Kaethe

Just because I have virtually no sense of smell, or taste, (and am unable to cook worth a damn because seasoning is a mystery: "to taste"!?!? What, my taste? That's either way too much salt or way too much sugar for normal people) and am absolutely not a foodie, I do enjoy reading about other people's relationship with food. I don't care about recipes, but the emotional weight of food, and dinner parties, and all that. Knisley has enjoyed a particularly deep love affair with food, uncomplicated by so many of the eating issues and disorders. It's like reading about anything that anyone really loves: it's engrossing even when you don't see it.

Knisley's motto would seem to be "there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing... about in boats — or with boats." Only replacing "boats" with "food." It's a charming memoir, reflecting well on family and friends, and memorable meals with same.

Library copy