Tender at the Bone is the memoir of Ruth Reichl, food writer, restaurant critic and editor of Gourmet Magazine. Ruth's mother is possibly the worst cook in the world, and regularly served rotted food to unsuspecting guests. Mother is also bipolar, which makes her unpredictable, prone to tantrums and dramas. As a child, one of Ruth's earliest memories is standing in front of a tray of rotted food, protecting her favorite guests from eating it.