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rallidaerule's review against another edition
5.0
A lovely wandering book that someone who loves good food and cooking would likely greatly enjoy. Fanny tells us funny, touching and adventurous stories of her experience growing up as her mother created the farm to table movement.
I need to eat a good salad now. Looking forward to trying some new recipes.
I need to eat a good salad now. Looking forward to trying some new recipes.
afran122's review
4.0
This book reads like fantasy of food world. I’m in awe and jealous of the stories included, but I was also genuinely interested in making the recipes. This boasts a style of slow living that feels, at times, unique to the upper west coast. None of these recipes are quick and easy, and I haven’t actually accomplished any of them, but I’m inspired.
kimberly_w's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to the audio version of this book and it was lovely. It did often make me hungry though! And as interesting as Fanny herself is, you will learn a lot about her mother as well.
shelfquest's review
4.0
This book is difficult for me to digest. I did enjoy reading it and it was interesting reading (okay, listening. The audiobook is read by Fanny and she does a wonderful job) about someone's life that is so different from my own. I get why people wouldn't like this book and I feel it is for a very narrow audience: firstly for Fanny's family and friends, secondly for anyone with an interest in her mom, Alice Waters. I don't think anyone outside of these two categories would have an interest in or appreciate this book. If you remove her mom from the picture, Fanny is a very well educated, west coast born-and-raised millennial from an affluent family. Her upbringing was so different from my own that I would have actually liked to read more about her life that didn't revolve around her mom, as almost all of the stories in this book do. The vocabulary used is quite extensive and pretentious (I'll admit I'm jealous and would have looked up several words if I was able to while listening to the audiobook). This book really felt most like something for someone looking for more insight into Alice Waters. The more I try to review the book the more I feel I should lower my rating, so I'll end with saying it is written well and mostly an enjoyable read but doesn't have much of a point for existing.
summermsmith's review against another edition
1.0
I had thought that Alice Water's daughter might have produced an interesting read in this memoir about her growing up with her famous mother, surrounding by wonderful food, but I think I was hoping for too much.
I was completely unsatisfied with the pressured prose. It came off as trying too hard and pretentious. Even by her full admittance, "From time to time in my adulthood if a dish really does taste wrong, I send it back. Asking for my mother's forgiveness." Excellent taste in simple, fresh and beautiful food, while decadent in its own right, should never replace, but enhance, good manners. Especially, if your mother, who is famous wouldn't do it. Furthermore, the lengths that Alice goes to, to graciously eat additional "gift' dishes in restaurants is funny and at the same time grace-filled. I will never look at a female chef's purse the same way again!
I also found Fanny as a reader annoying. :/
I should know by now, with the younger written food memoirs.
I was completely unsatisfied with the pressured prose. It came off as trying too hard and pretentious. Even by her full admittance, "From time to time in my adulthood if a dish really does taste wrong, I send it back. Asking for my mother's forgiveness." Excellent taste in simple, fresh and beautiful food, while decadent in its own right, should never replace, but enhance, good manners. Especially, if your mother, who is famous wouldn't do it. Furthermore, the lengths that Alice goes to, to graciously eat additional "gift' dishes in restaurants is funny and at the same time grace-filled. I will never look at a female chef's purse the same way again!
I also found Fanny as a reader annoying. :/
I should know by now, with the younger written food memoirs.
tippycanoegal's review
3.0
A mostly enjoyable read written by the bright, multi-talented daughter of food heroine Alice Waters. Fanny Singer radiates the warm glow of one that has been raised as the beloved center of a deeply privileged world. This is not solely a criticism--I wish that all children were as loved and appreciated as she was. They would, like her, be able to see the world as largely benevolent. Singer is a gifted writer, able to beautifully describe the smells and tastes of her life near and around food.
However, there was a slight shadow for me that kept lurking behind my enjoyment of reading this book. It can best be exemplified in Singer's short section on her time at Yale. Her mother, horrified at the awful food being served in the cafeterias, petitioned the president of Yale to change the dining situation and create a sustainable food program that included organic gardens and well-trained cooks to deliver fresh, organic wholesome food to students. But here is the rub about that story. Yale is a university that quite literally and physically turns its back on the impoverished city of New Haven (despite its billions, it pays almost no taxes to the city). Most residents have little proximity to supermarkets, and those that exist are deeply lacking in fresh food of any kind. What might have been the result had Waters put her nimble mind to creating a program based on her edible schoolyard program in Berkeley for public elementary school students in New Haven? Instead, that fabulous drive and famous energy went towards feeding elite college kids, the vast majority of whose parents are paying upwards of $70,000 dollars a year to send their kids to Yale. Why? Because her daughter is there, and she hates to see her have to eat crap for four years.
That said, Alice Waters has made many important contributions in her long career. She has turned much of her energy to education on organic foods and sustainable lifestyles and has done a lot of good in setting up her elementary program and expanding her influence beyond her restaurant. But, I find myself feeling less patience with her daughter. It was sometimes difficult to stomach reading a memoir by a young woman who, though certainly appreciative of her fame-adjacent foodie upbringing, often seems completely tone-deaf to her own massive privilege, and in this, she can at times feel more performative than direct, something like a little girl twirling around and around in a glittering tutu. Like Gwyneth and her casual $60 cookbook brunch ingredients, Fanny does not always seem to fully grok that most people won't need four recipes for lobster.
However, there was a slight shadow for me that kept lurking behind my enjoyment of reading this book. It can best be exemplified in Singer's short section on her time at Yale. Her mother, horrified at the awful food being served in the cafeterias, petitioned the president of Yale to change the dining situation and create a sustainable food program that included organic gardens and well-trained cooks to deliver fresh, organic wholesome food to students. But here is the rub about that story. Yale is a university that quite literally and physically turns its back on the impoverished city of New Haven (despite its billions, it pays almost no taxes to the city). Most residents have little proximity to supermarkets, and those that exist are deeply lacking in fresh food of any kind. What might have been the result had Waters put her nimble mind to creating a program based on her edible schoolyard program in Berkeley for public elementary school students in New Haven? Instead, that fabulous drive and famous energy went towards feeding elite college kids, the vast majority of whose parents are paying upwards of $70,000 dollars a year to send their kids to Yale. Why? Because her daughter is there, and she hates to see her have to eat crap for four years.
That said, Alice Waters has made many important contributions in her long career. She has turned much of her energy to education on organic foods and sustainable lifestyles and has done a lot of good in setting up her elementary program and expanding her influence beyond her restaurant. But, I find myself feeling less patience with her daughter. It was sometimes difficult to stomach reading a memoir by a young woman who, though certainly appreciative of her fame-adjacent foodie upbringing, often seems completely tone-deaf to her own massive privilege, and in this, she can at times feel more performative than direct, something like a little girl twirling around and around in a glittering tutu. Like Gwyneth and her casual $60 cookbook brunch ingredients, Fanny does not always seem to fully grok that most people won't need four recipes for lobster.
seemasays's review
3.0
The author presents a very loving and very uncritical view of her mother and her life growing up with her. Don't read this book if you're looking for introspection. Everyone is perfect and everything they do is perfect. A few interesting recipes.