Friday, March 25, 2011

Blood, Bones, Butter

i am determined to start showing y'all some of the things i read, listen to and come across in the literary/media world, on this blog.  many of you know that i spend a crazy amount of time in the car chauffeuring my kids around and generally getting out and about so i end up listening to a LOT of books on CD.  (I also watch a LOT of movies in the evenings so they will be revealed here too)
 
it should be noted here that i do belong to a book club wherein we read historical fiction and i have been known to "read" the book by "listening" to it!  i cheat.  and i digress.

recently i came across a review of this book, Blood, Bones and Butter: the Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton. 

OK.  lots of you know i consider myself a "foodie".  totally amateur, for sure, but a foodie non-the-less.  i have much, much, much to learn about food, ingredients, methods, etc.  but boy do i love me some good beautiful delicious food.  and almost more than food, well not more than, but a close tie, i love books (or CDs!) about food.  i could go on and on about my favorite books being the ones about food, memoirs about cooking, details of what someone ate, and most especially any book that has recipes included. 

i got started in that particular genre by reading (yes, actually reading!) When French Women Cook by Madeleine Kamman.  then i read The Tenth Muse by Judith Jones (who published Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking).  then i read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.  then i read a Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg. 

well. life just wasn't the same.

(it kinda freaks me out to think that there are likely hundreds of more books out there, like this, that i don't yet know about.  i want to read them all and i can't wait!)

So Blood, Bones and Butter does not have recipes.  but i am telling you, it does not matter.

I LOVED THIS MEMOIR!

Gabrielle Hamilton writes from a place of poetry, honesty and pure brilliance.  all about food and life.  a magical life.  you will laugh, be shocked, cringe, and cry.  yes.  it's that good!

you know how when you are reading/watching/listening/seeing/witnessing something SO GOOD you don't want it to end and if you have the power or the will, you slow it down so it won't end?  ok.  that's this book.

it's about eating.  and cooking.  and finding your way.  and the ups and downs of life.  it's funny.  and it's ordinary in an extraordinary way. it's about her 30 seat restaurant Prune, in New York.  and a lot more.

Mario Batali says: "she has raised the bar for all books about eating and cooking"

Anthony Bourdain says: "Simply the best memoir by a chef ever.  EVER."

but don't take their word for it.  or mine.  run as fast as you can to your local book store or library and grab this book (or CD).  you won't be sorry.

and since i did listen to it on CD, and Gabrielle reads it herself, (which i love when the author reads their own book,) i think you should listen to it.  i'll just say that.  listen to it if you can.  and know that it is not completely "clean" if there are little ears around.  not clean, but oh so worth it!

Enjoy!

xoxo
jennette 





1 comment:

  1. I need to read... I mean listen to this. I will see if I can download an audio from iTunes.

    ReplyDelete

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