Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin: A Cookbook

A few months ago, I saw a documentary on Kenny "I Like Killing Flies." I was instantly in love! I haven't lived in New York City for over 50 years but I saw what I loved about New York. A larger than life man who loves life and loves to shoot off his mouth with his outrageous opinions. And his cookbook is just the same. Yummy recipes that he made up himself, easy to make and delicious! The dedication to his wife Eve, who died after the docu was made, is in huge letters on the front page. So, I tightened my belt and bought the documentary and the cookbook, and I am not sorry. They are treasures to me. You will not be sorry if you buy this cookbook, you will laugh your head off, but you will be in the world of Kenny Shopsin, not a bad place to be. Enjoy!

Eat Me and Kenny Shopsin's take on the world are definitely not for everyone, just as his restaurant was not for everyone. One reader I spoke with found Kenny's attitude closed-minded and offensive; I had an easier time being amused at the raucous tales and strong personality, but I could see the person's point. It'll definitely be a reader-dependent thing. Kenny tells tales of everything from his kids' childhoods to famous customers to the sexual nature of some foods. His stories of the friendships he's made and the business agreements he's come to had me laughing out loud. The recipes are equally fantastic, and even that reader I know who didn't like Kenny's attitude loved the food. Kenny liked to keep as many dishes on the menu as possible, while keeping his kitchen as simple as possible and making every dish when it was ordered--rather than making a handful of things ahead and keeping them under heat lamps. He achieved this by constructing many variations upon themes from simple components. When fresh ingredients achieve the best results, he uses them. When a purchased mix or product will do just as well, he isn't shy to say so. I have to agree that he's found an amazing balance between speed, ease, and taste. I frankly wasn't sure about an egg recipe called the Fellini, made with tomato, garlic bread, and ricotta, but it blew me away when we made it. Alchemy! His suggestions for making stock seemed odd (a blend of traditional stock-making methods and including some of a commercial concentrate), yet it really does produce an end result that's better than either of those methods alone. His cream of tomato soup, made with marinara sauce as a base(!) is to die for, and easy enough to knock out on a busy work night! If you're easily offended, avoid the commentary and stories. If you can't stand strong language, avoid the book altogether. But if you're looking for a hilarious memoir and/or a wonderful cookbook of easy, delicious foods, Eat Me is a fantastic investment!

It is an outstanding book about one's life, real, honest, funny and sometimes sad. What makes it outstanding? A reader does not just get a recipe, but every recipe has its own story, how and why it was born. Tales about family, friends and other people are woven in those recipes. Intelligence and creativity of the author are so appealing; food is so unordinary, that it is impossible to put the book down until you read the last page. Besides remarkable content, couple of words should be told about design. The jacket is amazing for eyes and for hands; I immediately wanted to open and start to read it. Pages are full with images that make stories almost animated. I think the book is a very good present either to cooking addicts or to those who are scared to cook. P.S. I hope that if one day I will be lucky to have a lunch at Shopsin's place, they will be kind enough to serve me Reuben burger WITHOUT BUTTER, please:))

This is the first cook book I've ever read where I sat down and read it cover to cover first. The musings in this book is worth every page and makes for an engaging read. The book arrived at my house on Thursday and I basically spent all weekend trying out a bunch of the recipes. So far: Patsy's Cashew Chicken (a new household favorite but mixed hoisin sauce, water and soy sauce instead though), Slutty Pancakes, Glazed Pancakes, Tahini Dressing, Coconut rice (never thought leftover rice can taste so good), Crepes (amazing approach and he's right, no once can tell the difference). The recipes are elegantly simple and does not require a culinary degree nor a translator when you go shopping for the ingredients. In fact, most of the stuff is probably already in your pantry. Kenny Shopsin has a distinctive point of view and will leave you wanting to visit NYC just so you can eat at his restaurant and hear his philosophy in person. Be careful you don't get thrown out though...

Effective translation from one art form to another is a high wire act of the greatest difficulty - readers may agree for example that the film director faces an uphill battle to craft an effective cinematic experience from even the most masterfully written novel. Those who have had direct experience of the unique restaurant and social environment described in this book will, I am sure, be able to confirm to a wider public that the author, his collaborator and illustrator have created a grand success in making Shopsin's live and breathe realistically and delightfully within the covers of this work. This is a success fully as memorable and arresting as film director Henri-Georges Clousot's "The Mystery of Picasso" which did the same in sharing and preserving the leading Twentieth Century artist's mercurial character and irrepressible creativity. Enfolded copiously among the many recipes are anecdotes, philosophical ruminations, and historical comments on the legendary Greenwich Village of a previous generation -- many of which are presented in a deceptively casual, even profane manner. These amount to a second book nestled within a diverse collection of recipes. The illustration and design work on this book are labors of love by Kenny Shopin's daughter, Tamara Shopsin -- an artist of increasingly wide reputation in her own right. A cookbook reviewer should be pleased to report that such a publication does a good job at showing the reader how to prepare good food. This presentation far exceeds that worthy result: it provides a window on how to be a genuine human being on one's own terms.