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How to Eat a Peach: Menus, Stories and Places
When Diana Henry was sixteen she started a menu notebook (an exercise book carefully covered in wrapping paper). Planning a menu is still her favourite part of cooking.
Menus can create very different moods; they can take you places, from an afternoon at the seaside in Brittany to a sultry evening eating mezze in Istanbul. They also have to work as a meal that flows and as a group of dishes that the cook can manage without becoming totally stressed. The 24 menus and 100 recipes in this book reflect places Diana loves, and dishes that are real favorites.
The menus are introduced with personal essays in Diana's now well-known voice- about places or journeys or particular times and explain the choice of dishes. Each menu is a story in itself, but the recipes can also stand alone.
The title of the book refers to how Italians end a meal in the summer, when it's too hot to cook. The host or hostess just puts a bowl of peaches on the table and offers glasses of chilled moscato (or even Marsala). Guests then slice their peach into the glass, before eating the slices and drinking the wine.
That says something very important about eating - simplicity and generosity and sometimes not cooking are what it's about.
Menus can create very different moods; they can take you places, from an afternoon at the seaside in Brittany to a sultry evening eating mezze in Istanbul. They also have to work as a meal that flows and as a group of dishes that the cook can manage without becoming totally stressed. The 24 menus and 100 recipes in this book reflect places Diana loves, and dishes that are real favorites.
The menus are introduced with personal essays in Diana's now well-known voice- about places or journeys or particular times and explain the choice of dishes. Each menu is a story in itself, but the recipes can also stand alone.
The title of the book refers to how Italians end a meal in the summer, when it's too hot to cook. The host or hostess just puts a bowl of peaches on the table and offers glasses of chilled moscato (or even Marsala). Guests then slice their peach into the glass, before eating the slices and drinking the wine.
That says something very important about eating - simplicity and generosity and sometimes not cooking are what it's about.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published May 1, 2018
245 people are currently reading
1287 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 24, 2018
Most interesting book cover I have yet to find; it's fuzzy like the texture of a peach.
It's like a cook book with a backstory.
Too many recipes to name I want to try, Cherries in Wine with Cardamom Cream and Rose Pistachio Shortbread is number one on my list.
Elegant and rustic this book has something for everyone.
Perfect for any cookbook lover!
Highly recommended!
It's like a cook book with a backstory.
Too many recipes to name I want to try, Cherries in Wine with Cardamom Cream and Rose Pistachio Shortbread is number one on my list.
Elegant and rustic this book has something for everyone.
Perfect for any cookbook lover!
Highly recommended!
August 12, 2018
This book was a delight as both a foodie and an avid reader; I enjoy reading cookery books like this, with anecdotes and background. I appreciated the organisation round menus, and recipes from different countries, many of them I have visited and love the food, and came across recipes I would have liked to have come across sooner. There are so many fads in food these days but this one may be on the shelves for longer than many.
November 1, 2019
As delicious as it sounds
I bought this when it was on offer and frankly it seems wrong to have only spent 99p for something so delightful. Henry's writing is elegant and evocative and the recipes enticing.
I bought this when it was on offer and frankly it seems wrong to have only spent 99p for something so delightful. Henry's writing is elegant and evocative and the recipes enticing.
June 23, 2020
This book is a ceremony of food.i like it because of writer’s vision is professional and philosophical and natural.کتاب جذابی است.نویسنده به غذا به عنوان یکی از اجزای مهم جهان نگاه می کند و آنچنان فیلسوفانه و علمی منو طراحی کرده که لذت می برید.حتی من که به غذا میلی ندارم تحت تاثیر اشتیاق نویسنده به غذا میل پیدا کردم
December 4, 2019
For the serious, gourmet foodie. That is not me. I don’t think I’d want to undertake a single one of these recipes.
