Status
Available
Publication
Simon & Schuster (2009), Edition: 1St Edition, 336 pages
Description
Author of the internationally famous blog, Orangette, Molly Wizenberg recounts a life with the kitchen at its center. From her mother's pound cake, a staple of summer picnics during her childhood in Oklahoma, to the eggs she cooked for her father during the weeks before his death, food and memories are intimately entwined.
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
A food memoir, in the tradition of M. F. K. Fisher, but homier. Delightful reading--part cookbook, part love story, part tribute to her late father (and watch out for the chapter where she shares her father's last hours; it knocked me cold). Wizenberg loves butter, and chocolate, and cheese, and
Show More
unexpected combinations of tastes. Cholesterol and indigestion just don't exist in her universe. (She's only 30-something, bless 'er.) Nothing smacks of test kitchens, or, god forbid, Food Channel challenges. Many of the recipes were the result of raiding the fridge to come up with lunch or dessert without a lot of pre-planning. Some people can just DO that---my sister-in-law, for one. But those serendipitous combinations don't always work the second time, because some of the magic is in the surprise. So I suspect these recipes may have been subjected to tweaking and refining before they made it into the book. But it's very plain that there was a lot of fun in the creation, and I'd take pot luck with Molly Wizenberg any time. Show Less
LibraryThing member nittnut
Oh my! I loved this book. I probably drooled on it too. Stories and recipes describes it perfectly. I made it to page 33 before I had to stop and go make one of her recipes. I've made two now and they were both delectable. Buy it, read it, store it on the shelf with your cookbooks.
LibraryThing member AmyElizabeth
I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. Part cookbook, part memoir, Molly Wizenberg is an amazing writer and cook. I really do wish I lived closer to her so I could meet her.
I was first introduced to Molly through her blog, Orangette. I have no idea how I came across it in the first place, but I'm
Reading her book is really like reading her blog, but with more consistency. I feel like I got a better view of her life, but really, the whole reason I kept reading Orangette was for the commentary (the recipes, though, are interesting enough to keep you coming back just to see what she's come up with). I loved hearing how she equated her life with food. And I guess that's why I love her book, too. Food is an essential part of life. It's what families convene for, rain or shine. There should be stories to tell.
There are three essential things you need when you pick up this book: wine, cheese, and a box of Kleenex. Now I'm not one for sob stories, and this isn't one of them. But an essential part of Molly's life, and a huge reason she loves food so much, is because of her father, who died of cancer. The book is not only dedicated to him, but many of the stories are reflections of her time spent with him, and some are tearjerkers because that's just the way life is.
Her recipes, by the way, look extraordinary. I haven't tried one yet, but I fully intend to. They are not, however, for the faint of heart. Many call for whole milk or whole-fat cream; it's a wonder she's still skinny. There is a recipe for just about everything in this book: potato salad to chocolate cake, scones to soup. You could be in the mood for absolutely anything, and you would find it here.
I have to say, I particularly enjoyed Molly's writing. It was as if she was writing a letter to a friend, and I loved her anecdotes stating that breakfast is the reason she gets out of bed in the morning (I can totally relate) and that "getting married is not for pansies" (amen). To write like this is to make the most ordinary of lives interesting. (Although I assure you, her life has been anything but ordinary. Just check out the section on her first love -- in Paris, no less.)
Easily 5 out of 5 stars. I loved it, and if you like food and the tales that go with it, you'll love it, too.
I was first introduced to Molly through her blog, Orangette. I have no idea how I came across it in the first place, but I'm
Show More
glad I did. Then I heard that she had a book out, which I thought would be interesting to read. Then I saw the book at Borders, and no amount of penny-pinching could keep me from buying it. I mean, just look at that cover! Gorgeous.Reading her book is really like reading her blog, but with more consistency. I feel like I got a better view of her life, but really, the whole reason I kept reading Orangette was for the commentary (the recipes, though, are interesting enough to keep you coming back just to see what she's come up with). I loved hearing how she equated her life with food. And I guess that's why I love her book, too. Food is an essential part of life. It's what families convene for, rain or shine. There should be stories to tell.
There are three essential things you need when you pick up this book: wine, cheese, and a box of Kleenex. Now I'm not one for sob stories, and this isn't one of them. But an essential part of Molly's life, and a huge reason she loves food so much, is because of her father, who died of cancer. The book is not only dedicated to him, but many of the stories are reflections of her time spent with him, and some are tearjerkers because that's just the way life is.
