Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in DisguiseAuthor of Save Me the Plums Ruth Reichl’s iconic, bestselling memoir of her time as an undercover restaurant critic for The New York Times "Expansive and funny." —Entertainment Weekly Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and former editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. She also knows that as the most important food critic in the country, you need to be anonymous when reviewing some of the most high-profile establishments in the biggest restaurant town in the world—a charge she took very seriously, taking on the guise of a series of eccentric personalities. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl reveals the comic absurdity, artifice, and excellence to be found in the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world and gives us—along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews—her remarkable reflections on how one’s outer appearance can influence one’s inner character, expectations, and appetites, not to mention the quality of service one receives. “[A] wonderful book, which is funny—at times laugh-out-loud funny—and smart and wise.” —Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post |
Contents
The Daily Special | 1 |
Backstory | 7 |
The King of Spain | 35 |
Looking for Umami | 57 |
Miriam | 81 |
Meat and Potatoes | 103 |
Chloe | 125 |
Brenda | 153 |
Dinner with Chairman Punch | 181 |
Betty | 205 |
Food Warrior | 235 |
The Missionary of the Delicious | 261 |
329 | |
Other editions - View all
Garlic and Sapphires: The secret life of a restaurant critic in disguise Ruth Reichl Limited preview - 2005 |
Common terms and phrases
asked began better bite bowl brown called Carol changed chef Claudia cook course cream critic dining dinner dish don't door editor eyes face feel felt finally fish flavor gave give glass going green hair hand happy head It's keep kitchen knew leave lobster looked meal meat menu Michael mind minutes mother mouth moved never Nicky night once past person picked plate potatoes pulled reached remember replied restaurant salt sauce seat seemed served Shapiro side smile soft sound started steak stopped Street sure sweet talking taste tell thing thought told took trying turned voice waiter waiting walked watched wine woman wonder write York young