Lucy Knisley’s second book, Relish (my life in the kitchen) is a brightly coloured and wonderfully illustrated celebration of food. In my opinion, there’s really no better thing to celebrate.
Having read French Milk in one afternoon curled up by the fire, I devoured Relish in more or less the same amount of time. Reading page after page about Lucy’s lifelong relationship with food (her Mother is a chef, her Father a gourmet) her passion for all things gastronomic practically leaps off the pages. A girl after my own heart.
While it’s clear from reading French Milk that Knisley has a deep appreciation for food, you don’t really understand just how much until you move on to Relish and uncover far more about the talented New York illustrator. Relish is the kind of book that puts you in a great mood instantly. It makes you search your mind to uncover your own food related memories; those you experienced in your childhood and adulthood (so far!) and I found it charming and inspiring from cover to cover.
I loved Lucy’s style of drawing from the very first time I opened French Milk and enjoyed the book immensely…but Relish is far more pleasant. First of all, it’s in colour, so it’s already winning. The colours are vibrant and saturated. A feast for the eyes while you read about a feast for the soul. Relish also surpasses French Milk in content and tone…Lucy is older now; she’s far more positive, knowledgable and has developed a better sense of humour.
The book begins with stories and experiences relating to food from her childhood (even as a baby she was in the company of some serious foodie heavyweights) right through to present day. Each chapter tells a different story, including trips to Japan and Mexico where she shares her experiences of food from other cultures. From reading the book it’s clear that Lucy’s Mother was a huge influence in her life and her invariable passion for food. Her Mother’s various culinary jobs and projects gave Lucy first hand experience in a world of delicious opportunity.
In addition to each chapter telling a different story, each one has a recipe to accompany the tale. The recipes are very easy to follow and Lucy provides lots of tips and drawings to help you out along the way. I made the chocolate chip cookies, and I have to say they, were the best I ever made. A humble choice but the results were impressive.
If you, your friends or family members have an insatiable obsession or love of food, this little book is definitely for you. I got mine at The Book Depository as always. Free shipping!
Bon appétit to you all, and have a lovely weekend.
I’m off to Galway to eat, drink and be merry. I plan on eating a lot of seafood. I’ll need the fodder for my next food memory…
♥ ♥ ♥