The oysters they ate together the first night in their new city. The chicken Milanese she learned to cook after weight-loss surgery. The cassoulet that both anchors and rebuilds their crumbling marriage. <br><br>From the $6 peach to boxed macaroni and cheese, food is never just about what we eat. It is the fuel for our life stories.<i> The Cassoulet Saved Our Marriage</i> is an anthology of original essays about how we learn (and relearn) to eat, and how pivotal food is beyond the table. Without mantras or manifestos, twenty-nine writers serve up sharp, sweet, and candid memories; salty irreverence; and delicious original recipes. <br><br>You will recognize yourself in these stories. These writers, journalists, and chefs are also parents, husbands, wives, children, and caregivers—just like us. They let you see behind the scenes into the kitchens (and shopping carts) of real American families. With crisp honesty, they articulate for us how food—in our culture, in our lives, and in our families—is sometimes as simple as a pasta sauce, or as complex as cassoulet. The true gift of these essays is that they give voice to our own innermost thoughts and questions. Who hasn't considered the ethics of not eating meat, or eating meat again? We all mull over fat, calories, GMOs, and whether to shop at big-box stores or farmers' markets. We celebrate and grieve with food, and we wonder what to do when food becomes the enemy. With reassuring candor, these writers show that it's never too late—and easier than we think—to change what we serve on our tables every day. <br><br>Essays include: <br> <br> • "Talk with Your Mouth Full": Catherine Newman describes the exquisite pleasure of dinner conversation—with the kids. <br> • "A Case for Soul Food": Deesha Philyaw wonders how—and whether—she will pass along her family's heritage. <br> • "One Bite at a Time": Elrena Evans confronts her own history of eating disorders when her toddler refuses to eat solid food. <br> <br> <br><br>The contributors are Keith Blanchard, Max Brooks, Melissa Clark, Elizabeth Crane, Aleksandra Crapanzano, Gregory Dicum, Elrena Evans, Jeff Gordinier, Caroline Grant, Phyllis Grant, Libby Gruner, Lisa Harper, Deborah Copaken Kogan and Paul Kogan, Jen Larsen, Edward Lewine, Chris Malcomb, Lisa McNamara, Dani Klein Modisett, Catherine Newman, Thomas Peele, Deesha Philyaw, Neal Pollack, Barbara Rushkoff, Bethany Saltman, K. G. Schneider, Sarah Shey, Stacie Stukin, and Karen Valby.