Scan barcode
A review by nothingforpomegranted
Be My Guest: Reflections on Food, Community and the Meaning of Generosity by Priya Basil
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Priya Basil's reflections on food and community are exactly that: stream of consciousness reflections on the experience of hosting and being hosted in the form of what really seems to be a long-form essay. Born in England and raised in Kenya by an Indian family before moving back to England and eventually to Germany, Basil represents such a diversity of flavors and experiences, and this was a joy to read.
I loved the descriptions of Basil's grandmother, Mumji, who cooked absurd amounts for every meal, every day, leaving the family with five freezers full of leftovers that were never eaten. All the more so, I loved the honesty with which she was portrayed. Refusing to serve leftovers, Basil presents Mumji as constantly complaining about the responsibility of preparing all this food for her husband and family, a contradictory trait that seems to have been passed down to Basil's own mother and eventually to herself.
Basil describes herself also as something of a glutton, obsessed with flavors, spices, and whole eating experience, filling the book with memories of stuffing herself to the bursting at her mother's or grandmother's table or, especially, at the Sikh communal meal, where she and her siblings salivated over the sweet semolina-based bread that came before the meal itself.
And yet, this book is about more than food. Indeed, more than anything, this is a book about community. Basil smoothly incorporated linguistic details--did you know that hospitality comes from the same root as hostility?--and a broader analysis of society. The role of food in the experience of race, racism, and refugees is significant, and the exploration of national hospitality through the lens of the changing demographics of the E.U., as well as the oxymoronic "hospitality industry" was powerful.
Quick, wide-reaching, and sassy, this book made me smile; I only wish there had been slightly more text on the actual food! Recipes, descriptions, pictures--I love food writing because of the access to dishes that I have never experienced and may or may not enjoy actually eating. With so many different dishes in her personal background, Basil had such a wonderful opportunity for this kind of sharing, and I think she left a little to be desired in that respect.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley through Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and author Priya Basil. Opinions stated in this review are honest and my own.
Release Date: 3 November 2020
I loved the descriptions of Basil's grandmother, Mumji, who cooked absurd amounts for every meal, every day, leaving the family with five freezers full of leftovers that were never eaten. All the more so, I loved the honesty with which she was portrayed. Refusing to serve leftovers, Basil presents Mumji as constantly complaining about the responsibility of preparing all this food for her husband and family, a contradictory trait that seems to have been passed down to Basil's own mother and eventually to herself.
Basil describes herself also as something of a glutton, obsessed with flavors, spices, and whole eating experience, filling the book with memories of stuffing herself to the bursting at her mother's or grandmother's table or, especially, at the Sikh communal meal, where she and her siblings salivated over the sweet semolina-based bread that came before the meal itself.
And yet, this book is about more than food. Indeed, more than anything, this is a book about community. Basil smoothly incorporated linguistic details--did you know that hospitality comes from the same root as hostility?--and a broader analysis of society. The role of food in the experience of race, racism, and refugees is significant, and the exploration of national hospitality through the lens of the changing demographics of the E.U., as well as the oxymoronic "hospitality industry" was powerful.
Quick, wide-reaching, and sassy, this book made me smile; I only wish there had been slightly more text on the actual food! Recipes, descriptions, pictures--I love food writing because of the access to dishes that I have never experienced and may or may not enjoy actually eating. With so many different dishes in her personal background, Basil had such a wonderful opportunity for this kind of sharing, and I think she left a little to be desired in that respect.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley through Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and author Priya Basil. Opinions stated in this review are honest and my own.
Release Date: 3 November 2020