A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table
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- ISBN13: 9781416551065
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
When Molly Wizenberg’s father died of cancer, everyone told her to go simple on herself, to hold off on building any major decisions for a while. But when she tried going back to her apartment in Seattle and returning to graduate school, she knew it wasn’t possible to resume life as though nothing had happened. So she went to Paris, a city that held plain memories of a childhood trip with her father, of early morning walks on the cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter and the taste of her first pain au chocolat. She was supposed to be doing research for her dissertation, but more regularly, she establish herself peering through the windows of chocolate shops, trekking across town to try a new pâtisserie, or tasting cheeses at outdoor markets, until one evening when she sat in the Luxembourg Gardens reading cookbooks until it was too dark to see, she realized that her heart was not in her studies but in the kitchen.
At first, it wasn’t clear where this epiphany might lead. Like her long letters home describing the details of every meal and market, Molly’s blog Orangette ongoing out merely as a pleasant pastime. But it wasn’t long before her writing and recipes developed an international following. Every week, devoted readers logged on to find out what Molly was cooking, eating, reading, and thinking, and it seemed she had finally establish her passion. But the tale wasn’t over: one reader in particular, a curly-haired, food-loving composer from New York, establish himself enchanted by the redhead in Seattle, and their email correspondence blossomed into a long-distance romance.
In A Homemade Life: Tales and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, Molly Wizenberg recounts a life with the kitchen at its center. From her mother’s pound cake, a staple of summer picnics during her childhood in Oklahoma, to the eggs she cooked for her father during the weeks before his death, food and memories are intimately entwined. You won’t be able to choose whether to curl up and sink into the tale or to head straight to the market to fill your basket with ingredients for Cider-Glazed Salmon and Pistachio Cake with Honeyed Apricots.Amazon.com Review
When Molly Wizenberg’s father died of cancer, everyone told her to go simple on herself, to hold off on building any major decisions for a while. But when she tried going back to her apartment in Seattle and returning to graduate school, she knew it wasn’t possible to resume life as though nothing had happened. So she went to Paris, a city that held plain memories of a childhood trip with her father, of early morning walks on the cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter and the taste of her first pain au chocolat. She was supposed to be doing research for her dissertation, but more regularly, she establish herself peering through the windows of chocolate shops, trekking across town to try a new pâtisserie, or tasting cheeses at outdoor markets, until one evening when she sat in the Luxembourg Gardens reading cookbooks until it was too dark to see, she realized that her heart was not in her studies but in the kitchen.
At first, it wasn’t clear where this epiphany might lead. Like her long letters home describing the details of every meal and market, Molly’s blog Orangette ongoing out merely as a pleasant pastime. But it wasn’t long before her writing and recipes developed an international following. Every week, devoted readers logged on to find out what Molly was cooking, eating, reading, and thinking, and it seemed she had finally establish her passion. But the tale wasn’t over: one reader in particular, a curly-haired, food-loving composer from New York, establish himself enchanted by the redhead in Seattle, and their email correspondence blossomed into a long-distance romance.
In A Homemade Life: Tales and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, Molly Wizenberg recounts a life with the kitchen at its center. From her mother’s pound cake, a staple of summer picnics during her childhood in Oklahoma, to the eggs she cooked for her father during the weeks before his death, food and memories are intimately entwined. You won’t be able to choose whether to curl up and sink into the tale or to head straight to the market to fill your basket with ingredients for Cider-Glazed Salmon and Pistachio Cake with Honeyed Apricots.
Explore the reading group guide for A Homemade Life.
A Conversation with Leader Molly Wizenberg
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your life since publishing A Homemade Life? Have there been any special projects, meals, or recipes? Does Seattle still feel like home for both you and Brandon?
A: It’s been busy around here, to say the least! In August of 2009, Brandon and I opened a restaurant. It’s called Delancey, and it’s in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. It’s a Brooklynstyle wood-fired pizzeria, inspired by all the fantastic pies that Brandon grew up eating in New York and New Jersey. A restaurant is probably the last thing that anyone expected of us, agreed that Brandon is a musician by training, and that I’ve written reasonably a bit about how much I dislike (!) effective in a restaurant kitchen, but what can you do? He makes a killer pizza. I’m so proud of him.
Q: Do you still delight in writing your blog, Orangette? Has it changed since you started it in 2004?
A: I like writing for the blog. Probably more than ever, really. The blog is where I can be the most spontaneous in my writing, where I can really play. It’s also an incredible community. I’m continually blown away by the conversations that crop up in comments, by the people that I’ve met, by the way it has completely reshaped my life over the past six years. It sounds cheesy, but I mean every word.
