Meditations on Food
Rating:
5 / 5
Food writing is a difficult task. It's much easier to jot down a few (or many) recipes that describe the feelings, emotion and psychology of the food experience. One advantage that food writing has over, say car writing or sports writing, is the multitude of functionality. One can raise, prepare, buy, eat and savor food. It is used for romance, for celebration, for friendship, bereavement or religious fulfillment. In fact, to some it is almost a religious experience.This is especially true of the author, Robert Capon, a priest in the Episcopal church. He can be deep, funny, poignant or edifying. These various essays touch on many subjects, all of them related one way or another to food. His comments like, "God may be simple but simplicity makes a bad god." are par for the course. His strong likes (natural food, discipline, earnest preparation and freinds) and dislikes (fancy stoves, kitchen gadgets, easy recipes, strong cologne, arriving late) are fully detailed. A compendium of recipes follow the essays.
Joy to the World!
Rating:
5 / 5
I came across The Supper of the Lamb at a particularly deep and prolonged nadir in my life, and not being particularly religious, I was sceptical. O what joy! What love! What exuberance, richness, fertility and fancy! What unbounded wonder! Father Capon shows us the wonder in ordinary things, and shows us how to look, really look, at humble, quotidian things to see the glory in them -- the chapter on a simple brown onion is worth the entire book. So is the chapter on wine. Again and again, I've stretched out my hand and the right book was there. Thank you Father Capon for showing me the way back to laughter, love and celebration! L'chaim!
A classic to return to again and again
Rating:
5 / 5
This book was my first taste of Robert Farrar Capon's writings. One of those underground treasures which makes its way by word of mouth, The Supper of the Lamb was a seminal book in my spiritual and literary development, along with his book, The Parables of the Kingdom. It may include recipes, but The Supper of the Lamb is a cookbook for life. Each chapter offers lyrical insight on what it means to be human. Read about cutting an onion in "The First Session" and you'll never take an onion for granted again. "Wave Breast and Heave Shoulder" is one of the most beautiful and biblical passages in the entire book. I have read the final pages of "The Burning Heart" many, many times and never fail to be moved. Some sections of the book are reminiscent of Annie Dillard's descriptive style in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek or some of the best of M.F.K. Fisher's writings. Capon's salty observations balance the high spirituality, creating a complex blend of philosophy and kitchen craft. As Capon himself says, "We were given appetites, not to consume the world and forget it, but to taste its goodness and hunger to make it great." This book continues to inspire my writing, my cooking, and my spirituality. If you want a flavorful literary feast, buy The Supper of the Lamb. I highly recommend Robert Farrar Capon's other books as well. Each one is a treasure.
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