Plot Summary

The School of Essential Ingredients

Erica Bauermeister
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The School of Essential Ingredients

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009

Book Brief

Erica Bauermeister

The School of Essential Ingredients

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2009
Book Details
Pages

261

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Seattle, Washington • Contemporary

Publication Year

2009

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister follows eight students attending a weekly cooking class at Lillian's Restaurant, where their unconventional instructor uses food to awaken and transform their lives. Each student navigates personal challenges, learning to cook by feel without recipes, and ultimately finding the "essential ingredients" needed to enrich their lives.

Emotional

Heartwarming

Romantic

Contemplative

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Erica Bauermeister's The School of Essential Ingredients enchantingly explores the lives of eight cooking class attendees, weaving their personal stories into culinary lessons. Critics praise its evocative prose and rich character development. However, some find the plot predictable and the pace slow. Overall, it's a heartfelt, sensory read that resonates deeply with food enthusiasts.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The School of Essential Ingredients?

A reader who enjoys The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister likely loves culinary arts and character-driven narratives. Fans of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows would appreciate its blend of food, personal growth, and lyrical prose.

Book Details
Pages

261

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Seattle, Washington • Contemporary

Publication Year

2009

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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