Blood, Bones, and Butter

Catty and tactile and rich; I found myself, by the end of the book, annoyed by the author and laughing a LOT at the way she described things. A kind of meandering, Epicurean lifestory, it's definitely inspiring on things like cooking and, generally, the Good Life (in the Aristotleian... or, again, Epicurean sense). Gabrielle Hamilton's life has been strange, or maybe she just has a great way of writing about it. I hate to compare this with a MAN's labors (given that I picked this up and put this on my fem shelf), but it does share with Anthony Bourdain that same gutter glamour and heightened sense of taste. They say painters can see colors differently; more vividly, I guess? With greater granularity? These cooks make me think they taste food differently; their palettes are finer. Either way, it was loads of fun to dive into Gabrielle's life. I was deeply pleased with the Italian excursions and her understanding that - YES - Italy has a seductive grip, especially on those of us who seek (or think to seek) the Good Life. And - YES - Italy can then disappoint, when you find all the larvae in the flour and all that. And - YES - Mark Bittman, Prophet of Cooking at Home, makes a cameo, but he really pales in comparison to Hamilton's lively, loud personality. Now I need to cook at home. And - ok, fine, yes - visit Prune.