First off, my bar-none favorite thing about this book was
the photography. Leela Cyd is my new muse. She took pictures of plums and
cheese that made me understand why the judges on Chopped sometimes call food sexy – I still think it’s very strange
but I kind of get it now – and pictures of bruleed citrus that I want prints of
for my kitchen. In addition to her skills behind the lens, Cyd comes off as
kind and welcoming at every turn of the page. I’m so glad I got the chance to
read through what I would classify as a culinary and visual experience; uniform
in taste profile and aesthetic.
In the categories of breakfast and desserts, Cyd pushed my
limits a little but in an intriguing way that made me anticipate my next excuse to get in the kitchen - excited anticipation, not nervous
(an important differentiation). I’m most anticipating sinking my teeth into
that same bruleed citrus that I want prints of, the Bircher muesli, and the
chocolate marcona mini muffins from the morning section. Desserts that had me
drooling included the lemon-strawberry tart and blueberry galette. Despite their
fancy, spell-check defyingly, foreign names, every single thing I just listed –
maybe even everything in the book – truly did look like something even a novice
in the kitchen like myself could make.
Now let’s talk about the differences between could, should,
and would.
While breakfast and dessert had a lot to offer, the center
1/3 of the book remained almost unmarked for me. The sections entitled “Teatime,”
“Happy Hour,” and “Potlucks & Picnics,” caused the difference between Cyd’s
lifestyle in California and mine in the rural Midwest to become glaring. Our
definitions of “simple” are clearly miles apart. Cyd has friends who casually
pose with Rhubarb Rose Floats; my friends are about as likely to eat or anything
with “rhubarb” or “rose” in the name as they are to miss the Rose Bowl.
While I loved
the glimpse into Cyd’s version of simple and firmly believe there’s nothing
wrong with either of our ways of life, under no circumstances would I not
get laughed out of the room if I brought “Purple Cauliflower Hummus” to the
next family holiday.
Also, am I the only one who had no clue that cauliflower
even comes in purple?
I guess what I’m saying is simply this: know what you’re
getting into. Food with Friends is a
beautiful book written by a likable author with a lot of interesting
suggestions, some handy tips on décor, and some easy to make recipes that may
or may not have any place at your table.
I was lucky enough to get this book for free through Blogging for Books, but I still gave you my unadulterated opinion. Scout's Honor.
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