What do you think?
Rate this book
Cooking for Mr. Latte: A Food Lover's Courtship, with Recipes
"Tender, wry, passionate, truthful. To read Hesser's prose is to hunger for more."—Nigella Lawson
Cooking for Mr. Latte is a delightfully modern dating story, recipes included. It's the true story of the courtship between Amanda Hesser, a food writer for The New York Times and author of the award-winning cookbook The Cook and the Gardener, and writer Tad Friend, the titular Mr. Latte. Most of the book was written in installments for the New York Times Magazine, but fans of Hesser's writing will be happy to know that there are plenty of new stories and recipes to justify picking up the book version. Her tale ends happily ever after, but has enough ups and downs to keep it interesting. And it's not all about Mr. Latte. Ever wonder what it's like to eat out with foodie guru Jeffrey Steingarten? Chances are you guessed wrong.
Cooking for Mr. Latte is a delightfully modern dating story, recipes included. It's the true story of the courtship between Amanda Hesser, a food writer for The New York Times and author of the award-winning cookbook The Cook and the Gardener, and writer Tad Friend, the titular Mr. Latte. Most of the book was written in installments for the New York Times Magazine, but fans of Hesser's writing will be happy to know that there are plenty of new stories and recipes to justify picking up the book version. Her tale ends happily ever after, but has enough ups and downs to keep it interesting. And it's not all about Mr. Latte. Ever wonder what it's like to eat out with foodie guru Jeffrey Steingarten? Chances are you guessed wrong.
Food is an important aspect of Hesser's life (though it wasn't for Mr. Latte when they met, making for some of the downs in the ups and downs), but it's not until you notice how seamlessly Hesser weaves her meals into her story that you realize how much of our lives and our memories revolve around food. By the time you get to the recipes, you've already salivated over the dishes and become emotionally attached to them. From her mother's Chocolate Dump-It Cake to the Ginger Duck her future mother-in-law made the first time they met, you'll love that Hesser pays such close attention and generously shares the recipes. Filled with everything from old-fashioned treats from her grandmother's kitchen to dishes from some of New York's hottest dining spots, this is one entertaining read that is sure to end up in your kitchen. --Leora Y. Bloom
338 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2003
About the author
Amanda Hesser
31 books64 followersAmanda Hesser has been a food columnist and editor at the New York Times for more than a decade. She is the author of the award-winning Cooking for Mr. Latte and The Cook and the Gardener and edited the essay collection Eat, Memory. Hesser is also the co-founder of food52.com. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Tad Friend, and their two children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
August 23, 2007
Put this book down and read a Reichl book instead. Actually, xerox the recipes, then put it down. This book annoyed me to death. The author has to be one of the least likable voices on the planet. It's basically a story of how she wooed her man, laced with recipes and pith. Amazingly, you get no sense of who Mr. Latte is. I did not empathize, cheer on her love life, or clap at the end. You'll need to cook something to get the gross aftertaste of this book out of your mouth.
February 15, 2016
This book has been on my radar since it was published in 2003 but it wasn’t until this fall that I sought it out to read. And while I totally devoured it in less than a week, it seems by the GR reviews that I’m one of only a few people who found Hesser’s memoir palatable.
A young food writer for The New York Times, Hesser meets her future husband, Tad Friend, staff writer for The New Yorker, on a blind date. After much discussion about where they are going to meet, she quips the selected restaurant is “the Manhattan equivalent of an Outback Steakhouse.” He orders a Budweiser and puts Equal in his lattes. Some readers see Hesser as a snob, and I guess she and I are cut from the same cloth, as I, too, would raise a brow if this was my first introduction to a possible mate.
The book soon takes the reader through the courtship and ultimate marriage of these two people, with a lot of insight along the way. Anyone who cooks knows the protectiveness ones has over his/her kitchen, and I had to nod my head when she recounted Tad washing her dishes for the first time. And she also gives insight to her as a cook:tal
“I prefer the solitude of a kitchen; I like to hear the faint crackle as my knife slices into a fresh onion, to watch better and sugar meld into milky fluff as I wish. Sometimes I like to think; dream up travel plans, retrace my day or imagine an argument with my mother in which I win. I like to chop garlic, dice tomatoes, and carve chicken from its bones to relieve tension, just as someone else might go run a few miles.”
