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| (Thank you to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!) |
It was a culinary journey like no other: Over the course of 195 weeks, food writer and blogger Sasha Martin set out to cook—and eat—a meal from every country in the world. As cooking unlocked the memories of her rough-and-tumble childhood and the loss and heartbreak that came with it, Martin became more determined than ever to find peace and elevate her life through the prism of food and world cultures. From the tiny, makeshift kitchen of her eccentric, creative mother to a string of foster homes to the house from which she launches her own cooking adventure, Martin’s heartfelt, brutally honest memoir reveals the power of cooking to bond, to empower, and to heal—and celebrates the simple truth that happiness is created from within.
my thoughts:
A memoir that includes recipes - what more could I want? Especially, a memoir that is filled with great writing, emotional stories, and yummy foodie goodness - as Ina would say, "How good is that?" Well, I will tell you, it is pretty darn good.
Life From Scratch is Martin's story of how her rocky childhood formed her love of cooking and food. She shares with us the ups and mostly downs she endured as a kid growing up in poverty, foster care; along with the feelings of abandonment and loss (her brother's death) she experienced. Through cooking (and this book) Martin was able to find meaning during those difficult times. Its heartbreaking at times to read her story, but in the end you get to know the strong, independent, and creative woman she grew up to be. Plus, her book also includes thirty delicious recipes that will make your stomach rumble with hunger. The love and warmth she uses to describe her love of cooking is infectious and makes you see just how important the recipes she made up, the ingredients she dabbled with, and the meals she accomplished really were for her. I absolutely loved Life From Scratch!
I think its pretty amazing that what started out as a book about cooking a meal from each country turned into such a raw and honest personal history of healing and forgiveness. What a terrific book! I would happily recommend it to fans of memoirs, specifically fans of foodie memoirs - you will DEVOUR this book and RELISH the stories and recipes. And in case you want to find out what other bloggers are saying about Martin's memoir, here's the TLC Book Tour schedule for: Life From Scratch
GIVEAWAY: Thanks to the publisher (National Geographic) I am able to give away one copy to one lucky winner. Hurrah! So, if you want a chance to win a copy of Life From Scratch, just leave me a comment telling me what your favorite recipe is. Don't forget to include your email address so that I can contact you in case you are chosen as the winner. Last date to enter is March 16th, 2015. Open to US residents only. Good luck!!
9 comments:
I love memoirs and books about food so this sounds ideal to me. I don't think I have a favorite recipe but I'll say cabbage and tomato soup. Thanks for the giveaway. kathy(at)bermudaonion.net
I love memoirs too, I have forgotten the name of my favorite recipe. It is basically baked eggplant with yogurt and mint. I got it from my Betty Crocker International Cookbook that is coming apart from the seams from my trying out so many different recipes. I think I must be similar to the woman in the book!
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
I read cookbooks like others read classics. Any story about food and the lives that surround it are on the top of my lists. Eggplant pasta is one of my favorite dishes. Thanks for the giveaway! c.oldsberg@yahoo.com
Memoirs about food and cooking are memorable, profound and meaningful. I enjoy them since they impart so much to the soul. Thanks for this great giveaway. My favorite recipe is Roasted Veggies with salmon and kale. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
I enjoy memoirs and especially books about cooking and food because that is what life is about and how we learn about the past generations. So interesting and unforgettable. A recipe which is an old one that I learned from my grandmother is lemon chicken with a variety of vegetables. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
I have SOOOO wanted to read this book! It sounds simply amazing. Thank you for hosting the giveaway, too! Favorite recipes? One of them is for chicken curry. I made it this past week because my husband loves it. I'm fairly sure it's NOT authentic, but it's still delicious, and it's a great way to sneak veggies in on the boys in my life. ;)
andi(dot)miller(at)gmail.com
Good luck to everyone!!
I love a lentil veggie soup!
I so admire people who can cook creatively and love to do it!
Thanks for being a part of the tour for this book. I can't wait to read it myself!
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