an inspiring and touching book i picked up recently

i don't usually do a review of books i've read (mostly because in the past few years i've been reading very serious work and didn't want to bore people with my enthusiasm for all these philosophical musings), but i recently picked up a book at Orchard Library when i had an afternoon to myself (it was very random - it caught my eye among the pile of 'Just Returned's) that i thought was worth writing about. entitled Talking With My Mouth Full - Crab Cakes, Bundt Cakes and Other Kitchen Stories, by Bonnie Wolf, this book is a rather personal exploration of food memories (she talks about family recipes as well as that of close friends). these are not fancy schmancy dishes but stuff that hold deep significance to people.at the end of each chapter, a few recipes are featured but i found myself skimming them to move on to the next chapter because her stories were so engaging and also struck a cord with my views and experiences of food. In her opening chapter, she writes, "As I went through these recipes, I realized that I remember most life events by what I ate." And that "We cook and eat for comfort, nurture, and companionship. We cook and eat to mark the seasons and celebrate important events. We cook and eat to connect with family and friends and with ancestors we never knew. And through this baking and breaking bread together, we come to know who we are and where we come from." How very true.

one particular chapter, 'Mothers' Days', really inspired me to start a family cookbook. "As I turned the pages (of her mother's notebook filled with collected family recipes), I realized that handing down recipes from one generation to the next is an intimate, simple act of love and connection." i would love to hand my children a collection of family recipes one day, especially family favourites that they can replicate and trigger fond memories. recipes perhaps they can even share with their children in the future and continue the chain of happy memories.

My favourite line of the chapter? "Family cookbooks have recipes for Jell-O salads and Christmas cookies. No recipes call for foie gras or truffle oil."

i'm only a fifth through the book and already it has made such a connection with me. i definitely recommend it!


Postscript:
this is a really good book too! if you've seen Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, you will find this book even more of a good read. other than him introducing each recipe and showing how important it is to learn basic recipes and cook simple but good food, he also gives tips on how to run a successful restaurant. which if you are an aspiring restauranteur, you will really appreciate.