Lucky is the lady who can stop midday
to have a proper meal. Employees at Peter Miller's Seattle bookshop do exactly that.
For years, they have sat down and eaten lunch together, "in every season,
in all weather, no matter the work that needs to be done that day."
In his concise and quaint volume "Lunch at the Shop: The Art and Practice of the Midday Meal," Miller celebrates all that is good about lunch
with colleagues. He encourages readers to "simply (take) part of the day
back into (their) own hands, making it personal and a pleasure."
These
workplace lunches steer clear of take-out, opting instead for fresh pre-made
foods that can be finished on site. The author aims for healthful and tasty
items.
He and his co-workers are privy to tartines, for example, open-faced
sandwiches that are easily embellished with top-notch bread and a range of
ingredients. "Fool with it," Miller suggests. "Sweeten it with a
little fig spread, loosen it with salsa, sharpen it with a cheese or a mustard,
smooth it with butter."
Other dishes include a variety of salads paired
with different vinaigrettes, and comforting soups.
The book serves as a
charming reminder that no matter how hectic the day or week, we still need
occasional respites. With practical ideas and promising recipes, Miller gives us
the tools to achieve that.
(A version of this review appeared originally at Publishers Weekly.)
Books I am Reading
- "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
- "Manhood for Amateurs" by Michael Chabon
- "The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook" by Michelle and Philip Wojtowicz and Michael Gilson
- "Rustic Fruit Desserts" by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson
- "Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger" by Nigel Slater
- "Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life" by Jamie Oliver
- "The Gastronomical Me" by M.F.K. Fisher
- "Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China" by Fuchsia Dunlop
- "My China: A Feast for All the Senses" by Kylie Kwong
- "Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China" by Jen Lin-Liu
- "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance" by Barack Obama
Films and TV Shows I am Watching
- "Jiro Dreams of Sushi"
- "Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death"
- "Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie"
- "Waitress" with Keri Russell
- "The Future of Food" by Deborah Koons Garcia
- "Food, Inc."