with her mother help to define her as well as thrust her into new possibilities, and the result is a book that explains how one can find one's calling without knowing that a search has begun.
Also, for those who are more interested in the food, most chapters are augmented with a recipe from that time in Reichl's life. Each recipe is simple and stripped down to the basics, which I appreciate greatly as a beginning cook. I'm looking forward to my first attempt at Wiener Schnitzel. Cross your fingers!
The author's anecdotes, though, don't always strike me as particularly funny, or engaging, or even, at times, plausible.
This book is more a collection of memories than a plot-driven