There is that romanticized idea of what a bookstore can be, what a library can be, what a shop can be. And to me, they are that. These are places that open doors into other worlds if only you're open to them.

Laos is a country where everything is eaten. When I came back, I would find myself chopping parsley and thinking: 'Why am I throwing these stems away? They're perfectly edible.'

I learned so much in Laos. I learned that fried silkworm larvae are delicious. I learned how to make ant-egg salad.

Ruth Reichl Quotes