Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a delightful collection of short stories!

Each story revolves around a recipe that you can actually make. Some stories are very short and others are a few pages long. The stories focus on senses and feelings and what it means to nourish ourselves. It's a clever collection and absolutely enjoyable read!

A great book whether you enjoy to cook or not.

An interesting collection of short stories encompassing recipes from different countries, times and cultures. The stories are of varying length, some are very light and others need a little more concentration. The recipes within the book are not set out in a conventional sense but all can be followed despite the mixture of measurements which are companion to the country the story is taking place, some are completely flexible and others whatever is to hand.

This book was an incredibly fun read. It perfectly captures the sense of fun and delight that comes with consuming food media like the Great British Bake-Off, or content from the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen at their cultural apex. The beautiful title is indicative of the author's wonderful handle on prose. The writing throughout is playful and evocative. The slim sections explore different foods, sometimes through vignettes, stories, or actual recipes. There are also sprinklings of food history as well.

Decadent and delightful. A recommended purchase for collections where culinary fic and short story volulmes are popular.

Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives: Genevieve Jenner’s Brilliant Short Story Collection

British author Genevieve Jenner‘s debut collection of food-related short stories – Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives (Deixis Press, March 2022) – promises a delectable and unusual reading experience for those seeking tales of the intersection of food and life. Jenner offers up 38 stories, some taking as long to read as mixing dry ingredients together, others equal to the minutes for cookies to bake, while a few allow time enough to concoct a chocolate cake from start to finish.

Writing in a style sometimes reminiscent of Laurie Colwin, with an occasional pinch of Angela Carter-like magic, Ms. Jenner tackles a wide range of comestibles, including “flips” native to the South, cheeseballs peculiar to the Midwest, a special borscht in Poland, and Jerusalem artichokes in starving wartime Paris. And although a few stories seem a bit uneven, all contain marvelous bits of humor and allusions to literary luminaries such as Dante and others of his ilk. Ms. Jenner reaches into all the corners of the globe and human nature in these truly thrilling stories.

Another rather unique aspect surrounding this collection lies in the way Ms. Jenner writes recipes. In other words, by not following tradition at all.

No, recipes weave threadlike through the text, with the sensuousness of silk in medieval tapestries, coloring scenes with gauzy steam, painting with puffs of flour, applying patina akin to kale. Kitchen ingredients drive the stories, as in the following excerpt from Low-Pressure Soup for a High-Pressure Situation:

There is going to be some form of soup. Peel and dice your onion and sauté that in a bit of olive oil. Add a few cloves of smashed garlic. At least three. More like six. We aren’t fragile people who feel uncomfortable in the presence of garlic. Let things soften. Now you will toss that into a pot with a peeled and chopped-up squash. (Or sweet potato. I know this is inexact but just accept this. Do I look like a wound-up television chef who wants to explain in numbing detail why you must have this many ounces? No. I am just a woman trying to make dinner and use up these damn vegetables.) Plus the carrot and torn apart kale. Toss it all in there. Chop up the cauliflower in a haphazard fashion. Just dismember that thing and put it in the large pot. (Side note, you can also do this in a crockpot.) Add some thyme, a bit of paprika, some salt, pepper, hey, even that tarragon looks fun. Oh look, you dig in the fridge and find a few green onions. Chop them up and add them in.

You will find yourself laughing quite often, little jolts of recognition popping up from time to time, as with the following story. (The word lutefisk did it for me here.) Just One, Since You are Offering weighs in at 608 words, but packs as large a punch as much longer tales:

As Betty Draper would say, “My People are Nordic.” Therefore I appreciate a good bar cookie. It goes well with a nice cup of coffee and a little commentary about how this isn’t too bad a deal. If the bar cookie is especially good you might say, “You could do a lot worse.” Ross cookies are rather popular in my family. They don’t require a great deal of effort and have a sort of pleasing simplicity. (After all, brown sugar and butter are involved.) … Then let everything cool for about half an hour. (This will allow you some time to talk about how the Sons of Norway are having a lutefisk feed. You may go, but they better have enough butter for the lutefisk because otherwise you won’t be able to eat the stuff.) Then cut the Ross cookies into squares. If you have some willpower (though if you like to taste creamed butter and sugar I doubt you are the sort of person to wait) you will wait until the cookies have completely cooled and then eat them up. You can bring them to coffee hour at church, potluck night at the Grange, or the book club that is really the sipping-wine-and-talking-about-The-Crown club.

