Top 5 best food novels

April 20, 2015 ,

When writers weave magic with their words, we can actually taste a dish or inhale an aroma they describe.

So for all you book and food lovers out there, SOSCuisine has compiled its top 5 best food novels.

Chocolat

Joanne Harris, 1999

chocolatThe theme and finesse of this first volume in the trilogy will satisfy your sweet tooth. Its tale revolves around the arrival of Vianne Rocher and her daughter in Lansquenet, a peaceful and conservative little French village. The locals are quickly intrigued by this pretty lady who decides to set up something unusual in the village: a chocolate shop. Pleasure and decadence on the menu!

What to eat while reading: Chocolate Fondue

fondue au chocolat

The Belly of Paris 

Emile Zola, 1873

belly-of-parisHow could we not include this classic in our list? Emile Zola describes the gulf between the bourgeoisie and the working class through food. The novel tells the story of a young man who escapes from the penal colony of Cayenne and gets a job as an inspector in Les Halles, the ultimate landmark of gastronomy and opulence in Paris.

What to eat while reading: Sausage Burger

Sausage Burger

 

Eat, Pray, Love

Elizabeth Gilbert, 2006

eat-pray-loveWere you inspired by the author’s epicurean and spiritual narrative? In the wake of a painful divorce, the heroine embarks upon a long journey that will awaken her senses. Her stopover in Italy makes us literally experience the pleasures of la dolce vita. The author describes the flavours, textures and aromas so well that we can almost taste the gelati and relish the spaghetti ai quattro formaggi with the heroine.

What to eat while reading: Linguine Alfredo

Linguine Alfredo

 

Babette’s Feast

Karen Blixen, 1958

babettes-feastA gourmet meal can change a life. This is the message behind the novel, Babette’s Feast. This story revolves around the character of Babette, a Frenchwoman exiled to Norway, who works as a maid for an austere family. When she wins a large sum in a lottery, she decides to use her fortune to prepare a superb gourmet dinner, a veritable feast that will have a magical effect on the guests.

What to eat while reading: “Gravad Lax”

Gravad lax

 

The Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan, 1989

JoyLuckClu_01Food is omnipresent in this novel that focuses on four Chinese American immigrant families living in San Francisco. In a club known as The Joy Luck Club, three mothers and four daughters share stories about their lives while playing the Chinese game of mahjong for money and feasting on a variety of foods.

What to eat while reading: Coconut-flavoured Chicken and Shrimp Soup

Coconut-flavoured Chicken and Shrimp Soup

 

And you, what is your favourite food novel?

Author

Emilie Zaoré
A graduate of UQAM and the University of Montreal, Émilie has been a freelance communications expert since 2012. A foodie and passionate about new technologies, she's always on the lookout for trends and loves to share fascinating tidbits on social media.

One comment to “Top 5 best food novels”

April 23, 2015 Margaret Whyte said:

ALL Donna Leon’s Inspector Brunetti novels with their wonderful evocations of Italian food and accompanying aromas!

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