In a totally original first novel that's as American as Whitney Otto's how to make an American quilt, as satisfying as Laura Esquivel's like water for chocolate, stone tells the story of a woman's hunt for the essential ...In a totally original first novel that's as American as Whitney Otto's how to make an American quilt, as satisfying as Laura Esquivel's like water for chocolate, stone tells the story of a woman's hunt for the essential ingredients in a cluttered world, a mock cookbook for our culture.