An Eater's Book

Gabrielle Hamilton, chef and owner of New York's Prune restaurant, has led quite an amazing life thus far. Though becoming a chef never seemed to be at the forefront of her goals, it's something she came back to over and over again.

She has a masters in fiction writing and her work has appeared in the likes of Food & Wine, Bon Apetit, and The New York Times (amongst others), but this is the first time she's set her pen to writing out her story, the "Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef." Her talent for writing and her love of food come together in this latest food memoir, one that's earned the high praise of Anthony Bourdain himself (who's been a fan of Hamilton's restaurant for quite some time, apparently).

I do love food memoirs. I don't know if I'm a foodie or an eater (Hamilton differentiates between the two). I don't think I have a snobbery for food and I'm not a food adventurist per se, I just want to be exposed to and to have the chance to try as many things as I can (within reason). But it's an extra plus to read about the adventures occurring in chef's and cook's kitchens around the world. From celebrities of the food realm like Bourdain to Hamilton, a celebrity in her own right though recognized more for her food than her tv appearances, to bloggers with small city kitchens exploring their local markets, I find it all fascinating. It's kind of like standing in their kitchens and watching them cook -- something I'll never be able to actually do in person.

One day, maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get to eat at Prune myself, but until then, Blood, Bones and Butter satisfied an appetite that had been fed by numerous reviews I'd been reading in anticipation of the release of Hamilton's book.

Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef is out now. You can read more about Hamilton, Prune, and the book via the links above (top of the page). And I came across this interview yesterday.