Synopses & Reviews
Great food and stimulating prose come together in this provocative insiders memoir of a life driven by a passion for fine cuisine and the good life. With a Southerners knack for storytelling, acclaimed writer and former Town & Country food and wine editor James Villas delivers a delectable tale of his personal and professional odyssey in Between Bites: Memoirs of a Hungry Hedonist. At the same time, he provides an exclusive peek at the intrigue behind the vibrant gastronomic evolution of food in America over the past forty years.
Working undercover as a captain at the five-star Le Perroquet in Chicago; dining in Paris with the cookbook author Paula Wolfert in an off-beat bistro inexplicably swarming with dozens of dachshunds; succumbing to last nights bad oysters in the middle of an interview with the celebrated writer M.F.K. Fisher, only to be resuscitated by her homemade milk toast and soda: these and other anecdotes color the amazing story of Villass career in the fickle culinary world. By turns witty and poignant, sometimes controversial and irreverent, always candid and opinionated, this compelling narrative pinpoints the exploits of a personal journey filled with a lively cast of fellow food lovers and the memorable meals and adventures shared with them. James Beard, Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, Paul Bocuse, Jeremiah Tower, Ella Brennanthey are all here, along with many others who have contributed to the rich texture and flavor of Villass colorful life.
In between the "bites" of his story, Villas shares a selection of favorite recipes as well as a captivating collection of personal photos, journal notes, and other memorabilia. With outspoken revelations about the best and worst of all things gastronomic, Villas celebrates his own rebellious values while commenting freely on the foibles of contemporary chefs, restaurateurs, and the eating public. One of those rare writers who entertains and inspires even at his most outrageous, Villas joins the ranks of other visionaries who have stepped beyond the culinary world into the cultural mainstream with delightful, engaging results.
Synopsis
Great food and stimulating prose come together in this provocative insiders memoir of a life driven by a passion for fine cuisine and the good life. With a Southerners knack for storytelling, acclaimed writer and former Town & Country food and wine editor James Villas delivers a delectable tale of his personal and professional odyssey in Between Bites: Memoirs of a Hungry Hedonist. At the same time, he provides an exclusive peek at the intrigue behind the vibrant gastronomic evolution of food in America over the past forty years.
Working undercover as a captain at the five-star Le Perroquet in Chicago; dining in Paris with the cookbook author Paula Wolfert in an off-beat bistro inexplicably swarming with dozens of dachshunds; succumbing to last nights bad oysters in the middle of an interview with the celebrated writer M.F.K. Fisher, only to be resuscitated by her homemade milk toast and soda: these and other anecdotes color the amazing story of Villass career in the fickle culinary world. By turns witty and poignant, sometimes controversial and irreverent, always candid and opinionated, this compelling narrative pinpoints the exploits of a personal journey filled with a lively cast of fellow food lovers and the memorable meals and adventures shared with them. James Beard, Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, Paul Bocuse, Jeremiah Tower, Ella Brennanthey are all here, along with many others who have contributed to the rich texture and flavor of Villass colorful life.
In between the "bites" of his story, Villas shares a selection of favorite recipes as well as a captivating collection of personal photos, journal notes, and other memorabilia. With outspoken revelations about the best and worst of all things gastronomic, Villas celebrates his own rebellious values while commenting freely on the foibles of contemporary chefs, restaurateurs, and the eating public. One of those rare writers who entertains and inspires even at his most outrageous, Villas joins the ranks of other visionaries who have stepped beyond the culinary world into the cultural mainstream with delightful, engaging results.
Synopsis
Praise for Between Bites Memoirs of a Hungry Hedonist
"An incredible journey of gastronomy by one of Americas greatest journalists. Wow!"Chef Emeril Lagasse
"For anyone interested in disciplined hedonism, this gripping book reminds us where real style comes from and how it is sustained."Jeremiah Tower
"This is a wonderful book for all to cherish and enjoythose who love gloriously meticulous writing, wit, the joy of good food from French to Southern, the love of friends who truly accept them, and the pleasure of dispute, which I intend to keep doing with Jimmy as long as he will let me. Bravo!"Barbara Kafka
"The more stubborn, persnickety, demanding, and shocking Jim Villass opinions become in his memoirs, the funnier, more informed, and commonsensical they seem. His appetite for the good life has never flagged, and his ability to convey the highs and lows of dining out makes this book as tantalizing as a mess of spiced crabs. Like A. J. Liebling and Waverley Root, Jim Villas is not really a food writer but a great writer who revels in the joy of living well."John Mariani
About the Author
"...his tasty new memoir..." (Fortune, 16 September 2002)
"…serenely gay, he relates his adventures and gives recipes with modesty and generosity…" (Sunday Times (Culture), 20 October 2002)
“…an unabashed hedonist…a degree of right headedness in judgment with accounts of sumptuous meals, kinky sex and gossip…” (The Financial Times, 21 December 2002)
Table of Contents
Preface: I've Seen the Elephant.
Chapter One: From Grits to Gaul.
Chapter Two: Hungry for New Horizons.
Chapter Three: Learning to Break the Rules.
Chapter Four: Lost in Puff Pastry.
Chapter Five: Born to Serve.
Chapter Six: How to Tame a Wolf.
Chapter Seven: An Appetite for Risk.
Chapter Eight: Never Enough Caviar.
Chapter Nine: My Master Class.
Chapter Ten: One Chromosome Away from Happiness.
Chapter Eleven: Bocuse and Me.
Chapter Twelve: Dubious Lessons from a Hired Belly.
Chapter Thirteen: Feasting with Giants.
Chapter Fourteen: In the End is the Beginning.
Epilogue: An Optimistic Rebel.
Acknowledgments.
Index.