Reading List

I've been doing a ton of reading lately.  With the weather being the warmth I crave, everyday I find myself on my patio with a book.  I went on to Amazon to find a book my best friend, Judith told me about. We had eaten at a restaurant called Prune in the east village sometime last year. Apparently, the author had written a book Anthony Bourdain called the best memoir written by a chef ever or something equivalent. I can never just buy one book and Amazon has those "customers who bought this book also bought" which just leads me to more books I need......



I ended up with the book I set out to buy Blood Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton.

This is probably the most well written book by a chef ever. The author went to school for creative writing and it's obvious in the way she tells her stories.  Her childhood seems magical, her relationship with her mother heartbreaking, her travels around the globe on hardly any money made me want to grab my backpack and catch the first flight to Europe.  Her knowledge is astounding and I found myself wanting to be friends with her.  I will eat again at Prune and maybe I'll get to tell her how even on vacation in beautiful St Lucia, I couldn't put her book down.  

Another book I bought was HEAT.  A writer for the New York Times, Bill Buford,  who fancies himself a good cook wants to really learn how to cook.....Soooo what better way than to work in Mario Batali's kitchen at Babbo for 6 months at no pay?!  He then decides in order to really learn how to cook like Mario, he must also learn from those who taught Mr Batali.  He embarks on a trip to Italy where we meet a butcher who quotes Dante and various other Italian characters that seem so, well,  Italian that I have to go there to see for myself.  ( I have actually started to plan this trip. No idea when it will actually happen but the wheels are a turnin' so to speak. ) Bill's dedication to learning astounds me, especially since he, at this stage in his life, does not want to work in a restaurant.  Read it.  I promise you will start planning your trip to Italy too.  

And if you don't.........

then you will after you read this book, Living in a Foreign Language

A Los Angeles based couple who work in the Entertainment world fall in love with an old stone house in Italy.  They buy it on a whim, not speaking the language, not knowing how to navigate their lives in a foreign country......reading about their struggles/accomplishments make me want to do the same thing.  Such a fun, easy read. 

Wanna read about one of the most creative chefs in the world attempt to open his own place?  Want to read about the most devastating thing that could possibly happen to a young, talented chef?  Check out  Life on the Line by Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas and read the devasting story of what happens when a chef learns he has tongue cancer. Heartbreaking and inspiring, this book is amazing and is Grant's story. 

ALWAYS a good read is anything by the man himself, Anthony Bourdain.  Check out his latest Medium Raw. The man can write. He's poetic, he's punk rock and he knows food.  I want him to be older, gentleman friend in a non sexual yet slightly flirtatious way ;)

There ya go. This list should keep ya busy for the rest of the summer.  My next read, due to a recommendation from my friend, David......