Assessment:
Plot: Biehl presents the reader with a fun romp through various gourmet (and not-so-gourmet) experiences, with an appreciation not just for the food but for the overall event and joy of eating out in general. The homey pictures accompanying each chapter, along with her personal anecdotes strewn about, make this book a pleasure to read, with tea in hand and a nice snack.
Prose/Style: Biehl is clearly a seasoned writer; the book is easy to consume, clear, and beautiful. She is able to evoke many senses at once, meeting her goal of providing the pandemic-worn reader a chance to escape into a nice dinner.
Originality: Biehl's book takes the traditional foodie romp through various restaurants, dining establishments, and other eateries and gives it a pleasant, personal twang. Her writing is comfortably informal, making the reader feel very at home, like a fellow diner at her table. The pictures also add to the uniqueness, lending a delightful departure from the usual purely text novel.
Character Development/Execution: The book is pleasantly concocted, and the stories wind throughout the book well. Overall, this is a charming read, and will go down as smooth as a nice glass of chardonnay.
Date Submitted: October 05, 2021
An inherently fascinating, impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking collection of observation and experience based commentaries, "Eat, Drink & Be Wary: Cautionary Tales" is an extraordinary, unique, and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Culinary & Gastronomy collections.
