Great Travel and Food Stuff. Might read it again.

Buttermilk Graffiti:
A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting-Pot Cuisine
Edward Lee

Starting with the title, a contrast of traditional and ghetto, the author takes us on his journey through American cooks and restaurants, like a tasting menu. He hops--and eats--from Louisville to the midwest, from the northern coast to Louisiana. I don't remember his going out west or to extreme south Texas, though. But that's okay--you can't do it all and still write a readable book.

And this is a very readable book. I'm giving it five stars on Goodreads--I didn't want it to end. In fact, I considered not taking it back to the library so I could read selected chapters again.

Because the point of his journey and heart of his narrative is people. Food is peoples' stories, their hearts. Cooking and eating is what a person does to celebrate, to mourn, and to remember their loved ones gone by. Food is what we do to live, but it's also a part of how we celebrate life.