A colleague recommended Garlic and Sapphires to me a few years ago, and I absolutely loved it – so when I saw Ruth Reichl was coming out with a new book I needed to read it!

The memoir picks up when Ruth joins Gourmet, the since extinct Conde Nast magazine. As editor-in-chief, she revived the magazine, perfected recipes, experimented with photography and pushed the envelope on a traditional food magazine. She formed colorful relationships with the industries most unique and powerful chefs and editors – building her network while getting a glimpse into the corporate world.

Our followers know that Pasquale and I absolutely love trying new food. We find the restaurant industry completely fascinating and have always enjoyed reading books about the culinary world. I loved hearing about Ruth’s time as editor-in-chief – the risks she took, the personalities she had to balance, and of course, the dishes she ate. In particular, hearing about the test kitchen and her experimentation with food photography was incredibly interesting. I never considered the process of creating a recipe and the thought that goes into each ingredient. I highly recommend fellow foodies pick this up soon! Home cooks will find the recipes sprinkled throughout the pages as an added bonus!

Verdict: Read it! (4/5 stars)
Length: 288 pages
When: You’re in the mood for a good foodie book
Quote: “But in those sleepless nights…I’d learned an important lesson: When something frightens me, it is definitely worth doing.”
Also read: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl

Buy Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl