 White Truffles in Winter by the US American author N.M. Kelby is a fictional account of the life of the famous chef Auguste Escoffier. Auguste Escoffier lived at the turn of the 19th century and was one of the chefs instrumental in modernising French cuisine. For example, he was the first to organise the professional kitchen by introducing the “kitchen brigade” with different members of the kitchen staff being responsible for certain tasks.
He lives on in the many dishes he created for celebrity guests while cooking in the Savoy and the Ritz in Paris. His most famous dishes include Pêche Melba, in honor of the Australian soprano Nellie Melba, Fraise Sarah (a dish of strawberries with ice cream, pineapple puree, and a cuacao mousse) for the famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt and Tournedos Rossini, in honour of the Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini.
Loosely based on facts, N.M. Kelby tells the story of the famous chef and the two most important women in his life, his wife Delphine, a progressive French poet, and the beautiful and seductive actress Sarah Bernhardt. I have read one half of my copy so far and have been completely drawn into the story. What makes the book special is the exquisite food writing and the insight that it gives on how food was perceived and created 100 years ago.
I have one copy of White Truffles in Winter to give away. To enter, please leave a comment and tell me your favourite book where food plays a role – this can for example be a cook book, food writing or a crime novel with a food loving detective (Montalbano springs to mind). I send Europe-wide.
i loved nigel slater’s toast just because it perfectly captures the relationship between food and memory. for me food memories have been a very integral part of the way i eat and now living in london in a home away from another home i find i am constantly trying to recall the magic (or sometimes the dismay) of my parents kitchen! i guess also nigel slater is very accessible and comforting so that adds to the books charm.
It has to be Chocolat by Joanne Harris – you can almost taste the chocolates from her sensuous descriptions.
I adore Food in History by Reay Tannahill, which tells us what people what and why people ate certain foods, starting from prehistoric times until present
I love all the books by Ruth Reichel. A must read for every food lover!