Well, it's October, my favorite time of year. I enjoy warm drinks and good reads, so here are some tasty stories to add to your e-reader. Curl up, drink cocoa and soak up the culinary adventures.
- Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel begins as an intense story of food, family tragedy, and love. Beware, mature readers only! Both the kitchen and the food are a metaphor for alchemy and passion. A young woman, Tita, is born in Mexico at the turn of the century. Each recipe weaves the story of her sensual journey into her lover's heart.
- The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy (Vintage Classics) by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin is a masterpiece that covers our favorite subject: food. We indulge in all life's best pleasures with flavorful food by savoring the ingredients instead of just eating them. It covers why, what, and how food preparation during the 19th century in the 20th century differs. Give it a shot. It highlights some fundamental points we continue to struggle with today.
- How to Cook Wolf by M.F.K Fisher Part poetry, part diary, part travel journal, Fisher chronicles her duties as a European food writer during the onset of WWII. She is optimistic in her entries, delivering grace and humor as she sees rations as the problem with a lack of rich food—her advice is to stay positive during the dreariest of conditions inside or outside. Always eat well, think carefully about what's on hand, and make it taste good.