Alice B. Toklas

Alice B. Toklas (1877-1967) was an American writer and avant-garde figure best known as the life partner of modernist author Gertrude Stein and for publishing The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook, which gained notoriety for including a recipe for hashish brownies. As a central figure in Paris's artistic community during the early 20th century, she helped cultivate relationships with prominent artists and writers including Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Together with Stein, Toklas hosted influential salons at their Paris apartment at 27 rue de Fleurus, where they displayed their extensive collection of modern art and facilitated discussions among the era's leading cultural figures. Their 39-year relationship was immortalized in Stein's book The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, which was actually written by Stein but narrated from Toklas's perspective. After Stein's death in 1946, Toklas published several works of her own, including the aforementioned cookbook and What Is Remembered, her autobiography. She spent her final years in Paris maintaining Stein's legacy and their shared artistic vision, though she struggled financially and lived in relative poverty despite her cultural significance. Born into a middle-class Polish Jewish family in San Francisco, Toklas studied piano at the University of Washington before moving to Paris in 1907 where she met Stein on her first day in the city. The combination of her practical organizational skills and Stein's artistic vision helped establish their salon as a key meeting point for modernist artists and writers in Paris.

Readers focus more on Toklas's role as Gertrude Stein's partner than her own writing, with many viewing her cookbook/memoir as a window into their shared life in Paris. Her writing style draws comparisons to a chatty hostess sharing recipes and gossip. Readers appreciate: - Her casual, conversational tone - Behind-the-scenes glimpses of artists like Picasso and Hemingway - Authentic recipes from 1920s Paris - Her subtle humor and commentary on social life Common criticisms: - Recipes lack precise measurements and instructions - Some find her voice pretentious - Too much focus on name-dropping celebrities - Unclear distinction between memoir and cookbook Ratings: Goodreads: The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook - 3.9/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (120+ ratings) One reader notes: "Reading this is like having tea with your eccentric great-aunt who knew everyone worth knowing in Paris." Another complains: "The recipes are impossible to follow without prior cooking knowledge."

The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book (1954) A collection of recipes and memories combining French cuisine with personal anecdotes about life in Paris, including the infamous "Haschich Fudge" recipe that sparked controversy.

What Is Remembered (1963) An autobiography covering Toklas's life from her San Francisco childhood through her years in Paris with Gertrude Stein, ending with Stein's death in 1946.

Aromas and Flavors of Past and Present (1958) A cookbook featuring detailed recipes and cooking instructions with commentary from Toklas's personal experiences in French cuisine, edited by Poppy Cannon.

Gertrude Stein - Her experimental writing style and autobiographical works share intimate details of the same Paris art scene and relationship that Toklas wrote about. Her work The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas provides the complementary perspective to Toklas's own writings.

M.F.K. Fisher - Her food writing merged memoir, culture, and recipes in ways similar to Toklas's cookbook. Fisher's work focuses on life in France and the connection between food and memory, paralleling Toklas's experiences.

Janet Flanner - As Paris correspondent for The New Yorker, she documented the same artistic and literary circles that Toklas inhabited. Her collected letters and journalism provide firsthand accounts of Paris modernist culture from 1925 to 1975.

Elizabeth David - Her cookbooks combine Mediterranean recipes with cultural observations and personal narratives like Toklas's work. David brought French cooking techniques to English-speaking audiences while providing historical context.

Julia Child - She translated French cuisine for American audiences while incorporating personal stories about life in Paris. Child's memoir My Life in France documents her experiences in post-war Paris's food culture, providing a later perspective on the cooking culture Toklas wrote about.