I was crazy busy for most of last week and then I got my hands on this book and fell into a trance-like state of complete reading happiness such as I haven't experienced in ages.
I haven't forgiven Gabrielle Hamilton for her smart but mean little review of Dorie Greenspan's big and generous Around My French Table last fall. Her review was a great read, but there were a few too many gratuitous barbs. But then Hamilton isn't nice. She doesn't pretend to be nice. You don't read her new memoir Blood, Bones & Butter and think, golly, I'd like to meet that nice Gabrielle Hamilton and be her best friend because she's just such a warm and lovely person, especially when she's having one of those low blood sugar tantrums/breaking furniture/telling employees they "f****** s***/ stealing/snorting coke/turning a cold shoulder on her septuagenarian mother/criticizing her husband's Italian family/et cetera.
You think, I will read anything -- anything -- this woman writes and I hope she writes something else very soon.
A+, as I would have said in a previous life.
No fair! It's not out yet, so the rest of us can't enjoy it for weeks.
ReplyDeleteI loved her article in the New Yorker, so I am glad the rest of the book did not disappoint you.
P.S. How are the goats? Do you know if there are any results from their Christmas "vacation."
ReplyDeleteBut only something like 10 more days! Pre-order!
ReplyDeleteAs to the goats, I don't know. They sometimes get noisy, like they might be in heat again, but then I feed them and they shut up so maybe they're just hungry. My neighbor insists they look rounder already, but I can't see it.
God, I almost didn't want to read your post. I've been waiting so long for Hamilton's book ~ ever since I read a piece she wrote in F&W or Gourmet, I think, and I really don't want to be disappointed. I've had it pre-ordered since September.
ReplyDeleteI had a interesting little "age-flash" yesterday. I made some very good brownie type cookies from a newspaper recipe. The recipe gave this elaborate description of p putting a bowl in boiling water etc to melt the chocolate...so I pulled out my (old fashioned?) double boiler. Don't cooks have double boilers anymore?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 8:37 -- The book exceeded my high expectations.
ReplyDeleteMary -- I used to have a double boiler, but then something happened to part of it and now I just put a bowl over a saucepan. I guess that's what the elaborate recipe was talking about????
I was amused to notice this local (for me in Philly) event after reading your line "golly, I'd like to meet that nice Gabrielle Hamilton and be her best friend"
ReplyDelete"Have an Intimate Brunch with Chef Gabrielle Hamilton"
http://www.uwishunu.com/2011/02/have-an-intimate-brunch-with-chef-gabrielle-hamilton-at-pumpkin-restaurant-on-sunday-april-3/
That's funny! There's a similar event happening here in my area and I was momentarily tempted. I wouldn't want to actually speak to her, but I would very much like to observe her at a distance. I'm completely fascinated by her.
ReplyDelete