Different, witty, filled with sly humor, at times irreverent, bordering on the noir, Genevieve Jenner’s Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives takes food writing, and writing in general, up a much higher notch than the usual grub.

So grab your coffee mug, fill it to the brim, then settle down for a most stimulating and satisfying read.

(Quotes used with permission from Deixis Press. Net Galley Advanced Reader’s Copy)

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

If, like me, you love food but occasionally find yourself uninspired, this is the book for you. It's not a recipe book, though there are recipes described within the stories. Technically you could successfully follow them, but it's not always the focus of each piece. The food is a setting for the emotions and relationships of the characters described - and the narrator.

This is a book that will make you crave every dish you've never eaten and long for all the ones you have. It'll inspire you to seek out unique ingredients in your local supermarket and pay closer attention to every dish you prepare. It inspired me to make rice pudding in a new way, no regrets there.

I have no real criticism of the book, I read it over the course of a week which is rare for me, but these are the type of short stories that are meant to be savored. It's something that I would re-read, and recommend to a friend. Each of the stories is as unique as their recipe focal point. I laughed, got teary-eyed, and even had goosebumps at one point (another reading rarity for me).

Favorite stories included: 'Dead Dove', 'The Borscht of Mirra, Magda, and Mimi', 'With Great Rage: How To Sorta Cook A Pot Roast', 'Sweetbreads and Scams', 'Faraway Scent of Pain', and 'Amour de Poulet on Rye'.

It's hard to pin down exactly what this is. A collection of essays? A memoir? An unconventional cookbook? Whatever it is, it's entertaining reading. The author is funny and writes with a breezy, conversational tone that goes down easy. This is someone you'd be happy to be seated next to at a dinner party.

Meditations on life, death, work, sex, history, and politics are mashed up with recipes (presented in prose, rather than the usual list of ingredients and numbered steps) and somehow it works. As a good Midwestern girl myself, I had a particular fondness for the ode to Midwestern women and their cheese balls. Foodies and cooking enthusiasts would definitely enjoy this, but, really, anyone who likes a good story will have fun on this ride!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

I adore Jenner's writing. It is smart, spiky and dry and doesn't shy away from the more difficult - and even venal- aspects of being a human with an appetite (and sometimes, not). I can't cope with pretty-pretty essays that are based around food so Jenner does not disappoint.

Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read this.

I'm not usually a short story person, but this collection was fantastic. I love Jenner's voice - it's dry and wry and somehow soothing.

This is a collection of short stories inspired by food. It switches between more conventional narrative stories to a kind of creative non fiction/recipe hybrid. There are recipes here I would definitely turn to. The stories are beautifully told - and the centrality of food makes absolute sense. Food is so entwined with all our experiences - childhood, love, friendship, parenting - everything.

I'm definitely going to re-read this. It's one to dip into on rainy nights.

This was a pleasure to read from beginning to end.

I am always rather wary of short story collections. No matter how good. the author, it often feels like there are a few stories that are filler and there is also, often a sense of imbalance, where the stories are rather disparate and seem flung together.

This is absolutely not the case here. This is a perfectly realised, beautifully cohesive series of short stories about food, which were wonderfully written, wildly entertaining, funny and. charming.

They also made me very hungry.

I absolutely loved this book. It's like taking a bite of your childhood favourite dessert. Warm to the core. It makes me feel somewhat melancholic and more accurately in french "Vague à l'âme". The relationships woven into the recipes are charming and witty. Just a lovely feel-good read.

I wasn't sure I was going to make it past Dead Dove, but I'm glad I did. I love this book - its premise and execution. While, I would not have led with the dove story, after reading the others, it does have its place among these quirky narratives about food and life. I loved the title story and Jenner's musings about Italians, caffeine-fueled scandal, and channeling one's inner Fellini film. I laughed out loud while reading Unto You There Are Nibbles. While the "recipes" aren't formatted in a traditional way, they are cleverly written and invite readers to add our own imaginative twist to flavor the experience. The stories are funny, subversive, sweet, savory, and a little salty. The writing breaks the fourth wall in clever ways, and the readers can become part of the story - if we allow ourselves the escapist moment of an imaginary life.

