Coaching Cooking

It’s nearing the end of the week and I’m not particularly witty today. So, I’d like to present two of my favorite things in combination: a good read and a good drink.

All the books listed below are foodie favorites of mine. Some of them stretch back as far as elementary school and some are newer favorites. I’ve combined each book with a tantalizing drink.

Enjoy!

1.) Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Hot Whisky Toddy

Farmer Boy was a book that I read over and over for the lavish meals and the generous helpings of farm fresh goodness. Almanzo Wilder eats hearty meals while enjoying a wholesome farm upbringing. I would go back to that time just for the breakfasts!

2.) Griffin and Sabine (any of the books in this series) by Nick Bantock
Affogato Mocha

I discovered these book in high school and they are truly unique and gorgeous in their artistry. The books follow an extraordinary correspondence between Griffin and Sabine, two people who know each other psychically and through letters. Will these two people ever meet? Why are they linked? The best part of these books is that you actually open their letters and read them and then put them back into their envelopes. I would love to enjoy these books over chocolate any day…and they are so romantic that it makes time alone seem special.

3.) Any book by Ruth Reichl
A good glass of wine

I don’t remember when I first discovered Reichl’s amazing memoirs. Reichl is currently the editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine. In her books, she tells fabulous stories about her travels and her encounters with chefs, foodies and persons of interest. Any good glass of wine will do and many chapters include great recipes that you might want to save for some great culinary inspiration and some excellent feasts.

4.) Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
Green tea or warm sake

Banana Yoshimoto is one of those authors who touches my soul. She writes about food and life with such longing and wistfulness. Her books make me want to curl up for hours just to revel in the poetic lives of her characters. And I long to travel to Tokyo and to experience the joys of Japanese cuisine.

5.) Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
A naughty cocktail such as a lychee martini, peach gin fizz or a raspberry lime rickey.

My triumph in high school was convincing my English teacher, Mrs. Irvin, to let me read this book instead of that crappy Zorba the Greek. And I still love this book for its frivolous, soap-opera plot and likeable characters. Give me a feather boa, this book and a fizzy drink and I’m wishing that I was a gay man in San Francisco in the 1970s.