Reviews
A big old massive heart exploding love story... This is the first recipe book that should be made into a film, PRAISE FOR MIDNIGHT CHICKEN : ' A moving testimonial to the redemptive power of cooking. Risbridger knows that it offers not just solace but a map; cooking can save you. Generous, honest and uplifting ', "[A] deeply personal cookbook of healing recipes . . . [Risbridger] weaves beautiful, journal-like prose among the recipes, taking the reader through the year with observations and personal reflections. Recipes are charmingly simplistic, encouraging the reader to rummage in the fridge for substitutions, and are accompanied by funny and equally endearing origin stories . . . This is a must for cookbook readers." -- Booklist "[A] sumptuous culinary equivalent to Ilene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore . . . Even in recalling her grief, Risbridger's narration is buoyed by humor . . . and the book's charming watercolor illustrations make it all the more worth savoring. Readers will find this a treat." -- Publishers Weekly "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." --Nigella Lawson "Watercolor illustrations bring the recipes to life . . . Risbridger gives plenty of hints and helpful tips, making the narrative sound even more like standing in a kitchen with a chatty friend . . . [Risbridger] navigates her loss honestly, relying on community in every form: long walks, phone calls while she prepares dinner, feasts in the garden, leftovers with Jo around their table. The book is a tribute, as Risbridger says, to 'cooking, and the people who love you: the two greatest and most practical miracles of all.'" -- Shelf Awareness "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." --Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." --Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on Midnight Chicken "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on Midnight Chicken, "[A] deeply personal cookbook of healing recipes ... [Risbridger] weaves beautiful, journal-like prose among the recipes, taking the reader through the year with observations and personal reflections. Recipes are charmingly simplistic, encouraging the reader to rummage in the fridge for substitutions, and are accompanied by funny and equally endearing origin stories ... This is a must for cookbook readers." -- Booklist "[A] sumptuous culinary equivalent to Ilene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore ... Even in recalling her grief, Risbridger's narration is buoyed by humor ... and the book's charming watercolor illustrations make it all the more worth savoring. Readers will find this a treat." -- Publishers Weekly "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." -- Nigella Lawson "Watercolor illustrations bring the recipes to life ... Risbridger gives plenty of hints and helpful tips, making the narrative sound even more like standing in a kitchen with a chatty friend ... [Risbridger] navigates her loss honestly, relying on community in every form: long walks, phone calls while she prepares dinner, feasts in the garden, leftovers with Jo around their table. The book is a tribute, as Risbridger says, to 'cooking, and the people who love you: the two greatest and most practical miracles of all.'" -- Shelf Awareness "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." -- Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." -- Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN, "[A] deeply personal cookbook of healing recipes ... [Risbridger] weaves beautiful, journal-like prose among the recipes, taking the reader through the year with observations and personal reflections. Recipes are charmingly simplistic, encouraging the reader to rummage in the fridge for substitutions, and are accompanied by funny and equally endearing origin stories ... This is a must for cookbook readers." -- Booklist "[A] sumptuous culinary equivalent to Ilene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore ... Even in recalling her grief, Risbridger's narration is buoyed by humor ... and the book's charming watercolor illustrations make it all the more worth savoring. Readers will find this a treat." -- Publishers Weekly "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." -- Nigella Lawson "Watercolor illustrations bring the recipes to life ... Risbridger gives plenty of hints and helpful tips, making the narrative sound even more like standing in a kitchen with a chatty friend ... [Risbridger] navigates her loss honestly, relying on community in every form: long walks, phone calls while she prepares dinner, feasts in the garden, leftovers with Jo around their table. The book is a tribute, as Risbridger says, to 'cooking, and the people who love you: the two greatest and most practical miracles of all.'" - Shelf Awareness "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." -- Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." -- Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN, Midnight Chicken is an utter treat, both to read and to cook from. Its stories are full of love and hope , its recipes will become staples in your home, One of the things that makes Midnight Chicken such a very good book is how hard it is to say exactly what it is. Yes, to be sure, it's a cookbook, but it is also a manual for living and a declaration of hope, "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." -- Nigella Lawson "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." -- Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." -- Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN, "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN, "A gift to readers and cooks alike ... Risbridger's recipes are discursive and poetic with suggestions for how we can savor even the cooking process itself more deeply ... Again and again she asks us to slow down and relish what is at hand, to look closely and lovingly at the beauty and wholeness of the quotidian ... [ The Year of Miracles is] wise and tender, a reminder that however gloomy your situation, the world abounds in beauty, should you choose to see it." - The Washington Post "[A] deeply personal cookbook of healing recipes ... [Risbridger] weaves beautiful, journal-like prose among the recipes, taking the reader through the year with observations and personal reflections. Recipes are charmingly simplistic, encouraging the reader to rummage in the fridge for substitutions, and are accompanied by funny and equally endearing origin stories ... This is a must for cookbook readers." -- Booklist "[A] sumptuous culinary equivalent to Ilene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore ... Even in recalling her grief, Risbridger's narration is buoyed by humor ... and the book's charming watercolor illustrations make it all the more worth savoring. Readers will find this a treat." -- Publishers Weekly "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." -- Nigella Lawson "Watercolor illustrations bring the recipes to life ... Risbridger gives plenty of hints and helpful tips, making the narrative sound even more like standing in a kitchen with a chatty friend ... [Risbridger] navigates her loss honestly, relying on community in every form: long walks, phone calls while she prepares dinner, feasts in the garden, leftovers with Jo around their table. The book is a tribute, as