The Kitchen and the Studio by Mallory M. and John A. O’Connor

The Kitchen and the Studio: A Memoir of Food and Art by Mallory M. and John A. O’Connor is a unique take on the memoir – a life told not just through words, but also through paintings, photos, and recipes, for an enchanting combination of media. The O’Connors share their original journey across the years and places of their lives, punctuated by artwork by themselves or their friends, and by recipes taken from a moment or incident at a specific point in their enduring story.

Mallory “Mal” O’Connor narrates the book, covering her early life on a California ranch in the forties, an upbringing that would first introduce her not only to the joys of music and books, but also of good food. She met young artist John O’Connor at UC Davis in 1962 and they began their far-flung journey “living the artist’s life,” which took them through the decades across states and countries, through triumph and tragedy, and more than a few exceptional meals.

The book would not be nearly as effective without the cumulative effect of the artwork and the recipes. The artwork is varied from still lifes to abstract pieces, with a common throughline of natural settings, using splashes of expressive color. The recipes are a shade less inspiring, but this is not intended to be a traditional cookbook, but rather a perusal of a couple’s life through food (for instance, “First-date dinner”), giving a much more vivid window into each experience. It’s not often that you can nearly taste a book while you’re reading it, but this framework is surprisingly effective, reminding us how important food is to everyday life and major experiences.

Accessibly written with humor and tenderness, The Kitchen and the Studio is an exceptional autobiography of a couple in constant search of art in every aspect of their lives, which gives plenty to delight the senses.