Kitchens Of The Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal- 310 pages
Book Blurb:
When Lars Thorvaldβs wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wineβand a dashing sommelierβheβs left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. Heβs determined to pass on his love of food to his daughterβstarting with purΓ©ed pork shoulder. 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 Evaβs journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast thatβs a testament to her spirit and resilience. Each chapter in J. Ryan Stradalβs startlingly original debut tells the story of a single dish and character, at once capturing the zeitgeist of the Midwest, the rise of foodie culture, and delving into the ways food creates community and a sense of identity.
My Review: 4.5 stars
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Kitchens Of The Great Midwest took me on a culinary journey as well as a coming of age one. The author, Stradal, created this story using only eight wisely written chapters based on different characters who knew our main protagonist through different stages of her life. Some could call these chapters interconnected short stories, but theyβre not; theyβre just a novel story-telling technique that was superbly done.
I found myself reading this non-stop, as I couldnβt wait to see where Eva was headed. Some of the minor characters, in which the chapters were based, had pitch perfect voices. I loved Braque. Her sailorβs mouth was so spot on for someone that suffered loss at such an early age. She mirrored Eva in a discussion worthy way. Additionally, I loved the symbolism in the name Hatch.
This book uses food as a minor character and for those of you who enjoy cooking, savorΒ a good meal orΒ relish newΒ recipes, then this is definitely a book for you.
Quotes I liked:
After decades away from the Midwest, sheβd forgotten that bewildering generosity was a common regional tic.β
As the eastbound flight reached cruising altitude, Cindy opened the latest issue of the Economistβshe saved her smarter reading for public situations.