Hesser’s food writing is exquisite, as can be seen in the above quote, or whether it’s talking about her single cuisine, cooking dinner for her wedding party, or cooking with her grandmother. Besides Mr. Latte, we are introduced to her close group of friends, family, and now her extended family. Each chapter is peppered with recipes, all clearly written for the new and more seasoned cooks.
This was a wonderful look at a romance melded with food and I would take a second helping of anything Hesser writes.
A young food writer for The New York Times, Hesser meets her future husband, Tad Friend, staff writer for The New Yorker, on a blind date. After much discussion about where they are going to meet, she quips the selected restaurant is “the Manhattan equivalent of an Outback Steakhouse.” He orders a Budweiser and puts Equal in his lattes. Some readers see Hesser as a snob, and I guess she and I are cut from the same cloth, as I, too, would raise a brow if this was my first introduction to a possible mate.
The book soon takes the reader through the courtship and ultimate marriage of these two people, with a lot of insight along the way. Anyone who cooks knows the protectiveness ones has over his/her kitchen, and I had to nod my head when she recounted Tad washing her dishes for the first time. And she also gives insight to her as a cook:tal
“I prefer the solitude of a kitchen; I like to hear the faint crackle as my knife slices into a fresh onion, to watch better and sugar meld into milky fluff as I wish. Sometimes I like to think; dream up travel plans, retrace my day or imagine an argument with my mother in which I win. I like to chop garlic, dice tomatoes, and carve chicken from its bones to relieve tension, just as someone else might go run a few miles.”
Hesser’s food writing is exquisite, as can be seen in the above quote, or whether it’s talking about her single cuisine, cooking dinner for her wedding party, or cooking with her grandmother. Besides Mr. Latte, we are introduced to her close group of friends, family, and now her extended family. Each chapter is peppered with recipes, all clearly written for the new and more seasoned cooks.
This was a wonderful look at a romance melded with food and I would take a second helping of anything Hesser writes.
March 20, 2008
Even if you're a self-deprecating snob, you're still a snob.
August 11, 2022
4,25 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Quote: Het was in de zomer, ik had een dagje vrij en meneer Cappuccino zat voor zijn werk in San Francisco. Ik stuurde een e-mail naar mijn vriendin Paula om te vragen of ze zin had om met me te gaan eten, maar ze moest naar een barbecue. -
Quote: Ik wist precies wat ik wilde bestellen: krokante zouten garnalen en en cecarsalade. Maar toch las ik de hele menukaart door. De Pearl is als een gedicht dat je keer op keer herleest. Het verandert nooit, maar iedere keer wordt je opnieuw getroffen door de woorden.-
Het is een amusant, humorvol boek wat het leven van een food- columnist in New York beschrijft. Hoe Amerikaans is het om dinner-party's te houden.
Natuurlijk hebben wij ook onze etentjes met vrienden maar dit is echt van een ander level. Het is in Amerika een "kunst" om je gasten culinair te verrassen.
Het boek staat vol heerlijke recepten. Waarbij aangegeven of ze uit een kookboek, kooktijdschrift of bewerkingen zijn van een bestaand recept door schrijfster of één van haar vrienden.
Het is een combi van feelgood meets food and a little travel.
Quote: Het was in de zomer, ik had een dagje vrij en meneer Cappuccino zat voor zijn werk in San Francisco. Ik stuurde een e-mail naar mijn vriendin Paula om te vragen of ze zin had om met me te gaan eten, maar ze moest naar een barbecue. -
Quote: Ik wist precies wat ik wilde bestellen: krokante zouten garnalen en en cecarsalade. Maar toch las ik de hele menukaart door. De Pearl is als een gedicht dat je keer op keer herleest. Het verandert nooit, maar iedere keer wordt je opnieuw getroffen door de woorden.-
Het is een amusant, humorvol boek wat het leven van een food- columnist in New York beschrijft. Hoe Amerikaans is het om dinner-party's te houden.