I received a digital pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will also be adding a physical copy to my permanent collection upon its publication later this month.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything it promised to be! It was funny, it was charming, it was a series of love letters from people all over the world to food and the ritual of cooking. The first story is an absolutely perfect opening of strangers in an office sharing their culinary expertise and traditions with each other. From there the book alternates between fictional short stories and essays.

I loved the humor, the insight, and all the different recipes in this book! If you love food, not just eating food, but cooking, baking, admiring the ritual and history of food- this book is for you.

“Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives,” by Genevieve Jenner (ISBN: 1838498729, ISBN13: 9781838498726), publication date 21 March 2022, by Deixis Press, earns four strong stars.

“Add a few cloves of smashed garlic. At least three. More like six. We aren’t fragile people who feel uncomfortable in the presence of garlic.” This book is a romping and tasty adventure across a wide swath of evocative people from continents and times that is best devoured by people who aren’t fragile and who relish imaginative writing…and the presence of great amounts of garlic in their lives.

The reader becomes a time traveler with the book being a culinary travelogue featuring a cornucopia of passionate experiences (some might call them stories, but then that would be an injustice) peopled by fascinating characters who seem immediately familiar as though generations of your family past and present were in one giant room. A kitchen preferably. No, definitely a kitchen—a very large, aromatic one, with brick floors and a large table in the middle of the room. Time worn. By many hands.

The author’s careful combination of words become unrivaled impressions, even sensory: “Her eyelashes flicked against the pillow she was hugging.” Her words beguile. Even bowls become more than mere fired clay, as the “Recipe for Disaster (How to Make Smug Muffins)” makes clear. These are deliciously flavored tales told with passion and commitment, even conclusions, judgements, and decisions—all fearlessly offered. It is a book showcasing the art of description, bringing forth laughter, wistfulness, or recognition.

Then, there is the brilliant “An Incomplete Guide to Drinkers of Some Black Teas,” which explains everybody. Of course, I couldn’t read, “Hopeful Frozen Dreams,” which was about blackberry rhubarb sorbet. Even though “sorbet” and “blackberry” were enticing, we all know the triangular leaves of rhubarb contain high levels of oxalic acid and anthrone glycosides, making them inedible and rhubarb the work of the devil. I want to live….and this book is for the living.

P.S. I just know the author would’ve been a great mermaid AND a great writer (though not with fountain pens).

Thanks to the publisher, Dexis Press, obviously a courageous and caring publisher, for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.

"you can take the simple things in the pantry and make a meal, but if you invite others in you can have a feast together."

if you're looking for a cozy comfort read for the darker months of the year, "chocolate cake for imaginary lives" is a great choice. the short story collection is equal parts sweet and savoury, and despite containing nearly 40 stories, it doesn't run too long.

the most fun thing about this book is most of the food that's depicted comes with clear cooking instructions, making it a cheeky cookbook embedded in the stories. as an extra appreciation, jenner provides the measurements in both metric and imperial units, so no one's left behind.

jenner has a great wit to her style – the stories are funny, ranging from small inside jokes between characters to compelling satire. most stories are disconnected, though some arcs intertwine. i appreciated returning to mimi's story, making it the longest one in the collection, as it beautifully depicts food as something that binds a community together. despite what the name might imply, not all stories are sugary sweet – some carry the weight of loss, whether that's family, relationships, or culture. the balance is well-maintained without jarring shifts of tone.

overall, "chocolate cake for imaginary lives" is a very rich and pleasant reading experience. that said, perhaps have a snack before you sit down to read it.

“Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives” by Genevieve Jenner is a captivating collection of magical realist food stories that vividly illustrates the role of food in our lives. From a Russian countess making borscht for Parisian neighbors to clandestine office food exchanges and midnight steak cookouts, Jenner weaves imaginative tales that explore the intersection of food, relationships, and sensuality. These stories resonate with the messy, joyous moments of life and touch upon the place of women in the world. With a mix of vulnerability and strength, Jenner’s writing speaks to the soul, crafting a narrative that is both poignant and authentic, celebrating the significance of food and its power to evoke real and imaginary lives.

