A Place at the Table

In the tradition of such beloved food writers as Ruth Reichl, Laurie Colwin, and Calvin Trillin, Carrie Seidman, an award-winning newspaper journalist for 45 years, serves forth A PLACE AT THE TABLE, a collection of food/memoir essays that got its start as a column for the late Albuquerque Tribune.

Drawing on her memories of growing, cooking, foraging for, eating, and talking about food with family, friends, and strangers, Seidman explores the intersection between what sustains us physically and how it binds us emotionally. Whether creating pizza from scratch with a foster child who thinks it can only be delivered in a box, bemoaning the fate of a childhood pet who ended up in the freezer, or examining the impact of the loss of taste and smell from the Covid-19 virus, these timeless essays offer insight, humor, and storytelling as satisfying and comforting as a home-cooked meal. Accompanied by charming chapter-head illustrations created by the author’s sister, a New Mexico artist, each commentary is followed by a treasured recipe from the Seidman family trove.

A PLACE AT THE TABLE will strike chords of remembrance and nostalgia in readers at a time when health and heritage have assumed a high priority and food has become an avenue for creativity, solace, and connection.