Natuurlijk hebben wij ook onze etentjes met vrienden maar dit is echt van een ander level. Het is in Amerika een "kunst" om je gasten culinair te verrassen.
Het boek staat vol heerlijke recepten. Waarbij aangegeven of ze uit een kookboek, kooktijdschrift of bewerkingen zijn van een bestaand recept door schrijfster of één van haar vrienden.
Het is een combi van feelgood meets food and a little travel.
January 17, 2013
If the commentary in this otherwise excellent cookbook did not have a whiney self-indulgent tone, it would be a five-star. No matter: Try the Chicken Roasted with Sour Cream, Lemon Juice and Mango Chutney and the Puree of Peas and Watercress ("His Turn" chapter) and the Almond Cake ("A Tough Act to Follow" chapter). I've made all three many times and they are win-win. The almond cake is ugly but just wait until you take the first bite. If your kid is bringing home a date you actually wish they would date, make this one to ply them with at the front door.
Skip the prose unless you like reading books that name-drop shamelessly and make you wish that food writers were required to wash dishes at an IHOP for a couple months, just to know how the rest of the food world makes a living.
Skip the prose unless you like reading books that name-drop shamelessly and make you wish that food writers were required to wash dishes at an IHOP for a couple months, just to know how the rest of the food world makes a living.
April 2, 2010
This is "Sex and the City" with food -- literally (Mr. Latte = Mr. Big.) Totally self-indulgent on the author's part but hey, she convinced her editors at The New York Times to pursue it and later published the columns in this book. She is a classically trained cook (notice I did not say chef?) so she knows what she's talking about culinary-ily speaking. It is somewhat pretentious but worth the read if you want to vicariously experience some of new York's and beyond's finest dining experiences through the eyes of a privileged and somewhat pompous thirty-something. Some of her efforts even shame Martha so it is unlikely you'll walk away with anything to add to your recipe box.
June 14, 2015
Amanda Hesser comes across as wildly unlikeable. You'd think her editor would have pointed that out to her. She is incredibly impressed with herself and is not at all ashamed at the snobbery that pervades every fiber of her being. I knew I'd be annoyed when she expected me to know (and care) about the difference between a foodie, a gourmet and a gourmand. I couldn't help cheering when Mr. Latte secretly spiked her espresso with equal (she didn't notice - point to Mr. Latte). The only time she has the grace to even be mildly embarrassed is when she suggests that $100 lunch is reasonable to a man visiting from India, a man who then informs her that he earns the equivalent of $2 a day U.S.
Also, a chapter on suffering from food poisoning has no place in a book about food. I don't care if you got it eating out with Jeffrey Steingarten. No one wants their tasty meal descriptions interrupted with a play by play of your digestive woes.
Also, a chapter on suffering from food poisoning has no place in a book about food. I don't care if you got it eating out with Jeffrey Steingarten. No one wants their tasty meal descriptions interrupted with a play by play of your digestive woes.
September 3, 2013
The first time I read this book, years ago, I enjoyed it but was bothered by Hesser's snobbery. This time I enjoyed it a lot more and appreciated Hesser's frankness about her own failings. I don't know whether this means I've become more of a snob myself, or simply more compassionate. Anyway, she does write beautifully about food, and I've liked many of the recipes from this book.
January 31, 2007
Not a bad book. It has some yummy sounding recipes! The back cover claims (twice) that she's the next MFK Fisher. I beg to differ. Although she's fun and some of the recipes look quite tasty, she's no classic. This is a fluff book. A cozy, Sex In The City style read that will have you dreaming of food, but its just fun. No real deep literary value here, and certainly no deep insight into life or eating. Just one fun chick's experience. Its kind of fun to read as a New York City area resident...you'll recognize all the names, places and occasions she brings up.
