Ruth Reichl

"When Condâe Nast offered Ruth Reichl the top position at America's oldest epicurean magazine, she declined. She was a writer, not a manager, and had no inclination to be anyone's boss. Yet Reichl had been reading Gourmet since she was eight; it had inspired her career. How could she say no? This is the story of a former Berkeley hippie entering the corporate world and worrying about losing her soul. It is the story of the moment restaurants became an important part of popular culture, a time when the rise of the farm-to-table movement changed, forever, the way we eat. Readers will meet legendary chefs like David Chang and Eric Ripert, idiosyncratic writers like David Foster Wallace, and a colorful group of editors and art directors who, under Reichl's leadership, transformed stately Gourmet into a cutting-edge publication. This was the golden age of print media--the last spendthrift gasp before the Internet turned the magazine world upside down. Complete with recipes, Save Me the Plums is a personal journey of a woman coming to terms with being in charge and making a mark, following a passion and holding on to her dreams--even when she ends up in a place she never expected to be."--

My Gourmet Memoir

Save Me the Plums

The editor-in-chief of "Gourmet" recounts her visits to some of the world's most acclaimed restaurants, both as herself and as an anonymous diner in disguise, to offer insight into the differences in her dining experiences.

The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

Garlic and Sapphires

The noted food critic describes her odyssey from chef to food writer, traces her journey through restaurants from Bangkok to Paris to Los Angeles, and offers colorful anecdotes about her life and encounters with great food.

More Adventures at the Table

Comfort Me With Apples

Bestselling author Ruth Reichl takes readers on an adventure of food, art, and fashion in 1980s Paris in this dazzling, heartfelt novel Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean... Oysters, she thought, where have they been all my life? When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual inheritance: a one-way plane ticket and a note reading Go to Paris. But Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a childhood trauma has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. When her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes. Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and, for the first time in her life, Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress and together they embark on an adventure. Her first stop: iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters, and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces her to a veritable who’s who of the 1980s Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, Stella begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life. As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.

The Paris Novel

In the fall of 2009, the food world was rocked when Gourmet magazine was abruptly shuttered by its parent company. No one was more stunned by this unexpected turn of events than its beloved editor in chief, Ruth Reichl, who suddenly faced an uncertain professional future. As she struggled to process what had seemed unthinkable, Reichl turned to the one place that had always provided sanctuary. "I did what I always do when I'm confused, lonely, or frightened," she writes. "I disappeared into the kitchen." My Kitchen Year follows the change of seasons--and Reichl's emotions--as she slowly heals through the simple pleasures of cooking. While working 24/7, Reichl would "throw quick meals together" for her family and friends. Now she has the time to rediscover what cooking meant to her. Imagine kale, leaves dark and inviting, sautéed with chiles and garlic; summer peaches baked into a simple cobbler; fresh oysters chilling in a box of snow; plump chickens and earthy mushrooms, fricasseed with cream. Over the course of this challenging year, each dish Reichl prepares becomes a kind of stepping stone to finding joy again in ordinary things. The 136 recipes collected here represent a life's passion for food: a blistering ma po tofu that shakes Reichl out of the blues; a decadent grilled cheese sandwich that accompanies a rare sighting in the woods around her home; a rhubarb sundae that signals the arrival of spring. Here, too, is Reichl's enlivening dialogue with her Twitter followers, who become her culinary supporters and lively confidants. Part cookbook, part memoir, part paean to the household gods, My Kitchen Year may be Ruth Reichl's most stirring book yet--one that reveals a refreshingly vulnerable side of the world's most famous food editor as she shares treasured recipes to be returned to again and again and again. Praise for Ruth Reichl Tender at the Bone "Reading Ruth Reichl on food is almost as good as eating it."--The Washington Post Book World "An absolute delight to read . . . How lucky we are that [Reichl] had the courage to follow her appetite."--Newsday "While all good food writers are humorous . . . few are so riotously, effortlessly entertaining as Ruth Reichl."--The New York Times Book Review "A poignant, yet hilarious, collection of stories about people [Reichl] has known and loved, and who, knowingly or unknowingly, steered her on the path to fulfill her destiny as one of the world's leading food writers."--Chicago Sun-Times Comfort Me with Apples "Reichl writes with gusto, and her story has all the ingredients of a modern fairy tale: hard work, weird food, and endless curiosity."--The New Yorker "Magnificent . . . an extended, lilting song about lovesickness and the restorative succor of good food. [Grade:] A"--Entertainment Weekly "Compelling . . . The book's charm emerges from Reichl's writing, her observations and her amazing ability to capture people in a few memorable sentences. . . . You just have to read it."--USA Today

