eat make read

When I started eat make read three years ago, it was above all a way to cure my boredom, so I named it after things I liked to do… eat good food, make stuff and read whatever I could get my hands on. Within a month or so of blogging, I realized the real direction of my blog would lie within the “eat” part. I loved the search for a new recipe, going to the market, trying something new. And so, my blog turned into a food blog, which, as a recovering picky eater, I think is pretty awesome. But I wanted to take some time while I’m on vacation to share some of my favorite food-related books with you, get in touch with the “read” part of eat make read.

I have a definite problem when it comes to books about food. I’m addicted. So much so that I really had to put the brakes on buying things because my apartment is only so big. I know though that by the time you’ve read this I’ve probably made a trip to Ominivore Books in San Francisco and possibly already purchased a new suitcase. But that’s beside the point. There are a few cookbooks that I find myself reaching for when a) I want to be inspired and b) I want to be able to actually make it. Both Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool and Breakfast, Lunch, Tea are full of amazing recipes that will make you stop and ask, “Whoa, I made this?!”. Spoon Fed by New York Times writer Kim Severson is one of my most recent reads and is one that has kept me thinking about several ideas in the weeks since.

Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool
I received this book from Aaron’s dad for Christmas a few years ago because he thought it looked like my style. As I flipped through it, I immediately got lost in the pages of beautifully photographed food and the amazing color palette. But in reality, I have a lot of pretty cookbooks, the test came when I started making things from it.

The book is divided into sub-seasons—early winter, deep winter, etc—and uses ingredients that you should easily be able to find at your farmers market or grocery store at that given time. For me, as someone who goes to the farmers market nearly every weekend, I love the seasonality of the recipes. I find myself flipping through the early spring pages during the dreary days of winter, dreaming of the delicious fruits and vegetables that are to come.

I’ve made many recipes from this book, including the basil lemon cake with fresh berries, mini corn bites with fresh thyme, which are a great way to use up leftover corn or for Aaron’s birthday one year, I made this oh-so-delicious orange chipotle barbeque sauce. Each one of these left me sitting at the table with a smile on my face and a belly full of delicious food, thinking life is good.

Breakfast, Lunch Tea by Rose Carrarini
This is one of my newest cookbooks, given to me by my lovely husband after we visited the Rose Carrarini’s Rose Bakery in Paris last fall. I’m pretty sure I didn’t stop talking about the amazing meal we had for days on end. We ordered a simple lunch, a quiche and ratatouille, but I swear to you, those two plates were sprinkled with magic! The flavors were so incredibly vibrant that we just sat in awe of each bite we put in our mouths.

So of course, Aaron had to buy me the cookbook. Again, its beautifully designed, in a more minimal way. There aren’t photos for each recipe, but once you make one thing from the book, you know that just about everything is going to rock your world. The recipes are simple, which requires the best ingredients you can find, but once you taste how amazing the flavors can be, I’m pretty sure you’ll never look back. Some of my favorites are the oat + date slices that I made just the other week, these simple, nutty and buttery walnut cookies, and possibly the best way to eat carrots, this carrot + walnut salad.

Spoon Fed by Kim Severson
The day I bought this book I sped through the first two chapters and realized I needed to pace myself to make the it last. New York Times writer, Kim Severson chronicles eight female cooks who changed her life; from her mother to Ruth Reichl to Edna Lewis, you’ll not only find insight into these aspiring women’s lives, but you’ll also learn about Severson’s journey to finding happiness.

There are two things that I really liked about this book. One was learning about people like Edna Lewis and Marion Cunningham. Both are women whose names I’d recognize, but beyond that I didn’t know much. This book piqued my interest and has left me eager to learn more. Second, Severson writes with real honesty and allows the reader to see her struggles and the way she’s overcome difficult periods in her life. It’s easy to believe that successful people have it made it the shade, but Kim opens up about not feeling good enough and actually talks to these other women about those feelings.What I learned—because of Kim’s writing—is that everyone has feelings of self-doubt, it’s how you deal with them and move on that really counts. It’s an inspiring book on many levels.

Ok, so there are three books that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. I’d love to hear some of your favorites…