For those of you who couldn't make it to Changing Hands Bookstore last night for Gabrielle Hamilton's packed house -- the very last stop of her paperback tour -- here's what you missed:
We got to visit with a few readers before Hamilton arrived, many members of the food community themselves -- local foodies and chefs working in kitchens around town.
Hamilton was Jackie O. chic -- just as we expected -- and read an excerpt from her book about being the chef/owner of a small busy restaurant and nine months pregnant, due to give birth in the next week and losing two line cooks at the very same time.
She revealed that a cookbook's coming next but was coy about any specific details about what might be in it. We suspect it might be her revered classical Mediterranean style, like what eaters find at her NYC restaurant Prune.
Hamilton did share some of her favorite cookbook authors. She doesn't understand why Julia Child has gotten so much recognition when people like Madeleine Kamman have been around as an authority and trained so many chefs. She also is a fan of Colman Andrew's writing style and books -- he was one of the founders of Saveur magazine. She told us that if we think we have enough Italian cookbooks, we don't and -- and we need his The Country Cooking of Italy.
After signing copies of her books and visiting with guests, she had dinner plans of making it to both of her friends' restaurants, Charleen Badman's FnB (we saw a pic on Facebook this morning of Hamilton and Badman chatting at the local chef's latest creation, Baratin (nice timing!), and Chris Bianco's Italian Restaurant. Sounds like a perfect and delicious end to foodie's book tour.