Lucy Knisley's graphic (as in "illustrated" not as in "explicit") food memoir is Persepolis meets The Food Network. The self-professed daughter of two foodies, Ms. Knisley grew up in the kitchens of New York--at home, in restaurants and in gourmet shops--as her extended family raised her, one flavour at a time. The charming illustrations reflect her childhood memories perfectly, like comic strips in the Sunday paper filled with tales of roasted lamb and profiteroles. But they are also used to describe some very sophisticated recipes (I didn't even know I could make my own chai tea from scratch!) in a way that is fun and accessible. It's the perfect medium to describe how Lucy Knisley feels about food--it's filled with childhood nostalgia but also with sophisticated gourmet wonder.
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen does not so much make me think of my own childhood (I mean, I definitely have food memories--who doesn't?) as it does make me think of the childhood I'm providing to my daughter. It makes me want to expand my child's food experience and sense of culinary wonder.
Hit the jump for more, including Magda's take and an adorable picture of the author!
Magda's Take:
Well, obviously she's too young for this book (she'll be three this month) but she saw me looking at it on the computer and she said:
"Ooh, what's that? Is that cookies? Is she making cookies? What kind of cookies? I'd like that!"
Then she saw me looking at the part where the author describes seeing animals being killed in the country (which she did in the cutest and most innocuous way possible but, you know, it still resulted in dead farm animals) and Magda said:
"What's happening on that page? I don't like this book anymore. It makes me mad!"
So there you have it. According to Magda: cookies good, dead animals bad. I'm sure young Lucy Knisley would have agreed.
Hit the jump for more, including Magda's take and an adorable picture of the author!
Magda's Take:
Well, obviously she's too young for this book (she'll be three this month) but she saw me looking at it on the computer and she said:
"Ooh, what's that? Is that cookies? Is she making cookies? What kind of cookies? I'd like that!"
Then she saw me looking at the part where the author describes seeing animals being killed in the country (which she did in the cutest and most innocuous way possible but, you know, it still resulted in dead farm animals) and Magda said:
"What's happening on that page? I don't like this book anymore. It makes me mad!"
So there you have it. According to Magda: cookies good, dead animals bad. I'm sure young Lucy Knisley would have agreed.
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| Lucy Knisley |
You May Also Like:
My Foodie ABC: A Little Gourmet's Guide, by Puck (illustrations by Violet Lemay)
Eating for Beginners: An Education in the Pleasures of Food from Chefs, Farmers, and One Picky Kid, by Melanie Rehak
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