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The School of Essential Ingredients – Book Review
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
When Lillian’s father left and her mother turned inward, Lillian became all but an orphan. Lillian had no idea how to reach her mother and turn them into a family once again until she discovered cooking. With a natural gift for putting together food and knowning what people would like to eat, Lillian made her goal to cook her mother back to the rest of the world.
As an adult, Lillian has her own restaurant and a once per month cooking class. The majority of the book follows the lives of the different people in one cooking class as well as the classes every month.
Because of the way the book was styled as vignettes, I wasn’t sure I would really enjoy it, I thought that I might not get enough of a look at any one person’s life to care about them as a character. I was completely and totally wrong. The language was lyrical, the descriptions of the food sensous. I was immediately intrigued by each and every character and by the way that food was able to transform their life. The book had a bit of the feeling of magical realism, without anything actually standing out as being too magical.
Simply, I loved it; I only put it down once and only because I was too tired to go on. It was completely lovely and fantastic. In my opinion, it is even worth buying in hardcover.
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I loved this book too! I didn’t want it to end.
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This book has certainly made its way through blogdom, and I have yet to hear anything but praise! I love food and cooking, so this is reason enough for me to get it. I will wait for my weekly coupon from Borders and go get it!
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I fell in love with this book! I had to struggle to put it down when a friend stopped by, and then I ended up reading a couple of sections outloud to him. I was compelled to share!
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Oh good, another positive review, glad you liked it!
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I was also surprised that I liked it as much as I did – glad you enjoyed it too!
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I couldn’t agree more….she wrote a lovely novel!
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This book is the next one in line to be read…can’t wait!
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This sounds really good. I haven’t come across it before, so it looks I’ll be adding yet another book to my wish list. Thanks for the review!
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I’ve got this one on my list because I keep hearing so many good things about it.
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I’ve been hearing amazing things about this book! I have it from the library, I must make sure to read it before I have to return it!!
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Add me to the “lovers” list! I loved it, too!
If anyone hasn’t yet read it, I’m giving away three copies on my blog, so come see!
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I loved this one, too! I can totally see myself reading it again. Bauermeister’s writing is amazing!
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