A review by elisecoz
How to Cook a Moose: A Culinary Memoir by Kate Christensen
5.0
Wow. I am going to try to keep this brief because I could go on for a very, very long time.
There are a lot of books in the world and not every book is suited to every person- that is part of what makes a person's "top ten favorite books" list so unique. This has made my top ten. As a fiction lover I honestly wasn't expecting to love this the way I did, so fully and with abandon.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly why this book moved me the way it did. I think a lot of it has to do with Kate Christensen as a writer- she is eloquent, down to earth, warm, funny, and her voice jumps off the page. Even when she wrote about a scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee or a simple salad, warmth radiated. With some of my favorite books I often find myself looking to see what page I'm on, but I lost myself in her prose. It was an enchanting experience.
As someone who has never had a "good relationship" with food, reading this was therapeutic in a way. To witness someone who loves food so intensely and never shies away from pleasure in food is an amazing thing. This book inspired me to feel at peace with food and eating, and to cook with good, fresh ingredients, but don't sweat the calories. And the fact that she included so many recipes is even better- I can't wait to bring those recipes to life. Kate Christensen is content in life, and that feeling is utterly infectious as I'm feeling content and full, to use the extended metaphor. This book was like a wonderful meal, one that I intend to experience again and again and again.
There are a lot of books in the world and not every book is suited to every person- that is part of what makes a person's "top ten favorite books" list so unique. This has made my top ten. As a fiction lover I honestly wasn't expecting to love this the way I did, so fully and with abandon.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly why this book moved me the way it did. I think a lot of it has to do with Kate Christensen as a writer- she is eloquent, down to earth, warm, funny, and her voice jumps off the page. Even when she wrote about a scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee or a simple salad, warmth radiated. With some of my favorite books I often find myself looking to see what page I'm on, but I lost myself in her prose. It was an enchanting experience.
As someone who has never had a "good relationship" with food, reading this was therapeutic in a way. To witness someone who loves food so intensely and never shies away from pleasure in food is an amazing thing. This book inspired me to feel at peace with food and eating, and to cook with good, fresh ingredients, but don't sweat the calories. And the fact that she included so many recipes is even better- I can't wait to bring those recipes to life. Kate Christensen is content in life, and that feeling is utterly infectious as I'm feeling content and full, to use the extended metaphor. This book was like a wonderful meal, one that I intend to experience again and again and again.