Molly Wizenberg

A food memoir, in the tradition of M. F. K. Fisher, but homier. Delightful reading--part cookbook, part love story, part tribute to her late father (and watch out for the chapter where she shares her father's last hours; it knocked me cold). Wizenberg loves butter, and chocolate, and cheese, and unexpected combinations of tastes. Cholesterol and indigestion just don't exist in her universe. (She's only 30-something, bless 'er.) Nothing smacks of test kitchens, or, god forbid, Food Channel show more challenges. Many of the recipes were the result of raiding the fridge to come up with lunch or dessert without a lot of pre-planning. Some people can just DO that---my sister-in-law, for one. But those serendipitous combinations don't always work the second time, because some of the magic is in the surprise. So I suspect these recipes may have been subjected to tweaking and refining before they made it into the book. But it's very plain that there was a lot of fun in the creation, and I'd take pot luck with Molly Wizenberg any time. 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