Description:
A Mouth Full: The Re-Cookbook-an archetypal prototype for rethinking what a cookbook evokes, what it can become--memories of food, family, and places that make us who we are.
Brief description: Jeanne Criscola is a designer, publisher, and cultural organizer whose work bridges social justice, collaborative authorship, and experimental publishing. She is principal of Criscola Design, an award-winning studio dedicated to human rights and equity, with a longstanding specialization in book design and cultural publishing. Over several decades, her practice has encompassed partnerships with leading organizations-including the Open Society Foundations, where one of her titles is now housed in MoMA's Franklin Furnace Artists' Book Collection.Criscola approaches book design as an act of co-authorship, working closely with writers, artists, and researchers to shape both the material and conceptual form of their work. Through her independent imprint OctoberWorks, she produces visual and textual publications that merge visual language with public scholarship and artistic expression. Recent titles include A Mouth Full: The Re-Cookbook (with Joan Fitzsimmons), which reimagines the cookbook as a cultural artifact of memory, place, and identity, and The PERCH, a peer-reviewed journal exploring mental health and social structures through interdisciplinary contributions.Her creative practice extends beyond publishing to encompass generative art, moving images, installations, and international exhibitions. In 2015, she founded the Ely Center of Contemporary Art in New Haven, where she served as board chair for seven years. In 2022, she led a city-wide campaign to secure the purchase of the historic mansion at 51 Trumbull Street as a permanent home for contemporary art. She is also co-founder of the Else Foundation, publisher of Else, a peer-reviewed journal for experimental and alternative projects and research.Across all facets of her work, Criscola advances a vision of design as a collaborative, socially engaged practice-a bridge between disciplines that amplifies voices, reshapes cultural narratives, and creates lasting public impact.
Review Quotes:
A Mouth Full: The Re-Cookbook takes the archetypal cookbook beyond images of food and recipes that make your mouth water. It's a prototype for rethinking what a cookbook evokes and what it can become--a place where the mind can wander through memories of food, recipes, people, and places that make us who we are.
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"Food has been in my DNA ever since I was a child. Every major holiday and family celebration didn't just feature food but instead focused on food throughout my entire life. This book neatly ties together memorable family and life events to the art of preparing--and the joy of consuming--delicious foods."
Brian Averna, America's "Chef Next Door"