Welcome to Litsy!

Listening to Ruth Reichel talk about reviewing restaurants for the New York Times and using disguises so as not to be recognized. Loving it.

1. Banana 🍌
2. The tagged books had so many great meals. Really made being a food critic sound like a glamorous occupation.
Thank you for the tag @TheSpineView #Two4Tuesday
Wanna play? @audraelizabeth @Buechersuechtling @ReadingIsMyHobby @Onceuponatime @TheBookDream @Daisey @Bookishlie @Sharpeipup @Cuilin @ReadingFeedsTheSoul @Lucy_Anywhere @Onepageatatime88 @SpiderGoddess

Great fun to hear how Ruth took on different looks and personalities to dine undercover as a NY Times food critic. Personally, I‘d find it exhausting! Looking forward to trying another of her books.

I read this book during my lunch breaks at work. This book provides a look back at the past glory of the New York Times food critic. A job so important Ruth Reichl had to invent new persona to allow anonymous restaurant visits. Her chapter on the restaurant at the Twin Towers was poignant knowing what would happen a few years into the future. I really enjoyed this one and there‘s lots of recipes too. 👍👍🐉

This was tremendous fun! A memoir from the NYT food critic. Restaurants have her photo on the wall and a bounty for any staff that spots her...so going in disguise is clearly the answer! It's the story of food, but also the story of acting, and what it takes and what you learn from inhabiting a different person. It was an easy, fun read, and a peek behind the scenes of newspaper work in the paper news heyday.

#12booksof2022 #may

Like both @rockpools and @LeeRHarry May was a somewhat average month for reading; there were certainly no ‘amazing‘ reads.

Having said that, I did enjoy this book, gifted to me by @Cinfhen

When I first started dating my now husband, he described me in an email to a friend as a “sapphire eyed beauty”. I fell in love with him; possibly in part because I liked me through his eyes. Definitely in part because he speaks like that. I also love the tagged book and author. #littenswanttoknow Please play if you have interest. I really do want to know!

I loved this! The author was the restaurant critic of the New York Times in the early/mid Nineties. She ends up wearing disguises in order not to be recognised and it‘s so interesting how she is treated when the restaurants don‘t know who she is. The book also includes some of her actual reviews alongside the back story of how she fared at each visit.

Thanks for sending it to me Cindy!

#booked2022 #includesarecipe
#pop22 #abookwitharecipeinit

Thanks for the tag @jenniferw88 !

The tagged is fabulous and will probably be 4.5 to 5 stars. It‘s a physical copy that @Cinfhen sent to me for a #pop22 prompt. 😘

Also reading We Own This City (physical), 3.5 to 4 stars and The Guncle (ebook) which could be a 5 star read…

I never highlight or mark books and but use sticky notes if I‘m using a book for study or work. I take pictures of quotes in books that I‘m reading for pleasure.

This was a fun read, vividly written and interesting. I can‘t believe how candidly she wrote about people at the Times. Discussion of her costumes and personas added meat to what might otherwise have been a sorry that was too light. I wish there was some thread tying back whether any of her personas had a lasting impression on her.

Look what‘s arrived Cindy! @Cinfhen

That didn‘t take long at all; I‘m surprised with the state of worldwide post at the moment. Thank you so much for sending it to me, along with your lovely note and the cute little extras! 😘

I hope you‘re all feeling better now….

Ruth Reichl was The NewYork Times restaurant critic from 1993-1999. This older memoir highlights some of her more memorable meals and the antics involved in dining undetected in some of New York‘s must iconic restaurants. Part love letter to NY, part memoir and part cookbook this was a light and enjoyable read. Bittersweet to read about famed Windows of the World Restaurant which was lost to us on September 11, 2001.