Risbridger says, to 'cooking, and the people who love you: the two greatest and most practical miracles of all.'" -- Shelf Awareness "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." -- Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." -- Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN, Midnight Chicken is an utter treat, both to read and to cook from. Its stories are full of love and hope, its recipes will become staples in your home. It's a book that will make your mouth and your eyes water - a rare and wonderful thing, PRAISE FOR MIDNIGHT CHICKEN : ' A moving testimonial to the redemptive power of cooking. Risbridger knows that it offers not just solace but a map; cooking can save you. Generous, honest and uplifting. I wish I'd had this book when I was in my twenties', "[A] deeply personal cookbook of healing recipes ... [Risbridger] weaves beautiful, journal-like prose among the recipes, taking the reader through the year with observations and personal reflections. Recipes are charmingly simplistic, encouraging the reader to rummage in the fridge for substitutions, and are accompanied by funny and equally endearing origin stories ... This is a must for cookbook readers." -- Booklist "[A] sumptuous culinary equivalent to Ilene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore ... Even in recalling her grief, Risbridger's narration is buoyed by humor ... and the book's charming watercolor illustrations make it all the more worth savoring. Readers will find this a treat." -- Publishers Weekly "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." -- Nigella Lawson "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." -- Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." -- Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN, "A gift to readers and cooks alike ... Risbridger's recipes are discursive and poetic with suggestions for how we can savor even the cooking process itself more deeply ... Again and again she asks us to slow down and relish what is at hand, to look closely and lovingly at the beauty and wholeness of the quotidian ... [ The Year of Miracles is] wise and tender, a reminder that however gloomy your situation, the world abounds in beauty, should you choose to see it." - The Washington Post "Sprightly, evocative prose, which is never more compelling than when [Risbridger's] describing the sheer joy of her food ... exuberant, unstoppable, and triumphantly on the side of love and life in the face of death and loss and grief." - Vox "[A] deeply personal cookbook of healing recipes ... [Risbridger] weaves beautiful, journal-like prose among the recipes, taking the reader through the year with observations and personal reflections. Recipes are charmingly simplistic, encouraging the reader to rummage in the fridge for substitutions, and are accompanied by funny and equally endearing origin stories ... This is a must for cookbook readers." -- Booklist "[A] sumptuous culinary equivalent to Ilene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore ... Even in recalling her grief, Risbridger's narration is buoyed by humor ... and the book's charming watercolor illustrations make it all the more worth savoring. Readers will find this a treat." -- Publishers Weekly "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." -- Nigella Lawson "Watercolor illustrations bring the recipes to life ... Risbridger gives plenty of hints and helpful tips, making the narrative sound even more like standing in a kitchen with a chatty friend ... [Risbridger] navigates her loss honestly, relying on community in every form: long walks, phone calls while she prepares dinner, feasts in the garden, leftovers with Jo around their table. The book is a tribute, as Risbridger says, to 'cooking, and the people who love you: the two greatest and most practical miracles of all.'" -- Shelf Awareness "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." -- Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." -- Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN, "A gift to readers and cooks alike ... Risbridger's recipes are discursive and poetic with suggestions for how we can savor even the cooking process itself more deeply ... Again and again she asks us to slow down and relish what is at hand, to look closely and lovingly at the beauty and wholeness of the quotidian ... [ The Year of Miracles is] wise and tender, a reminder that however gloomy your situation, the world abounds in beauty, should you choose to see it." - The Washington Post "This wonderful book is for people who, like me, keep stacks of cookbooks beside their bed for nighttime reading; a journey through a year of love, loss, cooking and healing through poetic short stories interspersed with watercolor illustrations and recipes for things like fried jam sandwiches and rhubarb custard cake." - The Globe and Mail, "Top 10 Cookbooks of 2022" "Sprightly, evocative prose, which is never more compelling than when [Risbridger's] describing the sheer joy of her food ... exuberant, unstoppable, and triumphantly on the side of love and life in the face of death and loss and grief." - Vox "[A] deeply personal cookbook of healing recipes ... [Risbridger] weaves beautiful, journal-like prose among the recipes, taking the reader through the year with observations and personal reflections. Recipes are charmingly simplistic, encouraging the reader to rummage in the fridge for substitutions, and are accompanied by funny and equally endearing origin stories ... This is a must for cookbook readers." -- Booklist "[A] sumptuous culinary equivalent to Ilene Beckerman's Love, Loss, and What I Wore ... Even in recalling her grief, Risbridger's narration is buoyed by humor ... and the book's charming watercolor illustrations make it all the more worth savoring. Readers will find this a treat." -- Publishers Weekly "Ella Risbridger has a comforting talent for delivering deliciousness in a way that seems like an act of compassion." -- Nigella Lawson "Watercolor illustrations bring the recipes to life ... Risbridger gives plenty of hints and helpful tips, making the narrative sound even more like standing in a kitchen with a chatty friend ... [Risbridger] navigates her loss honestly, relying on community in every form: long walks, phone calls while she prepares dinner, feasts in the garden, leftovers with Jo around their table. The book is a tribute, as Risbridger says, to 'cooking, and the people who love you: the two greatest and most practical miracles of all.'" -- Shelf Awareness "Love, sorrow, grief and how cooking can get you through. Ella Risbridger has such a sincere and distinctive voice. A book full of wisdom." -- Diana Henry "An extraordinary, tender and heartwarming book with gorgeous recipes. Ella Risbridger is a unique and enchanting writer. I loved it." -- Nigel Slater "Each recipe documents a particular moment, part of the author's gradual process of falling back in love with cooking and finding joy in what can feel like a dark world." -- T: The New York Times Style Magazine on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN "The new Nigella." -- Good Housekeeping "A charming, witty coming-of-age-slash-recovery story that is refreshingly free of saccharine (the ingredient and the sentiment), a cookbook that rewards creativity over rules." -- The Washington Post on MIDNIGHT CHICKEN
