It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: My Adventures in Life and Food

"It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" may seem like the title to a food adventure that went all wrong and ended in you being on your knees in front of the porcelain God, and, in some cases, within Hodgson's memoirs, that may very well be true. Telling her story through the lens of taste buds first, everything else second, she still does not neglect the human side of her adventures. Her ever-intriguing story crisscrosses the globe, and, as such, mixes in plenty of exotic cuisine, which is often ironically first tried by her in regions that it is not native to. Often using food as a starting point for relationships, she quickly bonds with people as they teach her their most intimate recipes. Her style remaining interesting throughout, "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" serves up a fresh dish with both new and time-tested flavors. Reviewed by Jordan Dacayanan

Wow! I've been using Moira Hodgson's cookbooks for years, as she always has a sensational new twist on the old standards that wins me raves at my dinner parties. And her restaurant reviews in the New York Observer newspaper are not only fun to read, they're also very reliable as she gets all the details right. So I was eager to read this book, and, no surprise here --- it's absolutely great! She makes you feel like you're on an exotic adventure with your new best friend, who just happens to be a tall, brilliant, gorgeous goddess. I stayed up all night to finish it. The only way it could have been better is if I'd been reading it while hurtling through the darkness on the Orient Express to parts unknown...