May 23, 2009
At first I thought this book was just going to be filled with food snobbery, and it was. Not in a good way. There were lots of interesting recipes throughout, some that I might actually try, so that was redeeming. Also I can't get over Mr. Latte's real name: Tad Friend. It sounds like a superhero's alter ego. Maybe he IS a super hero.
December 8, 2008
A fun, romantic story with great recipes along the way!
August 31, 2020
A fun read. The author of A Cook and a Gardener also.
January 11, 2018
A cute story of a foodie meeting, falling in love with, and marrying someone who didn't feel the same way about food. A very interesting study of a relationship. It had some fun stores, though it can be hard to relate to some of it, since I don't feel the same passion about food as the author does. But I do think I grew in appreciation, which was probably the point. I liked the author's insertion of little notes into some of the recipes (for example, something like this: "This dish technically serves 4, but in reality probably only 2"), or when she gave some of the backstory to them.
December 31, 2008
Is there a genre for Chick Lit Foodie books? There should be, and this would be at the top of the list.
My review from BookCrossing: I needed something light and fun to read on the back deck yesterday when I finished working, and this was just the ticket! I had just put it into a pile of books to get ready for The Chef's Challenge hosted by eggiweg, in honor of her son.
Little did I know I'd want to buy my own copy afterward! Yes, I could keep this one, but why not share it with the world and honor eggiweg's son in the process? So it's going out into the wild, and I just finished placing my order with B&N.com for another copy :) The other reason I decided to do that is that the author has a LOT of recipes in this book from different sources, and she encourages people to try them, and then if they like them, buy the original to support those people. I'm just doing my part, and I'm impressed that she makes that point in her book :)
Anyway, about the book. . .
I loved it, and want to be friends with the author! I love food and I love cooking and baking, but I'm definitely not qualified to be a foodie. Not a NY one, anyway. But that didn't stop me from loving this book and wanting to start branching out further on my own! And I'm definitely going to be trying some of the recipes in my new copy!
This book definitely inspired me. As I was preparing an egg fritatta (something we've been having a lot lately as it doesn't require turning on the oven), I separated several of the egg whites from their yolks. I kept some yolks, but not all. Then I chopped up mushrooms, green pepper, and snipped little green onion tips into the pan. A splash of olive oil and some salt and pepper on the veggies, and a little bit of heat. Over all that, pour the eggs. But after reading that book, what else could I do? Ahhh. . .some fresh-grated parmesan (not too much), and I used up a tomato that was on his last legs. YUM!
I read another foodie book recently that didn't resonate with me at all. Perhaps it was just over the top pretentious? Or unrealistic? I don't know, but I really liked this one, and I'm so glad (my friend) sent it to me. This is the book I wish Under the Tuscan Sun had been. In fact, if Ms. Hesser and Mr. Latte move to Italy, I'd buy whatever book she wrote next! This book had a story and heart, and you care about the characters. That one did not :(
There were several parts of this book that either confirmed something I'd been thinking or doing all along, or that made me go, "yeah!". For example, the idea of having a repertoire of recipes that you can make at the drop of a hat, or when someone asks you to bring X (where X=appetizer, dessert, salad, etc.). I realized that's how my mom raised us, and I do that, too. From time to time I add to the list, but I really do have a good number of "company" meals I could fix, that don't make me nervous, that I know how to time, etc. I also have a handful of things that people ask me to bring to different things. Everyone loves my Reuben dip and my guacamole. My brother-in-law is always asking me to make Puerco Pibil, and there used to be a man in my old office whose wife asked me to bake Mom Jarvis' Chocolate Cake for his birthday every year.
In addition, the author's comments about people not cooking any more echo multiple conversations I've had with my sister. Our mom stayed at home until my sister was in 4th or 5th grade, and then when she worked, it was to teach school. But during our entire growing up years, we were in cooking school with her. So much so that the one time she did use a cake mix (yes, I said ONE time), we told her it was "cake for mothers who don't love their children". Nice kids, huh? Anyway, we've realized that there is a whole generation of girls now who DO want to cook, but never learned, as they ate out or carry out or frozen stuff their entire lives. And so, in our own little way, my sister and I are both teaching cooking classes. And they're fun! And the best part is that these women are learning that a good meal doesn't need to take 6 hours to prepare (it can, for fun, but that's different). The best compliment? Some of the girls have told me that the recipes from cooking class have become the most popular recipes at their houses, and oft-requested by their husbands :) yay!
