Planning a menu, talking about food, thinking about food, reading about food, making food… Many of my days are consumed with these delightful tasks. I post Instagram photos of a desk cluttered with books and papers, in case anyone else is as enamored as I am with the books and magazines I’m reading, the menus I’m planning, the recipes I’m inventing.

I posted a few weeks ago about “The Art that is Life“, “Today I noticed the cracks in the eggplant that I’d photographed, that remind me of smile lines on the face of someone who has smiled a hundred thousand times. I saw the light that streams through the window in my office. My office is in what’s meant to be the dining area of our apartment. But space is limited, so one thing becomes another. And the kitchen is slowly taking over everything.

This is where I work. This is where we live. And I love it. I love our space, the crowded rooms, the treasures and photos. Life that has become art.”

I was inspired, as I often am, by something that I’d been reading. A book called The School of Essential Ingredients‚ is a novel that Tim picked up for me at a used book sale a couple of months ago. The way that Erica, the author, describes things resonates so perfectly in my brain. It makes me want to shout! She puts things into words that I would have never known needed desperately to be described. It is a beautiful book and a lovely story. I can’t wait to read it again and again.

Another form of inspiration often comes from The Flavor Bible. Karen and Andrew’s book is my go-to for figuring out what I want to add to or subtract from a recipe. Often, I find myself standing in front of the fridge or pantry cupboard with the door open, just staring at the contents, and then all-of-a-sudden I’ll see something, a bell pepper, a bag of rice, some leftover chicken, and an idea will pop into my head. I’ll rush to my desk to grab a piece of paper and The Flavor Bible and quickly write it down. I often end up with things that I might not have otherwise thought to pair… Black pepper and pluots, for example. I use it most days. It’s one of my most loved kitchen tools.

Giveaway

you could win a copy of

The School of Essential Ingredients

and

The Flavor Bible

This giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered!

The winner is Jenn Swedlund!!

Congratulations, Jenn! Please email me at demacuisine@racheloberg.com with your mailing address so we can send you your prizes! I hope you enjoy these lovely books!!

To Enter

Leave a comment on this post (why you’d like to win, just saying hi, if you’ve ever read these books before… a little note).

Additional Entries

1. “Like” De Ma Cuisine on Facebook and leave a separate comment letting me know.

2. “Like” Karen and Andrew’s page on Facebook and leave a separate comment letting me know.

3. “Like” Erica Bauermeister on Facebook and leave a separate comment letting me know.

The Details

Giveaway is open to residents of North America.

Giveaway ends Friday July 5, 2013 at 5pm (PST)

Winner will be chosen using random.org.

Winner will be notified by email or via Facebook and will have 3 days to respond with a mailing address.

Bonne Chance!

Thank you to the authors of both books, Erica Bauermeister, and Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, who have generously donated a copy of their books!