Amazing Food from Garlic and Sapphires

On this round of Cook the Books Club we have been reading and getting inspired by Garlic and Sapphires, a Ruth Reichl memoir, hosted by moi.  Like Miss Ruth, I am a woman who goes through life seeing the comic absurdity at play all around me.  Perhaps why I so appreciate her writing.  The disguises she literally got into here!

And, I absolutely love her many transfixing culinary descriptions. For instance, on the occasion of a meal at Jean-Georges' restaurant in the Trump Tower, in a hastily put together disguise: "'A little amuse bouche as a gift from the chef,' (which should have been the clue she was made) murmured the waiter, setting down a minuscule porcini tart framed by a delicate salad of tiny herbs.  I ate slowly, first the lacy licorice-flavored chervil, then sturdy, spicy wild parsley, and finally the aggressive little fronds of dill.  Poring through them I discovered a single leaf of lamb's quarter, bits of sorrel, dandelion, chickweed.  I followed the flavors in my mind until the walls vanished and I emerged into a deep glade that grew more distinct with each bite.  It was disappointing to come out of the woods...."

At that same meal there are creamed morels, spooned over asparagus.  That certainly caught me up, along with everything else.  But, perhaps something I could manage, when asparagus is back in season.  Later, there was Salmon with a Moroccan glaze, wild mushroom dumplings, scalloped potatoes, Risotto with Lobster and rosemary, Gougeres, and so on and on, throughout this tribute to food and the inventive chefs she encountered during her tenure as food critic for the NY Times.

From the overwhelming selection, I prepared Scalloped Potatoes, Pureed Watercress, Moroccan spiced salmon, and a salad inspired by the delicate mix of tiny herbs, mentioned above.  Served at various meals. Note the bits of corn from my garden.  I didn't get much from this harvest, but it was good and made a nice addition to salads.

The Scalloped Potatoes alone (a half recipe, mind) were enough as a side for three meals, neither of us being exactly hearty eaters.  It continually amazed me reading this book, as well as her others, how much food that woman can put away at a sitting!  I am planning to make her yummy sounding hash browns, the creamed morels over asparagus, a risotto with lobster and rosemary, short ribs with horseradish dumplings, and some wild mushroom dumplings, perhaps to be served in a simple clear broth of reduced, homemade stock and wine.  We're still being inspired here.

This is my contribution for our current round of Cook the Books.  Stay tuned for the round-up after the 31st.  You still have time to read the book and join in!  This will also go over to Beth Fish Reads for her Weekend Cooking event, and to the July Foodies Read Challenge.  Stop by and sample the many goodies - books as well as good food -  at those sites.