My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur [Hardcover]

I have just finished feasting, and am still savoring tasteful images and recipes from the most breathtakingly beautiful "cook book" I've ever read. Perhaps it is because it is so much more than food that is displayed here. Romney Steele has preserved the unique legacy of precious photos, of long forgotten places and faces, of people I have known and loved personally, all bound together in an elegant treasure chest she calls, "My Nepenthe".

Romney (known as Nani) Steel has crafted a lovely monument of history, rendered in the simple language of reverie, that explores her family's roots, and how visionary people brought the gift of Nepenthe to Big Sur and the world. Nepenthe (no sorrow) is an architectural wonder of a restaurant with an unrivaled view of the coast that has become a world-class tourist must-see place during its 60 year history. People still come to look, to wonder, to drink deeply of the beauty, to dine and to dance on its moon-washed balcony overlooking the ocean. Visitors in the past might have been treated to a fashion parade from the Phoenix Boutique, or to an impromptu folk dance. There are those who would line the stone bleachers festooned with pillows, sipping martinis,watching from a distance the fire dancing in the huge fire pit, or the Fire dancers, and belly dancers who often came to grace the gleaming red-stained dance floor. In the sparkling summer days brightly colored umbrellas shade the diners as they enjoy a classic house specialty called "ambrosia" burgers served with homemade french fries, a bean salad, and fine local wines, creating a French Riviera atmosphere.
Last year Nepenthe withstood the most devastating fire ever to sweep through the Ventana wilderness area. Nani's cousin Kirk, Nepenthe's manager, and staff had to beat back the burning embers from the roof and outlying timbers for one whole night, as the blaze threatened to destroy the inheritance of his beloved grandparents. It remains a place deeply loved and revered by local residents, famed for the overarching hospitality of the owners, Bill and Lolly Fassett, Nani's grandparents. Their original home, called the "log cabin" still sits above the restaurant,and is now home to Erin Gafill and her husband Tom Birmingham.
Nani's book strikingly displays well-photographed food dishes, and their storied recipes right from her grandmother Lolly's table. She has learned one of the great secrets of any kitchen, that the presentation of food is as important as its flavor, and has skillfully woven the food, the fame and the fable that is Nepenthe into an artistic fabric. It is as complex and colorful as any of her Uncle Kaffe Fassett's tapestries, and as hauntingly beautiful as any of her cousin Erin's paintings. Nani's family have each contributed works of art to create a lovely window display, featuring her book, at the Phoenix Gift Shop just below Nepenthe.
She has lovingly traced her family's history and drawn a fascinating story of how these early bohemian, avante-garde pioneers in the art world helped to nurture Lolly's vision, and shape the dream of Nepenthe into a reality.
Nani has called this Kingdom, where she grew up under the loving eyes and smile of Lolly her grandmother, MY NEPENTHE. In a sense she has laid claim to it like no other descendant has, but not selfishly. She has put it on display, like the work of art that it is, for the delight of all her family and friends. Now we may all marvel and partake of its unique beauty.

This exceptionally entertaining and absorbing family biography is almost a time machine. It takes you back to the glory years of Nepenthe--the world-famous restaurant perched on the ocean cliffs off Highway 1 in California's rugged Big Sur region--and makes you feel as if you were actually there in the 50's, 60's, 70's, and all the decades up to the present day.

The restaurant, founded in 1949 and still operated by the amazing Fassett family, was an early center of coastal California Bohemian culture, visited by Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, Richard Brautigan, Man Ray, Anais Nin, Dylan Thomas, Steve McQueen, Kim Novak, Clint Eastwood, and many other actors, authors, artists, and photographers. The book, presented as an annotated family scrapbook and recipe book, is copiously illustrated with photos of "ordinary" family life in Big Sur; of family weddings, fashion shows, art shows, and other events celebrated at Nepenthe; and of daily dining and dancing at the restaurant and its smaller cousin, Cafe Kevah.

One photo of Holly Fassett in a long Bill Gibb dress (on page 102) has been reprinted so often--in chronicles of the hippie culture, if memory serves me--that I was amazed to learn that the identity of the lovely young woman was actually known. The book also includes special sections devoted to the movie THE SANDPIPERS, which was filmed at Big Sur and Nepenthe.

There are many, many wonderful Nepenthe recipes included. They seem almost too simple to have come from such an expensive restaurant, but their very simplicity makes them practical and accessible to anyone who cooks. My favorite recipe is for a thick sandwich--one synonymous with California, in my mind--that is put together of black bread, a generous amount of cream cheese, raisins, and a layer of walnuts, with chopped dates tossed in if you happen to have some on hand. The food photos accompanying the recipes make your mouth water.

Knitters will enjoy this book because of the photos of adolescent Kaffe Fassett, who is the son of Nepenthe founders Bill and Lolly Fassett, and who grew up in Big Sur. Included are a few photos of Kaffe's knitting as displayed at Nepenthe; and there are scattered bits of inside family information on "Uncle Kaffe", as recalled by author/niece Romney Steele. The book reveals that it was Alice Russell, the manager of Nepenthe's Phoenix Shop, who actually taught Kaffe to knit on his historic train ride home from a Scottish woolen mill. Handknits from selected Kaffe Fassett designs are still sold at the Phoenix Shop today.

This is a sumptuous book, in every respect. It is beautiful to look at, and it succeeds in providing a truly intimate view of the Fassett family, Nepenthe, Big Sur, and the California coastal culture that existed in the second half of the last century.

It is rare for me to buy a cookbook for anything other than the recipes, but I must admit to having such good memories of time spent at Nepenthe that I couldn't resist. And as that was the rationalization, I couldn't be more delighted with this gorgeous coffee table book which is so much more than just a collection of recipes.

For those who don't know, Nepenthe is a renowned restaurant that opened in Big Sur back in 1949. It's set in one of the most naturally stunning locations on the planet and has a fascinating history which is fully documented by author Romney Steele, the granddaughter of the restaurant's original owners. She does an excellent job relating the history of Nepenthe as a business, as a destination, and as it intersects with her family history. The story is more interesting than you might guess. The place has seen a lot of people and a lot of events in the past 60 years.

In addition to documenting the history of Nepenthe in words, this over-sized book is chock full of the most magnificent photographs of the people, the surroundings, and--oh yeah--the food.

The book contains nearly 100 recipes from the family and the restaurant. For me, the book worked slightly better as a whole than strictly as a cookbook. The recipes aren't really organized in any way, and they're a somewhat random selection. There's a little of this and a little of that, but if you're looking for something specific, you won't necessarily find it here. More, it's like a book you'll read, and you just might discover a gem inside like Chile Custards with Salsa Fresca or Nepenthe's Triple Berry Pie.

A bonus: after reading this book and the included recipes, you may feel compelled to visit the restaurant. I haven't been in a few years, but I can't wait to return with a new appreciation of this Northern California institution.