Garlic & Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl

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  • Aushak

    • Jviney on April 21, 2022

      These were really delicious and so much more than the sum of their parts. I doubled the dish for a book club discussion of A Thousand Splendid Suns, loved that each component could be made the day before and assembled at the last minute. The yogurt, meat sauce, and dumplings worked together well and received rave reviews. I would not have expected a scallion green dumpling to have such depth.

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Reviews about this book

  • Amateur Gourmet

    That skill-set–to turn one’s ordinary dinner into a story for the ages–reminds us that food writing shouldn’t just be for a niche audience, it should be entertaining for everyone.

    Full review
  • ISBN 10 1741156068
  • ISBN 13 9781741156065
  • Published Dec 01 2005
  • Format eBook
  • Page Count 352
  • Language English
  • Countries Australia
  • Publisher Allen & Unwin
  • Imprint Allen & Unwin

Publishers Text

When Reichl took over from the formidable and aloof Bryan Miller as the New York Times' restaurant reviewer, she promised to shake things up. And so she did. Gone were the days when only posh restaurants with European chefs were reviewed. Reichl, with a highly developed knowledge and love of Asian cuisine from her years as a West Coast food critic, began to review the small simple establishments that abound in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Many loved it, the Establishment hated it, but her influence was significant. She brought a fresh writing style to her reviews and adopted a radical way of getting them. Amassing a wardrobe of wigs and costumes, she deliberately disguised herself so that she would not receive special treatment. As a result, she had a totally different dining experience as say, Miriam the Jewish mother than she did as Ruth Reichl the reviewer, and she wasn't afraid to write about it. The resulting reviews were hilarious and sobering, full of fascinating insights and delicious gossip. Garlic and Sapphires is a wildly entertaining chronicle of Reichl's New York Times years.

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