#Booked2022 #PoP22 #IncludesARecipe another book from @MallenNC #NYWD list🧡 The life of a notable, NYT food critic and what it entails ~ really entertaining and for those who can only dream about dining in certain restaurants this book breaks down the facade. Very engaging so far

I really enjoyed this book! I am not really a foodie person but I loved reading about her experiences as a food critic, especially the lengths she went to be in disguise so her reviews could reflect what a typical customer would experience. She also did a great job describing the food and the experience in ways that made me interested. It‘s sad though how many of these restaurants have since closed.

Back to Ruth! I took a break late last year, but I think I'm ready to finish this now. I love her writing and already read her first two. I've got Save Me the Plums waiting for later too. ❤

This was a fun, light read that takes you into the world of a food critical at the NYT. I loved reading about the personas Reichl created in order to get unbiased treatment in some of the best known restaurants in New York. She also includes some great recipes- my husband loves the hash browns! An enjoyable mental break!

Yep. I'm all over the place again. #2020.

Book club looks a bit different this year, but I‘m still grateful for these women and the spirited discussions we always have! #bookclub

The second half of my top ten for the year: Daisy Jones & the Six, I‘d Rather Be Reading, The Dutch House, the Inspector Gamache series, and Garlic and Sapphires

Runners Up: Where the Crawdads Sing, Educated, The Lager Queen of Minnesota, Just Mercy, Recursion, Once Upon a River, and Being Mortal. (I tried to limit it to 10, but I just couldn‘t!)

#2019 #toptenbooks

From Ben Folds‘ memoir to finishing the Little House on the Prairie series, this has been a fascinating reading month.

I adored this one! The famous New York Times food critic describes dining experiences that left her in ecstasy or agony. She wore disguises to her meals, easing wigs on to her head and new shrugging on new personalities. Her descriptions make you taste each morsel alongside her. She describes taste and texture, the tiniest notes in each dish along side the bustling streets of the city. Just wonderful!

I enjoyed this book! It made me think about food differently, and I love how she explained the disguises and addressed how people are treated differently and made to feel inferior based on their physical appearance and other factors. I am even more determined to be kind to others! I didn‘t think a book about a food critic‘s job was for me, but I was wrong! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #mmdbookclub #modernmrsdarcy

I started listening to this yesterday. It‘s the #mmdbookclub selection for July. I don‘t consider myself a foodie, but it‘s interesting so far (21% in)! #modernmrsdarcy

Every time I read a book by Reichl, I feel like she is giving us an intimate piece of herself. She utterly seems wonderful and I love her rich stories. Highly recommend this one.

Read my full review: https://obsessedbookaholic.com/2019/07/07/garlic-and-sapphires-the-secret-life-o...

I had originally intended to listen to the audiobook, because I've listened to 2 of her books on audio, but somehow, for me, this book lent itself to the act of reading. As most of us will never be the food critic for the New York Times, this is an eye-opening look at that world. I loved reading her columns and her recipes, but the best parts are her personal interactions. Whether you read or listen, this is a wonderful book!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It is too windy at the beach to get a good shot, but whatever. Starting this one for MMD book club.

Such fun!

I am basically a meat and potatoes kind of girl. I like a common selection of vegetables. I like a small amount of foreign food which could be classified as: American Chinese, American Japanese, American Greek, Some Middle Eastern cuisine, oh, and pizza which I really don‘t think comes from Italy. This book was clearly not written for people like me. I am not a “food warrior“ or restaurant critic. But I did enjoy the stories in this book.

Fantastic! If you enjoy eating in restaurants, cook, or eat, give this one a try. While some of the food and fashion references could be consulates, I thought they enhanced the structure and setting of the story. This book made me smile, salivate, cringe, and think about all the things I love (and don‘t love) about restaurants. I can‘t wait to read her new book! Highly recommend! #MountTBR ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loving this so far! #MountTBR #foodie

I grew up working class and tend towards a fast food palate. When I've gone to fancy French restaurants, I've been tempted to stick the excess silverware in my purse.

