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A review by pattydsf
Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India by Madhur Jaffrey
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.