There is a saying, “If you want a happy ending, read a cookbook”. Our guest, Laura Lucchese, is in a book club that always ends well because her group reads and then produces a group meal from cookbooks.

James Beard, the great culinary expert said, food is our common ground, a universal experience. In our mind, to bring books and food together is a match made in heaven.

Laura tells us how many cookbooks have a narrative story just like a traditional book, why cooking from a cuisine outside your own encourages discussion, and how modern cookbooks offer a different philosophy to entertaining that diverges from the older well-known cookbook authors like Martha Stewart.

Books Mentioned in this Episode.

Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmberg

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

Dining In by Alison Roman

Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman

Indianish by Priya Krishna

Bottom of the Pot by Naz Deravian

Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee

Smoke and Pickles by Edward Lee

Everyday is Saturday by Sarah Copeland

How They Choked by Georgia Bragg

Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi

Do You Mind If I Cancel by Gary Janetti

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

A Gentleman from Moscow by Amor Towles

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

Sourdough by Robin Sloan

You can find us on FB, instagram (@perksofbeingabookloverpod) and on our blog site at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com

Perks airs on Forward Radio 106.5 FM and forwardradio.org every Wednesday at 6 pm, Thursdays at 6 am and 12 pm. We have purchased the rights to the theme music used.