Written almost entirely in letters, Love & Saffron follows two women in 1960s America - a 27-year-old aspiring food writer in Los Angeles and a 59-year-old Pacific Northwest food columnist and homemaker -
as they discover that food really does connect us all, and that friendship and laughter can bond us for life.'I wanted to go on reading it forever' Nigella Lawson
Two strangers. One recipe. A friendship for the ages.
Creamy risotto alla Milanese. Mussels in a hot, buttery broth. Chicken spiced with cinnamon and cloves. Joan Bergstrom and Imogen Fortier understand the key to a savoured life: delicious food.
Young Joan is just discovering herself as a food writer in bustling Los Angeles, while experienced magazine columnist Imogen is settled in her decades-long marriage on Camano Island outside Seattle. When Joan sends a fan letter to Imogen, alongside a gift of saffron and a recipe, their journey of culinary exploration and life-changing friendship begins.
A long-lost flavour unearths buried memories, a quest to make carne asada opens the doors of a sheltered life, and, as the two women connect through their letters, they build a closeness that sustains them through the unexpected changes in their own worlds.
'Like a dinner with friends you won't want to end' J. Ryan Stradal
'Warm, delicious, and absolutely satisfying' Meg Waite Clayton
'You'll want to share it with everyone you call friend' Louise Miller
I wanted to go on reading it forever - Nigella Lawson
Part historical fiction, part friendship saga, and part carnival for the senses, Love & Saffron isn't just for food lovers -- it's an ode to risk-takers, trailblazers, and the chefs in all of us. With lush descriptions of food and a resonant historical setting, Love & Saffron is a sweet, savory, and emotional pleasure. It's like a dinner with friends you won't want to end. - J. Ryan Stradal, author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest
In an age when we're barraged with Twitter blow-ups, pandemic deaths, and political discourse of the most uncivil kind, Love & Saffron is as refreshing as watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean, with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a bowl of garlicky clams at your elbow. Kim Fay convincingly recreates a charming and civil world, and a touching friendship, in a period piece that will restore you to your kinder, gentler self. - Richard C. Morais, author of The Hundred Foot Journey
Love & Saffron is simply a delight. In letters between two women-strangers, at first, but ultimately best friends -- in 1963, Kim Fay reveals how a love of food can open doors into culture, history, homes, and love. Indulge yourself in the world of Joan and Immy, preferably with some quesadillas or mussels in wine and saffron by your side. - Ann Hood, author of The Knitting Circle
Fay's brilliant novel explores the magic of food and how one letter with a special ingredient can forge the unlikeliest of friendships -- awakening the taste buds of life, meaningful friendships, and love along the way. A table! Savor this story one delicious and heartwarming page at a time. - Samantha Verant, author of The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux and Sophie Valroux s Paris Stars
Love & Saffron is a gift, a poignant and moving gift, to food and to friendship. This book transports us back to the lives and kitchens of two women from different generations and different places in the Sixties. Through the exchange of letters, confidences, recipes and, yes, saffron, a deep relationship evolves for both the characters and readers. Imagine taking a stroll through a critical time in American cuisine through the eyes and palates of two great friends. I loved this lovely book. Pour yourself a glass of Chablis and drink in Love & Saffron. - Lian Dolan, author of The Sweeney Sisters and Helen of Pasadena