Name: Kitchens of the Great Midwest
ISBN: 9781628996753

J. Ryan Stradal

When Lars Thorvald's wife Cynthia falls in love with wine--and a dashing sommelier--he's left to raise their baby Eva on his own. He's determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva's journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest

Jackie Cunningham

Food and fiction, what could be better? Charming, intriguing characters and a life's story told through food. A smart, fun read that is totally satisfying.

Sonia Grgas

3.5. After a rough start and thoughts of putting it aside, I ended up quite liking it. Do not listen to the cover synopsis or the blurbs - they do not give an accurate picture of what's inside. Recommended for those who like to be left to imagine what happens to characters after a book ends.

'A tremendous novel that combines powerfully moving moments with hilarious satire' Daily Mail 'Eva Thorvald is the new Olive Kitteridge' Elisabeth Egan 'Kitchens of the Great Midwest is terrific' Jane Smiley, Guardian Have you met Eva Thorvald? To her father, a chef, she's a pint-sized recipe tester and the love of his life. To the chilli chowdown contestants of Cook County, Illinois, she's a fire-eating demon. To the fashionable foodie goddess of supper clubs, she's a wanton threat. She's an enigma, a secret ingredient that no one can figure out. Someday, Eva will surprise everyone. One by one, they tell their story; together, they tell Eva's. Joyful, quirky and heartwarming, this is a novel about the family you lose, the friends you make and the chance connections that make a life. On the day before her eleventh birthday, she's cultivating chilli peppers in her wardrobe like a pro. Abandoned by her mother, gangly and poor, Eva arms herself with the weapons of her unknown heritage: a kick-ass palate and a passion bordering on obsession. Over the years, her tastes grow, and so do her ambitions. One day Eva will be the greatest chef in the world. But along the way, the people she meets will shape her - and she, them - in ways unforgettable, riotous and profound. So she - for one - knows exactly who she is by the time her mother returns. Special paperback edition with questions for reading groups, interview, guide to the Midwest, recipes and more!

b.andherbooks

Upon first picking this up, I thought I was in a for a bildungromans about a young girl born with an exceptional palate and her rise to chef stardom as per the book blurb. Something not too heavy. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that while this was the underlying theme, the book was far more interesting. Each chapter focuses on a different character in Eva Jorgenson's orbit and it often took a little while to find out why exactly you were in this character's perspective. Each chapter, much like the courses in Eva's famous dinners, was it's own entree, with a perfect, bitter sweet dessert at the end.

I would recommend this to those who love food, the Midwest, and a little bit of darkness. If you can find it on audio, I also recommend because the two narrators nailed the Midwest accents without making them a joke.

PS. A passage about a Kohl's coupon and a capri pants nailed the Midwest character for me. Nailed it.

Kitchens of the Great Midwest

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