Books
9 Books That Combine Your Love Of Dessert With Your Love Of Reading
There are two things I'm known for amongst my friends: my undying obsession with books, and my massive, unstoppable sweet tooth. Give me a plate of cookies and a stack of library books, and I'll be the happiest girl on the planet. So, of course, in my opinion you can't get much better than books about desserts.
I honestly think my love for books and my love for sweets stem from the same roots: Books and desserts both have enormous power to make you feel better. Plus, I think a lot of the same care and joy goes into both writing and making desserts. Writers and bakers both work to create something that can be consumed and enjoyed by others. Writers wield their words the way bakers wield flour and eggs.
But just a fair warning, this list is sure to give you a craving for something sweet. Be prepared for your mouth to water and your stomach to rumble. You definitely want to read these books along with something delicious. I've always been a dessert-before-dinner sort of gal, so I give you permission to read these books and snack along with them, no matter what time of day or night:
'The Comfort Food Diaries: My Quest for the Perfect Dish to Mend a Broken Heart' by Emily Nunn
In this memoir, former New Yorker editor Emily Nunn details her journey toward healing through "The Comfort Food Tour." Nunn's account of traveling and cooking across the country will soothe your heart and soul and feed your spirit.
'Love & Gelato' by Jenna Evans Welch
Wouldn't you kill to spend the summer in Tuscany eating gelato? Well, Lina's none-too-pleased with it, until she discovers her mother's diary from when she was in Italy, and follows her footsteps into "a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries."
'The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake' by Aimee Bender
Aimee Bender is one of my favorite writers of all time, and lemon cake is one of my favorite desserts of all time. So obviously I had to include this imaginative and moving novel about a girl who discovers she can taste her mother's emotions through her baking.
'Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot' by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
This is my best friend's favorite comfort read, and it has become one of mine too. Set in a magical, Regency-era London that is both dark and whimsical, two friends get wrapped up in a mystery with a chocolate pot right at the center.
'Heartburn' by Nora Ephron
This book isn't strictly dessert, but it is a classic when it comes to fiction about food. The legendary Nora Ephron is at her best as she tells the story of a cookbook writer's nasty divorce, filled with simmering descriptions of food and heaping helpings of drama that you cannot miss.
'The Truth About Twinkie Pie' by Kat Yeh
This moving book is about two sisters, GiGi and DiDi. GiGi has always been told that her mother died years ago , but when they move to a new town, she stumbles upon clues to suggest it didn't happen exactly the way she's been told. The story is interspersed with recipes that their mother wrote to win a contest.
'Like Water for Chocolate' by Laura Esquivel
In this romantic, magical realism story set in Mexico, Tita has been forbidden to marry, since tradition dictates she must take care of her mother. But she has fallen for Pedro, who marries her older sister in order to remain close to her. With magical cooking and recipes at the beginning of each chapter, this is a sizzling story fueled by a passion for food.
'The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street' by Susan Jane Gilman
This exciting historical fiction novel tells the story of Malka Treynovsky. After immigrating to America from Russia, Malka finds herself abandoned in Manhattan, but when she is taken in by an Italian ices peddler, she learns everything she needs to know to start her own ice cream empire.
'Chocolat' by Joanne Harris
When a woman opens a chocolate shop in a small, conservative French town during Lent, she turns everything upside down by introducing the town to the indulgent freedom of chocolate (and life).
