Author Laurie Colwin, "Home Cooking" Any one else know about the late Laurie?

[lsdesign]

I have just received two books by the late author who used to write for Gourmet. I have started "Home Cooking" and I like it so far. Any one else like this author?

[joyous]

I have, and cherish, both books. I credit them with turning me into a food enthusiast. It's good to hear that you're enjoying "Home Cooking." I enjoyed "More Home Cooking" even more than the first. I was desolate to find that she had died in 1992--she was only 48 years old. :(

She's written several novels, too, although the Home Cooking books are my favorites.

You can find more about her here:

http://members.nbci.com/lauriecolwin/

[breadmama]

I love her books, too. I have read and reread both of them, and I wish I could write like Laurie Colwin did. I especially liked reading how she immersed her daughter in the tastes that were important to her and her husband. I loved reading about their shopping trips, and quests to replicate good food that they tried. The books are on my low bookcase, among many, many others. Lately, my toddler keeps pulling out "More Home Cooking", climbing up on the couch, and flipping through the pages over and over. It is so cute - especially since there are few pictures in that book. I don't know why he chooses that one from all the others - must be inherent good literary taste! :)

I love food writing, and just got a new collection of essays. It's called "Great Food Writing 2000" (I think!) ed. by Holly Hughes. It is wonderful... I highly recommed it for some escapist foodie reading.

I'm always looking for new titles in that area - any other recommendations?

[joyous]

I can definitely UN-recommend Anthony Bourdin's "Kitchen Confidential. It is not about food, in spite of the title. It's a druggy autobiography of a chef who should spend more time cooking, and less time getting drunk.

I like Waverly Root's (huge) book called simply Food. It's an encyclopedia of foods, with information about the history of each. Somehow, he manages to be witty. A sample:

pepsin: No longer, I believe, numbered among soda water flavors, a disappearance which does not seem to be much regretted.

And

mammoth: this has not been eaten since the Ice Age because of a shortage of the basic material.

And

man: a domesticated animal still extensively raised, one wonders why, since it is rarely eaten nowadays.

I picked some of the humorous entries, but the book as a whole is an exhaustively researched tome. And it has good illustrations.

[CookieG]

Laurie Colwin has written a bunch of non-food, fictional books that are also great. I like "Happy All the Time" and a collection of stories called "The Lone Pilgrim." I reread these books often.


--Chris

[gabbyh]

Laurie Colwin's column was the first thing I would read when I received each months Gourmet...I will surely now look for her books...
breadmama,
When we were on layover at the Melbourne airport on our last trip to Australia, I wandered into the bookstore and came across "I sang for my supper-Memories of a food writer" by Margaret Fulton...I don't know if it is only available in Australia...but it was a good read...filled with recipes and telling the story of the development of Australian Cuisine through the extraordinary life of a woman who was dedicatd to teaching others about cooking and entertaining...

[Little Bit]

I finally received my copies of "Home Cooking" and
"More Home Cooking" and read them both in one day!

I just adore books that might best be described as memoirs with recipes.

These two are great books, though I don't share the authors apparent adoration of red peppers or parsnips. :)