guests under questionable circumstances , but Yoder also has a cook who quit on her and an interesting meeting of hunters and animal rights activists staying under her roof . It ’ s a fun and lighthearted series that keeps you hungry for more .
Invitation to a Banquet : The Story of Chinese Food
By Fuchsia Dunlop Easily one of my favorite books published last year , Invitation to a Banquet easily kept my attention , because while I love Chinese food , I know so little about its history . Author Fuchsia Dunlop ’ s passion for the cuisine started as mine did , through the simple art of Chinese takeout . From there , she fell in love with dishes beyond the usual sweet-and-sour chicken , and in this book she dedicates each chapter to a particular dish , resulting in a deep-dive into the history and preparation of a nation ’ s cuisine . Following in the footsteps of similar books that have explored various European foods and cultures , Invitation to a Banquet is one of the first I remember that taught me about a cuisine that can be misunderstood but is well-loved outside of its borders . If you get hungry while reading , Dunlop has also written quite a few Chinese food cookbooks , so check those out , too .
The Chocolate Kiss
By Laura Florand This is the second book in the Amour et Chocolat series , but I don ’ t think they need to be read in order . I ’ ve only read the first two books , and this is one time where I can say the sophomore book is much better than the first . It ’ s a little bit You ’ ve Got Mail with a dash of Practical Magic thrown in for good measure and is set in what many consider to be the food capital of the world , Paris . The story revolves around a chocolate shop called La Maison des Sorcieres that ’ s run by Magalie Chaudron and her two aunts , who some believe have magical powers that make their chocolate concoctions so delicious . Everything is going well at the shop until Philippe Lyonnais opens one of his world-renowned pastry shops down the street , posing a direct threat to their homegrown business . Has Philippe got some magic up his sleeve , too ? That must be the reason why everyone — especially the city ’ s women — is flocking to his store . Magalie takes matters into her own hands , and her visit takes a surprising and unexpected twist . If you love love and love chocolate , read this soon .
Elin Woods is a librarian from the mountains of western Pennsylvania . When she ' s not busy reading , she enjoys baking historical treats and exploring the East Coast . She balances her mostly nonfiction history reading with the occasional modern romance novel and plenty of cookbooks . nwgeorgialiving . com | 9