August 17, 2018
I'm cheating a bit to give this five stars when I haven't tried making any of the recipes, but Henry is such an evocative writer, and the photography is so sumptuous (just look at that cover image!) that the book as an artifact on its own is worth five stars. The book is organized around menus for lunch and dinner gatherings, so the spirit of the thing is rather Mrs. Dalloway-esque: that we lift moments out of time through camaraderie with friends and the perfection of a peach dipped in wine. Henry introduces each menu with a meditation on a season or a place, descriptions of her own travels and experiences. And the menus are intoxicating even just to imagine; I can't wait to try my hand at her Southern Italian menu: fennel taralli; Burrata with fennel, roast bell peppers, anchovies, and capers; spaghetti and shellfish al cartoccio; and ricotta, candied lemon peel, and pistachio ice cream. Her parenthetical asides in recipes makes it almost feel like a friend is annotating a more formal cookbook for you with her own observations and experiences.
I will say there was one misstep for me in the book. Though Henry loves Turkish and Middle Eastern food (and has written a cookbook Crazy Water Pickled Lemons: Enchanting Dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa about these cuisines), she does indulge in a kind of panicked exoticization of Spain that makes her whiteness feel both pronounced and problematic, perhaps unreflectively so. I should clarify: I don't at all mind her describing how overwhelming she found Madrid the first time she went, and I particularly appreciated her commentary on the legacies of Franco barely submerged in the city and country. But when she uncritically quoted Sylvia Plath decrying Spain's "oiled anchovy faces, the African black edges," it made me squirm at a white Irish woman serving as the ambassador of African and Arab influenced cuisines (not least because this mini-essay was called, ostensibly without a racial referent, "darkness and light: the soul of spain"). For the most part, I like that Henry features her own background--for example, in the section where she talks about her delight in pumpkins because they were inaccessible in her childhood and seemed such a symbol of America to her. But food fetishization is so often connected with colonial sensibilities that this tone worried me, and she might have anatomized and ironized her own responses to better effect here.
As a pescetarian, I seldom buy cookbooks intended for full-fledged omnivores because they usually are so meat-centric that it's a waste of an investment. Henry features lots of poultry and meat (for those who like that sort of thing), but she also lavishes attention on vegetables and fish, and because I love her musing memories so much, and her menus so suit my tastes, I suspect I'm going to have to buy this one.
I will say there was one misstep for me in the book. Though Henry loves Turkish and Middle Eastern food (and has written a cookbook Crazy Water Pickled Lemons: Enchanting Dishes from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa about these cuisines), she does indulge in a kind of panicked exoticization of Spain that makes her whiteness feel both pronounced and problematic, perhaps unreflectively so. I should clarify: I don't at all mind her describing how overwhelming she found Madrid the first time she went, and I particularly appreciated her commentary on the legacies of Franco barely submerged in the city and country. But when she uncritically quoted Sylvia Plath decrying Spain's "oiled anchovy faces, the African black edges," it made me squirm at a white Irish woman serving as the ambassador of African and Arab influenced cuisines (not least because this mini-essay was called, ostensibly without a racial referent, "darkness and light: the soul of spain"). For the most part, I like that Henry features her own background--for example, in the section where she talks about her delight in pumpkins because they were inaccessible in her childhood and seemed such a symbol of America to her. But food fetishization is so often connected with colonial sensibilities that this tone worried me, and she might have anatomized and ironized her own responses to better effect here.
As a pescetarian, I seldom buy cookbooks intended for full-fledged omnivores because they usually are so meat-centric that it's a waste of an investment. Henry features lots of poultry and meat (for those who like that sort of thing), but she also lavishes attention on vegetables and fish, and because I love her musing memories so much, and her menus so suit my tastes, I suspect I'm going to have to buy this one.
April 14, 2021
This book is pretentious, with exaggerated prose and aspirational, with menus far beyond even the experienced cooks capabilities or finances. Perhaps in Europe the ingredients may be more easily acquired, as Henry is from Northern Ireland. The menus are most frequently from all over Europe, in addition to a few other locals, and require extensive ingredient lists one can not easily acquire at even the most gourmet American grocery store. Some ingredients may be acquired online, but Henry's menus also call for fresh ingredients where delivery wouldn't be feasible or would be so expensive as to be out of range for most home cooks.
