Lars has a passion for food that he passes onto his daughter, Eva. Through various difficult circumstances, Eva grows into a chef extraordinaire. Along the way, she meets a cast of characters who help shape her experience. The story is told in a series of vignettes about Eva and the people she meets, even peripherally. The culmination of the book is a meaningful dinner hosted by Eva for some of the people who have impacted her.
I wouldn't call this light or fun looking back, but it was a solid novel that made me think. The beginning was tricky to get into. I felt like the dialogue was off and even the experience of new parenthood seemed like it was written for a movie or sitcom, not really true to life. The author finds his rhythm later, though, so it wasn't a deal breaker.
The author weaves a complicated web of people. In one chapter, a character is mentioned as a roommate's sister and later that character resurfaces again in another capacity. It had the small town feel that is very mid-west. This technique kept me engaged and paying attention to all of the characters, not just the most prominent.
I wasn't a fan of the ending. It felt inauthentic and unfinished. I didn't need a pretty bow to tie it up but there were many loose threads that were just left hanging.
Throughout Kitchens of the Great Midwest Stradal pokes fun at the foodie culture. I was really struck by the idea that everyone has their own idea of what elevated cuisine looks like. For one character, buying corn that was only hours old made dinner miraculous, and for another character mixing a cheap margarita was divine. It had me thinking about what foods I love and how food shapes us and brings us together or separates.
There are a few recipes in the book, some more complex than others. For our book club I made Pat's bars and they were a big hit (I even used fancy butter). It's such a cool feeling when something from a book becomes tangible.
Definitely worth checking out, though I wouldn't rush to read it.
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