Relish by Lucy Knisley

I LOVED this book and devoured it in one sitting.  Part memoir, part recipe book, and all great art, this is a book for everyone.  I love reading about food, especially when it involves recipes like these:

and these:



The colorful art along with the tantalizing food descriptions of Knisley's life growing up in New York City and Rhinebeck really brought me into the food life.  Her mother was a caterer and gardener and her father a great lover of food.  Knisley truly led a charmed foodie life and was introduced to the most amazing food at a young age.  I especially loved the chapter on croissants and was incredibly surprised to find that the ultimate croissant for her was found in Venice, Italy! She is also brutally honest and real about her love affair with McDonald's in the midst of the yumminess of all of the other good food.  Knisley is NOT a food snob, but shows appreciation for all kinds of food.  I bought this one and passed it on to the students after I gushed about it. Then, I cheered when my phone told me her first book, French Milk, was ready for me at the library!