ob_ledbetter's review against another edition
4.0
I ADORE this book. This is the most accessible and enjoyable food writing I have ever read. She maintains a down-to-earth tone and made me actually giggle with her honest reflections on cooking and eating. Love, love, love.
rissaleighs's review against another edition
4.0
Laurie Colwin was really nothing like what I was expecting. A little snarky, a little self-deprecating, and, actually, way older. Her writing style was conversational and blogesque so I was SO surprised to find out that she passed away in 1992, really, before the internet age even arrived. At first I found her a little overbearing or dogmatic in some of her opinions. đ But hey, it's her book, right. I can't wait to try out her idea of putting jalapeno into creamed spinach. I have never heard of such a thing.
emsemsems's review against another edition
1.0
'I will never eat fish eyeballs, and I do not want to taste anything commonly kept as a house pet, but otherwise I am a cinch to feed. My only allergy is a slight one to caviar, making me a cheap date. Furthermore, I am never on a diet regime I cannot be talked out of. I am also not squeamish. Some years ago I was dared into eating something listed on a menu as âHalf a Grilled Lambâs Headâ in which you could see the little critterâs teeth, and scoop the little grilled brains out of the little grilled brainpan, and I found it delicious, even as I stared at its poor little face. I do not keep kosher and, therefore, I am a kind of universal recipientâthe O Positive for hostesses. I can be fed in combination with anyone. This cannot be said of most people. Most people are idiosyncratic about food. The restrictions, fads, diets, notions, and phobias people have about food are truly endless, to say nothing of serious religious conviction.'
Such a pretty cover, but unfortunately the content's not for me. I don't like Colwin in pretty much the same way I don't like David Sedaris. I don't enjoy the tone, and/or the jokes, but esp. the recipes . I knew I wouldn't like her the moment she gets all bougie and freaky about fried chicken. Colwin tried to gatekeep fried chicken; and I'm out. I'll stick with MFK Fisher and Elizabeth David.
'As everyone knows, there is only one way to fry chicken correctly. Unfortunately, most people think their method is best, but most people are wrong. Mine is the only right way, and on this subject I feel almost evangelical.'
'There are people who say, and probably correctly, that chicken should be fried in lard and Crisco, but I am not one of these people. Fried food is bad enough for you. I feel it should not be made worse. The lady who taught me swore by Wesson oil, and I swear by it, too, with the addition of about one-fourth part of light sesame oil. This gives a wonderful taste and is worth the added expense. It also helps to realize that both oils are polyunsaturated in case one cannot fry without guilt.'
summeryoder's review against another edition
funny
informative
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
 A delightful collection of foodie essays. In fiction we have curmudgeon literature. If there's such a thing as a curmudgeon cook in food memoirs then Laurie Colwin is it! Her firm opinions and blunt observations made me laugh out loud.Â
 Some things she talks about- popular nutrition guidelines, fear of microwaves, etc.- are rather dated, but I found that to be more amusing than anything.
"Three meals a day seven days a week, even if you love to cook, is enough to get a person down, especially if the person has anything else to do such as pick a child up from school, write a novel, have time for such necessities as shopping, to say nothing of keeping up with friends and an occasional conversation with one's mate."Â
-Laurie Colwin, Home CookingÂ
Â
 Some things she talks about- popular nutrition guidelines, fear of microwaves, etc.- are rather dated, but I found that to be more amusing than anything.
"Three meals a day seven days a week, even if you love to cook, is enough to get a person down, especially if the person has anything else to do such as pick a child up from school, write a novel, have time for such necessities as shopping, to say nothing of keeping up with friends and an occasional conversation with one's mate."Â
-Laurie Colwin, Home CookingÂ
Â
sarahmoran27's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
julieyue's review against another edition
5.0
The original Nigella! Witty, tasteful, cosmopolitan and an ingenious user of words. I wish I could write this book.
sirhe's review against another edition
5.0
This book contains plenty of good memoirs. Each chapter is multidimentional, exploring how food has shaped the authors life and how her understanding of food and culture expanded.