Anyway, I think this book has no other choice but to be left at a coffee shop, so it'll be visiting Starbucks on my way to the dry cleaners. And even though it's after 11 (it's 11:26), I probably will be ordering a coffee drink with milk in it!
My review from BookCrossing: I needed something light and fun to read on the back deck yesterday when I finished working, and this was just the ticket! I had just put it into a pile of books to get ready for The Chef's Challenge hosted by eggiweg, in honor of her son.
Little did I know I'd want to buy my own copy afterward! Yes, I could keep this one, but why not share it with the world and honor eggiweg's son in the process? So it's going out into the wild, and I just finished placing my order with B&N.com for another copy :) The other reason I decided to do that is that the author has a LOT of recipes in this book from different sources, and she encourages people to try them, and then if they like them, buy the original to support those people. I'm just doing my part, and I'm impressed that she makes that point in her book :)
Anyway, about the book. . .
I loved it, and want to be friends with the author! I love food and I love cooking and baking, but I'm definitely not qualified to be a foodie. Not a NY one, anyway. But that didn't stop me from loving this book and wanting to start branching out further on my own! And I'm definitely going to be trying some of the recipes in my new copy!
This book definitely inspired me. As I was preparing an egg fritatta (something we've been having a lot lately as it doesn't require turning on the oven), I separated several of the egg whites from their yolks. I kept some yolks, but not all. Then I chopped up mushrooms, green pepper, and snipped little green onion tips into the pan. A splash of olive oil and some salt and pepper on the veggies, and a little bit of heat. Over all that, pour the eggs. But after reading that book, what else could I do? Ahhh. . .some fresh-grated parmesan (not too much), and I used up a tomato that was on his last legs. YUM!
I read another foodie book recently that didn't resonate with me at all. Perhaps it was just over the top pretentious? Or unrealistic? I don't know, but I really liked this one, and I'm so glad (my friend) sent it to me. This is the book I wish Under the Tuscan Sun had been. In fact, if Ms. Hesser and Mr. Latte move to Italy, I'd buy whatever book she wrote next! This book had a story and heart, and you care about the characters. That one did not :(
There were several parts of this book that either confirmed something I'd been thinking or doing all along, or that made me go, "yeah!". For example, the idea of having a repertoire of recipes that you can make at the drop of a hat, or when someone asks you to bring X (where X=appetizer, dessert, salad, etc.). I realized that's how my mom raised us, and I do that, too. From time to time I add to the list, but I really do have a good number of "company" meals I could fix, that don't make me nervous, that I know how to time, etc. I also have a handful of things that people ask me to bring to different things. Everyone loves my Reuben dip and my guacamole. My brother-in-law is always asking me to make Puerco Pibil, and there used to be a man in my old office whose wife asked me to bake Mom Jarvis' Chocolate Cake for his birthday every year.
In addition, the author's comments about people not cooking any more echo multiple conversations I've had with my sister. Our mom stayed at home until my sister was in 4th or 5th grade, and then when she worked, it was to teach school. But during our entire growing up years, we were in cooking school with her. So much so that the one time she did use a cake mix (yes, I said ONE time), we told her it was "cake for mothers who don't love their children". Nice kids, huh? Anyway, we've realized that there is a whole generation of girls now who DO want to cook, but never learned, as they ate out or carry out or frozen stuff their entire lives. And so, in our own little way, my sister and I are both teaching cooking classes. And they're fun! And the best part is that these women are learning that a good meal doesn't need to take 6 hours to prepare (it can, for fun, but that's different). The best compliment? Some of the girls have told me that the recipes from cooking class have become the most popular recipes at their houses, and oft-requested by their husbands :) yay!
