Blood, Bones & Butter - A Chef's Memoir

I often browse websites to pick new books. One of my favourite is Abe’s best sellers list since it’s based on sales and not what publishers want to promote. “Let the people choose!” I say. I scan the descriptions and if one sparks an interest I place a hold at my local library. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Blood, Bones and Butter. I vaguely recall it described as a memoir of a restaurant owner. Long story short; I read it in 3 days! I could not put it down. It’s not a string of undercover, lurid tales of running a restaurant in NYC. It’s far more reaching. It’s the life of author/chef Gabrielle Hamilton from childhood to middle-age. Sure there are lots of descriptions on food that will have you screaming “I must go to Greece NOW!”  My favourite passages however were the ones covering her relationships. They range from Norman Rockwell family ideals to absolute unrecoverable breakdowns. She’s brutally honest when it comes to her emotions and opinions. I admire her bravery and her self-reliance. She’s the type of person you’d want to drop by your kitchen and have a cuppa while prepping green beans.     

Overall Rating **** (4 stars out of 5)