Image courtesy of amazon.com

Continuing my sporadic books-for-foodies book club, I present Erica Bauermeister’s “The School of Essential Ingredients.”

Can food spark a memory? That’s the theme of Bauermeister’s book.

This fun read follows the loves of eight students who meet at Lillian’s Restaurant every Monday for cooking class. The lineup includes Claire, a young mother struggling to reclaim her identity outside of motherhood; long-time couple Carl and Helen, whose perfect marriage isn’t always truthful; and Tom, who is still mourning the loss of his wife.

Each character has a chapter in the book, which reads like a stand-alone story, but is still part of the bigger tale. As classes progress, the students learn more about who they were and what they can be. As their skills in the kitchen increases, so does their willingness to open themselves to life.