Local foodies know Amy Kundrat as the Executive Editor of award-winning food website CTBites. Her cookbook, "Fairfield County Chef's Table,"with photography provided by CTBites founder and Editor in Chief Stephanie Webster, was released April 15 and features recipes from over 50 local restaurants and some 100 color photos of local flavor (nudge, nudge, get it?).
Book signings are scheduled for April 27 at 1 p.m. (Milford Barnes & Noble) and May 17 at 1 p.m. (Westport Barnes & Noble), with more to come.
The first time I met Amy, we bonded over our mutual affection for Haruki Murakami. So I knew, before she graciously agreed to sit down with my seven favorite questions, of her exceptional taste in books. Here, enjoy the further evidence.
What is the first book you remember loving?
"Linnea in Monet's Garden." It was my first art history lesson, established the roots of my francophilia, and inspired my first real case of wanderlust. The fact that I majored in Art History may or may not have been inspired by this book.
What is a book that inspired you to be a writer?
This is a tough one. I never set out to be a writer, I happened upon it as my creative outlet while working with artists and wanting my own "studio time." Although you wouldn't know it from my focus on all things art and food, satire inspires me first. It takes an enormous amount of keen observation of the human condition, and a bit of an edge, to create good satire. As a humorist, David Sedaris nails it, and I live for Jack Handey's Shouts & Murmurs contributions to the New Yorker. But back to food, it was Bill Burford's "Heat" that inspired me to get more serious about my food writing. Who doesn't want to throw themselves inside Batali's kitchen and see what they're made of? That approach guides much of my food writing.
The first thing I recall was a funny short story about my cat who preferred Doritos to cat food, at the age of 6. This was written on an electric typewriter while likely sipping coffee milk pretending I was on deadline. I didn't set out for that story to be funny, but looking back, humor was/is my most natural voice. And I suppose if you consider Doritos as one of my earliest foils, food had early roots in my writing as well.
What book did you read in school that you did not fully appreciate until later?
Still looking for the value in Michner's "Chesapeake." Historically rich, dreadfully boring.
What book would you make required reading in school?
Alan Lightman's "Einstein's Dreams" for its concept, a fictional account of Einstein's dreams as he is contemplating his seminal Theory of Relativity while working as a patent clerk, and for its poetic execution.
What's the last great book you read?
This is tough to name just one. Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" is hard to shake. Her craftsmanship of the Cromwell character is superb. Who doesn't love a book that makes you fall in love with a villain? And I always need to give a shout-out to my favorite surrealist, Haruki Murakami and "1Q84." He indulges my love of parallel worlds. Did I mention I love surrealism? Throw a wormhole in a book and I'm there.
What would you call a "great American novel"?
For as much (or as little) as I understand "Gravity's Rainbow," I would nominate Thomas Pynchon's novel.