Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

To get it out of the way, I'm a fan of Amy Bruni and her show <i>Kindred Spirits</i>. I read her paranormal-themed memoir when it first came out.

Right off the bat, the interior design and food photography were amazing. I loved the style and it complemented the book's contents.

The book was part cookbook and part historical lesson. I'm a sucker for macabre history and I liked that there was a mix of popular and not-so-popular locations.

A side note that I really liked is that when an indigenous tribe was referenced, the tribe's name was given. There was an instance of one time where this didn't happen, but in context it made sense. (I didn't note where or when in the book this happened, but I understood why it was written that way.)

With each new chapter and before the locations are discussed, there's a little "introduction" bit. Within this introduction are really stunning photographs, however, there aren't any captions. I think it would have been great to include captions so the reader knows where certain locations are. For example, a chapter opening showed a beautiful home and Bruni discusses a home. I immediately thought the two were connected; they weren't. Instead, the photograph was Twain's house (memory's fuzzy) which most definitely wasn't the house from the text.

The recipes are pretty basic which is weird for a cookbook but also intriguing. I don't know how many times I've looked at a recipe in a cookbook and wondered why everything had to be so difficult.

I wish there had been a one-page conclusion to wrap up everything because it ended quite abruptly. Thankfully, in the back, there was a themed menu, recipes by course, and an extensive bibliography.

Many of the most famous haunted places are or were hotels, prisons, or asylums and had some kind of food service associated with them, so it does seem logical to package recipes and ghost stories together, as this book does. And one of the things I like best about ghost stories is the different angle on history they often come with; it’s usually the small things that wouldn’t be included in a history book but are still interesting—like the widowed owner of the Mount Washington Hotel marrying a French prince and becoming a princess. So it was really fun to read through the introductions that are in front of each recipe. I actually tried three of the recipes. All of them were from the hotel section (I didn't think hardtack sounded particularly appetizing... or really any of the prison/asylum recipes, so from a practical standpoint, this is less a cookbook and more an 'experience' book), and all of them were pretty good. I particularly liked the potato dijon soup. It was really tasty. Generally, I think this was a fun book. If you like cooking and ghost stories, you could have a fun time making a recipe and eating it while reading the associated ghost story.

Interesting stories, beautiful pictures, recipes that are related to places and stories.
A book that can be appreciated by those interested in paranormal or want to learn some new recipes
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Food to Die For caught my eye immediately when it popped up on my horror releases radar. Sure, I’ve never reviewed a cookbook before, but I do love them. One based on haunted places written by Amy Bruni? I had to check it out. Bruni has decades of experience in the paranormal field, hosting “Kindred Spirits” and being part of the “Ghost Hunters” team. It makes sense Harper Celebrates would work with her for a collection of recipes like this. If by the end of this you want to try your hand at making some yourself, you only have to wait until July 30th.

Now, before I get into the recipes, I want to address the non-cooking part of this book. As I just mentioned, Amy Bruni knows her history. Every single recipe is accompanied by a description of the location, the reported haunting, the story. Even if you don’t cook, it’s a fun book. I had a lot of fun flipping through this while looking for recipes to make. And if you do cook—automatic conversation starter. The organization of the cookbook also lends to this idea, with recipes grouped together around a theme to make a menu. Now, let’s get into the cooking.

First and foremost, I am not a professional chef. But I do cook. A lot. I chose two recipes to try my hand at. First, the “Cripple Creek Crab Cakes” from Cripple Creek, Colorado, because I’m a Marylander and had to choose the crab recipe. Since I needed a side to go with them, I went with “Legendary Potatoes” from the Lighthouse Inn. To tie it all together, I asked my boyfriend for help with the cocktail. The most qualified “chef” in this review, he’s been a bartender for nine years whose current job has him doing some R&D for cocktails. As big King fans, I really just wasn’t trying this cookbook without the recipe from The Stanley Hotel: “The Ghostly Vieux”.

First up, those crab cakes. Now, since they are from Colorado and not Maryland, they don’t have Old Bay in them, which I accepted but it felt wrong. They turned out pretty delicious, but I did have to double the mixture that acted as the binder. Recipe as written, they kind of just fell apart. Another big difference—the serving size. This recipe said it makes four servings. Now, it doesn’t say how many a serving is, but this definitely yielded at least double that. Two crab cakes per person for four nights. Maybe my hands are just small (they are) but I was not complaining about the extra food. Crab is pricey! I do think with the modifications I made, and some different seasoning, I’d definitely make these again.

Now the potatoes, the legendary potatoes. Apparently these potatoes were so popular that the community made sure everyone could cook these when the Inn closed. That’s a beloved recipe. Making the potatoes is about when I said, “I am prepared to order pizza.” I underestimated the transformative power of baking soda. The casserole dish I placed in that oven contained potato soup—and not the “Potato Dijon Soup” from the Copper Queen Hotel. It was potato chunks in cream covered by a floating breadcrumb mixture. And it turned into something delicious. Paranormal and cooking do have an overlap: sometimes you just have to trust the process.