Anyway, I think this book has no other choice but to be left at a coffee shop, so it'll be visiting Starbucks on my way to the dry cleaners. And even though it's after 11 (it's 11:26), I probably will be ordering a coffee drink with milk in it!
December 21, 2021
This book was long and tedious. I thought at least the recipes would be good, but they were just like the author “a food snob.” Nothing was down to Earth! Her sophisticated palette can’t compete with my plebeian tastebuds.
September 27, 2016
I remember reading Amanda Hesser's first column about her blind date with Mr. Latte. At the time, I thought it was amusing and witty. I have to read a food memoir for the Book Riot 2016 reading challenge so I picked this.
I like and admire Amanda Hesser's other work. I have her NYT cookbook. I regularly visit Food52. I admire her spirit and energy.
However, in this book, Ms. Hesser comes across as self-absorbed and a name dropper despite efforts to share personal details and be vulnerable. I did finish the book, which is noteworthy because I no longer read books that I find uninteresting. I still read books that I dislike if they are compelling for some reason, e.g., I dislike a character but still want to read more, but I no longer read books that are uninteresting.
I haven't tried all the recipes although some sound great. All in all, fine for the purpose but I wish I had left this at the memory of her NYT columns about Mr. Latte.
I like and admire Amanda Hesser's other work. I have her NYT cookbook. I regularly visit Food52. I admire her spirit and energy.
However, in this book, Ms. Hesser comes across as self-absorbed and a name dropper despite efforts to share personal details and be vulnerable. I did finish the book, which is noteworthy because I no longer read books that I find uninteresting. I still read books that I dislike if they are compelling for some reason, e.g., I dislike a character but still want to read more, but I no longer read books that are uninteresting.
I haven't tried all the recipes although some sound great. All in all, fine for the purpose but I wish I had left this at the memory of her NYT columns about Mr. Latte.
June 21, 2012
I have to apologize to Oliver because he gave this to me in 2004 and I have only finished it today and found it delightful. Back then I was much younger and took a hard line on books with chick-lit looking covers. I also didn't understand the significance of drinking a latte after dinner, except for the bloating and counter-digestive disturbances that might ensue. Twenty-something me stopped reading the book, not understanding why this was so deal-breakery. Thirty-something me doesn't care, though I still think it's a terrible book title.
But I enjoyed the book. It reads like a compilation of lite newspaper columns, which it is, but I like that sort of thing because it leaves me wanting more. Hesser's writing is skillful, which might be obvious given her credentials, but I found it noticeably more readable than some of the blog-cum-book-deals floating around these days. I love me a blog, don't get me wrong, but the blog books often lack in skill. It was refreshing to read a light memoir like this without being stumbled by the writing. That way, you can focus on things like the "frothy" substance (I'm starting to hate that word in book reviews).
People seem not to like Amanda Hesser very much, but she comes across as so crusty and anxious that I became very fond of her. It's a lucky life but I'm not inclined to call out her privilege. It makes me more inclined to go out and buy a baguette and eat it, which I am about to do.
Also, Hesser's husband is named Tad Friend, which is making me like men a little more.
But I enjoyed the book. It reads like a compilation of lite newspaper columns, which it is, but I like that sort of thing because it leaves me wanting more. Hesser's writing is skillful, which might be obvious given her credentials, but I found it noticeably more readable than some of the blog-cum-book-deals floating around these days. I love me a blog, don't get me wrong, but the blog books often lack in skill. It was refreshing to read a light memoir like this without being stumbled by the writing. That way, you can focus on things like the "frothy" substance (I'm starting to hate that word in book reviews).
People seem not to like Amanda Hesser very much, but she comes across as so crusty and anxious that I became very fond of her. It's a lucky life but I'm not inclined to call out her privilege. It makes me more inclined to go out and buy a baguette and eat it, which I am about to do.
Also, Hesser's husband is named Tad Friend, which is making me like men a little more.
