A review by emsemsems
Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

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 “Half a Grilled Lamb’s Head” in which you could see the little critter’s 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 recipient—the 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.'