Garlic And Sapphires

Garlic and Sapphiresis Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine undetected when she takes on the much coveted and highly prestigious job ofNew York Timesrestaurant critic. Reichl knows that to be a good critic she has to be anonymous - but her picture is posted in every four-star, low-star kitchen in town and so she embarks on an extraordinary - and hilarious - undercover game of disguise - keeping even her husband and son in the dark. There is her stint as Molly, a frumpy blonde in an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque resulting in a double review of the restaurant: first she ate there as Molly; and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth,New York Timesfood critic. Then there is the eccentric, mysterious red head on whom her husband - both disconcertingly and reassuringly - develops a terrible crush. She becomes Brenda the earth mother, Chloe the seductress and even Miriam her own (deceased) mother. What is even more remarkable about Reichl's spy games is that as she takes on these various guises, she finds herself changed not just physically, but also in character revealing how one's outer appearance can very much influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites.

Ruth Reichl began cooking at the age of seven. It was pure self-defense; her mother, who was affectionately known as the Queen of Mold, inadvertently poisoned people, and Ruth felt she could do a slightly better job. Trained as an art historian, she ended up following her passion for food. She had a modest restaurant in Berkeley, then became the restaurant critic ofThe Los Angeles Timesand then theNew York Timesbefore being named Editor in Chief ofGourmet Magazine. She has written four memoirs and three cookbooks, butDelicious!is her first novel.

She lives in New York with her husband and son - and deeply regrets that she neglected to give them any reason to learn to cook.

In the bestselling tradition of Nigel Slater and Anthony Bourdain, comes the sumptuous and riotous account of undercover food critic Ruth Reichl