There are few things I love more than cooking. There’s just something relaxing about wandering around my kitchen, deciding what to make for dinner. I enjoy developing my own recipes, tweaking and adjusting them as I go along. My best friend is more than happy to volunteer as tribute and try them out. So recently, I’ve been going over to her house, making dinner, and writing out notes on any adjustments in the recipe that I want to make in the future.
I’ve been pouring over my cookbooks as of late, and flagging any recipes I think I might want to try. Other times, I listen to food writing on audio, savoring all of the vivid descriptions of the writers’ culinary adventures. Today, we’re looking at a couple of food writing favorites of mine. But first, bookish goods!
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Bookish Goods
Packed Like Sardines Bookmark by TheUnrefinedCrafter
In honor of our food theme today, I had to share this adorable sardine bookmark. I don’t even like sardines, but I LOVE this bookmark. $3
New Releases
Coming Home by Brittney Griner with Michelle Burford
On February 17, 2022, Brittney Griner was detained in Russia for mistakenly carrying hash oil that had been medically prescribed. For the first time, Griner shares what it was like experiencing the Russian legal system and eventually being sent to a Russian penal colony. Days after her arrest, Russia invaded Ukraine, making Griner’s legal battle even more complicated. Griner describes how thoughts of her family, especially her wife, Cherelle, helped her keep holding on to hope that one day she would be free.
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger
The Light Eaters is a love letter to the world of plants. In this well-researched look into the way plants have learned to survive, we meet plants with flowers that change the shape of their blooms to better accommodate pollinators and vines that learn to blend in with the bushes they grow around. With her examination of these incredible specimens of the natural world, Zoë Schlanger illustrates what humanity can learn from the never-ending wisdom of plants.
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Riot Recommendations
Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Nezhukumatathil’s World of Wonders stands as one of my most recommended books of all time. So, naturally, when I heard about her latest essay collection, Bite by Bite, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. Each essay centers around one of Nezhukumatathil’s favorite foods. They can be ingredients or finished dishes, but they all hold a special place in Nezhukumatathil’s heart. In one essay, she describes how she has so many wonderful memories around eating mangoes. In another, she shares how her mother taught her that it’s not a party without lumpia. The print edition of the book includes stunning illustrations by Fumi Nakamura. Bite by Bite is the perfect gift book for any food lover.
Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl
The last editor of Gourmet Magazine, Ruth Reichl, writes about her time at the magazine, which was an institution of food writing for decades. Reichl describes how she became the editor, the steep learning curve that she found herself on, and the wild ride that was Gourmet’s last years. As a sucker for anything that sits at the intersection of food and publishing, I adored reading about Reichl’s experience.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, on TikTok @kendrawinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy reading, Friends!
~ Kendra