The Bombay Circle Press is back with a reading list for summer. This time, we are looking at books where food is more than just a meal, it shapes stories, carries emotions, and sometimes even solves a murder. Get comfortable, grab a snack, and dig in.
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak
This novel follows Asya, a young Turkish woman, and her Armenian-American cousin Armanoush, who travels to Istanbul to understand her roots. At its heart, the book is about family secrets and the long shadow of the Armenian genocide.
Food is woven into every page. Dolma, pilaf, walnut jam, cherry preserves, and street vendors calling out figs and tangerines; Shafak uses these to bring Istanbul alive. Each chapter is named after an ingredient of Ashure, a traditional Turkish dessert associated with celebration and remembrance. It is a clever, meaningful choice.
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
A staple on every food fiction list, and for good reason. Tita De La Garza is the youngest daughter in a Mexican family, forbidden from marrying the man she loves. Unable to express her feelings any other way, she pours them into her cooking and her emotions literally pass into anyone who eats her food.
Every chapter opens with a recipe, and the writing moves beautifully between kitchens, dining rooms, and memory. The world of the novel is rich with magic, faith, and hardship. Even if Mexican food feels unfamiliar to you, the story is deeply human and the writing is masterful.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Gourmet cook Manako Kajii is sitting in a Tokyo detention centre, convicted of seducing and murdering lonely businessmen with her cooking. She refuses to speak to anyone until journalist Rika Machida writes asking for her beef stew recipe. What follows is an unusual relationship that blurs the line between interview and masterclass.
As Rika visits Kajii week after week, she starts to change in ways she did not expect. The book is a slow, rich read about food, femininity, and what it means to take up space. Inspired by a real Tokyo case, it is one of those novels that lingers well after the last page.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
On the eve of her ninth birthday, Rose bites into her mother’s homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she can taste emotions in food. Her mother’s cake, made with love, tastes of despair. From that moment on, every meal becomes a window into someone else’s hidden life.
It is a quiet, strange and moving book. As Rose grows up, she learns to live with her gift and slowly realises that there are things even her taste buds cannot reveal. If you enjoy magical realism with emotional depth, this one is not to be missed.
Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors by Lizzie Collingham
This is the one non-fiction pick on the list, and it earns its place. Collingham traces the history of Indian food from the Mughal courts to the British Raj and all the way to the curry houses of Britain. Each chapter is built around a dish, from biryani to vindaloo to korma to chai and the story behind how it came to be.
What makes this book so readable is how it connects food to history, trade, and power without ever feeling like a textbook. Recipes are included throughout. If you have ever wondered why chicken tikka masala exists, this book has the answer.
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