A Homemade Life

If you like to make or eat or make and eat food, please get yourself a copy of Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life. It will change your life. Or it will at least inspire you to get in the kitchen. My sister in-law gave me her copy about a month ago and I just got around to reading it. Despite the fact that I was an English teacher, I am the SLOWEST reader on the planet. I know a book is good when I read through it in less than a week. This one took me just a handful of days. I'm also not ashamed to admit that I read this one on Friday and Saturday night instead of going out for drinks. (Read: Nerd)

This book is several wonderful things. It's funny, sad, and heart-warming. It's inspiring and leaves you craving foods you've never even tasted. It's a lovely coming of age tale about Molly's life. Each chapter is a chunk of her life and centers around a particular recipe from that time. In addition, she actually gives you the recipes all throughout the book. I made her father's French toast the morning after I started reading. Equally wonderful is Molly's writing style. She has a vocabulary that gets me jealous. She uses words like "smear," "drippy," and "circuitous." She has a way of describing food like I've never read before.

Food writing might be my favorite genre. This one is a keeper. Oh, and before I forget, be sure to check out Molly's blog, Orangette.

-L