Food, glorious food (books)!

I am quickly coming to the conclusion that a weekly blog might just be out of my bounds of ability at ‘this stage of the game’. Not because I’m not getting anything done and not because I’m actually too busy but simply because I’m not sure the things I am doing are worth reporting on.

I started out with the more ‘dry’ area of creative-practice research & I didn’t think it would be of much interest to others but now I’m getting into the ‘food’ side of things (and if that’s ‘dry’, then I’ve cooked it too long or in too hot an oven, right?)

This week I’m reading Songs for the Butcher’s Daughter by Peter Manseau; re-reading Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris; and I just finished The Children & Love and Hunger by Charlotte Wood. I know I’ll get shouted down by some but I couldn’t finish Saturday by Ian McEwan… I didn’t even get up to the cooking part, I ditched him when he was still driving to his tennis match (or was it squash?) Anyway, the point of the novel-reading is to look at how other authors have used food within their stories & I’ve got a bit of a list of 'other things to read' happening but I’d love to hear your suggestions.

What novels or short stories have you read where food, food preparation or dining has played a noticeable role? 

(It doesn’t have to be a major role, just something worth noting. The Children, for example, doesn’t have food as a major component but when it is included, it’s significant.) All suggestions gratefully received!