Cooking For Mr Latte: Amazon.ca: Amanda Hesser: Books

Product Description

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Cooking for Mr. Latte is a delightfully modern dating story, recipes included. It's the true story of the courtship between Amanda Hesser, a food writer for The New York Times and author of the award-winning cookbook The Cook and the Gardener, and writer Tad Friend, the titular Mr. Latte. Most of the book was written in installments for the New York Times Magazine, but fans of Hesser's writing will be happy to know that there are plenty of new stories and recipes to justify picking up the book version. Her tale ends happily ever after, but has enough ups and downs to keep it interesting. And it's not all about Mr. Latte. Ever wonder what it's like to eat out with foodie guru Jeffrey Steingarten? Chances are you guessed wrong.

Food is an important aspect of Hesser's life (though it wasn't for Mr. Latte when they met, making for some of the downs in the ups and downs), but it's not until you notice how seamlessly Hesser weaves her meals into her story that you realize how much of our lives and our memories revolve around food. By the time you get to the recipes, you've already salivated over the dishes and become emotionally attached to them. From her mother's Chocolate Dump-It Cake to the Ginger Duck her future mother-in-law made the first time they met, you'll love that Hesser pays such close attention and generously shares the recipes. Filled with everything from old-fashioned treats from her grandmother's kitchen to dishes from some of New York's hottest dining spots, this is one entertaining read that is sure to end up in your kitchen. --Leora Y. Bloom --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

Mark my words, [Hesser] is food writing's Next Big Thing, joining...M. F. K. Fisher, Ruth Reichl, [and] Laurie Colwin.--Christine Van De Velde Luskin

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Customer Reviews

50 Reviews

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

Average Customer Review

3.5 out of 5 stars (50 customer reviews)

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2.0 out of 5 stars NY-Style Tidbits--bland, need salt, July 11 2004

By

Valjean (Orcas Island, WA, USA) - See all my reviews

Ce commentaire est de: Cooking For Mr Latte (Paperback)

Cooking for Mr. ... Who? Even though I may be the only male member of the species who has read this book--this is *hard core* "chick lit," so stop reading now if that turns you off--I can only assume the title is smugly ironic. C'mon--*no one* cooks for *Mr.* Anybody anymore, right? Ah, but the subtitle ("A food lover's courtship") assures us; dear Ms. Hesser is the food lover--you were expecting maybe the guy with the nickname?--so *she's* doing the courting here, thank you very much. We're back on safe ground.

And this tale starts well because, compared to a bit later on, we're actually reading a tale. The first few "chapters" (I use that term *very* loosely, as does the author) consist of light, gossipy, he-said, she-said banter with good food as a backdrop. They stumble through a first date. He earns his nickname. He makes her dinner. (She's impressed.) Conclusions of each episode detail exact recipes of everything eaten (the author kept a diary). The recipes aren't bad (I even tried a few).

At this point I hope the reader likes how the relationship is going, because by forty pages in the author adjusts the lens on Mr. Latte; he comes back into focus when needed, but we're basically done with him. The remaining 90% of Mr. Hesser's diary gives us Everything You Possibly Wanted To Know About Me. Or at least My Diet. Courtship? I can count on one hand the number of emotional statements, expressions of affection, or even more-than-trifling romantic insights in this book; in case you have to ask, they're nearly all hers. Attraction? *Sex*? Please, this is about, um, food.

And so on it goes--for thirty-seven (count 'em) vignettes, each about 5-6 pages (or approximately the length of a newspaper food column, which Ms. Hesser conveniently writes--for the New York Times) followed by the aforementioned recipes. This structure isn't really *that* awful, but for supporting a bird's eye-view of a courtship, well, this ain't quite Cyrano de Bergerac. Strangled both by its prose and format, 'Mr. Latte' doesn't convey or evoke the slightest wisp of emotional pulse.

By the less-than-breathless ending I was left with a few questions. What in the name of Zeus was Ms. Hesser's affection for her beloved based on? Mutual appreciation of food? Work? Sense of life? Approval from friends and relatives? We're given obtuse hints on all these subjects, but the author never lets us in; we get plenty of food, precious little courtship, and zero emotion.

And finally: how can a food writer who puts away a daily bowl of ice cream, attends an endless stream of dinner parties, and basically never appears to do anything but write and eat (passionately!) still be the ultra-thin chic gal artistically rendered (the retro hair clips are a give-away) thirty-seven times over--not including the cover? Now answering *that* would be a column worthy of courtship! And include the recipes, please.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, GREAT recipes, July 7 2004

By A Customer

Ce commentaire est de: Cooking For Mr Latte (Paperback)

So what if you don't agree with Amanda's opinions or lifestyle? Her stories are fun and the recipes are FABULOUS, every single one. I was never that tempted to try her recipes when they appeared in the NY Times magazine. But I've tried at least a dozen in the book, and I must say, not only do they all work, but I've received raves from my family and friends for every recipe I've tried: ginger duck, pasta with lemon and creme fraiche, slow-roasted cod, romesco sauce, etc. etc. Try them and you'll see.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully fun and lighthearted, July 1 2004

By

Emily Grossi "emgrossi" (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: Cooking For Mr Latte (Hardcover)

I completely enjoyed this fun, well-written, witty book. Amanda's writing makes me want to jump off the couch and whip up dish after dish, invite friends over and really enjoy life. I do not understand why some reviewers find her writing offensive- lighten up! She's honest, about herself and others, and I find her and her writing totally appealing. As I often do with a delicious dish, I found myself rationing this book so that I wouldn't finish it too quickly. What a wonderful way to spend a lazy afternoon and learn a thing or two about cooking in the meantime.

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Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars self-indulgent, vain-al-retentive
...Hmmm. Did Amanda write the last couple of reviews herself from "Portland OR", or did she have her sister do it for her? Lisez davantage

Published on Jun 23 2004

1.0 out of 5 stars snobbery at its ugliest
I am a food editor and write a cookbook review column for a major metropolitan daily newspaper. I thought the description of this book sounded fun -- I date a welder-fitter who... Lisez davantage

Published on May 19 2004