Regular readers will know that I’m not one for words like ‘charming’ and ‘delightful’ – smacks too much of tweeness for me – but when I read the pitch for Isabel Vincent’s Dinner with Edward, they immediately popped into my head. Another one was ‘Christmas’, but that’s the old bookseller in me. Vincent’s book tells the story of her friendship with the nonagenarian Edward who cooks delectable dinners for her in his New York apartment.
Vincent has recently moved to the city, taking up a position on the New York Post after years as a foreign correspondent, bringing her husband and daughter with her. Living in Toronto, far from her father, Edward’s daughter has asked Vincent to look in on him, telling her of the promise his beloved wife Paula extracted from him to continue living after her death. Intrigued and tempted by Valerie’s descriptions of her father’s culinary prowess, Vincent calls in to be met by a dapper Edward who welcomes her into an apartment filled with delicious cooking aromas. So begins what is at first a weekly dinner date, replete with an immaculately prepared cocktail followed by several courses. Edward is both a wonderful host and an accomplished cook – inventive dishes prepared from carefully selected ingredients, wine perfectly matched, jazz playing quietly in the background. These two console each other – one who has lost the love of his life, the other whose marriage is crumbling – with food, appreciation and conversation, continuing to do so over several years until their meetings grow less frequent as Vincent finds herself in love and Edward’s health inevitably begins to fail.
You’ll have realised from the first paragraph that I found this book a delight. Hard not to use the word ‘heartwarming’, another word I tend to avoid, when describing the way in which Edward and Vincent rescue each other. Her account is arranged around the meals they share, beginning each chapter pleasingly with a menu. I’m sure Edward approved – the short interview at the back of the book tells us that he lived to see the hardback edition published in the States. Vincent unfolds his, and Paula’s, stories alongside her own as Edward introduces her to his repertoire of delectable lovingly perpared delicacies.
The secret is treating family like guests and guests like family
He’s very much the urbane New Yorker, seeing Vincent as something of a project. She begins to look at life a little differently, always leaving his apartment happy no matter how difficult things have become at home or how challenging at work. A lovely book, then. Almost as soon as I started it, I was struck by what a great movie it would make. I’d go and see it for sure.
Pushkin Press: London 2019 9781911590262 223 pages Hardback
It wasn’t until the end of your review that I realised this was a true story. Are you tempted to try the menus yourself. I think I might know someone willing to sample for you
Ha! No recipes, sadly, but I’d love to try some of them.
When I reviewed this the other year I wrote a related article surveying tips for making the perfect pie crust! (Edward’s two tricks were crushed ice and a mixture of grated butter and fresh lard.)
Oh yes, I remember that. Did you try it out?
Excellent review. We’ll agree to disagree on this one. I found it pretentious and precious. LOL Who cares! Your review is excellent.
Thank you. How funny! And who cares, indeed. It would be a dull old world if we all thought the same.
This does sound delightful! I think my new goal in life is to someday find a friend who loves to cook for me! 😉
My partner and I split the cooking so I have that half the time but without the cocktail, or the three courses!
This does indeed sound delightful with just the right amount of sweetness to charm the reader. I can see what you mean about it being a good one for Christmas – the book itself looks beautifully produced.
Yes, I was quite suprised that it was publihsed in September rather than October or even November. It’s one of those books I can see taking off with the right coverage.
This sounds DELIGHTFUL – I love New York stories, I love stories that have a food focus… And that quote about guests and family is spot-on.
It’s lovely, and I was so pleased to read that Edward lived long enough to see it in print.
I do like the sound of this. Great review as always.
Thanks, Janet. This one’s a treat – restores your faith in human nature.
Lovely! I am lucky that my husband enjoys cooking and is excellent at it. I do most of the day to day stuff, but he is particularly in charge of roast dinners on a Sunday evening, which is such a treat! 🙂
We share but my partner’s certainly the better savoury cook while my speciality is cake and puddings which works pretty well!
what an excellent combination – a good metaphor for life!