Bread and Chocolate: My Food Life in San Francisco (Paperback)

by Fran Gage (Author) "I CAN'T REMEMBER THE TASTE of the Mrs. Paul's Frozen Fish Sticks that I often ate for Friday night dinners during my Catholic girlhood in..." (more)
Key Phrases: pumpernickel rye meal, empty baking pan, more plastic wrap, San Francisco, Bay Area, Beaujolais Nouveau (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
The former owner of a well-known patisserie in San Francisco writes about her life with food. Each chapter begins with a brief essay--recalling a friend's favorite food, discussing a food trend, remembering a first encounter with a certain dish--followed by recipes that pick up the theme. Gage combines the informality of a journal with some fairly sophisticated recipes (vegetable timballo, for example), producing an ingratiating, unpretentious memoir with the charm of Under the Tuscan Sun. Bakers will be especially attracted to Gage's musings on pastries and her chapter devoted to chocolate (the chocolate pound cake sounds particularly enticing). Foodie memoirs are threatening to become a cliche, but Gage's amiable account reaffirms the genre's appeal: to evoke the way a well-lived life can be joyously anchored to the sight, smell, and taste of food. Bill Ott

Review
(Gage's) Bread and Chocolate: My Food Life in and Around San Francisco...is a singular blend of memoir, meditation, culinary advice, and recipes. -- San Francisco Bay Guardian, Jan. 13-19, 1999

Fran Gage's prose is as delicious as her recipes. Bread and Chocolate ranks with the best food writing of the 20th century. -- Nick Maglieri, author of How To Bake

Fran's charming book of food essays is as irresistible as a warm croissant. Her enviable adventures in food-focused Northern California will remind many of us why we live there. -- San Francisco Chronicle

Gage combines the informality of a journal with some fairly sophisticated recipes (vegetable timballo, for example), producing an ingratiating, unpretentious memoir with the charm of Under the Tuscan Sun. -- Booklist, May 15, 1999

I have followed Fran Gage for decades - from teaching French pastries in her home kitchen to her prize-winning ... bakery. Her delightful book, sort of a culinary Tales of the City, begs to be read - and more than once! -- Beth Hensberger, author of The Bread Bible

In the midst of so may new cookbooks, this is a book that shines. It reflects Fran Gage's wonderful taste and deep knowledge about cooking and baking. Not only will you learn a lot, her sixty carefully chosen recipes, plus warm personal stories will give you great pleasure. Buy this book! -- Marion Cunningham, author of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Like a fine painting that blends style and storytelling, Bread and Chocolate captures the soul of food, friends and life in everybody's favorite city. Fran Gage's serendipitous encounters and resultant recipes inspire us to savor the joys of our own kitchen." -- Flo Braker, author of The Simple Art of Perfect Baking

Reading this collection of short food fables has been like settling in a comfortable chair next to (Fran Gage), delving into her very thoughts and memories. Meeting Fran through her words and recipes is like tasting one of her plum tartlettes. Her recipes burst off the pages with zesty flavor. Her stories offer a rich, deep sense of the textures of food and of life itself. This is a book to keep bedside and in the kitchen! -- Antonia Allegra

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Sasquatch Books (May 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157061153X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570611537
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #574,618 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is wonderfully written, with great recipes!, May 16, 1999

By A Customer

I really love this wonderful, and inspiring book by Fran Gage, who used to own a bakery in my neighborhood. Not just a collection of stories, but interspersed with the prose are recipes culled from her experiences and travels. To me, this is what a cookbook should really be. It's a lovely book--well worth owning.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A culinary journey, August 17, 2000

By A Customer

Fran Gage's lively curiosity and her knack for finding answers to her questions make this book an inspiration for food lovers in the Bay Area. Her stories about the people who grow, harvest or produce memorable foods in this region are personal, comprehensive, and delightful to read. Fran has a talent for storytelling that takes you vicariously to the spots she uncovered in her quest for answers. Her extensive bibliography is a great list for finding out more about cooking and ingredients. As a Bay Area resident, I found this book refreshing, readable, and informative - I learned so much more about the area I live in!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The chocolate pound cake recipe is worth the price alone!, May 22, 1999

By A Customer

I loved this book and read it easily in one sitting. My regret is that I didn't know of Fran before her bakery burned down. Her style of writing is free and easy and without pretension. My only wish is that she had written more of her experience running a renowned bakery!