June 14, 2011
Amanda Hesser is a skilled writer, which makes this book an easy read. Unlike in many food memoirs, her recipes really did pique my interest, and I agree with many of her opinions and attitude towards food. Each chapter is somewhat self-contained, so some are better and more insightful than others. The overarching narrative of the book, however, is somewhat lame. I feel like with all of her experiences, she could have written about something more interesting. Also, I can't help but cringe at the nickname "Mr. Latte"
Hesser has a way of making you envious of her life- long dinners at some of New York's best restaurants, fabulous friends, a successful writer boyfriend, trips to Spain for work, summers on Long Island and the Chesapeake, and eventually she buys and moves into a beautiful house in Brooklyn Heights. Some parts seem unreal, almost a joke. The book is full of WASP cliches (guys with names like Minty or Fuzzy or Buzzy and girls named Timmie- is this for real?!) and Hesser doesn't show one ounce of self-awareness concerning these laughable stereotypes.
Hesser has a way of making you envious of her life- long dinners at some of New York's best restaurants, fabulous friends, a successful writer boyfriend, trips to Spain for work, summers on Long Island and the Chesapeake, and eventually she buys and moves into a beautiful house in Brooklyn Heights. Some parts seem unreal, almost a joke. The book is full of WASP cliches (guys with names like Minty or Fuzzy or Buzzy and girls named Timmie- is this for real?!) and Hesser doesn't show one ounce of self-awareness concerning these laughable stereotypes.
February 1, 2008
Some people exercise for stress relief. Others eat. I write and read, and my go-to comfort book is Cooking for Mr. Latte by Amanda Hesser, a food writer for the New York Times. The book actually started as Hesser’s column in The New York Times Magazine, chronicling her relationship with the man she eventually married. It offers romance more heartfelt than the over-the-top stuff of some novels. I’m embarrassed to admit I haven’t tried any of the many included recipes, nearly all of which sound delicious. Perhaps I should find my own Mr. Latte for inspiration!
--Birmingham magazine, June 2007
(Follow up: Since I wrote that review, I actually have cooked MANY recipes from this book. Some of them are quickly becoming my favorites. I've also purchased and cooked from her previous book, although I haven't finished reading it yet.)
--Birmingham magazine, June 2007
(Follow up: Since I wrote that review, I actually have cooked MANY recipes from this book. Some of them are quickly becoming my favorites. I've also purchased and cooked from her previous book, although I haven't finished reading it yet.)
May 11, 2010
Oy vey I did not enjoy this book. It had such promise. Cute subtitle. Great premise for a book.
Total failure, in my opinion.
I just couldn't get past the prentiousness of the author. I get that she's a reputable food writer, but the subtitle of the book did not read: A Food Lover's Obsession with Name Dropping. I didn't pick up this book so I could hear about all of her encounters with Jeffrey Steingarten. Or how she knows Bobby Flay so well that he grinned at her from across the room.
Additionally, I was annoyed that she was annoyed with the fact that her boyfriend ordered Latte's after dinner. Really? That was upsetting to you? So he broke some unwritten rule - or at least a rule not known to John Q. Public. Big deal.
If you want a witty collection of short stories, I recommend Molly Wizenburg's book, A Homemade Life.
Total failure, in my opinion.
I just couldn't get past the prentiousness of the author. I get that she's a reputable food writer, but the subtitle of the book did not read: A Food Lover's Obsession with Name Dropping. I didn't pick up this book so I could hear about all of her encounters with Jeffrey Steingarten. Or how she knows Bobby Flay so well that he grinned at her from across the room.
Additionally, I was annoyed that she was annoyed with the fact that her boyfriend ordered Latte's after dinner. Really? That was upsetting to you? So he broke some unwritten rule - or at least a rule not known to John Q. Public. Big deal.
If you want a witty collection of short stories, I recommend Molly Wizenburg's book, A Homemade Life.
September 8, 2008
I wanted to like this book. I did. The problem, however, is that Ms. Hesser, has nothing to say. The best food writers write about food as a way to access a deeper understanding about the nature of humanity. Witness Reichl's trilogy, in which you get an understanding of mental illness, the creation of oneself, the discovering of parents, and love, and a life's passion. Hesser's writings provide me with a superficial link to her foodie world, nothing else. Maybe she needs to suffer a bit before her next book, so that she can find some depth. Sorry, Amanda. No go.