I hoped this book would be more in the vein of M.F.K. Fisher's works or Nigella Lawson's How to Eat rather than Diana Henry's fantastical collection of menus designed mostly from her experiences traveling in Europe. While the book highlights many places I'd love to travel to and explore, Henry's narration is beyond the average American, even a food and travel lover. It is compounded by menus and recipes that also seem beyond most home cook's capabilities. I wouldn't recommend this book unless you have access to ingredients to a market like NYC and extensive travel and the cooking skills at nearly professional level.
I hoped this book would be more in the vein of M.F.K. Fisher's works or Nigella Lawson's How to Eat rather than Diana Henry's fantastical collection of menus designed mostly from her experiences traveling in Europe. While the book highlights many places I'd love to travel to and explore, Henry's narration is beyond the average American, even a food and travel lover. It is compounded by menus and recipes that also seem beyond most home cook's capabilities. I wouldn't recommend this book unless you have access to ingredients to a market like NYC and extensive travel and the cooking skills at nearly professional level.
August 24, 2018
When I first read about this book, I liked the idea of menus, stories, and places. I'm a sucker for food stories that go with recipes and also with themes, so the fact that the book was fuzzy, like a peach, seemed kind of cool. After reading it, I'm not sure how practical fuzzy is in the kitchen (or with a dog, and quite possibly a cat. Yes, lots of hair sticking to it.)
I enjoyed the stories with the foods, though I felt like they petered out a bit at the end. I love that these were put together as menus with some suggestions for swapping out if for example you don't feel like baking a cake.
I've got some recipes I want to try, but I checked it out of the library and I'm not sure if this one will make it into my collection.
I enjoyed the stories with the foods, though I felt like they petered out a bit at the end. I love that these were put together as menus with some suggestions for swapping out if for example you don't feel like baking a cake.
I've got some recipes I want to try, but I checked it out of the library and I'm not sure if this one will make it into my collection.
July 23, 2021
Simply beautiful. I have loved leafing through this book the photography is wonderful, often simple settings but clean, crisp yet quaint. It shows off the food to its best.
I enjoy her writings and words and have read the book in a slow fashion from cover to cover, savouring her words and my imagination filling with her memories and descriptions of places near and far. Henry is knowledgeable with a huge passion for food, it is a book I definitely wish to buy for my mum. Also one, I want to talk about to others. I can see myself reading passages aloud to a dear friend.
I would highly recommend it, to those who love and enjoy food and travel.
I enjoy her writings and words and have read the book in a slow fashion from cover to cover, savouring her words and my imagination filling with her memories and descriptions of places near and far. Henry is knowledgeable with a huge passion for food, it is a book I definitely wish to buy for my mum. Also one, I want to talk about to others. I can see myself reading passages aloud to a dear friend.
I would highly recommend it, to those who love and enjoy food and travel.
February 3, 2020
The stars are for the book as one to read: I haven't actually tried to cook any of it although there a few recipes I will note for future use, perhaps. She gives menus for meals (three or four dishes that would work together), arranged by season and then by place, with anecdotes about her experiences exploring the food of the country featured. There is rather a lot of seafood, and some quite complicated things. Good photography, and of course the furry peachy cover is lovely - too nice to take into the kitchen!
December 16, 2018
Why I love this book -- Diana Henry imagines beautiful menus and tables, but never loses sight of human fragility.
A Perfect Lunch says it best: "On another occasion a guest took me into the kitchen and started to cry, because her husband was having an affair. I did want to sympathsize but, really, I was more worked about overcooking the fish."
Wonderful stuff! Highly recommended, even for the non cook. It is a great read.
A Perfect Lunch says it best: "On another occasion a guest took me into the kitchen and started to cry, because her husband was having an affair. I did want to sympathsize but, really, I was more worked about overcooking the fish."
Wonderful stuff! Highly recommended, even for the non cook. It is a great read.