Lastly, the cocktail. I may not have made it, but I did drink it. Of note, I am grateful Bruni did not choose the Redrum Punch, as I do not enjoy rum. And the name is a fun play on words. The recipe is based on both the traditional New Orleans cocktail, The Vieux Carré, and a cocktail from the The Stanley Hotel Whiskey Bar. If I had to guess, I’d say maybe their Dunraven Manhattan. Anyway, I asked my boyfriend what he thought about the recipe from a professional standpoint. The ratio of ingredients was a little odd, but it ended up working out fine. I don’t think it’s something we would make again, though. Case in point, we have not yet had the drink again.

And there you have it, a meal created entirely from the Food to Die For cookbook. We both did not grow tired of the food, even though we ate it four days in a row. The extra information is a lot of fun and provides a new lens to view food history. As long as you have somewhat of a basic knowledge of cooking, the recipes shouldn’t be too difficult to make work. I think this will find a happy—hopefully not haunted—home on many she

Food to Die for is a visually stunning and delightfully unique book that deserves a spot in every library collection (even if staff are uncertain as to whether that spot should be with the cookbooks in 641s or the haunted guides of the 133s). Professional ghost hunter and amateur chef Ami Bruni takes readers on a culinary tour of the haunted kitchens of the United States, blending "how to make this dish" with "how to investigate this haunting" before adding a slice of history and serving with a dash of personal experience.

The photographs of the dishes and locations are stunning, and the diversity of both the historical sites selected and the types of dishes presented is excellent. While there are simple dishes perfect for the new cook there are also more complicated offerings, and even a few "better left untried" recipes that are sure to prompt a few laughs. While the lack of a detailed ingredient index may frustrate serious chefs, the suggested menus and the index of recipes by course should provide sufficient guidance for casual cooks. Readers who are interested more in the haunted history will enjoy the engagingly informative tone and be thrilled to find a well organized bibliography just for them. No matter who picks up this book, it is sure to delight. Thank you to NetGalley for access to this unique arc!

Man, the stories in this book were beyond cool and genuinely very interesting. The pictures were stunning and made me want to take a trip to check out some of the places. I learned things about a few of the haunted places that I didn't know or didn't realize was made up.

My only issue with the book is that some of the recipes were kinda boring. While I realize that it was recipes of the time, I just didn't find myself wanting to make more than maybe a a handful. I guess I expected more delicious sounding recipes from those time periods. Hardtack doesn't interest me and some of the ones from the penitentiaries weren't even things served inside (I realize prison food would be disgusting but still...)

Anyway, I definitely recommend picking the book up even if the recipes aren't something you might enjoy because the stories and pictures made this book amazing.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I happened upon this cookbook due to the interesting cover. Imagine my thrill when I read it was from Ami Bruni! Having watched all of the Kindred Spirits episodes, this was such a gem to find! I liked the pictures and recipes. This is a great addition to any collection!

This was fun! Combining short back stories about legendary locations with recipes that were either made there or inspired by the location, I found this very interesting. I may even make some of the recipes.

I'm loving this mix between haunted history and food! I'm a fan of Amy Bruni from Kindred Spirits, lover of haunted history, and love to cook so this books is perfect for me!

First, my absolute favorite thing about this book is the pictures. They are so gorgeous and haunting. I wish they were prints because I want to hang them up in my kitchen, especially for Halloween. The recipes are unique and intriguing. Not everything is something I'd make as some of the recipes are a bit out there. But the tie in with haunted or macabre history is so intriguing. I like how with each chapter/recipe we get a look in not only the background and history of it but we get Amy Bruni's unique experience with the location. And the location range from prisons to pubs to homes to hospitals. There's something for every type of haunt.

This book is a perfect addition to my kitchen.

** “Food can bring the dead back to life. … All it takes is a whiff of something nostalgic or the taste of something familiar to send your senses and memories into a time warp. One bite can transport you back to memories and places you hadn’t thought of for years.” **

Amy Bruni, known for her roles on paranormal shows “Ghost Hunters” and “Kindred Spirits,” steps back into the literary world with “Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places.”

After getting into how she got into the ghost hunting world (she has her father to thank) and explaining different types of paranormal experiences and tools one can use, she goes through six different types of haunted locations and then shares a recipe connected to that location either through its past or current history. She also shares histories of each location, who might be haunting the location, and its reported hot spots.

Featured locations include:

* Eerie Hotels — including a hotel that inspired Steve Spielberg’s “Poltergeist” and the infamous Stanley Hotel that inspired Stephen King’s “The Shining.” One intriguing recipe was Goober Pea (Peanut) Soup from Gettysburg.

