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    Home » Blog » Book Club

    Delicious by Ruth Reichl

    Published: Oct 31, 2016 · Modified: Aug 21, 2022 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Book Club Kit for Delicious by Ruth Reichl includes a book club discussion guide and party menu.

    A copy of Delicious sits on a table.

    I confess that I started the Peanut Blossom Book Club for Recovering Readers as a way to ensure that I make time for reading myself.

    Without our lovely group, it is quite possible I'd read less than 1 or 2 books in any given year.

    Last fall I got ambitious and tried to read an 'in-between' book pick. I got several chapters in and loved it but had to pause to get to the official monthly pick by our deadline.

    You can guess what happened next. . . that book is still sitting on my shelf unread.

    Since I loved the first few chapters so much and want to see how it ends, I chose Delicious by Ruth Reichl as our November pick.

    This cute foodie-centric book feels like just the right choice as we head into some of the biggest foodie holidays of the whole year!

    Peanut Blossom Book Club

    This book was our official November 2016 pick for the Peanut Blossom Book Club.

    Want to see what we're reading today? Check out our book club book list here.

    • Piles of book club books sit on a set of stairs
      Best Online Book Club for Busy Women

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      What is Delicious About?

      "Ruth Reichl is a born storyteller. Through her restaurant reviews, where she celebrated the pleasures of a well-made meal, and her bestselling memoirs that address our universal feelings of love and loss, Reichl has achieved a special place in the hearts of hundreds of thousands of readers. Now, with this magical debut novel, she has created a sumptuous, wholly realized world that will enchant you.

      Billie Breslin has traveled far from her home in California to take a job at Delicious!, New York’s most iconic food magazine. Away from her family, particularly her older sister, Genie, Billie feels like a fish out of water—until she is welcomed by the magazine’s colorful staff. She is also seduced by the vibrant downtown food scene, especially by Fontanari’s, the famous Italian food shop where she works on weekends. Then Delicious! is abruptly shut down, but Billie agrees to stay on in the empty office, maintaining the hotline for reader complaints in order to pay her bills.

      To Billie’s surprise, the lonely job becomes the portal to a miraculous discovery. In a hidden room in the magazine’s library, Billie finds a cache of letters written during World War II by Lulu Swan, a plucky twelve-year-old, to the legendary chef James Beard. Lulu’s letters provide Billie with a richer understanding of history, and a feeling of deep connection to the young writer whose courage in the face of hardship inspires Billie to comes to terms with her fears, her big sister and her ability to open her heart to love."

      Go grab a copy of Delicious here.

      Delicious Book Club Questions

      I believe the best book club questions to spark a lively discussion in your group help readers make personal connections to the story.

      You can read about how to write the best book club questions on your own here, but hopefully these will get you started!

      Question 1:

      What did you think of this month's pick? Would you have picked it for yourself?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 2:

      Billie writes about Fontanari's as if it is a "way of life."

      Do you have an establishment that you would describe similarly?

      What is it and how does it make you feel? Share a link to their web site if you can so we can check it out!

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 3:

      Mrs. Cloverly's disastrous concoctions are even funnier because she's unfazed by failure.

      Have you encountered such a cook? What is the most unappetizing dish you've ever been served (or maybe made yourself!)?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 4:

      Diana's and Sammy's friendships help the formerly contained Billie become more confident.

      Has a friend ever given you the courage to be more fully yourself? In what way?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 5:

      Rationing during WWII changed the way Americans ate.

      What would you make if you had no butter, meat, or dairy?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 6:

      If you had a victory garden, what would you grow?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 7:

      Lulu finds solace during hard times by cooking with Mrs. Cappuzzelli and for her mother.

      Can you remember a meal that helped you get through a difficult time? Who made it for you and what did they make?

      See the online discussion here.

      Question 8:

      Which character or plot line did you enjoy most from Delicious? Why?

      See the online discussion here.

      Book Club Party Menu

      For the book club party menu, have a New York dessert party with these delicious treats:

      • A serving platter filled with black and white cookies.
        NYC Black and White Cookies
      • A dish of candied nuts has a red heart decoration. The nuts are coated in a thick sugar crust.
        Easy Candied Nuts {New York Style!}
      • Easy Cheesecake Toppings for Delicious Desserts
      • Creme anglaise, a rich custard sauce has been drizzled over a slice of chocolate flourless torte. A fork is scooping a bite.
        Creme Anglaise Vanilla Sauce

      You May Also Enjoy

      If you enjoyed this book, you'd likely enjoy these other fun book club picks for foodies from through the years:

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        Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
      • A copy of Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies sits on a table.
        Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman
      • A copy of The Lager Queen of Minnesota sits on a table.
        The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J Ryan Stradal
      • A copy of The Secret Ingredient of Wishes sits on a table.
        The Secret Ingredient of Wishes by Susan Bishop Crispell

      More Best Book Club Picks

      • A copy of the book The Maid by Nita Prose sits on a table.
        The Maid by Nita Prose
      • A copy of the book The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina sits on the table.
        The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
      • A copy of The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm sits on a table.
        The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
      • A copy of Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen sits on a table.
        Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

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      Hi, I'm Tiffany!
      I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for women.

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