Blood, Bones & Butter

The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

By: Gabrielle Hamilton

Narrated by: Gabrielle Hamilton

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller.

A New York Times Notable Book.

Named one of the best books of the year by The Miami Herald, Newsday, The Huffington Post, Financial Times, GQ, Slate, Men’s Journal, Washington Examiner, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, National Post, The Toronto Star, BookPage, and Bookreporter.

"I wanted the lettuce and eggs at room temperature...the butter-and-sugar sandwiches we ate after school for snack...the marrow bones my mother made us eat as kids that I grew to crave as an adult...There would be no "conceptual" or "intellectual" food, just the salty, sweet, starchy, brothy, crispy things that one craves when one is actually hungry. In ecstatic farewell to my years of corporate catering, we would never serve anything but a martini in a martini glass. Preferably gin".

Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent 20 fierce, hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Above all she sought family, particularly the thrill and the magnificence of the one from her childhood that, in her adult years, eluded her. Hamilton’s ease and comfort in a kitchen were instilled in her at an early age when her parents hosted grand parties, often for more than 100 friends and neighbors. The smells of spit-roasted lamb, apple wood smoke, and rosemary garlic marinade became as necessary to her as her own skin.

Blood, Bones & Butter follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through the years: The rural kitchen of her childhood, where her adored mother stood over the six-burner with an oily wooden spoon in hand; the kitchens of France, Greece, and Turkey, where she was often fed by complete strangers and learned the essence of hospitality; the soulless catering factories that helped pay the rent; Hamilton’s own kitchen at Prune, with its many unexpected challenges; and the kitchen of her Italian mother-in-law, who serves as the link between Hamilton’s idyllic past and her own future family - the result of a difficult and prickly marriage that nonetheless yields rich and lasting dividends.

Blood, Bones & Butter is an unflinching and lyrical work. Gabrielle Hamilton’s story is told with uncommon honesty, grit, humor, and passion. By turns epic and intimate, it marks the debut of a tremendous literary talent.

©2011 Gabrielle Hamilton (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Magnificent. Simply the best memoir by a chef ever. Ever. Gabrielle Hamilton packs more heart, soul, and pure power into one beautifully crafted page than I’ve accomplished in my entire writing career. Blood, Bones & Butter is the work of an uncompromising chef and a prodigiously talented writer. I am choked with envy.” (Anthony Bourdain)

“Gabrielle Hamilton has changed the potential and raised the bar for all books about eating and cooking. Her nearly rabid love for all real food experience and her completely vulnerable, unprotected yet pure point of view unveils itself in both truth and inspiration. I will read this book to my children and then burn all the books I have written for pretending to be anything even close to this. After that I will apply for the dishwasher job at Prune to learn from my new queen.” (Mario Batali)

“I have long considered Gabrielle Hamilton a writer in cook’s clothing, and this deliciously complex and intriguing memoir proves the point. Her candor, courage, and craft make for a wonderful read but, even more, for an appreciation of her talent and dedication, which have resulted from her often trying but inspiring experiences. Her writing is every bit as delectable and satisfying as her food.” (Mimi Sheraton, food critic and author of The German Cookbook and Eating My Words)

Well done.

I enjoyed every moment of this book. Part foodie journey. Part ultra-personal memoir. Hamilton has a style and an ease to her writing that is extremely accessible and real. Zero pretense. Lots of flavor. Her narration was a little flat at first but then she picked it up, or my ear got used to her style. Either way, I fell into this book and never wanted to have to climb out.

Could not stop listening!

Totally awesome. Well defined characters and totally interesting book! You want to learn more about the life of this chef!

Beautiful!

This book captures all the sensuality we associate with food, even when we ultimately find its goodness is intimately linked to childhood and to the sense-pure memories that blend the two together into a coherent whole. I loved this book, and I especially loved the author reading her own work. Brava!

5 stars.

Rich in detail and voice so true and real. When, how, where did Hamilton find time to write this gem.

Finding yourself

Beautiful written memoir of growing up and finding your way to the life one needs to live. Gabrielle Hamilton shares her life and her becoming a chef and owner of the wonderful restaurant Prune in NYC. If you love Anthony Bourdain put this book at the top of your reading list

Good Beginning

What started as an inspiring story of female empowerment became flat and whiny. very dissapointed.

Very enjoyable story!

I loved the food, the characters, the imagery and the insights into the hospitality industry. Great job!

Her life described "as is"

Straightforwardly written (and read) life story where Gabrielle is not shying away from describing relationships, situations and feelings just as they are. I felt very invited as a reader, like she has nothing to hide from other peoples opinions.

The book encourages me to continue my own life straight forward, not being afraid for decisions that could annoy or provoke other people. And I definitely want to visit Prune next time I am in New York!

Very Enjoyable

I thoroughly enjoyed this frank look at Hamilton's life, which I found fascinating. I also enjoyed her narration of the book, which was real and honest and engaging. She's a great writer and I'm hoping she has another book in her.

Good Book

This was a good book with some new insights for me about the world of cooking and restaurants. It absolutely cries out for a sequel, though, as the story just sort of dropped off at the end, But I would definately recommend it.