September 28, 2010
This is a short, light book, and because it's composed of articles that Hesser wrote for the NYT, it's easy to read a bit at a time. I breezed through it in a few days and it was enjoyable, but really the whole reason I read it was because I had just read her husband's book "Cheerful Money", and I thought it would be fun to read her side of the courtship story. However, the writing didn't really inspire me to cook any of the recipes, so I can't say that her version of the story left much of an impact on me.
July 17, 2021
I see I am in the minority on this one but I quite enjoyed this. Of course, I am predisposed to like Ms. Hesser because of the fun and yum of the Food52 website— especially in its early years…here I like how she laughs at herself— often through the very patient Mr. Latte— and how she gives a very clear vision of the foodie world of New York in the late nineties and early aughts. But, the best part is how the many delicious sounding recipes are not peripheral, but intrinsic to the stories told.
And you really must make the white bolognese!
And you really must make the white bolognese!
October 13, 2007
This is the exact equivalent of a Meg Ryan movie - super cute and tastefully romantic. I enjoyed it and relaxed with it totally. So, if you're a 20 to I don't know what aged female and you are into cooking you may really enjoy the stories (even more so if you've got a little Type A thing going on), but BEWARE of the recipes! It may be because I'm not a pro, but a lot of the recipes were REALLY yucky when I tried them. Enjoy the romantic story and go elsewhere for recipes.
December 13, 2007
If you could define your life in a series of recipies, what would they be? That's the premise behind this cute cookbook. It also delves into food we love, people we love, and food we love to cook for people we love.
May 27, 2009
Read this for my book club, and everyone agreed that the author was completely insufferable. It was fun to make recipes from the book for book club dinner though!
September 14, 2010
I loved this book! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good love story or a good story about cooking!
July 14, 2017
She should have just written a cookbook. The rest of this book was not worth my time. I'm just glad I finally finished it.
April 30, 2023
Like reading the blog of someone who took high school creative writing and happens to know a lot about food in NY
January 30, 2019
I've understood the appeal of a hate-watch or -read but have never felt it was for me - I always thought I'd prefer to spend time with something I like. I can't say I was exactly hate-reading this, but I was more morbidly fascinated by how dated it felt - I guess it has been 15 years! It also captured such a WASPy world which I *think* is in decline, but who knows.
Generally, I'm pretty happy to read thoughts on food, and Hesser certainly has an appreciation and is a good writer! I found those elements compelling, even though (and partially because) - they are dated. Her love of truffle oil really pinpoints the timing of the writing, and I certainly cringe with my own recollections of "discovering" it as well. Other parts are more offputting: upon being told "I am impressed that you got three women cooking together without competitiveness, without ego. All the things women are no longer supposed to do." There's a lot to respond to there, but what does Hesser say for her response? "I nodded. I hadn't thought about it that way." ooooof.
Back to WASPs - I like Tad Friend's writing in the New Yorker, so it's odd to come across him as a "character" in this book. Here's a quote from the book that struck me as strange and sad: "Tad liked [the food] so much that he hugged me." This does remind me that I want to read his book about his WASPy family!
Generally, I'm pretty happy to read thoughts on food, and Hesser certainly has an appreciation and is a good writer! I found those elements compelling, even though (and partially because) - they are dated. Her love of truffle oil really pinpoints the timing of the writing, and I certainly cringe with my own recollections of "discovering" it as well. Other parts are more offputting: upon being told "I am impressed that you got three women cooking together without competitiveness, without ego. All the things women are no longer supposed to do." There's a lot to respond to there, but what does Hesser say for her response? "I nodded. I hadn't thought about it that way." ooooof.
Back to WASPs - I like Tad Friend's writing in the New Yorker, so it's odd to come across him as a "character" in this book. Here's a quote from the book that struck me as strange and sad: "Tad liked [the food] so much that he hugged me." This does remind me that I want to read his book about his WASPy family!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews