“In this remarkable debut, Bauermeister creates a captivating world where the pleasures and particulars of sophisticated food come to mean much more than simple epicurean indulgence...Delivering memorable story lines and characters while seducing the senses, Bauermeister’s tale of food and hope is sure to satisfy.” “Food Network fans will devour this first novel about a whimsical cooking school run by a gentle chef with a fierce passion for food.” “If you judge a book, as I often do, by whether you'd like to spend time having lunch with its characters, you're likely to decide that Bauermeister's novel merits a three-course repast.” “With magical language, first-time novelist Bauermeister weaves the lives of the students in Lillian’s class with the meals prepared and life lessons learned. Strong, sensuous writing leaves the reader hungry for more.” "As exquisitely prepared and satisfying as the dishes Lillian prepares in her restaurant." “A lush immersion in the smells, tastes and comradeship of the culinary world.” "When Lillian teaches her students that the most essential ingredient of all might be time, it feels as if the author has taken this to heart as well." Bellingham Herald “The School of Essential Ingredients is a delicate, meltingly lovely hymn to food and friendship. Lillian's kitchen, full of buttery light and gorgeous smells, is a place where the world works the way it should. You'll want to tuck yourself into one warm corner of it and stay all day.” “The perfect recipe for escaping from life’s stresses, from savoring the delicious ingredients of Lillian’s recipes to the calm and thoughtful rhythm of Erica Bauermeister’s luminous prose.” “Exquisitely written and heartbreakingly delicious. It’s a luscious slice of life...you will enjoy every bit.” “Reading The School of Essential Ingredients made me remember that good fiction holds all the truth of the world.” |