We may never experience the world with the same madcap narrative imagination as our favorite writers, but we can at least get a taste of their edible inspirations through the dishes and recipes they most enjoyed. With food on everyone’s mind this week (oh, and giving thanks too), here’s a guide to recreating the cooking habits of literature’s most culinary-inclined creatives.

Ernest Hemingway

Long before Ernest Hemingway was seeking out fashionable oyster houses in Paris (a particular favorite), he learned to fend for himself as a savvy outdoorsman. In an article on camping written for the Toronto Star while still in his 20s, Hemingway described his process for frying a trout with the same witty sparseness that characterizes his later fiction: “Place the trout in the pan (this may require two batches, depending on your luck on the river). After 5 minutes, turn the trout and place 2 strips of bacon over each fish. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish.” Hemingway’s eating habits and favorite recipes have since been compiled in The Hemingway Cookbook.