A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words, although it’s clear that “they” haven’t read some of the words I’ve read describing food in breathtaking, drool-inducing detail.

The only thing nicer than reading about food in a book is reading about food whilst snacking. As a girl I’d arrive at meals with my nose in a book, and it was often taken away from me as I was forced to interact with my family and talk about my day when I would rather be reading. Now that I’m older, and living on my own, there is absolutely nobody to stop me from eating meals with my nose stuck in a book. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement; the process of eating whilst reading enhances not only the meal, but also the book.

I’ve wanted to write about why certain passages and descriptions of food in literature have stayed with me through the years; I often go back to those books and linger over its pages, marinating in the words with immense pleasure. It is joyous for me to share some of these with you, and I hope that they will melt in your collective consciousness as easily as a marshmallow would melt in your mouths.

Read the rest here.