I loved this collection of food-themed stories by Genevieve Jenner, which includes a mixture of longer stories all involving food in some way and shorter recipes in which each narrator's character is nonetheless revealed.

Jenner writes brilliantly about the importance of our relationship with food - for instance, in the opening story, the narrator embarks on a lengthy and all-consuming exchange of dishes and recipes with an unknown colleague via notes and tupperware left in their work fridge. Her writing is also full of sardonic wit and brio - there are so many wonderful lines I could have quoted but I particularly enjoyed:

"The truly great performances are not on screen but in lies told to bosses where medical issues allegedly exist."
"You pause and think of the last time you attempted to add some extra aged gouda and a little garlic to the macaroni and cheese, and how certain members of the dining table objected and spent much of the meal offering as much criticism as Gore Vidal on Norman Mailer."
"Bad marinara isn't a crime against humanity, but it should be worth a night or two in the county jail."
"Assam is sometimes referred to as the lion of teas. Really? It's the Jason Statham of teas."

This is a delightful read from a talented author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review!

A collection of short stories based around the idea of food. It is like diving into an expensive and luscious box of chocolates, each story providing a different experience as each chocolat would provide a different flavour.
Highly enjoyable, slightly magical but totally absorbing.

A collection of short stories focussing on food and the relationships that it creates around. The hint of magical realism is wonderful in the stories. Amazing collection of stories, to be read and enjoyed in its essence.

Thank you to the author, Deixis Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of short stories centered on food, and how food and cooking can create and change relationships, is a gem. I was a bit sceptical, as I'm not a fan of magic realism, but the stories create worlds and relationships that irresistibly draw you in. Some of the stories are very short, hardly more than recipes embellished by the commentary of the cook (or more often baker) as they cook/bake. Some are longer, and develop in unexpected ways. Overall - highly recommend.

Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives is an extremely well-written collection of short stories combining recipes, magical realism, and engaging prose. The syntax phenomenally added to the tone. Each story fully engaged me and truly explained each imaginary life through specific recipes. I would file this one under strange books for hot girls, which is without a doubt my favorite genre. Jenner's writing is also genuinely funny and relatable, even when describing a noble fleeing to the Polish countryside in 1917. I would highly recommend this book to any fiction or food lovers, though you do not need to be a chef or foodie to thoroughly enjoy this book (I order almost all my meals, and I was hooked - I even read it through my concussion).

Genevieve Jenner has written one of the most clever and imaginative collection of short stories that I've read in a long while. Food plays a part in each story with recipes included in several of them, and like a good meal, this book is meant to be savored (pun intended) and read slowly. Jenner's dry wit and keen observations are masterful, and each story is an absolute delight.

As a reader, you never quite knew where the next story was going to take you or who the lead characters would be, but left in Jenner's capable hands, it really didn't matter. With all of that said, this book might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it was mine -- a solid 5 stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #DeixisPress for providing me an electronic ARC of #ChocolateCakefortheImaginaryLives.

Chocolate Cake for Imaginary Lives by Genevieve Jenner is a stunning collection of short stories each centered around food, the preparation of the food, and, oh yeah, life. Most of the stories kinda sneak up on you while some whisk you away immediately.

What struck me about these stories was the ease with which I was able to relate to the characters. The people and places vary tremendously but through the one thing we all have in common, food, we discover so many other more subtle similarities.

And yes, there are several of the recipes that I intend to try. I found myself reading some of these stories (they are very short and lend themselves to wonderful oral renditions) to friends. Maybe because of where they are from, or a food they love, or the simple difference in wanting new variation in old dishes versus those who want "to eat the same exact thing every single time."

I would recommend this to readers of short stories, readers who like to have short options available when they don't have a lot of time, and any foodie who loves the story of a meal as much as the meal itself. I know based on comments from the people I read to that this will make an excellent gift for those who love food and food prep, but don't tell them what they'll be getting from me.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.