A collection of personal essays, poems, and recipes straight from the heart. The smell of sauce in a pan, the warm flavour of freshly baked cookies, even the rituals of cleaning up after a meal, are all woven into the bonds we experience from one generation to the next. So much of what it means to be a family happens in the kitchen. In this collection, some of the great poet-philosophers of the kitchen table reveal their stories, recipes, thoughts, and traditions of preparing and sharing food. A perfect Mother's Day gift, this book includes classic pieces by Ruth Reichl, Maya Angelou, and M. F. K. Fisher, newly concocted morsels by such world-famous foodies as Walter Staib, known as the 'Culinary Ambassador of Philadelphia,' and Tina Miller, whose family created the legendary Black Dog Tavern, and more than twenty recipes.