Sara Midda

A Bowl of Olives: On Food and Memory is a lovely little book, beautifully illustrated with tiny watercolor paintings of olives and figs and rabbits and vegetables and wine bottles. The emphasis is on the word little – on some pages, the writing is so small that it is almost impossible to read. The pages are full of tiny watercolors, small-scale photographs, leaves and flowers and fruits in a wonderful color palette. The paper is heavy and more textured than an average book, and the font is show more chosen to mimic handwriting. I spent a long flight studying the tiny charts on how to cut cheese correctly, miniature photos of bamboo implements, drawings of dogs and stone walls.

It is a food-lover’s journal of places visited, meals eaten, tastes remembered, There are recipes and recommendations: what to eat in Morocco, perfect foods for summer days and nights, the best way to prepare parsnips. I loved the pages on choosing the perfect mug, food memories, and the chapter on the history of olives and olive oil.

It’s really a beautiful book, but I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with it, now that I have enjoyed the first reading. It’s not the sort of thing I’m likely to read again (at least not after I try that recipe for Onions Monegasque). It would have been the perfect stocking stuffer for food-loving friends; I know a number of people who will enjoy reading the tiny print and smiling over the tiny pictures. Whether they will use it to suggest table settings or ideas for onion tarts, I can’t say for certain, but it will be a lovely addition to their shelves and certain to bring a smile.

My copy of A Bowl of Olives: On Food and Memory was an Advanced Reader Copy, provided free of charge. show less

This book portrays all that is lovely about gardening. It's full of quotes, some poetry, old-fashioned sounding recipes, remedies and other uses of garden plants all decorated with the author's exquisite artwork. I especially liked the lists of plants with brief sentences highlighting their origins or archaic uses- double-page spreads featuring herbs, fruits and vegetables respectively. Many of the illustrations have decorative borders all made out of words relating to the subject. There are show more reflections on gardening, a page of little sketches of gardens and landscapes, some instructionals on gardening methods and planting tips. I really wanted to enjoy it more- the watercolors are very nicely done- but the reproduction on the pages was so small I had to hold the book close to my face to read all the hand-lettered type. I really wish the book was printed in a larger format, otherwise it's a gem.

from the Dogear Diary show less

This is a lovely little paean to food made up of pastel watercolors, photographs, recipes, memories, food trivia, and quotations.

As an example, there is a section on Eggs, which begins with a quotation from Samuel Butler: “A hen is only an egg’s way of making another egg.” The author then tells you about the symbolism of eggs and associated superstitions; a lovely picture showing you eggs in many of its variations (hard-boiled, poached, scrambled, etc.); and an explanation of The Egg show more Dance, a traditional Easter dance in olden times.

There is information on herbs and greens, fruits, vegetables, spices, jams, guides to setting the table, and having a picnic, inter alia.

This would make a perfect gift book, or addition to your kitchen or coffee table to savor when you’re looking for just a soupçon of savory inspiration. show less

A Bowl of Olives is one of those cute little books you pick up just for fun. Full of delightful illustrations in each chapter, recipes scattered through the book that range from Onion Tart to Tarragon Chicken. Lots of food memories and descriptions of how to do place settings and having a picnic. I loved reading through this little book, the only complaint I had is the print is pretty tiny. the wonderful illustrations make up for it though. It is one of those little books you could keep on show more the coffee table, even though it is a small book, for your guests to look through. show less