136 Recipes That Saved My Life

My Kitchen Year

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Includes an exclusive conversation between Ruth Reichl and Emily Giffin Ruth Reichl is a born storyteller. Through her restaurant reviews, where she celebrated the pleasures of a well-made meal, and her bestselling memoirs that address our universal feelings of love and loss, Reichl has achieved a special place in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of readers. Now, with this magical debut novel, she has created a sumptuous, wholly realized world that will enchant you. Billie Breslin has traveled far from her home in California to take a job at Delicious!, New York's most iconic food magazine. Away from her family, particularly her older sister, Genie, Billie feels like a fish out of water--until she is welcomed by the magazine's colorful staff. She is also seduced by the vibrant downtown food scene, especially by Fontanari's, the famous Italian food shop where she works on weekends. Then Delicious! is abruptly shut down, but Billie agrees to stay on in the empty office, maintaining the hotline for reader complaints in order to pay her bills. To Billie's surprise, the lonely job becomes the portal to a miraculous discovery. In a hidden room in the magazine's library, Billie finds a cache of letters written during World War II by Lulu Swan, a plucky twelve-year-old, to the legendary chef James Beard. Lulu's letters provide Billie with a richer understanding of history, and a feeling of deep connection to the young writer whose courage in the face of hardship inspires Billie to comes to terms with her fears, her big sister and her ability to open her heart to love. Praise for Delicious! "Compulsively readable . . . a treat for anyone who loves a warm, character-packed tale--a delectable mix of flavor, fantasy, and emotional comfort food."--O: The Oprah Magazine "[Reichl's] New York is a fairy-tale town where beautiful food abounds. . . . The novel presents a whole passel of surprises: a puzzle to solve; a secret room; hidden letters; the legacy of James Beard; and a parallel, equally plucky heroine from the past, who also happens to be a culinary prodigy."--The New York Times Book Review "Fascinating characters . . . There's romance, intrigue, food history, and the fictional appearance of a very real American culinary icon."--The Austin Chronicle "Reichl's vivid descriptions of food will have readers salivating, and an insider's look at life at a food magazine is fascinating. Her satisfying coming-of-age novel of love and loss vividly demonstrates the power of food to connect people across cultures and generations."--Library Journal (starred review) "This savory feast of a first novel blends the rich gifts that readers of Reichl's memoirs and food writing have come to expect. To a tantalizing coming-of-age story about a budding chef and journalist she adds a bittersweet tale of separated sisters."--More

Delicious!

Reflects on the author's mother, focusing on her early life as a bookstore owner and housewife and the diaries she kept which had been retrieved by her daughter after her death.

And Other Things She Taught Me Along the Way

Not Becoming My Mother

Reflects on the author's mother, focusing on her early life as a bookstore owner and housewife and the diaries she kept, which had been retrieved by her daughter after her death.

For You Mom, Finally

Silvia Killingsworth

Legendary author and food critic Ruth Reichl collects the year's finest writing about food and drink.

The Best American Food Writing 2018

ONE OF CHATELAINE'S FAVOURITE BOOKS OF SPRING 2024! A dazzling, heartfelt adventure through the food, art, and fashion scenes of 1980s Paris—from the New York Times bestselling author of Save Me the Plums and Delicious! “An enchanting and irresistible feast . . . As with a perfect meal in the world’s most magical city, I never wanted this sublime novel to end.”—Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, author of Good Company Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean... Oysters, she thought, where have they been all my life? When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual inheritance: a one-way plane ticket and a note reading Go to Paris. But Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a childhood trauma has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. When her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes. Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and, for the first time in her life, Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress and together they embark on an adventure. Her first stop: iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters, and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces her to a veritable who’s who of the 1980s Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, Stella begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life. As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.

