Book

THE CASSOULET SAVED OUR MARRIAGE: True Tales of Food, Family, and How We Learn to Eat (Roost Books, 2013) is an anthology of original essays about how we learn—and relearn–to eat, and why food is pivotal in our lives beyond the table.

Since 2008, we’ve been writing here about how we feed our families: practical recipes for busy weeknights, special meals for celebrations, snack foods, and desserts. We’ve written about our holiday traditions and everyday meals, what we keep in the pantry and what we hoard in the freezer. We write about cocktails and appetizers, even junk food. But we also consider bigger questions: Does family dinner, every night, really matter? Who cooks, cleans up, and sets the table? Why is Caroline’s family vegetarian? Should Lisa serve meat? Where do we shop and how do we economize? When do we go to restaurants? (And what do we do with an impatient, hungry child once we’re there?)

THE CASSOULET SAVED OUR MARRIAGE continues this conversation. In 28 original essays, food writers, parents, journalists, and chefs consider the people, events, and circumstances that have forged their relationship to food. You’ll recognize their stories: from the first bite of banana to the Thanksgiving gravy to the humble candy bar, these pages are filled with sweet memories, salty irreverence, candid confessions. We offer no mantras, no manifestos, no how-to’s, and no step-by-step guides to better eating — though there are 28 delicious original recipes. These stories show what food means in our families, and will help you discover what it means in yours.

Click here to take a peek inside the book!

With essays by
• Keith Blanchard
Max Brooks
Melissa Clark
• Elizabeth Crane
• Aleksandra Crapanzano
Gregory Dicum
Elrena Evans
Jeff Gordinier
Caroline M. Grant
Phyllis Grant
Libby Gruner
Lisa Catherine Harper
Deborah Copaken Kogan and Paul Kogan
Jen Larsen
• Edward Lewine
Chris Malcomb
• Lisa McNamara
Dani Klein Modisett
Catherine Newman
Thomas Peele
• Deesha Philyaw
Neal Pollack
• Barbara Rushkoff
Bethany Saltman
K. G. Schneider
Sarah Shey
Stacie Stukin
Karen Valby