More Home Cooking

I often stumble on authors who write about food, read the book, love it, and then find out that the person is rather well known. This happened with M.F.K. Fisher last year and now it’s happened again with Laurie Colwin. More Home Cooking was my first time reading her, but it was so delightful. I really love the food writing that is part essay, part recipes; it completely engages me and makes me long to spend a long day in the kitchen with friends.

In More Home Cooking Colwin talks about the major holidays, hits on cooking during all the different seasons, and generally made me want to try some new things. She has some odd cooking habits—what is up with celery salt on everything?—but all-in-all there was more good than bad. And apparently there is a bit of a cult following of Colwin right now and I can see why. She speaks about cooking as relaxed and fun and has a see what happens attitude. Her rules aren’t steadfast and she’s willing to try almost anything.

Unfortunately for all of us Colwin died way too young at age 48 in 1992, but I can’t wait to find and read more of her writing soon.

It is my opinion that you can make a decent dinner speedily and conveniently if you g in for what I call la cuisine de la “slobbe” refinnée, or “the cooking of the refined slob.”