Porch #137 🥣 Books for Foodies

Six ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ culinary reads for those who know their way around a kitchen (or prefer someone else to do the cooking any given day of the week) + a 20 year time capsule of classic volumes

Writer

Jeff Goins

muses, ‘When was the last time you picked up a book or a magazine, maybe even just a pamphlet, and read for the pleasure of the experience, the pure enjoyment of the act: eyes touching text, paragraphs becoming symphonies, fingers rubbing deckled edges, the smoothness of ink beneath your thumbs, your face so close to the pages that you could smell their bread-like warmth?’

Mikhail Nilov

Attention all you book lovers, Betty Crockers, fine dining connaisseurs, wanna-be chefs, and Food Network junkies!

There’s no time like the present to start lining up your summer must-read list. I’ve had such fun pulling together this inspirational BOOKBAG for you. You’ll find novels, guidebooks, and memoirs no matter what your taste (pun intended), followed by a new feature around here, a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ TIME CAPSULE, a monthly literary walk down memory lane thanks to a little reading journal that’s kept me in good company since way back in 1992.

There’s lots of links to click and books to check out (no pun intended), so let’s go!

Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame: A Novel
Olivia Ford
’After fifty-nine years of marriage … Jenny decides she wants a little something for herself. So she secretly applies to be a contestant on the prime-time TV show Britain Bakes. Whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras and timed challenges, Jenny delights in a new-found independence. But the stress of the competition, starts to unearth memories buried decades ago …’

This brand new fictional masterpiece will be one of my favorite books this year. Promise. It’s warm and delightful and sheer comfort food in and of itself. I’m highly recommending.
Kindle
Paperback

Taste and See: Discovering God among Butchers, Bakers, & Fresh Food Makers
Margaret Feinberg
Margaret's approach to life and God's Word and all things culinary is refreshing, winsome, a breath of fresh air.  Foodies - you'll find her book will nurture something deep in your soul.  Meanwhile, pack your bag and explore olive orchards, Texas butchers, and a 410 foot descent into a salt mine.  Along the way you'll discover the delights of fish and figs and bread, some new recipes ... and the depths of God's Word for today's day and culture.

This could be a unique boost to a waning devotional time ... and there's even a DVD series for small groups that would spark interest in the connection between God's Word and the delicious creation He's given us to enjoy.
Kindle
Paperback
6 Session DVD & Leader Guide: video notes, group discussion questions, personal study & reflection materials

The Lazy Genius Kitchen: Have What You Need, Use What You Have, & Enjoy It Like Never Before
Kendra Adachi
Kendra's like a smart, sassy big sister and her philosophy is spot on - 'be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't.'  If your kitchen space is out of control, she's the perfect no-nonsense, very fun companion to get you where you want to go.  Whimsical illustrations and clever charts, lists, and stuff.  

Kendra’s splendid podcast keeps me occupied and entertained during Monday night supper clean-up. Her upcoming book, The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius is tops on my reading radar for October.
Kindle
Hardcover

Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food
Ann Hood
’From her Italian-American childhood, through raising and feeding a growing family …Ann Hood has long appreciated the power of good food … Pairing her signature humor and tenderness with simple, comforting recipes, Hood spins tales of loss and starting from scratch, family love and feasts with friends, and how the perfect meal is one that tastes like home.’

Every once in a while, you’ll find a little gem tucked in the shelves of a swap shop or in a free pile somewhere. This is one of those discoveries. And boy, some of these recipes look scrumptious.
Kindle
Paperback

The Kitchen Front: A Novel
Jennifer Ryan
’Two years into World War II, Britain is feeling her losses … In an effort to help housewives with food rationing, a BBC radio program called The Kitchen Front is holding a cooking contest—and the grand prize is a job as the program’s first-ever female co-host. For four very different women, winning the competition would present a crucial chance to change their lives.’

A young widow, a kitchen maid, a lady of the manor, a trained chef. This is a heart-capturing read you won’t put down no matter who you end up rooting for.
Kindle
Paperback

The Sweet Life (Cape Cod Creamery Book #1)
Suzanne Woods Fisher
My family has been huge fans of Suzanne's Amish series for years but I had no idea she'd written other light-hearted fiction 'til youngest daughter gave me this sweet (literally) birthday gift.  What's not to love?!  My Cape Cod home turf, relationship drama, buying and refurbishing an old decrepit shop in Chatham, mother-daughter dynamics, and ice cream on every page.

Scrumptious, wholesome, and a glorious taste of Cape Cod.
Kindle
Paperback

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ APRIL TIME CAPSULE!
1 year ago
All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir
Beth Moore

5 years ago
The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Right Decisions
Emily P. Freeman

10 years ago
Inside Out
Larry Crabb

15 years ago
Gifted to Lead: The Art of Leading as a Woman in the Church
Nancy Beach

20 years ago
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life
Henry Cloud & John Townsend

I’m getting hungry! Let’s chat about your own treasured food-ish volumes - memoirs, fiction, faith-based, how-to’s, recipes, whatever.

If you’ve got a link to a post or a title, please share the wealth. As always, a whole lot of people will be quietly joining me in spending time wandering through the comment section, hoping to meet other kindred spirit readers, and taking note of your suggestions.

I’ll meet you there, ok?
Linda

🛒 When you click on an Amazon link and then shop ‘til you drop, I receive a little bit of a commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting my work here at Grace & Space.
ox

🔗 Anne . Paula . Andrew . Joanne . Maree