Jennifer Higgie

As Dalí's muse, Hitchcock's nightmare, and humble ingredient, the eternal egg weaves a fascinating tale through antiquity. The first volume in TASCHEN's series with The Gourmand, sumptuously illustrated with exclusive photography and historic artworks, celebrates the link between food and art through original recipes and stories.

The Gourmand's Egg. A Collection of Stories & Recipes

Garlic and Sapphires is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine undetected when she takes on the much coveted and highly prestigious job of New York Times restaurant critic. Reichl knows that to be a good cri

“Reading Ruth Reichl on food is almost as good as eating it,” The Washington Post Book World once declared. If that’s the case, then this eBook bundle is a nonfiction feast. With a résumé that includes such posts as editor in chief of Gourmet magazine and restaurant critic for The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Reichl has elevated the food memoir into an art form with stories that overflow with love, life, humor, and—of course—marvelous meals. TENDER AT THE BONE Growing Up at the Table “An absolute delight to read . . . How lucky we are that [Reichl] had the courage to follow her appetite.”—Newsday At an early age, Ruth Reichl discovered that “food could be a way of making sense of the world.” Beginning with her mother, the notorious food-poisoner known as the Queen of Mold, Reichl introduces us to the fascinating characters who shaped her world and tastes, from the gourmand Monsieur du Croix, who served Reichl her first foie gras, to those at her table in Berkeley who championed the organic food revolution in the 1970s. Spiced with Reichl’s infectious humor and sprinkled with her favorite recipes, Tender at the Bone is a witty and compelling chronicle of a culinary sensualist’s coming-of-age. COMFORT ME WITH APPLES More Adventures at the Table “Reichl writes with gusto, and her story has all the ingredients of a modern fairy tale: hard work, weird food, and endless curiosity.”—The New Yorker Comfort Me with Apples picks up Reichl’s story in 1978, when she puts down her chef ’s toque and embarks on a career as a restaurant critic. Her pursuit of good food and good company leads her to New York and China, France and Los Angeles, and her stories of cooking and dining with world-famous chefs range from the madcap to the sublime. Through it all, Reichl makes each and every course a hilarious and instructive occasion for novices and experts alike, told in a style so honest and warm that readers will feel they are enjoying a conversation over a meal with a friend. Praise for Tender at the Bone “While all good food writers are humorous . . . few are so riotously, effortlessly entertaining as Ruth Reichl.”—The New York Times Book Review “A poignant, yet hilarious, collection of stories about people [Reichl] has known and loved, and who, knowingly or unknowingly, steered her on the path to fulfill her destiny as one of the world’s leading food writers.”—Chicago Sun-Times Praise for Comfort Me with Apples “Magnificent . . . an extended, lilting song about lovesickness and the restorative succor of good food. [Grade:] A”—Entertainment Weekly “Compelling . . . The book’s charm emerges from Reichl’s writing, her observations and her amazing ability to capture people in a few memorable sentences. . . . You just have to read it.”—USA Today

Comfort Me with Apples and Tender at the Bone: Two Culinary Treasures

Presents a compilation of food and travel essays from the pages of "Gourmet magazine" by such authors as M.F.K. Fisher, Ruth Harness, Anita Loos, James Beard, and Madhur Jaffrey.

Sixty Years of Writing from Gourmet

Endless Feasts

A collection of essays by top food writers, originally published in Gourmet magazine, traces Paris's reconstruction from a culinary perspective in the years after the German occupation, a period that saw the birth of nouvelle cuisine, the reintroduction of old-time bourgeois dinners, and the emergence of hero-chefs. 25,000 first printing.

Remembrance of Things Paris

Eric Asimov

William Grimes

Wiliam Grimes

The New York Times Guide to Restaurants in New York City 2001 (New York Times Guide to Restaurants in New York City, 2001)

A funny, tell-all memoir from the New York Times' most controversial restaurant critic.

The secret life of a restaurant critic in disguise

Gathers recipes published in Gourmet magazine over the last six decades, including beef Wellington, seared salmon with balsamic glaze, and other entrâees, hors d'oeuvres, side dishes, ethnic specialties, and desserts.

More Than 1000 Recipes

The Gourmet Cookbook

Sandra M. Gilbert

Roger J. Porter

"A glorious survey of food writing from the classical world to the present, "--NoveList.

Ruth Reichl

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