Molly Wizenberg

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 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 show more 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

I think this is the kind of cookbook I've been looking for all my life -- not just recipes, but context -- and such context. Her stories are a delight -- funny, romantic, tragic, hopeful and marvellous.

Another fabulous memoir from Molly Wizenberg. I love her writing, I love her honesty (even the painful parts), I love her humor and I love her lyrical descriptions of food. The best part about this book may be the way in which it invites me to explore more of the local food scene -- but I particularly like that this is not a book by a snob, about the kind of food one can hardly ever afford. It also gave me much more insight into the kinds of crazy sacrifices people make to run a restaurant, show more and more appreciation for the love that entails. show less

I requested this book by Molly Wizenberg (who writes the food blog Orangette, contributes to Bon Appetit, and whose Baklava with Pistachios and Orange-Cardamom Syrup I made for Christmas, and most likely will have to every year from now on or face family excommunication) for Christmas after reading nittnut's review. I have done pretty much nothing since opening it other than read it, laugh over it, drool on it, and cry over it (oh, and my mother and I have resumed our crazed, show more bordering-on-obsession Bananagram marathon). My daughter and my mother have already staked their places in line to read it next. My only regret is that I finished it. Not to worry, though, as there are dozens of recipes I will return to, and they'll lead me to the stories as well. Now I just have to figure out how to get to Paris.

Unfortunately, the baklava recipe is not in the book, but you can find it here:

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/01/pistachio_baklava_with_orange_cardamom.... show less