Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life, The

Southern Living, Nov 2004 by Dorman-Hickson, Nancy

The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life BY PAT CONROY WITH SUZANNE WILLIAMSON POLLAK (NAN A. TALESE/DOUBLEDAY, $26)

This autobiographical love letter to food rises above a mere cookbook, and connoisseurs will adore the 100 recipes that range from Lowcountry barbecue to French delicacies.

The author draws from both his Southern ties and his exotic dining experiences in such locales as Paris, Rome, and Bangkok. He includes a chance encounter with then-fledgling chef Emeril Lagasse, his friendship with Alabama chef Frank Stitt, his hilarious cooking lessons with the incomparable Nathalie Dupree, and his meal-taking with renaissance personality Eugene Walter.

This delightful text offers a personable perspective on the world of food from a great American writer. As the author puts it, "...it is my most religious belief that a recipe is just a story that ends with a good meal." Tweak that a bit, and you get recipes wrapped around good stories-and one heck of a cookbook read.

NANCY DORMAN-HICKSON