Her recipes, by the way, look extraordinary. I haven't tried one yet, but I fully intend to. They are not, however, for the faint of heart. Many call for whole milk or whole-fat cream; it's a wonder she's still skinny. There is a recipe for just about everything in this book: potato salad to chocolate cake, scones to soup. You could be in the mood for absolutely anything, and you would find it here.
I have to say, I particularly enjoyed Molly's writing. It was as if she was writing a letter to a friend, and I loved her anecdotes stating that breakfast is the reason she gets out of bed in the morning (I can totally relate) and that "getting married is not for pansies" (amen). To write like this is to make the most ordinary of lives interesting. (Although I assure you, her life has been anything but ordinary. Just check out the section on her first love -- in Paris, no less.)
Easily 5 out of 5 stars. I loved it, and if you like food and the tales that go with it, you'll love it, too.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ntempest
I can't speak to the recipes in this book, as I've yet to try them, but the prose here is simply beautiful and heart-felt. Wizenberg is the author of the popular food blog, Orangette, and this book uses the same familiar, intelligent voice as do her entries there. Over the course of a series of
Show More
essays, Wizenberg shares her memories of the various events of her life and how they were always linked to food, including growing up in Oklahoma with her parents, holidays with her much older half-siblings, her father's joyous approach to food and food preparation, travels, and hardship. We learn of her father's illness and death a few years ago, and of Wizenberg's own struggle to redefine her life in the wake of that loss. Each vignette includes a recipe or two that ties into the story. Such a joy to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member stephaniechase
A delightful mix of memoir and recipe. Fans of Wizenberg's blog Orangette will surely enjoy.
LibraryThing member danivg
Wow! Such a great book. Full of great writing and great food. This autobiography is layed out chronologically with each beautiful story used as a vehicle for delivering a beautiful recipe. Ms. Wizenberg has the most delicious way of describing her food, it makes you want to get in your kitchen and
I took my time reading this one. Just a story or two a day because from the very beginning of the book I didn't want it to end. Luckily, I can follow her on the blog that started it all- Orangette.
Show More
get cooking this instant. I took my time reading this one. Just a story or two a day because from the very beginning of the book I didn't want it to end. Luckily, I can follow her on the blog that started it all- Orangette.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bearette24
I was put off by this book's earnest title, but the story itself won me over almost immediately. Told in Molly Wizenberg's engaging voice, this is a story of food and love, studded with wonderful recipes. I loved her quirky take on blogs, chocolate, meeting her husband, everything.
LibraryThing member cemming
As a longtime fan of Orangette, Molly Wizenberg's blog, I was one of a food-loving, dorksome crowd who raced to buy this book immediately. I savoured it for weeks — okay, A week —, allowing myself to read small bits at a time, hoping to eke out the snuggly feelings as long as possible.
Overall, the recipes here are cozy bits of Wizenberg history, splashed together sometimes haphazardly. Salad recipes abound, for which my vegetarian leanings are grateful, and desserts are hearty, flavorsome staples. Molly flipflops between clever tweaks on classic dishes and presenting the classic dish pared down to its basic essence. But either way, most are recipes you'll appreciate for their fuss-free directions and ingredient lists.
Wizenberg's book is a charmer, stories and recipes alike.
Show More
Wizenberg writes easily, sweetly, about food and family, wrapping flavors tightly together with memory. It's a soothing way to read about recipe development, one story at a time, meals building up like steps. Molly is relatable — writing about simple, comforting food without judgement or attitude. Readers will find her approach honest, honeyed and inspiring.Overall, the recipes here are cozy bits of Wizenberg history, splashed together sometimes haphazardly. Salad recipes abound, for which my vegetarian leanings are grateful, and desserts are hearty, flavorsome staples. Molly flipflops between clever tweaks on classic dishes and presenting the classic dish pared down to its basic essence. But either way, most are recipes you'll appreciate for their fuss-free directions and ingredient lists.
