Nothing says romance like food porn in Milwaukee: The Coincidence of Coconut Cake, by Amy Reichert

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

Amy E. Reichert

Gallery Books, 2015

9781501100710

Oh hey you guys. Sorry I disappeared for most of this year so far. Please allow me to introduce you to a book (and recipe) that I sometimes wish there were more like: a pseudo-realistic contemporary romance novel about food with plausible things happening to plausible people and just enough shenanigans to remain in the trope.  Did you get that?  A sort of realistic romance novel...about FOOD.  Not to be trite, but the publisher had me at hello.  It was no coincidence that this part time lover of smutty books and full time lover of food was  going to make a love match with this hot ticket, The Coincidence of Coconut Cake.

Here is my rough summary:

On the day she catches her cheating boyfriend at it, a down on her luck Milwaukee chef gets a bad review by a snarky Brit food critic (ten points to Gryffindor already), who then falls for her after a chance encounter over beers at a bar leads to Lou giving Al a tour of the city's best eateries and breweries.  Al pieces together who Lou is, but Lou has no idea that Al is the critic who single handedly caused her restaurant to fold, which gets increasingly more complicated when feelings start to develop...but what could go wrong in the land of milk, honey, beer, and cheese?  

Here is the publisher’s way better jacket flap:

52 Le Creuset (Un amour interdit!)

Several years ago, I entered a long term, committed relationship. My love is Dutch by way of France. Our love is hot, heavy, and durable. We first met online, but things got serious when we bumped into each other at the mall. "Oh heyyyy hot stuff," said I. Things escalated quickly thereafter. We took the plunge on Christmas morning 2008 in a frenzy of gift bows and wrapping paper, and we've never looked back.

I think you're ready to be introduced to my boy, Blue:

You're my boy, Blue!


Earlier this week, cooped up and feeling craftsy during my snow day, an idea of sheer genius struck me like the hammer of Thor. What if Blue and I were to take our love to new levels of heat and passion? What if we were to do it on the stovetop AND in the oven? What if we were to do it 52 times in one calendar year? Would our love grow? Would we try all new recipes for culinary and gastronomic love? Would food porn ensue?
Yes, to all of the above. I will use Blue 52 times to make 52 different recipes. IN ONE YEAR.** Bring it!

Thus begins the 52 Le Creuset challenge.*


*It sounds like a fancy restaurant, right? Except it is not! Tricked you! You have my guarantee that many of these recipes will, in fact, be totally less than classy (ie. lots o'cheese, and a strong chance of booze).
** Rules: Each recipe counts only once; there must be 52 total recipes, but they do not need to occur once a week; recipes may use both stovetop and oven; recipes will be both vegetarian and filled with meat and cheese; even failure recipes will count; both Blue and his little brother (kind of like Barbie and Scooter) count; year and challenge end at midnight 12/31/2011 (obvi) EST.