Q: At your book events or through your blog, do readers ever share their own food tales with you? Does one of these stand out in particular?
A: Absolutely. Talking with readers and hearing their tales has been my favorite part of book events. When I write, I feel as though I’m having a conversation with my readers–only, the thing is, I never really get to see their faces or hear their voices. Book events give me that chance, and I’m so grateful for it. The fact that food gives us a common ground to meet on, that it gives us something to share–that’s what it’s all about. Now I’m really sounding cheesy.
Q: Does Paris continue to be a special place for you? Have you been back since the publication of your book?
A: Paris will permanently be a special place for me. I haven’t been back since the book came out–this year was so busy!–but Brandon and I are hoping to steal away for a trip sometime in 2010. I miss it.
Q: List three items that are in your refrigerator right now, and what significance they have for you.
A: Peanut butter–it’s not glamorous, but I could eat it every day. I’m pretty sure my body is at least 75 percent peanut butter.
Maple syrup–this particular jug of syrup was agreed to me by one of my readers. It came from her trees in upstate New York, and it’s fantastic. I don’t reflect there could possibly be a better present than maple syrup from your very own trees.
Apples from the farmers’ market–one of the best parts of living in Washington! There’s one stand in particular that has lots of heirloom apples, and they have the best names. Right now, I’ve got a couple of Black Twigs, one Gold Rush, and a couple of Waltanas.
Q: In A Homemade Life you write about both of your parents, but there seem to be more tales about your father and his outsized personality. Is there a reason for this?
A: I needed to write about my father. There were so many details and moments and tales that made up who he was to me, and I didn’t want to forget. I needed to write about him to assure myself that I would remember. But I also needed to write about him so that I could start to let go of some of the harder moments of his illness and his death. In putting them down on paper, I got to take them out of my head and store them somewhere else. I didn’t know it until I was deep into the book, but I still had a lot of grieving to do, and writing helped me to do it.
Q: Has your relationship with your mother changed in the years since the death of your father?
A: We were permanently close, and we still are. But we’ve become more intentional about spending time together. It’s not simple, since we live far apart, but every year, the two of us go away together, just for a few days, and do lots of eating and drinking and catching up.
Q: From potato salad to Christmas cookies to Hoosier Pie, in the book you clarify many recipes that are traditions in your family tree. Have you and Brandon made any new traditional recipes?
A: We ‘re still pretty fixated on Hoosier Pie, to tell you the truth! Ancient traditions die hard–or but the adage goes. But we’re building new ones, too. Slowly but surely I’ve taken to building the same chocolate layer cake for our birthdays every year, and I get irrationally excited about it. I’m still effective on the frosting, though. Maybe this will be my lucky year.
Q: What is your opinion of the slow food movement in this country? Do you judge it is on the rise? How do you reflect the current economy has or will affect it?
A: Anything that encourages people to eat more real food and less processed food, to find pleasure in cooking and sharing food, is a fantastic thing.
Q: What are you effective on now? Do you have plans to write another book?
A: Well, I’m into my third year of writing a monthly column for Bon Appétit and my sixth year at Orangette, both of which keep me busy! I’m also the de facto manager / wineglass polisher / baseboard scrubber / errand runner / CFO of Delancey, and that keeps me even busier. (Or crazier, depending on your point of view.) But I do want to write another book, and getting a start on that is my goal for 2010. Fingers crossed.
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This book was disappointing after reading the additional customer reviews. I’m pretty sure that like many additional authors, this one convinced/bribed/forced her family tree and friends to all give it 5 stars because I can’t reflect of anyone on planet who would really reflect this is a 5 star book. The recipes were nearly all very odd sounding things- many of which use dried fruit or crystallized ginger or additional ingredients that most people probably wouldn’t find very appetizing. Reading the tales was very similar to spending a looong evening with a name whose favorite topic of conversation is themselves. I was bored to tears.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
I read this in about 2 days. A nice read for the weekend. I did find it sort of odd on how she met her spouse. Nothing negative about anyone in her family tree. I guess I wanted to read about the dirt in her family tree.
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
If a book written by a treacly, overly sentimental young woman is your cup of tea, dig right in.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
I was satisfied with the book. It’s practical and healthy. A must-buy if you’re an Eat Clean fan or if you’re just looking for a home cooked recipes. Readers trying to make healthy lifestyle changes and want something unique might be interested in Finger Licking Different!
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
“Wizenberg’s life has been centered around the kitchen. Whether pleased or sad events, everything ties back to the kitchen and food. A Homemade Life is a winning combination of events in Wizenberg’s life and the fabulous recipes that shared in her life, whether pleased or sad.”
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5