Book: Eat Our Words

Compiled by the Montana Center for the Book, Eat Our Words: the Montana Writers' Cookbook is a collection of recipes from 92 of Montana’s hottest authors. Like the writers, the recipes are worldly yet homey, creative yet practical, earnest but playful. Many are simple, and they are the best kind: finding a better pancake recipe is often more exciting and builds more memories than another Hollywood foie gras recipe does. But don’t take that to mean Eat Our Words is plain; these recipes reflect the varied and interesting lives the authors have led. (Take, for example, Jim Harrison’s bear posole or Sid Gustafson’s dupa.) There is a good amount of international influence (Italian, Mexican, Swedish, German, Cuban, Chinese, etc.), but nothing too crazy or involving kelp or meat from an animal’s nether regions.

If you’re not much of a cook but you are a bookworm, Eat Our Words is also a convenient way to get to know the players in the Montana writing community. Each spread includes a bio of the author and usually contains an excerpt (often food-related) from the author’s past, current, or forthcoming work.