“Honey From a Weed” by Patience Gray. Autobiography, travelogue and recipe collection, all woven together. It transports like a novel.
“The Botany of Desire” by Michael Pollan. A poetic discourse on the nature of relationships—it has changed the way I see the world.
“The Book of Salt” by Monique Truong. The imagined story of a chef who cooks for Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Gorgeous prose.
“Home Cooking” by Laurie Colwin. Brilliant, funny essays from the late Gourmet magazine writer. She left us too soon.
“The Savory Way” by Deborah Madison. My favorite cookbook.
A classic book that, upon rereading, disappointed:“Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child. Formal and methodical, where I’ve come to prefer spontaneous cooking and eating, as in: slice one perfect tomato and call it lunch.
A much-recommended book that you’ve resisted reading:“Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver. There’s something about preserving the shroud of mystery around an esteemed fiction writer.
