Cuisine des Memoires by N.K. Jemisin

Bon Appetite!

If you’re looking for a short story that’s as deliciously imaginative as it is thought-provoking, look no further than N.K. Jemisin’s Cuisine des Mémoires. Plucked from her outstanding collection "How Long 'til Black Future Month" (which, yes, I’m savoring like a fine wine), this story serves up a magical blend of food, memory, and human emotion that’s impossible to resist.

The premise is brilliant: there’s a secret restaurant that can recreate any meal from history—down to the exact taste, smell, and experience. Want to relive the joy of your wedding feast? Done. Curious about the last supper of Marie Antoinette before the guillotine came calling? Sure thing. It’s a culinary time machine, and the possibilities are as endless as they are fascinating.

Harold, our skeptic protagonist, is dragged to this elusive establishment by his friend Yvette, who’s in on the magic but plays it coy. At first, Harold rolls his eyes at the whole thing—until he orders a meal cooked by an ex-girlfriend. The moment he takes a bite, he’s floored. The food doesn’t just taste familiar; it feels like the memory itself has been plated up. Suddenly, he’s overwhelmed by the bittersweet nostalgia of a past relationship, and let’s just say, his curiosity is officially piqued.

The story takes a deeper turn as Harold becomes obsessed with uncovering the restaurant’s secrets. But beyond the intrigue and the fantasy, what really hits home is how Jemisin explores the way food and memory are inextricably tied together. A single flavor can transport us back to a specific moment in time—evoking joy, longing, regret, or even heartbreak. Jemisin captures that beautifully, showing how food isn’t just sustenance; it’s a portal to our most intimate experiences.

While the magical restaurant takes center stage, this story is far more interested in exploring how we carry our past with us in these unexpected ways. It’s poignant, clever, and so vividly written you’ll be craving your own trip down memory lane (or at least a meal that tastes like home). If you haven’t read it yet, trust me, this story is worth the reservation.