Wizenberg's book is a charmer, stories and recipes alike.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookstar
The stories were fun. They were cute, related and likeable, but what I loved most about this book was something I discovered days, even weeks later. I couldn't tell you what any particular story was about, but I could tell you the recipe included chocolate and arugula. I could tell you there was
Show More
lots of butter in a delicious-sounding pound cake and I could tell you I had bookmarked more than half the book to try the recipes. It was fun having stories to accompany the recipes rather than pictures and from the recipes I've tried I yet to be disappointed. Show Less
LibraryThing member Brandie
I just loved reading this book. It inspired me to make pasta, and I'm still thinking about picking up one of the instruments she talks about!
Such an inspiring book for sure. Someday, I'd love to have more of the experiences she did (life on a farm, having chickens, etc, etc). For now, I live
Such an inspiring book for sure. Someday, I'd love to have more of the experiences she did (life on a farm, having chickens, etc, etc). For now, I live
Show More
vicariously through fabulous writings such as this one =) Show Less
LibraryThing member Lindsayg
I'm not what you'd call a foodie, or much of a cook, and yet I loved this memoir/cook book. Wizenberg tells interesting stories about her life, usually centered around her love of food, and punctuates each chapter with a recipe. The stories are interesting, funny, sometimes sad, and she's so good
Show More
at explaining why she loves the various dishes that by the time you get to the recipe you're dying to try it. So far I've made her delicious "Changing Hearts and Minds" chocolate cake a couple of times, and it's been very well received. (And, bonus for me, easy to make!) I will definitely be keeping an eye on her blog Show Less
LibraryThing member rmariem
So far, I've made the tomato & fennel soup, the scottish scones with ginger and lemon, and the bouchons au thon. All were great, especially the bouchons.
LibraryThing member abitbookish
I adored this book. I read it in the summer and found myself contemplating making her fruit nut balls she makes each Christmas and even Ed Fretwell's Soup; a hearty soup with swiss chard, carrots and white beans, all in 95 degree weather! She really has a way of connecting the food to the events in
Show More
her life in a poetic, lovely way. The love and respect she had for her Dad, is beautiful, as is her very own love story and how she met "the one". I'm considering putting this book next to my most used cookbooks because I know I will be reaching for it often enough, but it would be equally at home on the shelf with my most beloved fiction. It was delightful. I want more! Show Less
LibraryThing member lkrier
Molly has an incredible voice, whose stories make me want to sit down at the table with her, preferably over a simple salad and a rustic cake, and hear more and more and more. This collection of stories, each paired with a recipe, offers vignettes of her life and a bare autobiography, and shows how
She describes a life of simple pleasures, and the way she cooks seems so effortless. Every chapter made me want to get into the kitchen and give the recipe a try, but more significantly, it made me want to think and move differently in the kitchen.
This book is charming and fascinating, and made me feel like I was wrapped up in a cozy blanket. I will definitely read it again.
Show More
integral food and the table is to a well-lived life. She describes a life of simple pleasures, and the way she cooks seems so effortless. Every chapter made me want to get into the kitchen and give the recipe a try, but more significantly, it made me want to think and move differently in the kitchen.
This book is charming and fascinating, and made me feel like I was wrapped up in a cozy blanket. I will definitely read it again.
Show Less
LibraryThing member wineisme
Delicious read by a fun, funny, and forthright female. I adore Molly Wizenberg for her frank and non-judgmental approach to life. She writes about cooking, eating, and dining with such passion and relatability. I love that she claims no 'secret' recipes. They are meant to be shared, according to
I admit, I even called my mom halfway through a chapter suggesting we book a trip to France, just she, my sister, and I. An author who inspires such a consideration deserves praise. Molly has also coaxed me gently into the kitchen, sorting through old family recipes, in search of way more than just food energy.
I'm off to bake meringues and molasses crackle cookies with spiced orange!
Show More
Molly, and she names many of her favorite dishes in the book after the person who introduced the dish to her. I admit, I even called my mom halfway through a chapter suggesting we book a trip to France, just she, my sister, and I. An author who inspires such a consideration deserves praise. Molly has also coaxed me gently into the kitchen, sorting through old family recipes, in search of way more than just food energy.
I'm off to bake meringues and molasses crackle cookies with spiced orange!
Show Less
LibraryThing member irisrose
i simply loved this book. Such an enjoyable read. I kept it at my bedside to read slowly. I would read again for fun.
