My Kitchen Year

“No one writes as warmly and engagingly about the all-important intersection of food, life, love, and loss. This book is a lyrical and deeply intimate journey told through recipes, as only Ruth can do.”—Alice WatersA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Los Angeles Times, NPR, Men’s Journal, BookPage, Booklist, Publishers WeeklyIn the fall of 2009, the food world was rocked when Gourmet magazine was abruptly shuttered by its parent company. No one was more stunned by this unexpected turn of events than its beloved editor in chief, Ruth Reichl, who suddenly faced an uncertain professional future. As she struggled to process what had seemed unthinkable, Reichl turned to the one place that had always provided sanctuary: the kitchen.My Kitchen Year follows the change of seasons—and Reichl’s emotions—as she slowly heals through the simple pleasures of cooking. Each dish Reichl prepares for herself—and for her family and friends—represents a life’s passion for food: a blistering ma po tofu that shakes Rei