“Happiness is not a destination: Being happy takes constant weeding, a tending of emotions and circumstances as they arise. There’s no happily ever after, or any one person or place that can bring happiness. It takes work to be calm in the midst of turmoil. But releasing the need to control it – well, that’s a start.” – p. 342
Hello Readers,
Life From Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness (one of our March Picks) by Sasha Martin is a true treasure that I cannot recommend highly enough. The memoir follows Martin from a childhood in Boston to an adolescence in France to adulthood in Oklahoma. During each phase of her life, food was the dominant motif.
Martin’s life was not easy. Her home situation was far from stable and she ended up with a foster family at an early age. While reading the book, I found myself stopping several times to turn to the back cover and look at the picture of Sasha Martin – reminding myself that this was not an account of fictional characters crafted by an author somewhere in a café, sipping espresso, but the true story of a woman who found joy in cooking despite trying circumstances.
The events of Martin’s life led to the creation of The Global Table Adventure. She spent two years cooking her way around the world. Each week, she spent time studying the food of a different country and would prepare a meal for her family using foods and recipes from that country. She relays her experience with several of the countries in her memoir (some attempts more successful than others).
I don’t want to spoil the details of the story, for Martin’s story is not only compelling, but beautifully written. The biggest takeaway from Martin’s book is the beauty of choosing joy. I hope you enjoy her story as much as I did.
PS – This book will inspire you to cook. I am no Betty Crocker, but I found myself in the kitchen the other day wearing an apron and making Apple Barley Pudding. I can’t explain it.
Did you get a chance to read it? What is your reaction? Leave a comment below with your thoughts and be sure to tag your copy of the book on instagram with #TWTBookshelf.
Live, Love, Learn,
Candice & The Write Teacher(s)