Wow, this was fabulous to hear . . . thank you, Ruth and Leonard . . . I am a BIG FAN of you both. My daughter, Katie, who is a journalist, got me COMFORT ME WITH APPLES because of the title cause I was always cutting her an apple whenever she needed comfort and/or food. She's a Granny Smith girl. Well, I ended up blabbing to her throughout the read about how great the book was, while she was away at the College of Charleston (yes, a big food town), and recently I found Tender at the Bone at a shop and can't put it down. Funny how things all come together - to hear that you were on LL made my week -- I am travelling with you through your journeys and enjoying each moment. And blabbing to Katie ~ now working in Charlotte NC ~ about how wonderful your stories are. You are a holiday gift. Any good Charlotte NC recommendations for restaurants?
Dianne

The line in Ruth's Tender@Bone, "I opened up the refrigerator to see what kind of mood my Mother was in" brought me laughter and tears. I don't think i ever laughed as hard from a line in a book. It encapsulated generations in my family. Then , i was deeply saddened to hear about the loss of your daughter. Having adopted a newborn from Guatemala years ago, my heart sank when i heard this. Does the child not have a right to know who you are?

Hi Ruth, I read an interview with you in the Wall Street Journal where you mentioned that a meal that changed your life was in Crete in 1970. Have you visited Crete since then? I'm originally from that island - and also had a wonderful experience during one of my family's frequent visits of a meal cooked in a small restaurant in the mountain village of Zourva.

MY Email--for Ruth Reichl
Thank you for reading my request for a recupe on the air, no less. YOu asked for my email so Ms. Reichl can send me the recipe. I guess you didn't realize that the email is on the request, so here 'tis again, with many thanks and much anticipation!
Raina Lefkowitz
email: lefko1940 @aol.com

THANK YOU Leonard, for pronouncing the word "culinary" KYOOlinary. I am so tired of hearing Kuhlinary.

Ruth is great and I've read most of her books. I beg to differ regarding her comments on LA's advantage over NYC's restaurant scene. While Ruth is correct is in saying that LA has some diverse large communities with excellent ethnic restaurants, NY is absolutely no different! One just needs to venture outside of Manhattan for a global food tour!

After years of walking and eating and exploring together in France, my husband died. And none of my friends wanted to experience France and other places quite like the way we did and the way I still wanted tol. So I started doing it myself in my late fifties. And I found that eating by myself (and this was mostly dinner, as breakfast is easy alone and lunch was usually a picnic on the trail) was a good experience. At first I brought books to read at each meal. But then I realized I didn't need to, as by oneself one is very much in that moment in that place eating that particular dish unmediated by extraneous stuff, and it was a possibly morte intense and full experience than I'd had before. True, it's also fun to share (reactions as well as food), but the other has a lot to be said for it. Maybe the ideal is to eat 2 nights by oneself and meet a friend for the 3rd.

What does Ruth think of wines from Oregon. And the idea Portland is kind of like a European city...

Loved your books. And still pine for "Gourmet" magazine. Especially since my all-time favorite chocolate pound cake recipe was from the pages of "Gourmet" many years ago. I've lost the recipe, which was a reader's submission in the late 60's. The secret ingredient was light cream; it may have been called Southern Georgia Pound Cake. I've looked it up in the archives many many times, to no avail. Can you PLEASE locate it for me, or let me know how I can find it?! Many many thanks!

I read "Comfort Me with Apples" in 2001, just after the World Trade Center towers were demolished. And I wrote to Ruth to say that the memoir touched me, and I found it very comforting at the time. I was somewhat disheartened when she never even acknowledged my note, which merited a response.

Hi Leonard and Ruth,
I don't have a question but wanted to say I loved the book. I laughed, ate and cryed.
As Ruth was writing about the food I would close my eyes and I could taste everything. Sometimes I was so full I thought I would burst. I made the Fall Mushroom Soup and shared it with friends were ooohing and ahing. I want more Ruth !

I have all of Ms. Reichl's book, initially purchased because of her beautiful food writing. What I did not expect was her tender rendering of an unorthodox mother. She touched me with her candor and depiction. I will be tuning in today.

www.HereSheIsBoys.com

Hello Ruth...saw you years ago at the 92nd St. Y during the "Tender at the Bone" days. Love your Art Park Brownies--I'm famous for them! (but always give you credit!) Following you now on Twitter.

Through "Tender at the Bone" and "Comfort Me with Apples (and your other writing!), youv'e given us glimpses of both your east and west coast foodisms. In the NY vs. CA battle of the foods, does either coast hail as a definite winner for you?

We all know the hilarious stories of Ruth's mother and her relationship with food. I would like to know about Ruth's father, Ernest. He was a very fine book designer and I always wondered if his high level of design had an influence on Ruth and how it may have effected her making of and writing about food. I don't think her father ever got the recognition he deserved as a designer. His work was excellent.