I haven’t been reading much food-related literature lately beyond catching up with some of my favorite foodie sites like Food52.com and Ruhlman.com. I do have a few books on my list now that the holidays are over. One of the gifts I received is Provence, 1970 by Luke Barr.  He is the great-nephew of M.F.K. Fisher, one of America’s preeminent food writers, and he is reconstructing a time in 1970 when his great-aunt was in Provence at the same time as some other prominent figures in the American culinary world, like James Beard and Julia Child.  The other food-related reading I’ll be doing is some cookbooks, particularly ones on pressure cooking. I don’t have a pressure cooker, but I have been really curious about it. So, I got some good recommendations (thanks, Maureen!) for cookbooks by Lorna Sass on the subject.  Maybe there will be a post on pressure cooking soon!

I received a delicious book for my birthday titled The Cassoulet Saved Our Marriage:  True Tales of Food, Family & How We Learn to Eat edited by Caroline M. Grant & Lisa Catherine Harper.  The book is a compilation of essays from 29 writers about what food means in their families and includes recipes from each of them.  I’m enjoying it enormously because it was such a thoughtful gift from a dear friend, and it exemplifies what Kimberly and I are attempting to do with Table365.  We know that family meals and feeding your family are more than just food.  At its core, family meals reflect values, create culture, and provide nourishment at an emotional level.  This book allows a glimpse into other family tables and inspiring recipes, too!