- ISBN13: 9780812979190
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
“On our first date, Rich ordered a chocolate soufflé at the beginning of the meal, noting an asterisk on the menu warning diners of the wait involved. At the time, I imagined he did it partly to impress me, which it did, though today I know well that he’s simply the type of man who knows better than to turn down a hot-from-the-oven soufflé when one is offered to him.”
When Michelle Maisto meets Rich–like her, a closet writer with a fierce love of bo… More >>
The Gastronomy of Marriage: A Memoir of Food and Love
Ms. Maisto’s book is a sweet treat, invoking memories of my own family and marriage. Her style is tight, but cozy, humorous and welcoming. I hope we will see more from this wonderful writer!
Rating: 5 / 5
A fantastic book that takes you inside the lives of two opposing palattes that are starting a life together. This is so beautifully written that you feel transported to the Big Apple sharing the author’s meals with her and discovering all the treasures of the farmer’s market. Both touching and humorous this book will make you smile, and the included recipes will have you dreaming of your own dinners to come. Rush out and buy this one today (along with a nice chianti).
Rating: 5 / 5
Michelle Maisto’s quirky and humorous autobiography was truly a breath of fresh air to read. She questions the challenging aspects of relationships and marriage, often related to food, that people usually overlook. She gives an honest perspective on the transitions from singledom to couple to marriage. I found myself laughing hysterically within the first few pages and getting sucked right into the book. It spoke to me in a palpable way that I know all my girlfriends would appreciate. For as she describes, so many of the intrinsic aspects of relationships that we overlook, are those that shape us the most and determine the fate of our connections with others. I fell in love with the day=to-day descriptions of her meals, the recipes, and the inner dialogue that accompanied them from vision through creation.
Always seeking approval as a young adult, and wanting to satisfy everyone that surrounds us, is a constant and often frustrating and/or rewarding challenge that Michelle examines in her own life. I think in this futuristic time in which we live, where gender roles and ethnic divisions are all broken down around us, it is often difficult to navigate through this new terrain of existence, especially in a relationship, where there is no instruction manual or previously set path to follow. WIth this said, the Gastronomy of Marriage shows us that we can forge our own traditions, perhaps through trial and error, but that in the end, satisfation will come from a sense of knowing that we tried to do our best with the knowledge we have gained throughout our life, and that we succeed in being true to ourselves, while still being sensitive and thoughtful to the demands and desires of those people who sit around the table with us that we love most.
Thanks Michelle for your very honest and personal writing. It is a total inspiration, and makes the written word on a lazy Sunday something that I still treasure…
Rating: 5 / 5
This is the perfect book for food aficionados in love… Michelle pours all of her hopes and worries about engagement, marriage and beyond into a sweet and touching book that you’ll no doubt re-read a few times and not just for the mouth watering recipes. This book sits in my kitchen, on hand in case of an impromptu dinner party.
Rating: 5 / 5
Full disclosure: I happen to know the author and her husband. Not well, but enough that you should take this review with a pinch of salt. Preferably French sea salt harvested from pristine Atlantic seawater and dried under an early summer sun.
So the book is Rich. And about his marriage to Michelle. It is also tasty, satisfying, hearty, sweet but not cloying, nourishing but not heavy. It is definitely food for thought and reflection, especially if you are considering marriage or that fourth bowl of pork fried rice.
It is a book to be read with a full heart, but not an empty stomach. The inspired recipes and thoughtful commentary will leave you grinning – but starving.
Who should read this book? Food lovers. Lovers in general. Anyone who salivates while reading the following words: sriracha, anisette, prosciutto, soba, profiteroles, pappardelle, scallions, rabbit ragu, pasta e fagioli.
Sidenote – if you love New York City or have dreamed of living there, this book will give you insight in a context you’ve probably never considered.
You know when you’re sitting at a restaurant, staring blankly at the menu, trying to decide between the house special or the one scrawled in chalk out front? This is that moment. Go with the easy, the reliable, the tried and true? No, be adventurous! This is the one – fresh, new, delicious. Don’t look back. Get it and revel in your choice, savor every morsel. Drink it in. Slurp it down. And then rave about it to all of your friends.
*urp*
Rating: 5 / 5