June 5, 2019
"How to Eat a Peach" was named one of the best cookbooks of 2018 by BBC Radio 4's Food Programme, and it is easy to see why. It is an impressive book, from the peachy feel to the cover to the splendid pictures and the illuminating text.
I was slightly taken aback, however, by the statement on page 179 referring to the "plus belles villages de France". It should be "plus beaux villages" as the word is masculine. This might not bother all readers, of course...
I was slightly taken aback, however, by the statement on page 179 referring to the "plus belles villages de France". It should be "plus beaux villages" as the word is masculine. This might not bother all readers, of course...
January 6, 2020
This is a semi-memoir as well as a book of menus and recipes, and is extremely enjoyable bedtime reading when you have had dinner but want to imagine nice meals you might have in the future. She is clearly very fond of seafood and ice-cream (in over 50% of the menus?), and it wouldn’t have as much to offer for vegetarians, but that doesn’t detract from how warm and evocative it is.
June 23, 2020
For the author, a good meal is about so much more than just sustenance. It could transport us to different places, provide a sensual link to special people or memories, and provide comfort in dark times. The best dinner parties are meticulously prepared with care in details. At the same time, they are not fussy or pretentious. The main goal here is to have fun and enjoy each other’s company.
June 23, 2020
Now that it’s summer and school is over, I have more time to make meals special. I want to implement habits of enjoying cooking regularly, hosting, and enjoying entertaining. A good meal is about more than sustenance. The aim is to have fun and enjoy company. Practice the art of restraint when planning a menu. Too much can take away from the deliciousness.
June 23, 2020
I randomly picked up this book to read. And it left me pleasantly surprised how food has been related to moods of an individual, culture of a place and bondings among group of people. All I can say is I enjoyed reading this !
June 24, 2020
Чөлөөт цагаараа найзуудыгаа хүлээн авч амттай сайхан хоолоор дайлъя гэж бодож байсан л биз дээ. Тэгвэл үүнийг хэрхэн өөрт хялбараар хийх. Ирсэн зочиддоо тохитой тухтай уур амьсгал бүрдүүлэх. Өөртөө амраар шийдэх дээр нэгтгээд ном болгосныг хүлээн авна уу.
January 25, 2022
Enjoyable more so as a bit of a travelogue than a cookbook. Recipes are appealing but probably nothing I'd actually make--other than the gnudi, pink grapefruit ice cream, zucchini fritters, pumpkin soup with sage butter and chocolate & olive oil cake.
May 13, 2018
Mouth-wateringly good
Adored the concept of this book. Interesting to read but inspires some great cooking. Plenty of recipes for vegetarians and easily adapted for gf.
Adored the concept of this book. Interesting to read but inspires some great cooking. Plenty of recipes for vegetarians and easily adapted for gf.
August 10, 2018
This book is beautiful and the menus sound delicious. The recipes are just too hard for me to make.
August 30, 2018
Not just great recipes, a wonderful read.
September 4, 2018
This is more than a cookbook - it's a way to live well! Planning my 2019 with "First Sundays". These recipes will take center stage. Cannot wait to open my doors and share!
November 19, 2018
Really enjoyed the writing before each recipe section.
November 20, 2018
I love getting lost in a beautiful cookbook...
January 5, 2019
This book is all about the joy of eating with others and cooking for people. Delightful read.
January 6, 2019
Terrific prose on food and memory, but not as much insight on the logistics of menu-making as I'd hoped, and beautiful dishes that often seem to strike similar notes.
July 16, 2019
From the title to each story and the recipes accompanied by gorgeous classic photographs, this is a writer whose talent and powers of observation shine bright.
August 26, 2019
Soooo tasty. If I get fat, it may be Diana Henry's fault. Discovered her two years ago and have been cooking my way through her books ever since.
September 19, 2019
One of the most beautiful cookbooks I’ve seen.
October 26, 2019
Liked the essays about food and eating - less of a fan of the menus and NO interest in the majority of the fussy/overcomplicated/overly fancy recipes, sadly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews