An Everlasting Meal: Cooking With Economy And Grace (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
I saw this book through to the end because I thought Adler had good advice, good ideas, and good recipes. I make my own veggie stock and save bread crusts and make simple syrup from fruit cores because of that good advice. My favorite chapter was "catching your tail," or something like that, but it was downhill from there.Adler's contrived, syrupy, and over-philosophical tone really put me off. None of it seems like it is written in a natural tone, and some of the metaphors just don't even make sense. Her insistence that beans are the perfect food/meal/whatever was so strong that I actually felt guilty, like there was something wrong with me, because I don't like beans. Her declarations ("Children must shell peas" was a particular gem) can also be off-putting and sometimes nonsensical. When I review books, I try very hard to separate preferences vs. talent. For example, in non-fiction, I prefer an Author's voice that is either invisible (the focus is on the information being communicated) or likable; however, when I run into a narrator that grates on my nerves, it doesn't automatically mean it is a BAD book. In the case of An Everlasting Meal, I feel like the narrator detracts from the value and skill of the book because you get the sense that Adler is desperately imposing herself and her voice onto the narrative in a way that is distracting and (to me, at least) unlikable. What really prevented a better rating from me was the lack of connection or logical arc between chapters and the oft-confusing and muddled prose. You can get the good info, you just gotta dig.Also, now I want to read the real M.F.K. Fisher. The writing is clear and beautifully crafted. I'd say it's a must read for anyone who loves spending time in the kitchen; it does so much more than the traditional cookbook -- it teaches you how to think about food. Actually, now that I think about it, it's not much of a cookbook at all. Rather, the author uses the medium of food to tell the reader some elegantly crafted anecdotes and impart some wise advice about cooking and about life in general. It's like pulling up a stool in your grandmother's kitchen and listening to her as she makes your favorite meal. She'll teach you how to make a pot of beans and then how to make that pot last all week. But most importantly, as you read, you'll grow to respect and cherish something as simple and humble as pot of bean broth.
What do You think about An Everlasting Meal: Cooking With Economy And Grace (2011)?
What an uplifting voice of cooking adaptability and joy, living and loving a life of good food.
—lizzie
There are some great ideas for cooking in here, but I found the writing style too much.
—jescani
This book is beautifully written and truly a compelling contemplation.
—taylorleigh
