Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table - Softcover

Ruth Reichl

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0767903382 ISBN 13: 9780767903387

Publisher: Broadway Books (A Division of Bantam Doubleday Del, 1999

Synopsis

At an early age, Ruth Reichl discovered that "food could be a way of making sense of the world. . . . If you watched people as they ate, you could find out who they were." Her deliciously crafted memoir, Tender at the Bone, is the story of a life determined, enhanced, and defined in equal measure by a passion for food, unforgettable people, and the love of tales well told.  Beginning with Reichl's mother, the notorious food-poisoner known as the Queen of Mold, Reichl introduces us to the fascinating characters who shaped her world and her tastes, from the gourmand Monsieur du Croix, who served Reichl her first soufflé, to those at her politically correct table in Berkeley who championed the organic food revolution in the 1970s.  Spiced with Reichl's infectious humor and sprinkled with her favorite recipes, Tender at the Bone is a witty and compelling chronicle of a culinary sensualist's coming-of-age.

About this title

Review:

New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl shares lessons learned at the hands (and kitchen counters) of family members and friends throughout her life, from growing up with her taste-blind mother to the comfort of cream puffs while away at boarding school on "Mars" (Montreal seemed just as far away) to her most memorable meal, taken on a mountainside in Greece.

Her stories shine with the voices and recipes of those she has encountered on the way, such as her Aunt Birdie's maid and companion, Alice, who first taught Reichl both the power of cooking and how to make perfect apple dumplings; the family's mysterious patrician housekeeper, Mrs. Peavey, who always remembered to make extra pastry for the beef Wellington; Serafina, the college roommate with whom Reichl explored a time of protest and political and personal discovery; and, finally, cookbook author Marion Cunningham, who, after tales of her midlife struggles and transformation, gave Reichl the strength to overcome her own anxieties.

Reichl's wry and gentle humour pervades the book, and makes readers feel as if they're right at the table, laughing at one great story after another (and delighting in a gourmet meal at the same time, of course). Reichl's narrative of a life lived and remembered through the palate will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.

Review:

Reading Ruth Reichl on food is almost as good as eating it. "Washington Post Book World"
An absolute delight to read...How lucky we are that [Ruth Reichl] had the courage to follow her appetite. "Newsday"
A poignant, yet hilarious, collection of stories about people [Reichl] has known and loved, and who, knowingly or unknowingly, steered her on the path to fulfill her destiny as one of the world s leading food writers. "Chicago Sun-Times"
While all good food writers are humorous...few are so riotously, effortlessly entertaining as Ruth Reichl. "New York Times Book Review"
A savory memoir of [Reichl s] apprentice years...Reichl describes [her] experiences with infectious humor...The descriptions of each sublime taste are mouthwateringly precise...A perfectly balanced stew of memories. "Kirkus Reviews""

"Reading Ruth Reichl on food is almost as good as eating it."--Washington Post Book World

"An absolute delight to read...How lucky we are that [Ruth Reichl] had the courage to follow her appetite."--Newsday

"A poignant, yet hilarious, collection of stories about people [Reichl] has known and loved, and who, knowingly or unknowingly, steered her on the path to fulfill her destiny as one of the world's leading food writers."--Chicago Sun-Times

"While all good food writers are humorous...few are so riotously, effortlessly entertaining as Ruth Reichl."--New York Times Book Review

"A savory memoir of [Reichl's] apprentice years...Reichl describes [her] experiences with infectious humor...The descriptions of each sublime taste are mouthwateringly precise...A perfectly balanced stew of memories."--Kirkus Reviews

About this edition

• Publisher: Broadway Books (A Division of Bantam Doubleday Del
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0767903382
• ISBN 13: 9780767903387
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304