Garlic And Sapphires

Reichl, Ruth

ISBN 10: 009948997X ISBN 13: 9780099489979

Publisher: Arrow, 2007

Synopsis

"Genuinely touching, wonderfully revealing" NEW YORKER

Garlic and Sapphires is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine undetected when she takes on the much coveted and highly prestigious job of New York Times restaurant critic.
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Reichl knows that to be a good critic she has to be anonymous - but her picture is posted in every four-star, low-star kitchen in town and so she embarks on an extraordinary - and hilarious - undercover game of disguise - keeping even her husband and son in the dark. There is her stint as Molly, a frumpy blonde in an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque resulting in a double review of the restaurant: first she ate there as Molly; and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic. Then there is the eccentric, mysterious red head on whom her husband - both disconcertingly and reassuringly - develops a terrible crush. She becomes Brenda the earth mother, Chloe the seductress and even Miriam her own (deceased) mother.

What is even more remarkable about Reichl's spy games is that as she takes on these various guises, she finds herself changed not just physically, but also in character revealing how one's outer appearance can very much influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites.

About this title

About the Author

Ruth Reichl began cooking at the age of seven. It was pure self-defense; her mother, who was affectionately known as ‘the Queen of Mold,’ inadvertently poisoned people, and Ruth felt she could do a slightly better job. Trained as an art historian, she ended up following her passion for food. She had a modest restaurant in Berkeley, then became the restaurant critic of The Los Angeles Times and then the New York Times before being named Editor in Chief of Gourmet Magazine. She has written four memoirs and three cookbooks, but Delicious! is her first novel.

She lives in New York with her husband and son - and deeply regrets that she neglected to give them any reason to learn to cook.

From the Back Cover

Garlic and Sapphires is Ruth Reichl's delicious and mischevious account of her time spent as an undercover restaurant critic.

Reichl knows that to be a good critic you have to be anonymous. When she lands the much coveted job of the New York Times restaurant critic, she resorts to disguise in order to avoid the inevitable red carpet treatment.

But what is remarkable about Reichl's spy games is that as the takes on these various guises, (frumpy, blonde Molly; bohemian, red-headed Brenda...), she finds herself changed beyond her physical appearance. Ruth discovers how one's outer appearance can profoundly influence one's inner character, expectations - and appetites.

'With a sprig of chervil in her hair, anyone would want to eat up the wonderful Ruth Reichl whole and on the bone. Food is love.' The Times
'A pleasure from start to finish' the Guardian
'Joyous, witty and totally absorbing' Good Housekeeping
'Deliciousness on every page' Jay Rayner, the Observer
'Riotously, effortlessly entertaining - Ruth Reichl is fair-minded, brave and a wonderful writer' New York Times

Edition details

• Publisher: Arrow
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 009948997X
• ISBN 13: 9780099489979
• Binding: Unknown Binding
• Number of pages: 352