Sierra's review
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
by Ruth Reichl
Sierra's review
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl
Sierra's review
rating:
We're all nosy gossips at heart. This snappy account of Ruth Reichl's six years as The New York Times restaurant critic won't disappoint those looking for an insider's view of reviewing. Most of the book takes place in various swanky restaurants, but Reichl selects her most creative reviews and rarely wanders into Snobdom. After Reichl was pegged as the new critic for the Times on her flight to New York by the woman sitting next to her, she decided she would be needing some disguises. She created an eclectic cast of characters with the help of some friends, comparing the service she received anonymously to that she received as a VIP. Her dining partners in these food adventures are equally unique personages - an obnoxious "food warrior," who feted his 18-year-old son after his graduation with a 3-star restaurant tour of France, a wine aficionado who files the wines he tastes by the images they evoke, and her good friend, a saucy old dame with a flair for style. Sometimes I li...more
