Book Review and Spotlight: Let the Biscuits Burn by Abby Kuykendall

 

 

Book Review:

Let the Biscuits Burn by Abby Kuykendall is a book that could be especially helpful for younger Christian women--both single and newly married women.  

Abby Kuykendall shares how she made hospitality a priority while a single woman, newly married woman and as a new mother with a baby. She starts off the book by explaining why community matters. She then shares how to begin showing hospitality, how to invite others into your place, and how to continue to serve others without burning out in life. At the back of the book she offers a liturgy for your heart to think about when being hospitable. She also gives table tips and offers ideas for food to serve.

The part I especially liked about Let the Biscuits Burn was in the beginning when she explains the difference between entertaining and being hospitable, which is something I hadn't thought about before. I was raised to entertain by someone who valued perfection so learning to serve in an imperfect way is not something that has come easy to me. 

Let the Biscuits Burn is most clearly aimed at Christian women. She quotes Scripture throughout the book and explains why hospitality honors God in several places. 

I think Kuykendall offers a lot of solid advice and tips throughout the book. She is a 30-something woman and I think Let the Biscuits Burn will certainly appeal to younger Christian women. To give broader appeal, I wish she had interviewed someone older or shared from her mom on ideas she had for offering hospitality as people get older. I have read that many older people are lonely. She could also talk about how we could draw in folks from multiple generations and that could be helpful.

I also think it would have been helpful if the author had talked about food allergies and special diets in today's world as we think about having people over for meals or even dessert. I think it is important to ask if people have food issues when inviting them over. For an easy example, I don't want to serve peanut butter sandwiches to someone who has a peanut allergy. 

 

About the book from Thomas Nelson:

Do you long for deep, Christ-centered community and want to create a space where others feel welcomed, seen, and understood, but you’re overwhelmed at the thought of inviting people into your home because it doesn’t look “perfect”? Do you find yourself making excuses and saying things like “I can’t cook,” “My house is too small,” or “I don’t have the time or energy to host” when opportunities to practice hospitality show up? If so, you’re not alone in feeling that way, but practicing hospitality might be easier and more transformative than you think.

In Let the Biscuits Burn Abby Kuykendall offers practical advice and biblical inspiration that will help you reclaim hospitality as a ritual that is less about performance and perfection and more about care and connection. She also shares personal stories of imperfect but God-honoring hospitality, along with the tips, tricks, and lists she’s gathered over the years to make every piece of hosting less stressful. She’ll share the profound rewards of welcoming others around your table, helping you

• understand the differences between cultural entertaining and Christ-like hospitality,
• master the art of the invite and confidently open your home and life to others,
• let go of the excuses that keep you from true connection and community, and
• gain a clearer idea of who God is and why he calls Christians to the spiritual practice of hospitality.

Building a rich, deeply connected life has little to do with the perfect charcuterie board. Let the Biscuits Burn shows you how to open the door, set the table, and let God transform your heart.

About the author:

Abby Turner Kuykendall is a newly married thirtysomething who grew up in a home that taught her marriage is what happens after you graduate. But after graduating from Ouachita Baptist University, she went to graduate school at Baylor—single and mourning every sense of the word. That led her to discover the power of the table in building a flourishing, God-centered community. Over the next five years, Abby developed her love of food, photography, and human behavior. This ultimately led her to begin her blog, A Table Top Affair. While Abby found her stride in her corporate career, she found meaningful purpose around her table, which led her to write her debut cookbook, The Living Table. Abby lives with her husband, Kyle, in northwest Arkansas. They welcomed their son, John Maverick, in April 2024.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through TLC Book Tours. All opinions are my own.