5 Delicious Food Memoirs to Drool Over

Two Towns in Provence: Map of Another Town and a Considerable Town, by M. F. K. Fisher
Like helpings, the only thing better than one memoir is two, particularly when written by preeminent food writer, M. F. K. Fisher. Having penned 27 fantastic books, Fisher is among the most renowned American food writers. Her culinary travels through California and France provided inspiration for her food anecdotes. Here, her tale of two towns, Map of Another Town and A Considerable Town are paired together, taking the reader to picturesque places like Aix-en-Provence and Marseilles. These memoirs will have you dreaming of the sights and smells of the south of France, if not booking a plane ticket.

32 Yolks: From My Mother’s Table to Working the Line, by Eric Ripert and Veronica Chambers
Foodies flock to NYC to taste Eric Ripert’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Bernardin. At the upscale eatery, the Chef Ripert spoils and enchants diners with an array of delectable seafood, every bite a taste of la dolce vita. But Ripert’s life wasn’t always easy, and it was in his at times challenging childhood he found solace in his innate gift: cooking. The story is at once a tale about food and coming of age in the kitchen. And the book is much more accessible (and affordable) than a dinner at Le Bernardin.

Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, & Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living, by Julie Powell
Some people are more cinephiles than bibliophiles. But usually those film buffs enjoying reading the book the movie is based off of after having first savored the film. There are not that many food books as fiction books that are turned into movies but as luck would have it, this food blog/memoir was turned into a film: Julie and Julia. Starring Meryl Streep as the unique and charismatic food personality, Julia Child, the story follows a young woman, Julie, as she commits to cooking Child’s dishes daily for a year. Both movie and book are a delight, but we believe the book is best served before the film.

Miss Ella of Commander’s Palace, by Ella Brennan and Ti Martin
New Orleans is one of those cities that instantly conjures up images of food and fine dining. Just the mention of  “The Big Easy” sends déjà vu taste buds and smells swirling through the mind. And couple that with the surname, “Brennan,” well; brunch is pretty much served. The Brennan family of New Orleans has a long history as restaurateurs, among the most eminent is the inimitable Ella Brennan, leader of Commander’s Palace, first established in 1893. The book, whose colors recall the restaurant with its vibrant blue and white, follows the story of Brennan’s life and career. Brennan co-wrote it with one of her daughters (and restaurant partners), Ti Adelaide Martin.

Eating Animals, by Jonathan Safran Foer
If you like your memoir with a slice of investigative journalism, then Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer is the book for you. Do not sit down expecting a nostalgic recount of the days of old. Rather, the book dips into the more sour side of eating—the farming and treatment of animals. Foer makes an empathetic storyteller, he himself having attempted (and not always succeeded) to go vegetarian, battling his love of meat against his respect for animals. The book is a lot to digest, but is worth every word.
What food memoirs have you savored?