Book Review: A Really Big Lunch By Jim Harrison

 I admit. I have bad taste in food. A girlfriend once told me "Eating for you does nothing." Another relationship ended, partially, over her insistence on eating a really "nice" meal on paydays. Eating at the finer restaurants of Roanoke, Virginia (a fine place) did little to satiate her refined palate, but I was ambivalent. My philosophy: "I'm hungry, I eat, I'm not hungry any more." We're not even going into my cooking. Skillet creations and "salads" are my forte. The dog hasn't complained even when my company baulks. 

Reading a book like A Really Big Lunch by Jim Harrison changes that somewhat. Complied of essays and articles Harrison wrote over his career, A Really Big Lunch is quintessential Harrison. After all the man wrote and ate for a living. Non-foodies are going to get lost in his deep understanding of food and descriptions but there is something deeper that even us Philistines of the world can appreciate in the sometimes quirky and always frank way Harrison delivers his words. And that is an appreciation of a fully, and in Harrison's case often over full, belly of food and/or wine. 

When you take his top shelf food writing, and  sprinkle in Harrison's sardonic, Montana plains dry humor, you are going to have something good when it cools down. Testament that fact; I have actually gone into a decent restaurant and ordered somewhat good food, and enjoyed it as I think Jim Harrison would want me to enjoy it. Though my cooking remains to improve, I have been wild enough to cook as I think, having read A Really Big Lunch, Jim Harrison would want me to cook. Not soon will I be at the ability of Harrison, but a man can have goals can't he?