“A sweet and savory treat.” —People“An impressive feat of narrative jujitsu . . . that keeps readers turning the pages too fast to realize just how ingenious they are.”—The New York Times Book Review, Editor’s PickFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Lager Queen of Minnesota, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is a novel about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes … novel about a young woman with a once-in-a-generation palate who becomes the iconic chef behind the country’s most coveted dinner reservation.
When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine—and a dashing sommelier—he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter—starting with puréed pork shoulder. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. From Scandinavian lutefisk to hydroponic chocolate habaneros, each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.
Each chapter in J. Ryan Stradal’s startlingly original debut tells the story of a single dish and character, at once capturing the zeitgeist of the Midwest, the rise of foodie culture, and delving into the ways food creates community and a sense of identity. By turns quirky, hilarious, and vividly sensory, Kitchens of the Great Midwest is an unexpected mother-daughter story about the bittersweet nature of life—its missed opportunities and its joyful surprises. It marks the entry of a brilliant new talent.
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Unique book. Well written. Great for foodies and those who love regional cuisine. The story dragged a bit in parts as it veered into characters that had some connection with the protagonist, some of that entertaining, others not so much. Overall, the story came together and I enjoyed the descriptions of food and protagonist’s adventure.
I met the author at a Lit Festival this year and heard him speak about the book on a panel. I loved the book although it was much different that what I expected from the title. I didn’t take that literally enough! Some really great characters and twists I didn’t see coming.
Many transitions in characters making it difficult to follow. Characters were well developed and interesting but it seemed to keep introducing new characters and became tedious.
I haven’t finished it yet, but so far I’m not very impressed.
it was engrossing from the beginning I really couldn’t stop until I finished it. Plot twists and insightful observations about human relationships, this book has all of that.
I selected this book because it was highly recommended and I enjoy cooking.
Because of the way it was written, it was a little disjointed for me. Everything came together in the realistic ending, however. Obviously, many people have liked it, so don’t be lead astray by my reactions.
I did not like this book and would not recommend it.
Couldn’t put this book down. It was so much fun to read. The characters were complex and likeable and the dialogue was snappy.
Surprised me with every new chapter, don’t bother if you don’t care about food or cooking. I enjoyed the twists and turns and all the wildly and widely varied characters.
The organization of this book is unique. South Dakota Humanities used this book as their “One Book SD” last year & a popular read.
I loved everything about this book. The characters were real and very well developed. Pacing was very good. Made me think and, at times, want to cry. Very well written with an original story that stayed with me. My 2nd reading & I loved it all over again.
I loved this book – original, great characters, interesting plot twists!
Well written.
poorly written and the story line doesn’t hang together well.
I had high hopes for this book as it is the favorite book of a friend and she is passionate about it. Unfortunately, I do not share her enthusiasm. This is the life story of a girl (who was abandoned by her mother and orphaned by her father as a baby, then raised by her aunt and uncle) who grows up to be a famous yet elusive chef. She is brilliant with the food she creates. It does sort of come full circle in the end, but not necessarily in a positive way.
The author spends the first half of the book letting you get to know Eva, then suddenly she disappears only making cameo appearances through the rest of the book. Then there is a parade of characters who eventually have loose ties to Eva. Unfortunately very few of these characters have anything about them to endear them to readers. They are selfish, crass, judgmental, and heartless. In at least three instances a death or impending death occurs and the reaction is always very cold and uncaring. Several chapters are left on “cliffhangers” that may or may not get resolved until the end of the book.
I kept wanting to like the characters or for the story to really go somewhere, but for me it just didn’t happen. Maybe I would have appreciated it more if I were more of a gourmet cook or if I enjoyed wine, I don’t know…
Interesting plot with a lot of quisine references.
Very interesting. Mixes real recipes with story line
Maybe it was just me. I just could not get into this book. Gave up about half way through it.