What To Read

Food has always played a starring role in literature—from Virginia Woolf’s boeuf en daube to the picnic spreads of Jane Austen. Books like Fictitious Dishes by food writer and designer Dinah Fried and The Book Lover’s Cookbook revel in these imagined meals, recreating the foods that linger on the page long after the story ends.

But what about the actual food that famous authors have cooked to fuel their writing days or their legendary dinner parties? Those recipes have stories too. As you head into the holidays and hunker down for home cooking, we refer you to five recipes from some of our favorite authors' own tables - perfect for showing off your great literary "taste" (sorry, we had to).

Joan Didion’s Famous Parsley Salad

Fans of Joan Didion have long been fascinated by the domestic details preserved in her archives: handwritten recipes, clipped food columns, and notes from her meticulously planned dinner parties. Among the most famous is this deceptively simple parsley salad—designed to serve a crowd and perfectly in keeping with her unfussy, elegant sensibility.

Ingredients

• 8 bunches Italian parsley

• 16 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 head parsley

• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• Salt and pepper

• 1⅓ cups grated Parmesan

Method Blend the olive oil with one head of parsley until smooth. Blend in balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. When ready to serve, place the remaining parsley in a large bowl with the Parmesan and toss with the dressing.

Source: Epicurious

To be paired with Come to Dinner, Sara Davidson's account of Joan Didion as a friend and mentor.

Ernest Hemingway’s “Papa’s Favorite Wild West Hamburger”

Unlike his famously spare prose, Ernest Hemingway’s hamburger recipe is unapologetically maximalist. Discovered among papers from his time in Cuba (now housed at the JFK Library), the recipe mixes ground beef with relish, capers, wine, and even ground almonds—resulting in a burger as bold as its creator.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground lean beef

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 small green onions, finely chopped

• 1 heaping teaspoon India relish

• 2 tablespoons capers

• 1 heaping teaspoon sage

• ½ teaspoon Beau Monde seasoning

• ½ teaspoon Mei Yen powder*

• 1 egg, beaten

• ⅓ cup dry red or white wine

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Method Break up the meat and mix in garlic, onion, and seasonings. Let sit 10–15 minutes. Add relish, capers, egg, wine, and remaining ingredients. Let rest another 10 minutes. Form four thick patties. Fry in hot oil, lowering heat after adding burgers. Cook about four minutes per side until browned outside and pink inside. *Mei Yen powder substitute:

• 9 parts salt

• 9 parts sugar

• 2 parts MSG Use ⅔ tsp of this mix plus ⅛ tsp soy sauce per teaspoon called for.

Source: The Paris Review

To be paired with A Moveable Feast, of course.

Maya Angelou’s All Day and All Night Cornbread

Maya Angelou was such a gifted cook that she published multiple cookbooks rooted in Southern comfort food. While she mastered everything from braised lamb to tamale pie, she once declared that the ultimate comfort meal would always be greens, cornbread, and fried chicken. This cornbread was a staple—often enjoyed split and stuffed with cheese for breakfast.

Ingredients (makes 9 squares)

• 3 tablespoons butter

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 1½ cups white cornmeal

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons milk

• 1 egg, well beaten

Method Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt butter in an 8-inch square pan. Sift dry ingredients together. Stir in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk and egg, mixing just to combine. Pour batter into pan, then pour remaining milk over top and stir gently. Bake 35–45 minutes until golden.

Source: Great Food, All Day Long

Edgar Allan Poe’s Eggnog (Adult Version)

Much like his dark tales, Edgar Allan Poe’s eggnog is not for the faint of heart. Passed down through generations of his family, this version relies on both rum and brandy—and careful timing with the eggs—to produce a rich, formidable holiday drink.

Ingredients

• 7 eggs, separated

• 1 cup sugar

• 5 cups whole milk, divided

• ½ cup heavy cream

• 1½ cups brandy

• ¼ cup dark rum

• Nutmeg

Method Whisk yolks with sugar until thick. Warm 3 cups milk, then slowly whisk 1 cup into yolks. Return mixture to pan and cook gently until thickened. Stir in cream and chill in an ice bath. Add remaining milk, brandy, and rum. Beat egg whites to soft peaks and spoon over each glass. Finish with grated nutmeg.

Source: Tasting Table

To be paired with Mark Dawidziak's wonderful biography of Poe.

Toni Morrison’s Peanut Butter Fudge

Toni Morrison was known among friends as a formidable cook, and it’s a small tragedy that her carrot cake recipe was never recorded. What we do have, however, is this peanut butter fudge—immortalized in the picture book she wrote with her son. It’s a fitting holiday tribute: precise, generous, and deceptively simple.

Ingredients

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup peanut butter

• ¼ cup agave nectar

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method Boil all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan (adult supervision recommended). Test by dropping a bit into cold water—it should form a tadpole shape. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, then set saucepan in cold water and beat until dull. Pour into pan and cool before cutting.

Source: Peeny Butter Fudge