Tender at the Bone

Ruth Reichl is the former restaurant critic for the New York Times, and current editor-in-chief at Gourmet magazine. In the slim volume, she recounts the culinary experiences of her childhood and young adulthood that led her to this rather exalted position. Reichl's mother would throw elaborate parties in periods of manic highs, that also led her to believe that serving moldy or bizarrely prepared food was appropriate; as a result, Ruth Reichl became rather justifiably preoccupied with food in self-defense.

She was lucky enough to encounter people and places where exquisitely prepared food was the norm; her mother did occasionally hire housekeepers that turned out to be excellent cooks, her step-grandmother's cook was a marvel in the kitchen, and visits to France kept her aware that superb food was certainly available, even if not always under her mother's auspices.

Reichl's early love of cooking continued unabated through her high school and college years, occasionally used as a method of alluring boyfriends (there's a good bit of truth to that 'path to a man's heart' proverb). She began her gradual entry to the professional food world-waitressing, a part-owner in a communally run restaurant, and eventually, restaurant reviewing.

The memoirs are buttressed by favorite recipes-apple dumplings, wiener schnitzel, brownies, lemon souffle, bisteeya. A bit of caution-although not complicated, the recipes do seem to expect a certain level of culinary competence, and thus some explanations are left out.

TRIAL BY FIRE

Alice's Apple Dumplings with Hard Sauce Alice was Reichl's step-grandmother's cook, and this recipe turned out the best apple dessert my husband and I have ever had. A peeled and cored apple, filled with cinnamon-sugar and butter, and wrapped in pastry dough. The very idea of your very own apple pie has a child-like appeal, and this dessert delivers on its promise of individual satisfaction. The apple is warm and soft, contrasting to the crispness of the pastry. The hard sauce provides an added bit of sweetness, although perhaps not always necessary-a good bit would depend on your sweet tooth. The book is worth buying just for this recipe, in my opinion.

For an interview with Ruth Riechl in Underwire, go here: http://underwire.msn.com/underwire/socia...

For a look at Ms. Riechl, and her plans for Gourmet magazine: http://www.canoe.ca/CNEWSLife9908/19_gou...

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