Salty

April 18, 2022
“This book is a dinner party, and you are invited,” writes critic Wilkinson (How to Survive the Apocalypse) in this spirited culinary survey. In the spirit of “the great” Judy Chicago’s 1979 installation The Dinner Party, the author imagines her own meal with nine women artists—with each getting a chapter-length biography that’s loaded with insights into their eating and creative habits. Alice B. Toklas proved “culinary pursuits are an art form like any other” (and devoted “an entire chapter of her book to cold vegetable soups”); Maya Angelou “didn’t see much difference between writing and cooking”; and Agnès Varda “love potatoes.” Then there’s Elizabeth David, a writer who strove to infuse post-WWII English cooking with more global and daring flavors, from whom one could expect “nothing fancy; probably an omelette and a glass of wine” for lunch. Each chapter is followed by a recipe that characterizes its subject: for Octavia Butler, it’s a Dawn-inspired vegetarian chili with winter squash, while Angelou gets “her favorite” of pears poached in port wine. There’s much to savor, and Wilkinson’s essays are vivid, evocative, and convivial: as she notes, quoting Colwin, “Without fellowship life is not worth living.” This literary feast will make readers feel like they’re pulling up a seat at the table.

June 10, 2024

Imagine a dinner party, � la Judy Chicago's iconic installation The Dinner Party, but the guests are nine notable women, each of whom have a creative relationship with food. That's the framing for journalist Wilkinson's charming essay collection, which explores the wide-ranging lives and experiences of authors Octavia Butler, Alice B. Toklas, Maya Angelou, Laurie Colwin, filmmaker Agn�s Varda, and activists Ella Baker and Hannah Arendt. Each chapter contains a brief biographical sketch focusing on the subject's culinary experiences, followed by a recipe that represents them. Ella Baker, for example, is represented by a Southern-style shrimp salad in reference to her Southern roots. Wilkinson's admiration for the women she profiles and her interest in how they interacted with food and eating is infectious. Narrator Erin deWard's tone and cadence don't always fit the content--some of the narration comes across as needlessly breathy and dramatic, which is especially jarring when she's narrating a recipe. But when deWard hits her stride, the narration melts into the content in a most satisfying way. VERDICT Despite the moments of slightly rocky narration, this is a captivating glimpse into the lives of nine creative, world-changing women that will appeal to both foodies and feminists.--Nanette Donohue

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