Destination: Alaska
Book: Alaska, The Fishes and Dishes Cookbook: Seafood Recipes and Salty Stories from Alaska’s Commercial Fisherwomen (2010) by Kiyo Marsh, Tomi Marsh, and Laura Cooper
If you’ve ever dreamed of fishing (and eating) in Alaska, The Fishes & Dishes Cookbook: Seafood Recipes and Salty Stories from Alaska’s Commercial Fisherwomen
This is week two of Cambodia pictures at A Traveler’s Library. Cambodia was one of my favorite destinations ever. Partly because I had waited so long to go there. Partly because during the 1970’s I thought it would be impossible to ever get there. So when I had a chance in 1999, I was thrilled. We only went to Siem Riep and to several of the temples nearby, plus a drive to the floating village of Tonle Sap, but it was an amazing experience. If you have the chance, GO. And although you’ll think you are going for Angkor Wat, remember that is only one of dozens and dozens of temples. Take my word for it, don’t miss Banteay Srei, the Woman’s Temple–a glowing golden delight (but we’ll see some of that next week.)
This week we are in and around Siem Riep. First the downtown market, which was right next to our hotel, The Ta Phrom. I got up before breakfast and wandered through the market. Other than the gag-inducing meat section, it was a delight. But how much can you identify?
Destinations: Monte Carlo, Paris, London
Book: White Truffles in Winter (a novel) by N. M. Kelby
This fictionalized biography of the great French chef, Auguste Escoffier— White Truffles in Winter: A Novel
— is delicious, scandalous, lascivious, luscious…
The writing is lush. The author, N. M. Kelby, paints the portrait of a man obsessed with luscious food and delicious women. But not just any food–Escoffier prefers dishes prepared with special ingredients. And not just any women. He marries and has children with a poet–Delphine Daffis, but they live apart for decades during which he carries on a love affair with actress Sarah Bernhardt. He sees her when she is not busy bedding various heads of state and other prominent citizens. At the end, Auguste and Delphine come back together in Monte Carlo and that is where the book starts, as it tells the story of his life in flashbacks and contemplates his life. Underneath the romance and the food, White Truffles in Winter explores living well, aging, memory, and how to adequately show love. Continue reading The Sensuality of Food
