“It is paradoxical but true that something that takes you out of yourself also restores you to yourself with greater freedom”- Frances Mayes, ‘Every Day in Tuscany’
I recently attended the Professional Wine Writer’s Symposium in Napa and had the pleasure to hear Frances Mayes, author of ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’, speak about her writing, her life in Italy and how everything changed for her when she decided to buy and restore a house in a foreign country. I also had the opportunity to read, ‘Every Day in Tuscany’ which will be released today. While ’Under the Tuscan Sun’ was about self discovery and learning to view one’s life through a different lens, her latest book published twenty years later captures the sweetness, richness, complexity and challenges of her everyday life in Tuscany. (more…)
I just finished reading “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin about a writer, mom and wife who decides to dedicate a year to getting happier. Her decision was not brought on by a seismic life event, but by the same everyday things so many of us struggle with. It isn’t about major life changes, in the style of “Eat. Pray. Love.” Instead, each month she gives herself resolutions like “remember love” and “make time for play” and plans specific strategies for keeping them. It was certainly inspiring, but I was left asking myself can we tackle our happiness like we do our to-do list? What resolutions would I make? Should I start my own happiness project? (more…)
One of my all time favorite books is “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel. Its a love story, written more like a cookbook, with luscious Mexican recipes at the beginning of each chapter. Forbidden to marry the love of her life, the main character Tita expresses her love and sensuality through food. Through cooking, she is able to communicate her desire, her dreams, her creativity and her longing for Roberto. In one of my favorite chapters she creates a ‘mole’ using ingredients like chocolate, chiles and cinnamon. While blending the spices, she thinks of her beloved and they exchange a smoldering glance in the kitchen. The magic of that moment and the passion of her thoughts work their way into the flavor of the dish. One by one, each person at the table, overcome by the the ’secret ingredient’ of Tita’s passionate thoughts, leaves the table in a hurry. For Roberto, each bite that he takes is like a secret gift from Tita that conveys all of her sensuality and repressed love. This book always reminds me of the power of food to communicate love, to comfort us when we are down and to tap into all of our sensual desires. (more…)
I just saw the ultimate ‘foodie’ movie (and one of the most uplifting movies I have seen in a long time), Julie & Julia. If you haven’t seen the trailer, it is the story of Julia Child’s journey to become a chef and Julie Powell’s year blogging and cooking her way through 524 Julia Child recipes. I loved the fact that it made me want to run out immediately afterwards and cook a chocolate souffle. I loved the long drawn out shots of Sole Meunier sauteeing in loads and loads of butter. I loved the close-up shots of Bouef Bourguignon simmering in a pot on the stove. But I digress. What I loved most was the message. (more…)
