Delancey: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage

I first became a fan of Orangette when I was in college, around 2009 or so. I loved her style of writing, and her simple, yummy recipes. She writes with heart and she writes in a very conversational tone. I read her other book a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it sooo much. This one I enjoyed, but not as much as that book. I think I enjoyed this book because it was written by Molly, and I’m already sort of partial to her writing and recipes. So, first and foremost, if you enjoy the Orangette blog or the “A Homemade Life,” you might enjoy this book. Secondly, if you’re really into pizza—and I really REALLY—as in you’re interested in the mechanics behind opening your own pizzeria and all that goes into it, I think you might also enjoy this book. But otherwise, I’m not sure if the typical reader who has never heard of Molly would be too into it. Sure, Molly is a fantastic writer, and she’s very personable, but the book itself doesn’t seem to have much heart like the previous book. It delves into the marital issues and into the nitty gritty of the restaurant, dipping into things but never really fleshing them out. I’m guessing this is due to it being of a personal nature.Molly touches in the book about the lack of recipes, because it sort of morphs into this on its own, even surprising her. But there really is a super limited run of them. I would have appreciated more recipes associated with the pizza-making experience, even if very little other recipes were given. Most of the recipes (and again, Molly touches on this in the beginning) were simple in nature and often something a friend would make for them, because there simply wasn’t a lot of time while running around trying to open the restaurant. I understand if you don’t want to give us a dough recipe, but something like a cheese recipe or maybe even a poor man’s pizza might have been fun additions, or maybe even more of Brandon’s recipes, since the moon centers around him.All in all, I liked it, and I can only hope that Molly plans on eventually writing a true blue cookbook at some point in the future. I would buy that in an instant.

I will add two things that I’ve learned from this book, and I think that everyone who read this book will probably learn the same, and that is:1). Working hard and give as much as you can to succeed with your idea. Work has always been thing that pays out; for someone it’s more, for other is less, but one thing is sure that it always pays out. And that what Brandon and Molly did, they overcome everything that was pulling them back.2). Importance of having the right partner is crucial, not only for business, but in life, marriage. We all know that two horses are pulling the carriage, and if one of that two horses stall and doesn’t want to pull the carriage the other one will spend and his energy much sooner. I know that using this kind of example for someone might not be appropriate, but it’s like that. When two people get together in life, and have similar goals, and desire to succeed, they will get through every obstacle on their road.And this book could be used as a good life lesson. If you are not in food and serving industry, majority of the book will be confusing for you. But I think everyone could learn these two things that I’ve mentioned above.You can read full review of this book on my Blog: imeducatingmyself.com/delancey-a-man-a-woman-a-restaurant-a-marriage-by-molly-wizenberg-book-review/

I will admit that after reading Wizenberg's first book I was a bit disappointed -- I did feel like it was a lot of rehashing from her blog, with flashes of how good it could have been when she delved deeper. I didn't think I'd buy 'Delancey' but, well, I couldn't help but want to see how her next effort turned out! I must say that I was pleasantly surprised; this sounds terrible maybe, but I didn't have the highest of expectations and I am happy to be proved wrong. Her writing is tighter, her tone wiser and somehow more edgy -- in a good way. I have always been a fan of orangette, and I feel like the work she does on her blog really carries through here ... the sense of humor is better, the honesty is more in-your-face (again in a good way). I disagree with the idea that reading her blog is all you need to know about the story of Delancey; there are so many more details and insights in the book that she didn't share on the blog, and it keeps the book humming along. I don't know if the recipes necessarily enticed me but after all this is not a cookbook but a memoir and I will definitely recommend it to all and sundry.

In a recent issue of Coastal Living I'm going over the suggested summer reads and come across Delancey: A Man.....etc. Wait, wait, wait, back up the truck... I think I've dined at a delightful little pizza (and so much more) restuarant in Seattle by the same name, literally around the corner from my son's apartment in Ballard. Could it be? Why yes, it was. It's always interesting to read the inner workings of places I frequent but know little about. I knew nothing about how a restuarant works. Molly takes the reader from the concept, through the execution, and beyond; revealing vibrant characters, and the interesting personalities that make up the industry. The genius of Delancey, isn't the good writing or the framing of the story- the restuarant business. A fair and honest portrait of a young couple building a life together is what makes this book so great. Oh, and I forgot about the recipes Molly slipped in! Can't wait to try them, in fact, planning on making the spicy shrimp tonight. I love happy endings and hope they keep making delicious pizzas for years to come. Next time I'm in Seattle I'm considering settling at one of their tables, and later hanging the bar to wait for an autograph. If I can only figure out a way to have Molly sign my e-reader.

I love Molly , the way she writes , the way she expressed love and loss in A homemade life , I immediately rushed to purchase Delancey , another great memoir , I was excited , what could be better , I love pizza too . This is a boring book .... Brandon said , Brandon ate pizza , Brandon made a dough .... This is a business book not a food book . I did not find love or passionate expression here , just some dry crisp words about how or how not to open a business .

Such an intimate story, told beautifully. Can't wait to read her other books and to go and find the blog that started it all.

Honest memoir of the experience of one couple opening and running a restaurant, if you have read Molly's first book or you follow her blog, Orangette then this is a must read, if not its a complete story in itself.

Too short, and needed a lot more detail. Too slurred over, and think it could of been better by spending more time at that writing process. The restaurant life is dreadfully hard, and this could of been a terrific book. It seemed like the author was afraid of revealing too much of her life, and I don't mean intimate, I mean little details that spices things up a bit, and gives the reader more in depth of the restaurant world. I am sure there are experiences that happened that would give everyone a laugh, and the close encounters that send you in suspense. In short, it appeared it was written in one heck of a hurry, and it shows.

The restaurant business is tough! We have read it from chefs such as Anthony Bourdain and other very seasoned cooks with big arms and a lot of tattoos. But what happens when a musician and a food blogger/writer decide to open a pizzeria?Delancey takes us into the hand wringing, the dust (wether it be from construction or flour), the highs and the lows of the process.Molly's writes (yes, we are on a first name basis, that is how much I relate to her writing) at such a human scale, you cannot help but being completely drawn into the experience.Intertwined with a more eclectic mix of recipes than in her first memoir, Delancey reads like your best friend's diary. I really just wanted to tell Molly: "it's ok! Hang in there! I know how you feel!"A must read.