Chapters 1 & 2 Summary and Analysis

Tender at the Bone is the memoir of Ruth Reichl. It traces her development from a precocious two year old to a professional chef, restaurant critic for the New York Times and editor of Gourmet Magazine. Along the way, young Ruth addresses issues including her mother's needy, irrational behavior due to bipolar disorder and her father's passivity. She uses every tool in the kitchen to save herself from their insanity and create wonderful meals for her friends.

In The Queen of Mold, Ruth's mother fancies herself a marvelous cook, and often throws dinner parties. However, she has the disconcerting habit of serving odd concoctions of food that are past their prime or even moldy. Twelve-year-old Ruth is especially concerned when her mother throws an engagement party for Ruth's older brother, Bob. She invites hundreds of people and makes the party a...