Of course, cookbooks are all about good food, and the best ones are a thrill to read as well as cook from. And then there are the memoirs and novels where food is the protagonist — and occasionally, the antagonist. These books are so evocative, you can taste the words on every page. The best part? Very low calorie. Throw one in your beach bag and feast.
Food Whore: A Novel of Dining and Deceit
Jessica Tom
Aspiring food journalist Tia Monroe gets the gig of a lifetime as the super-secret ghostwriter for the New York Times’ ailing food critic. He’s lost his sense of taste and relies on her amazing palate for his reviews. This will not end well for anyone.
Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table
Sara Roahen
Roahen, a freelance writer and oral historian, moved to NOLA before Katrina. These essays beautifully detail her love and intimate knowledge of the foodie paradise that is the Crescent City.
Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
Gabrielle Hamilton
Easily one of the best-written food memoirs around, it traces James Beard Award winner Hamilton’s eccentric journey from her rural and difficult childhood through the kitchens of Europe to her eventual place at the helm of the acclaimed Prune in New York City. She has a real way with words.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
Aimee Bender
Nine-year-old Rose Edelstein makes the shocking discovery that she can taste emotion in the food that she eats. She must learn to control her magical gift in this heartbreaking and lyrical tale.
Gourmet Rhapsody
Muriel Barberry
Pierre Arthens, the world’s most famous food critic, is dying in a gorgeous Paris apartment. His last wish is to once again taste his most exquisite and meaningful food memory. Chefs, lovers, even his cat have something to say about it.
The Hundred Foot Journey
Richard C. Morais
Even if you saw last year’s film version, you’ll still relish reading this tale of Hassan Haji, a young Indian immigrant who wants to share his talents — and the warm spices of India — with the people of the French town where he lands with his family. Madame Mallory, who owns the Michelin-starred restaurant across the street, thinks otherwise. Can they bridge the gap between them?
Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots
Jessica Soffer
Lorca, the troubled child of a famous chef, dreams of cooking a special dish for her mother. Victoria, a recently widowed Iraqi Jewish immigrant, is haunted by the daughter she gave up for adoption 40 years before. They bond through their love of food, but could the connection be deeper?
Bitter in the Mouth
Monique Troung
Linda is profoundly different from everyone around her; she can actually “taste” words. As she makes her way from small-town North Carolina to life in the Big Apple, she figures out who she is and why family is everything.
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