More Than A Flavor of the Week

I'm a muncher. It's not the healthiest habit to have, but then again, I've heard the saying that 6 small meals is much better than 3 big ones, so maybe it's not all bad.

Except maybe when I'm reading. When it comes to reading, I'm a muncher who is a total sucker for suggestion of food and books alike. So when my sister handed me a little book called FLAVOR OF THE WEEK by Tucker Shaw (Hyperion, 2005), little did I know what I was walking into.

The book's been out for some time now, but with a title like that and a chocolate-covered cover to boot, I figured I didn't have much to lose. Besides, I needed a little vacation reading.

The story follows Cyril Bartholomew who secretly loves to cook and is secretly in love with his lab partner Rose Mulligan. All is well until Cyril's best friend, and the only one who knows of his cooking-love, the uber-cool Chris decides he's interested in Rose as well, and starts masquerading Cyril's cooking as his own in an effort to impress Rose. Clearly it's a love triangle, but it's a love triangle completely built on FOOD!

Through out the book, though, not only is the food discussed, but the pivotal recipe that defines each chapter is given at the end of each chapter. Like the Kitchen Sink Cookies that Cyril made, but Chris gives to Rose when he's first deciding he's interested in her - making her think Chris is the cook. Or the soup that Cyril makes and secretly gives to Rose because he doesn't want to break the cardinal rule of coming between his best friend and the girl.

Honestly, the foods discussed and the recipes given added a whole extra dimension to the story that I don't think would have been there if that wasn't there. Cyril's passion for food and his emotions are expressed through vivid descriptions of scents and spices and the involvement in each recipe he makes.

This is my first day back from vacation, so I've not yet had a chance to try any of these recipes out, but with names like No Chicken Chicken Soup, Whipped Hot Chocolate, Spicy Tomato Soup and Pear Charlotte, you guys can bet I'm stoked to get started!

Pictures of cooking soon to come. I swear! . . . So are there any books you've discovered that are filled with some yummiliciousness that you want or have tried out??