It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time

June 23, 2008
Hodgson (Good Food from a Small Kitchen
)—a former restaurant critic for the New York Times
and currently working at the New York Observer
—has led a rich and colorful life, from sipping tea with Paul Bowles in Tangier to hanging out in the kitchen with Gordon Ramsay. Her memoir begins with childhood reminiscences of wartime rationing; a pared-down recipe for sponge cake is the first of several culinary sidebars that become progressively elaborate. Recalling her romance with W.S. Merwin, for example, she describes the quesadillas cooked by their neighbor in Mexico; when she has Diana Trilling and Virgil Thomson over to her apartment for dinner, she serves roast leg of lamb with anchovies. Take away all the famous names and her father’s constant travel required by his diplomatic career (which she would later discover was a cover for his real job as a British spy), and Hodgson’s emotional drama is straightforward and easily recognizable, from chafing against the restraints of boarding school to coping with the death of her parents. A highly charming raconteur, Hodgson’s combination of sparkling anecdotes and tempting recipes is likely to win over foodies.

November 1, 2008
New York food and restaurant columnist Hodgson recalls the unusual path she took to reach her destiny in the Manhattan food-writing establishment. Born into the British middle class, she endured a grim headmistress at school till she could join her parents as her father pursued his foreign service career. Postings took the family to socially stiff Sweden and to troubled and beautiful Vietnam. Eventually ending up in New York, Hodgson used her international experience to land a job leading tours at the United Nations. She began entertaining in her apartment and became noted in her circle for ambitious dinner parties that might feature suckling pig. Contributing articles to travel and food magazines, she journeyed to southern Mexico. In Morocco, she attended one of writer Paul Bowles afternoon courts. Hodgson offers recipes ranging from simple quesadillas to Lut'ces caramel-apple tart and an assortment of souffl's.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)