This is part of my Summer Reads series where I’ll be sharing book recommendations – a series of “not just cookbooks”.
Have you ever hosted a “high stakes” dinner party? Where the guest of honour is somebody famous who you admire? If so, what did you serve? I mean, what DO you serve at such a dinner?
Leslie Karst got the opportunity to find out when she (semi) jokingly suggests that she cook dinner for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) if she accepts Karsts’s father’s invitation to speak at the university where he lectures. Not only does RBG accept the speaking invitation, but she also accepts Karst’s dinner invitation. Karst is shocked but springs into action trying to figure out what on earth she will cook. Luckily she has nine months to work on the perfect menu. Justice is Served is the story of those nine months.
From the publisher:
When Leslie Karst learned that her offer to cook dinner for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her renowned tax law professor husband, Marty, had been accepted, she was thrilled—and terrified. A small-town lawyer who hated her job and had taken up cooking as a way to add a bit of spice to the daily grind of pumping out billable hours, Karst had never before thrown such a high-stakes dinner party. Could she really pull this off?
Justice is Served is Karst’s light-hearted, earnest account of the journey this unexpected challenge launched her on—starting with a trip to Paris for culinary inspiration, and ending with the dinner itself. Along the way, she imparts details of Ginsburg’s transformation from a young Jewish girl from Flatbush, Brooklyn, to one of the most celebrated Supreme Court justices in our nation’s history, and shares recipes for the mouthwatering dishes she came up with as she prepared for the big night. But this memoir isn’t simply a tale of prepping for and cooking dinner for the famous RBG; it’s also about how this event, and all the planning and preparation that went into it, created a new sort of connection between Karst, her partner, and her parents, and also inspired Karst to make life changes that would reverberate far beyond one dinner party. A heartfelt story of simultaneously searching for delicious recipes and purpose in life, Justice is Served is an inspiring reminder that it’s never too late to discover—and follow—your deepest passion.
I devoured this book (no pun intended) – part foodie memoir and part soul-searching journey, interspersed with facts about RBG’s life and career – over the course of a couple of days. The rich descriptions of foods contemplated and tested, as Karst searches for the perfect dishes for her high-stakes menu, will keep the interest of those who love food (I’m thinking that for someone who is not as interested in food might find the nine months’ worth of “research” might not hold their attention as it did mine!). The “research” involves time in Paris where Karst and her partner, Robin, scope out some potential dishes to serve – in fact, the entire leadup to the dinner every meal or trip to the store is part of the research/ planning. Karst isn’t enamoured with her job (in civil law) so this serves as a good distraction and ultimately, helps her shift her career focus to writing (she has since written a series of mystery novels as well as Justice is Served).
I do admit to starting to feel a little of Karst’s anxiety as the dinner got closer and closer (though in the back of my mind, I was convinced it would all turn out wonderfully and that RBG and her husband would be perfect, gracious guests which they were), I felt invested in this dinner too by the time it finally was time for it! As well as planning the menu, there are other things to consider such as wine pairings, glassware, and tableware – Karst’s mother and Robin help with these tasks. For context, 13 out of the 15 chapters involve the leadup to the actual dinner, so many decisions (often minute ones you feel might not matter but that Karst does – matte plates vs. shiny ones?) and so much experimenting (so much squash at one point, experimenting with a soup for the dinner).
This is a delightful read that will leave you hungry and/ or wanting to plan a dinner party of your own.
(and yes, Karst includes recipes for all the dishes that made the dinner in the book so you can recreate them!)
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Disclosure: I was provided with a digital advance copy of this book by the publisher. I was not asked to review the book and am not receiving any compensation for doing so. Neither the author nor the publisher reviewed this post prior to publication. All opinions are my own.
Buy Justice is Served on Amazon (this affiliate link should bring you to the Amazon store in, or closest to, your country).
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Buy my books! In the French kitchen with kids and French Food for Everyone: le goûter (after school snacks), le dîner (dinner) and le petit déjeuner (breakfast) are out now! Click here for details and how to order!
Ah, the angst of wanting to be the perfect host. Nice idea for a book though.