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lizdesole's review
4.0
The food descriptions are truly a highlight of this book ( by a long shot). The family history can be a bit meandering and disjointed but the sensual second delights of the food make up for the shortcomings. My biggest complaint is that she obviously got bored with telling the story ( or wanted to keep the rest for later books) and the narrative abruptly cuts off. All is forgiven because it makes room for the recipes at the end!
erynecki's review
5.0
I really enjoyed the rhythm of this memoir. It’s a well written account that draws upon the power of food to recall some really unique childhood memories of growing up in India. A rich story filled with delightful and delicious details that reads like a novel.
shilpz2712's review against another edition
5.0
One of the pioneers of Indian cookbook writing, Madhur Jaffrey in her autobiography about her childhood; growing up in India during the 1940's is a heartwarming and delightful book to read. I first picked up this book when I was interested in researching food memoirs; how recollecting the experiences of eating impacts our memories. I was supposed to finish this book and write an abstract including two more food memoirs for a Ph.D. interview. Alas! The research never came to fruition but the book remains with me. Like a memorable gastronomic experience.
Before reading, I assumed the story would be about how Jaffrey developed her passion for cooking as a child. Little did I know, in reality, she almost failed in cooking classes that she studied as a part of her lower mathematics curriculum in school during that time!
When I started reading this book, it took me a while to set myself in a mood to patiently go through all the details she gives about her ancestors and home. Belonging to a Hindu caste (Kayasthas) whose profession was mainly meant as bookkeeping for higher authorities ‘-write history, keep records and manage taxes and accounts’, Jaffrey explains how her ancestors who worked under different rulers bought in a variety of influences in her family while growing up. The family adopted certain dishes, clothing styles as well as were fluent in multiple languages like Persian, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu and English. Since India has been ruled in stages by Muslim and British conquerors, the author pens down her memories while growing up in Old Delhi and Kanpur.
Jaffrey notes her experiences in Old Delhi, Kanpur and Simla during holidays. She introduces the reader to her joint family including their individual personalities, their successes and troubles that they faced. Meanwhile, she also beautifully recollects the dishes and their tastes that she devoured wholeheartedly- whether it was from family picnics, tiffin boxes in school, street food at Chandni Chowk etc.
I was particularly intrigued by the family's history and how the profession of males impacted their culture in totality. Jaffrey often wondered if they were any less Indian than people who were not influenced by Muslim or Western customs and education.
There were moments when I read a chapter and put down the book to reminisce about my own childhood which I spent abroad. It was personally wonderful for me to read because not only was I introduced to India's history and evolution of changes that took place post-independence, but somewhere I could sympathize her feeling of alienation regarding herself and her family. She does not shy away from discussing a close relative and his charming yet manipulative behavior that seeped troubles into their lives. Her description is highly detail oriented; food, clothing, people and surrounding- it flawlessly transports you back to her time. Her writing is poised and occasionally filled with humor.
For her fans and readers alike, the book contains thirty-one mouthwatering family recipes in the end; each dish making an appearance in one or the other chapter. The moment I finished reading, I made light rice pudding (phirni) following the instructions that are given in her recipe. Happy to divulge- it turned out delicious!
In conclusion, this book is a pure gem to read. I am not sure if the book will have the same impact on readers from countries other than India, but I enjoyed reading it thoroughly and can undoubtedly put it on my list of favorites.
Before reading, I assumed the story would be about how Jaffrey developed her passion for cooking as a child. Little did I know, in reality, she almost failed in cooking classes that she studied as a part of her lower mathematics curriculum in school during that time!
When I started reading this book, it took me a while to set myself in a mood to patiently go through all the details she gives about her ancestors and home. Belonging to a Hindu caste (Kayasthas) whose profession was mainly meant as bookkeeping for higher authorities ‘-write history, keep records and manage taxes and accounts’, Jaffrey explains how her ancestors who worked under different rulers bought in a variety of influences in her family while growing up. The family adopted certain dishes, clothing styles as well as were fluent in multiple languages like Persian, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu and English. Since India has been ruled in stages by Muslim and British conquerors, the author pens down her memories while growing up in Old Delhi and Kanpur.
“In the India of that time you were what your family was (I borrow shamelessly from Brilliat Savarin) and my family was a hybrid: it was Hindu by origin but heavily veneered with Muslim culture and English education; it considered itself very liberal but lived by the ancient rules of the joint family system where men dominated, where only men made it to history books, and where all marriages were with other Kayasthas- more ink-pot and quill.”
Jaffrey notes her experiences in Old Delhi, Kanpur and Simla during holidays. She introduces the reader to her joint family including their individual personalities, their successes and troubles that they faced. Meanwhile, she also beautifully recollects the dishes and their tastes that she devoured wholeheartedly- whether it was from family picnics, tiffin boxes in school, street food at Chandni Chowk etc.
"That was the peculiarity of India's cuisines. There were dozens of traits, habits and traditions that could be used to define regional foods. But such definitions were never entirely satisfactory as there also hovered over each dish an air of indefinable religious sensibility that could be seen and tasted but eluded pinpointing. "
"Pullao Sundays were another matter. They were, without a doubt, a product of our Muslim heritage. The proper name for our pullao would probably be Yakhni pullao, yakhni being the flavoured stock for cooking rice. (Even the name of the dish was derived from Arabic and Persian sources.) That flavour was heady. Pieces of goat, from neck and ribs in particular, were boiled with whole spices-cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, fennel seeds, black peppercorns and coriander seeds as well as a whole onion and chunks of ginger."
