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Good books and great food, without any second doubt, make for the best pair of things that can make a reader happy. Well-fed and Well-read’ should be a phrase, shouldn’t it? If you enjoy words as much as you enjoy food, here is a list of palatable reads for you!
#1 Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquirel
Esquirel’s ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ is the story of the youngest daughter of a twentieth century Mexican household. The book takes its readers on a journey along with Tita De La Garza, as she discovers and explores the idea of love and independence. Each chapter starts with a recipe and beautifully envelopes the emotions Tita is going through. Forbidden to marry, as per her mother’s command, Tita is not allowed to marry Pedro, who marries Tita’s sister in order to be closer to Tita. Tita faces a lot of hardships but ultimately is freed from the curse of her birth as the youngest child of the family.
#2 From Scratch by Tembi Locke
A beautiful memoir, ‘From Scratch’ is Tembi’s story of love and a cross-cultural marriage. Tembi met Saro and instantly fell in love with this Sicilian man. But Saro’s traditionally uptight family was not with the idea of a cross-cultural relationship as Tembi was a black-American. But love is beyond the barriers of culture and country. Tembi and Saro married each other despite the family’s disapproval. With their adopted daughter Zoela, Tembi and Saro were living a graceful, happy life. But when Saro succumbed to cancer that could not be cured, Tembi and Saro decided to reconcile with his family. This story is about Tembi figuring out her life after Saro, in his small town. Sicilian flavours, fresh food, community and traditions are what help her rediscover herself.
#3 With the fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
When discussing ‘food in fiction’, we surely cannot miss this one! ‘With the fire on High’ revolves around the life of Emoni Santiago, a teen single-mother who balances her days between taking care of her child and studying and working at a fast-food joint to manage her finances. But apart from all the chaos in her life, Emoni is someone who has a talent for playing with ingredients and flavours. Emoni, who once wanted to be a professional chef, is now at a place in her life where she cannot do much about her dreams. When her school offers a program for professional culinary training, Emoni is not so sure whether she has the time and money for it. In her heartfelt storytelling through Emoni’s character, Acevedo paints a picture of motherhood with its struggles and moments of joy.
#4 Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
Another contemporary title to Sonali Dev’s name, this romantic comedy is one of the most delightful books about food. Set in a South Asian household, this story treads through the lanes of tea, spices, love for food and meaning of family. Ashna despite her training as an elite chef in Parisian cuisine, ardently wants to keep her dead father’s restaurant running from what she has left of him- his old recipes. The kitchen is the only place she loves and at the same time experiences anxiety at. With her mother largely absent from her life, her aunt’s home and children are what she understands as her family. Combining food, rekindling of an old romance, rediscovery of her relationship with her mother- ‘Recipe for Persuasion’ is interestingly inspired from Austen’s writing.
#5 Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca
Mimi Mackson hails from an Indian American family with her parents who are successful and known, in their respective fields. Mimi’s three siblings are also popular and accomplished. With such high achievers around her, Mimi has an almost invisible existence. After hearing about a bakery contest in her town, Mimi sees a hidden opportunity in it to prove to her family that she is equally special and talented. A thrilled Mimi discovers some magical ingredients in the woods behind her house, but the people around her start acting strange, owing to the effects of the exotic ingredients from the woods.
#6 Chocolat by Joanne Harris
‘Chocolat’ is not the first gastronomic title to Joanne Harris’ name. She has a list of fiction books about food to her credit. Some of the books written by her are- Blackberry Wine, The Strawberry Thief, The Lollipop Shoes and Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure. Chocolat is the story of a single mother, who moves to a small French village with her daughter. When Vianne plans to open a chocolate shop in this little village, the local priest, Reynaud, is against the idea of a chocolate shop in his neighbourhood. When people of the village start expressing their like for Vianne and her idea, Reynaud feels his authority is in increasing danger. While on the surface it’s a delectable tale of a chocolate shop owner, it is deeply significant of the old ideas clashing with modernity.
#7 Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
A refreshing rom-com, ‘Tweet Cute’ is centered around an enthralling and funny twitter war between Pepper, an over achiever managing her family’s fast-food chain known as the Big League Burger and Jack, a boy trying to keep his family’s deli running. When Big League Burger comes out with a new grilled cheese recipe, Jack identifies that it actually belongs to his grandma. While being involved in an intense twitter spat, the two don’t realise until it’s really late, that they might be falling for each other. Tweet Cute combines two of my favourite things into one- ‘haters turned lovers’ trope’ and ‘food’. If you like burgers and teen love stories, you surely cannot miss out on this one.
As a booklover you would probably be very careful with food, around your books. A lot of ardent bibliophiles, avoid eating or even having a coffee while reading, to keep at bay any chance of staining or spilling. In case you love both- food and books equally and can’t pick one over the other, Handivity’s book sleeve for your paperbacks and hardbacks, as well as Kindle paperwhite sleeve has got your book covered! So the next time you read a book that makes you go hungry, you can simply give-in to the temptation of enjoying a meal, a dessert or even a brew while reading.