* Horrifying Homes — including the Lizzie Borden House, Villisca Axe Murder House and the Conjuring House. A recipe of note is Ernest Hemingway’s Bloody Mary.

Other-Worldly Watering Holes — including restaurants and bars.

Hair-Raising Historic Landmarks — including ships like the Queen Mary, forts and the Donner Pass. A recipe to note: the White House’s Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake.

Hellish Institutions — including asylums like Waverly Hills Sanatorium, and jails and prisons, like Alcatraz.

Ghoulish Ghost Towns — both mining and religious communities, including the infamous Tombstone, Arizona.

Bruni wraps up the book with a Meals to Die For section, which includes themed feast ideas like A Civil War Feast and Ghost Town Grub, utilizing the recipes found in the book.

Deeply researched, the books does include an extensive bibliography. She does an incredible job of simply yet interestingly sharing the history of a number of legendary haunted locations, while cleverly adding a culinary addition to its story. “Food to Die For: Recipes and Stories from America’s Most Legendary Haunted Places” is also beautifully designed, with color photos, historical photos, and full pages for both the recipe and a full color photo corresponding to each recipe. My only issue was there were no captions for any of the photos.

Fans of the paranormal, Amy Bruni herself, cookbooks and diving into the history of locations will love this book, which comes out July 30.

Five stars out of five.

Harper Celebrate provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

This is a beautiful book. Dark photos, spooky props, classic side by side columns of text.
The recipes are all intriguing. From breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner to cocktails and desserts, this book covers the gamut of recipes from haunted locations across the country.
The stories of each location and what haunts them are very brief yet informative. Entertaining and spooky with a perfect balance between them.
I enjoyed this ebook so much that I pre-ordered the hardcover as soon as I became aware of it.
If you love horror and love to cook, or even just like it a little, this is a fantastic book for you!

A wonderful collection!

If you like the spooky side of life (or more so death), and have a passion for food or cooking - this one is for you.

The images and recipes are well balanced with informative text, it certainly goes beyond a typical cookbook.

Genius idea! Love the mix of lore and food! Beautiful pictures and great stories! Brings travel, stories and cooking to life in a unique way! Loved this book!

Like the title says, the recipes in this amazing book are to DIE for! I loved all of the stories that went along with each recipe. Can’t wait to buy a finished copy.

I always struggle to review cookbooks, but I keep requesting to review them regardless because they are just so gosh darn pretty. Food to Die For really takes it to the next level. Not only is it visually appealing to browse through, but it is PACKED with fun history and themed recipes to go with said history. The recipes have a great range - some are overly simple while others are a bit more involved for a regular home cook. But believe me, after you get done reading the background of the recipe, you'll be dying to re-create it yourself. This will make the perfect gift for any cook obsessed with paranormal stories throughout time. I already have my copy pre-ordered!

AHHH! What a fun collection! I am so thankful to Harper Celebrate, Netgalley, and Ami Bruni for granting me advanced access to this cookbook before it hits shelves on July 30, 2024. I am an avid ghost believer and haunted house fanatic, so the concept of this book is just mind-boggling to me and excites me for spooky season. I've personally visited the Waverly Hills Sanatorium and the Ohio State Reformatory before, so getting to cook their assigned dishes will be an absolute delight.

I saw the name and cover art for this book and I swear it sang a siren song to me and I HAD to have it! This is the perfect book for those who are spooky at heart and love to cook. When I originally looked at this book I assumed it would be a cookbook with some small snippets of ghost stories in it, but instead I was surprised to find a history on haunted places sprinkled with ghost stories and a partnering recipe, which I LOVE!!

Bruni includes menus at the end of the book to pair the various recipes together. I love the idea of sharing a ghost story with each course.

Bruni, please come out with a Part Two!

This is a very solid 4! And for the record, I’m not a fan of cooking. I do love haunted places and their stories. This book is going to be beautiful, the color photos of places and food are a great compliment to the stories. The historical locations are meticulously researched. I love visiting these places and I want to make some of these recipes. This would be a super mentor text with high schoolers to show how you can weave together interests. Also, the author’s introduction is great, I’m never too sure about tv personalities. This author has great explanations and has got the experience and the writing chops to make this all very worthwhile. Excellent work! This will be widely enjoyed.

I am obsessed with the combination of True Crime and Cooking! two of my favorite things honestly! The stories and recipes were all very interesting!

“Food to Die for,” by Amy Bruni

This was a fun cookbook/ travel book/ ghosts’ book. I loved the mix of black and white photos and the colored moody photos with the pretty set ups. The slightly spooky photos of the food gave me gothic Halloween vibes. It’s a fun recipe book that is not just useful for recipes, and history of haunted places but a cute book to have at home as a conversation starter and quirky coffee table book, but it still has some traditional recipes to try out. Definitely worth having at home, 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.