Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
by Lucy Knisley
4 stars
Take one part memoir, and one part cookbook and put it into a graphic novel and you get this book by Lucy Knisely. Lucy has always grown up around food, with chef for a mother and a gourmet for a father, she was born into an appreciation for food. While smells or photos can evoke strong memories in some, Lucy’s memories were formed alongside her palate. The crack of the burnt sugar on a crème brulee brings back memories of serving alongside her mom in her catering business. Shucking oysters brings back memories of working with her uncle. Pixy stix are correlated with the travel to Mexico with her friend. McDonald’s fries eaten in Italy much to her parent’s dismay are her reminder that the world needs a bit of comfort grease sometimes. The entire book is about food, yes, but also about the relationships built around eating together. With excellent illustrations and delightful humor and a few self-deprecating stories, Lucy Knisley is able boil the book down to the truth that while eating is a solitary act it is truly enjoyed and memorable when food is shared with others.
Read-alikes
French Milk by Lucy Knisley
Julie and Julia by Julie Powell
