The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes and Stories of My Life

A must have for Pat Conroy fans.

It was a gift for someone who loves to read and cook.

Pat Conroy is my favorite author, and it is fitting that he dedicates the same passion for cooking as he does for his writing in his new book, The Pat Conroy Cookbook. The fact that Conroy is so fascinated with food is in itself ironic. Conroy grew up in a house where food was important, but good food was not. In fact, he regrets that his mother "looked upon food as a necessity, not a realm of art." Her idea of seafood every Friday night was fish sticks. This all changed when his wife announced that she was going to law school, and he would have to start preparing the meals for his family (consisting of three young daughters). Conroy is an avid reader and a keen observer, so he began his education in earnest. First, he went to the local bookstore. Instead of recommending something basic and easy (like Betty Crocker), the owner talked Conroy into purchasing a book by the French chef, Escoffier. Soon, he was immersed in the world of making stock, roux and exotic foods. He discovered that cooking could be great fun, and combined the skills of being an artist with those needed to become a mad chemist.As part of his culinary education, Conroy also became an avid collector. He collected cookbooks, and especially enjoyed those homey books published by churches and civic groups. They not only offered great recipes, but also precious nuggets of knowledge such as "store mushrooms and string beans in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator, not in plastic." Next, he started a collection of culinary friends. Some were cooks, some were chefs, and others just enjoyed good food. Then he started collecting recipes. Many came from friends and family, others he created or recreated. He added foods to his repertoire (things such as white asparagus and escargot). He took a number of cooking classes, and finally, he started traveling. Living in Rome and France for extended periods introduced him to whole new cuisines. While I'm not sure that Conroy has become a master chef, he certainly must be an accomplished one.But you can bet that Conroy would not be content to just compile recipes for a book. The Pat Conroy Cookbook reads more like a memoir with a generous helping of recipes sprinkled here and there. Each chapter describes a story, saga or anecdote about his life, and is then followed with related recipes. He tells of preparing a bridesmaid's luncheon for his daughter, cooking for his dying father, and foods to make for funerals. He talks about foods from Italy and France, and honeymooning in Umbria. He provides chapters on oyster roasts, pig roasts, Vidalia onions, and grilling. He regales us with the best meals that his has eaten-both in restaurants and out. And he tells us of the relationship between food and his writing.The recipes themselves are interesting, intriguing and not too intimidating. For those that are more complicated, Conroy takes us through them step by step. He also provides the reader with some of those nuggets of wisdom he so admires in church cookbooks, such as drain fried foods on paper bags and not paper towels. I will definitely try a number of them-especially the low country specialties like shrimp and grits, crab cakes, and pickled shrimp.So whether you like Pat Conroy or cooking, you will love this cookbook. Not only will it tempt your palate, but it will also provide the reader with a generous dose of "The World According to Pat Conroy." What a tasty treat, indeed.

I can smell the mud, and I hear the gulls and see the shrimp boats coming in from my parents' bedroom window at Rockland Plantation. Wadmalaw Island. - Rockville, South Carolina. Twenty miles or so south of Charleston. Famous for the 'Rockville Races' which are themselves famous for being an excuse for a weeks' worth of rowdy drinking and partying and sailboat races.Wadmalaw is the most Southern of the three islands after Charleston....First there is James Island, then Johns, and then Wadmalaw. I learned Gullah. Or I think I did. I actually attended a 2 room schoolhouse on Wadmalaw Island - and after the 7th grade I was sent to Ashley Hall in Charleston, like all proper southern girls.And like all proper Southern belles, I did not read Pat Conroy until I got the hell away from debutante balls and propreity and had myself a good time - all so I could really enjoy this man's books!I wanted to move to the lowcountry from my exiled status in Florida several years ago... to rent a place on the last bastion of Gullah culture I could find... Daufuskie Island. It almost happened, and I was ready to live less than a quarter mile from the famous schoolhouse where he taught. The school is talked about in hushed, reverant tones. It is used for the many meetings now taking place between the actual inhabitants of Daufukie and the rich newbies who want to develop the heck out of the island.I blame Pat Conroy totally for never letting me give up my fight to get back to my beloved land. My marshes. My shrimp boats.This quest to return to the low country is never ending. Reading this latest book is another impetus in my saddened soul to return to where I know I belong, and where Pat Conroy so sweetly describes my heart's desire when he is describing to his student, Jake, (in 'The Water is Wide') his love for oysters:"You like those oysters, teacher?" Jake asked me. "They taste good?""Heaven. It's like tasting heaven, Jake," I answered."You know what you're tasting, teacher?" Jake said. "You're tasting last night's high tide. Them oysters always keep some of the tide with them. It sweetens them up."Conroy sweetens me up. He convinces me that no matter how many obstacles might get in my way, I will return to my own heavenly paradise.With each book, Pat Conroy just keeps sweetening the pot.Rennie Manning

Consider these audios as a biography more than cooking material. I can also highly recommend the paper version of the book, which does have the recipes as well as the full text (the CDs do say rhat they are excerpted). Conidering Conroy's delivery is sleepier than the Savannah river, the book makes for a surprisingly satisfactory drive-time companion, although even for native Southerners it takes the better part of the first disk to get comfortable with the intonations; if you're not used to it, it might take longer, bur it will be worth it. It wouldn't hurt to be familiar with Conroy's work (especially The Great Santini); if you aren't you'll end up wanting to go read his books which is probably the intent. In fact, I give this version only 4 stars for that very reason: you would do fine with the book but no disks, but the disks don't really work without the book so you'll end up buying that too. Go ahead and get both, you won't regret it (and your tummy will be very happy - might as well buy a larger belt while you're at it).

after reading Pat Conroy's Beach music novel, I got an appreciation for his knowledge of food and I read this cookbook. I had borrowed it from the library but there are so many recipes in it that I would like to make that I purchased a copy myself. The stories about the food and meals are good too.

Pat Conroy is one of my new favourite authors. A great gift to give as well.

Beautifully written tales and memories of meals and foods enjoyed at different times in his life and of the people he shared those times and meals with. Not a recipe book - a life through recipes book. Evocative, haunting, poignant and hunger inducing...... I devoured it, digested it, and started again....the 2nd time more slowly so i tasted every morsel.

I want to make all of the recipes and also so enjoyed Conroy's stories.

Loved it

I collect cookbooks and I love Pat Conroy's novels so it's a twofer!!!!