Boldly confessing her prejudices and her passions, M. F. K Fisher includes more than 140 recipes in the 17 chapters of this book. Dishes for every course of every meal can be found here, from the simplest to the most esoteric: tidbits, appetizers, breads, pastries, fish, fowl, meats, soups, vegetables, desserts, and casseroles.

Whether recalling forbidden fruits from her childhood (such as mashed potatoes with catsup), her mother's legendary mustard pickles, or a Caribbean bride singing about peas and rice, each description is flavored with the eloquence, warmth, and wit that became Fisher's hallmark. Among the many admirers Fisher accrued during her illustrious and varied career was W. H. Auden, who said of her, "I do not know of anyone in the United States who writes better prose."