Her Fork in the Road: Women Celebrate Food and Travel

by Lisa S. Bach

Women's relationship to food is passionate and obsessive, embracing and comforting, complex and frustrating. This savory sampling of stories -- by some of the best writers in and out of the food and travel fields -- journeys to the heart of this age-old relationship, taking the reader from the familiar kitchens of contemporary America to the far reaches of the globe. In France, an overly enthusiastic waitress serves M.F.K. Fisher the lunch of a lifetime to sustain her on a walk to Avalon. In Tunisia, Ruth Reichl dines at the home of a local, where the meal is eaten with one's hands and a dash of sensuality. And, in Fiji, where the women are big and beautiful and walk like royalty, Laurie Gough encounters food as a grand and constant celebration.

Genres: Travel, Food, Nonfiction, Culinary, Essays, Food Writing

219 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Kerith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious memoirs of many different women and their gustatory adventures from all over. Familiar writers like Laurie Colwin and MFK Fisher join new ones to make a tasty read. I read it almost in one sitting and then had to have a snack.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories about women traveling and their adventures in food.

[Lauren Brydon · Rating 3 out of 5]

encouraged me to keep eatting while reading and traveling in Europe!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some essays were funny, interesting, or entertaining while others were less so.

[Betty Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was great to read this while killing time at the airport. The only downside is that my favorite stories took place on continents that I wasn't visiting.

[Kel Sta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of the 'Travelers' Tales' imprint, and their anthologies offer much inspiration for further reading, among other things. This book does not let them down in those respects, but some of the editor's little info bytes boxed to the side of the main text of the stories had me wondering about their factuality. For example, in one of these she proclaims that eggs are the most popular pizza topping in Australia. As an Australian who has consumed her share of a variety of pizzas in my home land, not only has egg appeared on an extremely small minority of those, but I have never heard anyone request it as a topping either. It makes me question the truth of the other two national pizza-topping faves mentioned: squid for Japan, and pickled ginger for India.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series of essays (many excerpted from longer travel books) by women talking about food (and drink) while traveling. So much can be learned about a culture from their cooking and eating patterns and in most cases the authors were able to include these lessons along with making you wish you had been there to share in the feasts. Notable exceptions where you definitely would not wish to share the meal are still entertaining.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several tales of travel and the food that went along with it. These stories from several women are engaging and show us that what you put in to your body contributes to who you are. Adventurer...sissy....paranoid...food conscious.

I liked this book, but would have enjoyed reading more of certain stories. Luckily, there are great references for the other works of the contributing authors.

[Cheryl Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short stories, excerpts from stories, books from travel/food adventures around the world. Cannot think of a better combination for me! Travelers' Tales has many many more such compilations. I now have several pages of books to find. Hated for the stories in this book to end.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immensely entertaining. Truly delicious. So often you read about the conflicted relationships women have with food - now read about adventurous women feeding their twin hungers for taste and experience. Can't wait to read more in this series!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of essays by women authors about travel and food. Really fun. I read them aloud to my husband while on various road trips over a six month period. Just finished the last one!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the shorts pulled together by Travelers Tales and the way they can transport you to exotic andexciting places through other peoples stories.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and I've given it as a gift to many friends; just as a dear friend gave it to me!

[Jeni Donlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book of essays and short stories one day at a time during a meal so I could think about each one separately for a day or two. Most of the writing is very good and transports you to the place they are traveling. For those who remember that particular piece of chocolate cake you had in Brooklyn or the taste of a ripe tomato with olive oil in Italy, you will appreciate the writers' love of food and their obsessions with finding the best meals while traveling, whether from a roadside shack, a fine restaurant, or a new friend's table.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this collection! However, made me hungry and my wanderlust is screaming!

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book of short essays about women and travel. Easy to pick up and put down, and now I'm interested in some of the writers I was unfamiliar with. Passing along to another woman traveler.