April 2003
I'm So Proud
I am so proud of myself. This week between shifts, family duties, recovering from hangovers and writing a couple of articles, I actually read a whole novel. Yes, that right, between sips of coffee and the occasional sneaky nap I read a whole book from cover-to-cover - like a real grown up...

The Novel In Question
The literary delight that has transported me to my status of maturity is How to Cook a Tart by Nina Killham. Officially described as, "a darkly funny satire on our body-obsessed culture, food fashions, midlife crises and adolescent angst. 'Jasmine is a larger-than-life celebrity chef who gets sacked for having too many calories in her recipes.'" The book makes for a good read.

The Author
The author Nina Killham is a former food Washington Post food writer who clearly has a good handle on the realities of food and the minds' of those who create it. Better still she knows how to capture it on paper: even after a hard days slog in the kitchen, Killham's skills of culinary descriptions can get the most shagged out cook back in the mood for cooking.

Gastro Porn?
The book gets a little fruity in parts - and I'm not talking about mangos and bananas. The world's fearless culinary "Shock-Jock" Anthony Bourdain describes the book as "Gastro Porn". A comment that leads me to believe that the man has either: one - had a sheltered life. Two - not got much action in the months running up to reading the book or three - was in the mood for exaggeration when penning his description. It has a few saucy chapters but you need not hide this one from granny.

Read It or Leave It?
It's definite worth a read. The content is light, flows well, and comes tastily garnished with a tasty twist in the final chapter. It makes a nice change from bedtime cookbook reading. I would say that How to Cook a Tart is more gauged towards a female reader but the boys need not be put off - just forewarned.