The Lost Art of Mixing
By Erica Bauermeister
(Putnam Adult, Hardcover, 9780399162114, January 24, 2013, 288pp.)
The Short of It:
A literary treat for the senses.
The Rest of It:
If you haven’t read a book by this author yet, you are really missing out.
In The Lost Art of Mixing, Bauermeister returns to Lillian’s restaurant, first featured in The School of Essential Ingredients. Lillian’s restaurant is known for bringing people together. It’s a place to rediscover yourself and the pleasures around you. Through her carefully prepared meals and the cooking classes she offers, her simple acts of kindness provide the much-needed tonic that these folks have been searching for.
Included are some familiar characters from the first book, but we also meet Al, an accountant whose marriage has left him pondering who he is. Finnegan, nineteen years-old and orphaned at a young age, he finds solace when he gets a job as a dishwasher for the restaurant. Isabelle, who is struggling with dementia but finds a friend in Chloe, who you might remember from the first book and then finally Louise, Al’s wife who doesn’t seem to know her husband at all, but at the same time, seems to know everything about him.
The first book was filled with the smells of cooking. I literally drooled my way through it and then did not have any food in the house which was bad planning on my part. It was hard for me to believe that a book could evoke such feelings of comfort, but it really did. This time around, there is a lot less cooking, but more going on with the characters. They are complex and intricately layered with real-life problems that readers can relate to. I found the characters to be endlessly fascinating.
Additionally, there is something wonderful that happens when you return to familiar territory and I loved visiting with these characters again. The Lost Art of Mixing is a fabulous complement to The School of Essential Ingredients. Although you can read this one as a stand-alone, I encourage you to read her other book first. The writing is wonderful in both and trust me, you’ll want to extend your visit once you are done reading them.
Release Note: This wonderful book does not hit the shelves until January 24, 2013! Â If you can hold out, I promise to host a giveaway once the book is released.
Erica’s website.
Erica’s Facebook page.
Erica’s TLC tour stops.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher via TLC Book Tours.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.
Book Chatter 
Thank you for the review Ti, I had not heard of this writer earlier, but I looked her up on Goodreads and she seems to have won a lot of hearts with her first book. Have already bought it now, will devour it this weekend.
Oh good! Stop by and tell me what you think of it when you finish.
I loved both of these books and read them back to back, which was a great experience. It was like I never left these characters…I want a Lillians near me!
It would have been great to read them back to back. I still have her other book on my shelf, Joy for Beginners that I won and forgot to read!
I missed this author’s first book, but have time before January, sort of!
Both books are quick reads. You might take an extra day to linger with them for a while but you can easily finish them in an afternoon.
She’s really a lovely writer. I can’t wait to read this one! (please enter me in advance, HA HA)
Yea, me too!
I am so excited about this book, I can hardly stand it. I loved the author’s first two books.
I can’t wait to read this one – just loved The School of Essential Ingredients on audio!
Thanks for a wonderful review! I thought your insight about Louise was particularly intriguing…
You wrote a lovely lovely review of this book…I so loved the first book…this one sounds just as wonderful!
There are some special surprises too but I didn’t want to give anything away.
I so, so need to read this book, after loving both of her others. She is a very talented lady, and I love the way she can capture a character in just a minute space. Excellent review today, Ti.
Loved your review. This book was lovely and absolutely hit the spot for me!!
hmm I haven’t read this author yet. With a name like Bauermeister I won’t soon forget. Thanks for the tip on her books …
I’ll be reading this one soon and can’t wait. Glad it’s not exactly like the first book; those food descriptions just about killed me. I could almost taste and smell the food while I was reading.
I own a copy of The School of Essential Ingredients. I’ve heard great things about it from a lot of bloggers. I read the first story and thought it was good, and then got sidetracked with other books and never made my way back to it. I should pick it up again at some point.
I’m currently reading this one. I adored, absolutely adored, School of Essential Ingredients. This one has not affected me like that one did, but I’m enjoying it nonetheless. Great review!
2 Kids and Tired Books
I adored the first book as well. I agree, this one is not in the adoration category but I loved it as well.
I love it when an author brings back beloved characters and lets readers get to know them even better!
Thanks for being on the tour Ti.
I love that – “a literary treat for the senses.” I’m definitely going to have to pick this one up!
Just looking at the cover wants you to read the book.
anglia wypadek