Monday, June 3, 2019

June/July selection: Blood, Bones & Butter

 

This book was suggested to me and I am excited to read it with you all and see how the reading inspires us in the kitchen.

Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Blood, Bones & Butter follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through the years: the rural kitchen of her childhood, where her adored mother stood over the six-burner with an oily wooden spoon in hand; the kitchens of France, Greece, and Turkey, where she was often fed by complete strangers and learned the essence of hospitality; Hamilton’s own kitchen at Prune, with its many unexpected challenges; and the kitchen of her Italian mother-in-law, who serves as the link between Hamilton’s idyllic past and her own future family... By turns epic and intimate, Gabrielle Hamilton’s story is told with uncommon honesty, grit, humor, and passion.
Blood, Bones and Butter traces nearly all of Hamilton’s life and career, from an unmoored childhood through her triumph at Prune, which didn’t end the search for a sense of place and peace that is the overarching theme of this autobiography, as of so many others. It’s a story of hungers specific and vague, conquered and unappeasable, and what it lacks in urgency (and even, on occasion, forthrightness) it makes up for in the shimmer of Hamilton’s best writing. 

Deadline for contributing your post: Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Remember that anyone can participate in Cook the Books: simply pick up a copy of the selection from your local bookstore or library, take inspiration from said reading, cook and post the inspired dish. We look forward to having you read and cook along with in this selection period and beyond. New participants are always welcomed with open arms! (Leave a comment here or check out our Guidelines page if you have any questions.

This selection brings to a close the current set of four: be on the lookout for a post where we announce the next four selections.

13 comments:

Carole said...

Interesting.... Cheers

A Day in the Life on the Farm said...

I enjoyed the book. Thanks Simona.

Amy said...

Thanks for hosting! Here's my submission: Pastitso (Greek Lasagna) https://www.amyscookingadventures.com/2019/06/pastitsio-greek-lasagna.html

Simona Carini said...

Thank you, Carole. I hope you'll join us in reading and cooking for this edition.

You are welcome, Wendy.

You are welcome, Amy.

Simona Carini said...

Here's my contribution: green bean and torpedo onion salad https://www.pulcetta.com/2019/07/recipe-green-bean-torpedo-onion-salad.html

Literature and Limes said...

I read the book on time! Here's my submission:
https://literatureandlimes.home.blog/2019/07/09/blood-bones-and-butter-by-gabrielle-hamilton-harissa-roasted-eggplant-and-shrimp/

Simona Carini said...

Thank you Elizabeth :)

Tina said...

I posted but may try and get a better photo of my eggplant dish! Great book.

https://novelmeals.wordpress.com/2019/07/17/blood-bones-and-butter-by-gabrielle-hamilton/

Debra Eliotseats said...

I enjoyed my rereading and I discovered a lot of things I missed the first go 'round. Thanks for hosting, Simona!!!!!

http://eliotseats.com/2019/07/27/blood-bones-and-butter/

Claudia said...

I truly enjoyed this memoir. My post is up at: https://honeyfromrock.blogspot.com/2019/07/blood-bones-butter-review-and-drink.html

Simona Carini said...

Thank you Tina, Debra and Claudia :)

Deb in Hawaii said...

As per usual I am rushing in at the end! ;-)

https://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/2019/07/garbrielle-hamiltons-celery-toasts-for.html

Mahalo for hosting Simona!

Simona Carini said...

Thank you, Deb :)