LibraryThing member meldridge
I really enjoyed this book overall... I had to keep in mind that it is a memoir and therefore not the reality that most people have with regards to being able to jaunt down to the local market and pick up specialized ingredients. It has opened up my willingness to thinkout of the box in the kitchen!
LibraryThing member Asperula
A charming book with recipes!
LibraryThing member satyridae
This is the first cookbook that made me cry. My eyes filled up numerous times, as did my To Be Cooked pile. Nicely done cookbook-memoir from Wizenberg who has a lovely writing style and accessible recipes. I'd write a longer review, but I've got Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Crystallized
Show More
Ginger ingredients strewn across my kitchen counter. Highly recommended, in other words. Show Less
LibraryThing member cat-ballou
It is both accurate & appropriate to say that I devoured this book.
LibraryThing member tippycanoegal
Quick and enjoyable read. Good writing & recipes too. My one editorial comment: Cut (way) down on the use of the term slurry.
LibraryThing member jmoncton
Yesterday was the 2nd time this year that I cried on an airplane flight and no, it was not fear of flying. The first time was when I watched 'Marley and Me' and had to borrow napkins from the stranger sitting next to me. Yesterday, I read A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg, and halfway through the
Show More
book, the tears were running. This book is the perfect combination of memoir and cookbook. Wizenberg's life unfolds as she recounts stories that revolve around food and her family. At the end of each story, she includes some very delicious recipes. Could the tears have been brought on by the disparity between her food descriptions and the airline food? Hmmm... If you enjoy books about food and are looking for a heartwarming story, then you have to buy this book. Absolutely delectable! Show Less
LibraryThing member pussreboots
I read A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg right on the heels of finishing A Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. While Wizenberg's book is a memoir, and Bender's book is fantasy, thematically they belong together.
Wizenberg begins her book with her father and his death from a
Now the book's description puts its emphasis on Wizenberg's trip to France. It sounds like she was fleeing her responsibilities to mourn. The actual memoir though, doesn't spend that much time on the few months she spent there. Instead, most chapters are centered on a specific recipe and the stories behind it. There will be the description of how to make the dish, the people she associates with the recipe and a story that defines her memories of it.
Wizenberg begins her book with her father and his death from a
Show More
particularly nasty cancer. Her parents (especially her father) had loved to cook at home and from scratch (except, oddly, for the box pancakes). So it is through her memories of food that the author celebrates her father and finds herself.Now the book's description puts its emphasis on Wizenberg's trip to France. It sounds like she was fleeing her responsibilities to mourn. The actual memoir though, doesn't spend that much time on the few months she spent there. Instead, most chapters are centered on a specific recipe and the stories behind it. There will be the description of how to make the dish, the people she associates with the recipe and a story that defines her memories of it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member dele2451
Often the transition from popular blogger to book author doesn't go smashingly well on the first try, but Wizenberg's 'Homemade Life' is a clear exception. This might be the first food memoir/recipe collection where, once I completed reading it, I actually wanted to cook AND eat (yes, those are
Show More
distinctly separate categories for me) every single recipe in there. The short story format is also nice--kind of like the literary version of good tapas. I probably would have given her a five, but the boyfriend came off as a little TOO perfect so the tiny cynic in me took her down a notch. If that chocolate cake recipe works out, I may reconsider. Show Less
LibraryThing member dms02
Well I must admit to being delightfully surprised by this book. I thought I was getting myself into another blog turned to paper. I bought this book figuring I would sell it right away and make some of my money back but instead I feel like I made a friend and an expanded recipe collection. Molly
I loved how the book so greatly illustrates that there is more to cooking then food....family and love play such a huge part. Moments of our lives can be tied to and wrapped around dishes.
I would recommend this book to those who are beginning their own family traditions around meals...and those who love cooking and good food!
I will not be selling this book any time soon...too many new recipes to try out.
Show More
Wizenberg is sweet and her writing delightful. I think I want to make all but one recipe - and this is just because I don't eat fish.I loved how the book so greatly illustrates that there is more to cooking then food....family and love play such a huge part. Moments of our lives can be tied to and wrapped around dishes.
I would recommend this book to those who are beginning their own family traditions around meals...and those who love cooking and good food!
I will not be selling this book any time soon...too many new recipes to try out.
Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2009
Physical description
336 p.; 6.13 inches
ISBN
1416551050 / 9781416551058