I was particularly intrigued by the family's history and how the profession of males impacted their culture in totality. Jaffrey often wondered if they were any less Indian than people who were not influenced by Muslim or Western customs and education.
There were moments when I read a chapter and put down the book to reminisce about my own childhood which I spent abroad. It was personally wonderful for me to read because not only was I introduced to India's history and evolution of changes that took place post-independence, but somewhere I could sympathize her feeling of alienation regarding herself and her family. She does not shy away from discussing a close relative and his charming yet manipulative behavior that seeped troubles into their lives. Her description is highly detail oriented; food, clothing, people and surrounding- it flawlessly transports you back to her time. Her writing is poised and occasionally filled with humor.
For her fans and readers alike, the book contains thirty-one mouthwatering family recipes in the end; each dish making an appearance in one or the other chapter. The moment I finished reading, I made light rice pudding (phirni) following the instructions that are given in her recipe. Happy to divulge- it turned out delicious!
In conclusion, this book is a pure gem to read. I am not sure if the book will have the same impact on readers from countries other than India, but I enjoyed reading it thoroughly and can undoubtedly put it on my list of favorites.
rebeccamm's review against another edition
3.0
Wanted to like this more, but the author's refusal to go below surface emotions or to interrogate her own family's history, made this book feel thin. There were many narrative threads that could have been explored and yet everything just felt fluffy. I'm not great at introspection and clearly Madhur Jaffrey isn't either...but deep respect for her cooking.
sheistolerable's review
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
Classic, frank memoir of food and family
pattydsf's review
3.0
”When I left India to study in England, I could not cook at all, but my palate had already recorded millions of flavors. From cumin to ginger, they were all in my head, waiting to be called into service.”
This is the tale of how all those flavors made their way to Jaffrey’s palate. This is the tale of her years growing up, her family and the India that she grew up in. I say the India where she grew up because India, like many countries is a conglomeration of cultures and for all people who grow up in that country, their India is individualized. Really we all grow up in a place that is tailored to our tastes by our environment. Jaffrey’s story is just one of many.
I found this list of culinary memoirs last fall: https://bookriot.com/2017/10/05/memoirs-by-women-in-the-culinary-world/ and I have slowly been working my way through the list. I had read Tender at the Bone years ago and I figured that any bibliography that contained that book would have others that I would like. I was correct.
Jaffrey does not talk much about cooking. I was a bit disappointed with that, but I did enjoy reading about her childhood. India is not on my bucket list, but every book I read about that country shows me that it is very diverse. I should know that, but it is good to learn about all the different cultures of this fascinating country.
I am grateful to Jaffrey for showing me what it was like to grow up in India and what that culture includes. I am especially glad that I learned more about the relationships among Hindus and Muslims. It is so complicated, but learning the personal aspects is very useful.
This is the tale of how all those flavors made their way to Jaffrey’s palate. This is the tale of her years growing up, her family and the India that she grew up in. I say the India where she grew up because India, like many countries is a conglomeration of cultures and for all people who grow up in that country, their India is individualized. Really we all grow up in a place that is tailored to our tastes by our environment. Jaffrey’s story is just one of many.
I found this list of culinary memoirs last fall: https://bookriot.com/2017/10/05/memoirs-by-women-in-the-culinary-world/ and I have slowly been working my way through the list. I had read Tender at the Bone years ago and I figured that any bibliography that contained that book would have others that I would like. I was correct.
Jaffrey does not talk much about cooking. I was a bit disappointed with that, but I did enjoy reading about her childhood. India is not on my bucket list, but every book I read about that country shows me that it is very diverse. I should know that, but it is good to learn about all the different cultures of this fascinating country.
I am grateful to Jaffrey for showing me what it was like to grow up in India and what that culture includes. I am especially glad that I learned more about the relationships among Hindus and Muslims. It is so complicated, but learning the personal aspects is very useful.
carlynarr's review
4.0
Yeah, so....
... this book was great up until it ended. And I don't mean that in the way I usually would, like, "oh, I didn't want it to end!" I mean that it was going along really well and then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, it just ENDED. It was as if the author finished writing a sentence and then just decided that she didn't care to write another.
Aside from the abrupt ending, it was a great book.
... this book was great up until it ended. And I don't mean that in the way I usually would, like, "oh, I didn't want it to end!" I mean that it was going along really well and then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, it just ENDED. It was as if the author finished writing a sentence and then just decided that she didn't care to write another.
Aside from the abrupt ending, it was a great book.
rhodered's review
4.0
I got this as a gift and turned my nose up at it, until one day had absolutely nothing else... So it was a desperation read for me. Within a few pages I realized what a fool I had been! It's a marvelous book with family lore, regional history and women's history all wrapped up in a tasty feast.
geekmom's review
3.0
A beautifully written memoir of family, food, and an India from a time that no longer exists. Can't wait to try the bonus recipes!
katieca66cb's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a sweet glimpse into the author's childhood in India. It could have been double in length. It made me want to make chutneys, try new spices and seek out afternoons of drinking tea in the shade.
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