However, this memoir is fun because it is more about a woman who has to become the ultimate chameleon in order to do her job, and she really gets carried away with it.

I'm still not convinced I'd ever want to try a dish called "suckling pig." No judgment, rich people. ?

So while visiting Asheville this past week I did some book shopping because, of course. I picked up "Little" and "Tin Man" at Malaprop's. I got "Garlic and Sapphires" and a gorgeous 1945 edition of "The Age of Innocence" at The Captain's Bookshelf. And the ADORABLE Jane Austen tea towel was from the Biltmore Estate gift shop. I love it so much!

#booked2019 #FoodOrBeverageOnCover This book is about Ruths‘ time as the NY Times restaurant critic.Her love of food & interesting people shines through in every book she writes.I had read her 1st ,Tender at the Bone & the 2nd, Comfort Me with Apples each can stand alone.Though she went to school for art history , Ruth always had a passion for food & in different ways , made a living from it.She details her reviews w/ recipes.published in 2005🔽

Just started this on audio...so much fun so far!

2/5 🌟
I flew through the first half but then things got boring, repetitive and I started getting annoyed by the author's various disguises. It started following a predictable pattern of disguise - restaurant experience - self discovery, repeated ad nauseam to the point where I had to force myself to read more. The only silver lining was the food. I wish there was more food, less backstory of the disguises, and a shorter book.

😂😂😂 this made me choke on my tea. The author's having dinner with a pretentious lawyer.

Foodies will love this.

I was eating lunch and reading this book when all of a sudden I heard little snores on the couch next to me. Sweet boy. Gave me enough time to finish another Ruth Reichl. I have just a couple left about her mom and I will have read them all. This too, was good. I love the food descriptions and a peek into the life of a food critic.

Usually weekend mornings mean getting up early and going for a run but today it‘s raining and I‘m having a lie in. This book has recipes and with all the restaurant reviews, I suddenly want to eat everything in sight. 🥐

Reading about all of the delicious Indian food in Punjabi Widows made me crave curry. I wonder this next book will make me want to eat.

I loved this! I loved Gourmet so much, and this memoir offered such enticing descriptions of food that reminded me of the style of Gourmet. It also covers the 90s, and it‘s neat to compare the food scene then to now.

Book haul aka visiting mum and raiding her shelves! She had a few of my TBR and loads of other good stuff. #bookhaul

I love food and everything about it - including food shows and memoirs, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this book. My favorite aspect was seeing what goes into being a food critic and the behind-the-scenes look at every review Reichl features here. At times the characters and their import seemed a bit exaggerated, but overall really good.

Window seat reading today.

Combed through my shelves to find #drinksoncovers and this was the best I came up with. And now I want pasta (even though it's pre-8 am and I just had my breakfast). #anditsaugust

@Leelee.reads Thank you so much! I loved your just for fun package! I've been wanting to read both of these for forever-and don't own either one 😄What a sweet and thoughtful surprise, and it came on a day I really needed it 😘 feeling a little spoiled! #restingbookface #bookmailisthebestmail

2 reviews...
1) Libby - not so great - had a hard time connecting a couple times, even though I thought this was downloaded to my device
2) the book - charming❤️. Made me wish I could be a foodie, where every meal could be an adventure. Also fun to hear how the author interacted with her disguise characters - she found her best self, her worst self, & her mother all waiting to interact in the real world through her.
Plus... Recipes!😋

Trying an audiobook on Libby. Any other users out there? What's the difference between it & regular Overdrive?

#readingwomenmonth #booksaboutfood I've read her earlier books "Tender at the bone" and "Comfort Me With Apples"both autobiographical,funny, & what kept leading her back to food writing."Garlic" about her time as New York Times food critic.MFK Fisher, the grand dame of food writing,5 of her titles in 1 volume,beginning with "Serve it Forth" published in 1937.She equates the art of eating with the art of living,part travel,memoir & food .?Yum.