The FORTIETH anniversary of Heartburn, books vs. movies, and missing and remembering Nora
Nora Ephron’s novel Heartburn is now, astonishingly, marking its fortieth anniversary, and to celebrate, we invited her sister, Delia, a successful writer in her own right — her most recent book is Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life, about her leukemia diagnosis and subsequent happy recovery and new love — to come on Food with Mark Bittman.
Heartburn is a book that I might even call one-of-a-kind; not only is it that good, but it’s a novel about infidelity, and heartbreak, and other things that aren’t happy, but it still reads as funny and even joyful at times. I reread it two weeks ago in preparation for our interview with Delia, and I just could not believe how well it has held up.
“For Nora, food was an expression of every feeling you could have in the world. Her life was very bound up with food.” — Delia Ephron
But Nora Ephron was nothing if not worthy of all the hype that came to her. Sleepless in Seattle, andWhen Harry Met Sally? Come on. And, with Delia, one of her three sisters, Nora wrote You’ve Got Mail and Mixed Nuts.
Kate and I were so thrilled that Delia accepted our invitation to come on the podcast to talk about Heartburn, and many of Delia’s and Nora’s other accomplishments, and New York, and lots of food, of course, and sibling relationships, and how much she loved her sister. She was a joy to talk to.
Thank you for listening. The recipes featured on today’s episode, for Rachel’s vinaigrette, and for lima beans and pears, are below.
Follow Food with Mark Bittman on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Pocket Casts | Amazon Music
Rachel Samstat’s Vinaigrette
Mix two tablespoons Grey Poupon mustard with two tablespoons good red wine vinegar. Then, whisking constantly with a fork, slowly add 6 tablespoons olive oil, until the vinaigrette is thick and creamy; this makes a very strong vinaigrette that’s perfect for salad greens like arugula and watercress and endive.
— Recipe from Heartburn
Lima Beans and Pears a la Heartburn
Take 6 cups defrosted lima beans, 6 pears peeled and cut into slices, ½ cup molasses, ½ cup chicken stock, ½ onion chopped, put into a heavy casserole, cover and bake 12 hours at 200°.
— Recipe from Heartburn
Comment