Tender at the Bone ─ Growing Up at the Table

At an early age, Ruth Reichl discovered that "food could be a way of making sense of the world. If you watched people as they ate, you could find out who they were." Her deliciously crafted memoir Tender at the Bone is the story of a life defined, determined, and enhanced in equal measure by a passion for food, by unforgettable people, and by the love of tales well told. Beginning with her mother, the notorious food-poisoner known as the Queen of Mold, Reichl introduces us to the fascinating characters who shaped her world and tastes, from the gourmand Monsieur du Croix, who served Reichl her first foie gras, to those at her politically correct table in Berkeley who championed the organic food revolution in the 1970s. Spiced with Reichl's infectious humor and sprinkled with her favorite recipes, Tender at the Bone is a witty and compelling chronicle of a culinary sensualist's coming-of-age.

"A poignant, yet hilarious, collection of stories about people [Reichl] has known and loved, and who, knowingly or unknowingly, steered her on the path to fulfill her destiny as one of the world's leading food writers."---Chicago Sun-Times

"While all good food writers are humorous...few are so riotously, effortlessly entertaining as Ruth Reichl."---The New York Times Book Review

"A savory memoir of [Reichl's] apprentice years ... Reichl describes [her] experiences with infectious humor.... The descriptions of each sublime taste are mouthwateringly precise....A perfectly balanced stew of memories."---Kirkus Reviews

Ruth Reichl is the restaurant critic of The New York Times. She lives in New York City with her husband, her son, and two cats.