Bookie Mee | Foodie Books (or End of The Spice of Life Challenge)

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08.Jan.2010 Foodie Books (or End of The Spice of Life Challenge)

I’m rather sad that The Spice of Life Challenge has ended (it ran from 1 July to 31 December 2009). I’m a huge foodie and though I only ended up reading 3 books, I had lots of fun thinking about books that could fit into the challenge.

There are 4 categories:

Cookbooks
Nonfiction
Memoirs, autobiographies, or essays
Fiction

I joined A Taste level, means you’ll read and review just read two books from any of two of the above categories (different categories).

The 3 books I read:

Nonfiction
Squeamish About Sushi by Betty Reynolds (finished 08/09, rating )
Main food: Japanese food

Fiction
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote (finished 09/09, rating )
Main food: Cocktail, party drinks for Breakfast at Tiffany’s and fruitcake for A Christmas Memory, a short story that is also in the same book

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (finished 09/09, rating )
Main food: Christmas feast!

Books that I’d love to read but didn’t get a chance to (and would fit nicely with other challenges): (links to either Amazon or Book Depository)

The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1001 books, Italy)
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (1001 books, Mexico)
The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones (China Challenge)
The Uninvited by Geling Yan (China Challenge)
Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China by Jen Lin-Liu (nonfiction, China Challenge)
Untangling My Chopsticks: A Culinary Sojourn in Kyoto by Victoria Abbott Riccardi (nonfiction, Japanese Challenge)
The Noodle Maker by Ma Jian (China Challenge)
Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery (France)
Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin (Rwanda)
French Milk by Lucy Knisley (graphic novel, France)
Confections of a Closet Master Baker: One Woman’s Sweet Journey from Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker by Gesine Bullock-Prado (non-fiction)

I just have to share some of their delicious covers! Don’t they just make your mouth water?!

I have to stop myself now, and eat a cake or something.

One book I’m reading now:

Can you believe there’s a whole manga (graphic novel, if you like) on just Ramen and Gyoza? Mee LOVES ramen! :D

Big thanks to Rebecca for hosting The Spice of Life Challenge! If you decide to host another one, I would definitely join again!

11 Comments

Tags: challenge, foodie

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There are 11 Comments to "Foodie Books (or End of The Spice of Life Challenge)"

vivienne says:

8 January 2010 at 11:27 pm

I got three quarters way through The Noodlemaker and gave up. I found it a difficult read, as it seemed to be all short stories, which were all connected and I kept getting confused by the links.

I want to do this challenge this year, so I shall keep my eyes open.
.-= [vivienne´s last blog: Friday Finds] =-.

Reply
- mee says:
  
  9 January 2010 at 9:29 am
  
  I’m not actually sure what The Noodlemaker is about. But since the title and the cover contains food related things, I thought it might fit nicely (love the cover!). Too bad it didn’t work for you, even if you have got 3/4 way through. That’s a pretty long way before giving up on a book!
  
  Reply
Sakura says:

9 January 2010 at 12:32 am

I read the curry volume of Oishimbo and learnt a lot about the origin of curries! Mouthwatering!
.-= [Sakura´s last blog: Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett] =-.

Reply
- mee says:
  
  9 January 2010 at 9:30 am
  
  I just found out about the series a few weeks ago. I love Japanese curry too, so that would probably be my next in the series! :D
  
  Reply
Suko says:

9 January 2010 at 1:20 am

Mee, this is a fun post! I also enjoy ramen. :-)

I joined this challenge because of you. I enjoyed it, too.
.-= [Suko´s last blog: David and the Bear Lake Monster: Review and Giveaway] =-.

Reply
- mee says:
  
  9 January 2010 at 9:31 am
  
  Great Suko. It was a fun challenge, wasn’t it?
  
  Reply
Sheila (Bookjourney) says:

9 January 2010 at 2:14 am

What a good looking challenge! I hadnt heard of it until I came to your blog. I wish I had known of it. I have a blogger friend who would have jumped at this one!
.-= [Sheila (Bookjourney)´s last blog: Bloggiesta! 2nd Addition Starting Line] =-.

Reply
- mee says:
  
  9 January 2010 at 9:32 am
  
  Thanks for visiting Sheila. Let’s hope Rebecca would host it again this year :)
  
  Reply
Meg says:

9 January 2010 at 4:24 am

I actually just read French Milk yesterday and loved it! I could taste the cold French milk from my house in Maryland, haha. Food was such a central theme of the story and totally delicious… it’s a fast read, but sure to pick it up! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed :)
.-= [Meg´s last blog: Book review: ‘French Milk’ by Lucy Knisley] =-.

Reply
- mee says:
  
  9 January 2010 at 9:33 am
  
  Thanks for visiting Meg, and the endorsement for French Milk. I’ve been coveting that book for a while now!
  
  Reply