Monday, June 24, 2013

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
by Lucy Knisley
176 pages
High School+

Lucy grew up living with her chef mother and visits from a foodie father.  Food has always been an important part of her life.  Whether it is learning how to make luscious croissants or perfecting the chocolate chip cookie, her growth and her story can be told through food.

Follow Lucy as she grows up, following in the footsteps of her parents.  She goes to Mexico with her mother, travels with her father, and eats McDonald's to make them mad.  Not only is her own story told through food, but she shares some favorite recipes!

This was a fun memoir to read.  It jumps around a little, moving sometimes from her story to her mother's.  I liked seeing the comparison between their stories, and how parallel they really were, but at the same time unique to each person.  The author acknowledges that parallelism, but is also definitely telling her own story, not just the history of her parents.

I really think that teens can relate well to some of her circumstances: an awkward first period, her long-time friend (who happens to be a boy) discovering smutty magazines, doing things just to annoy her parents, and finding comfort in her food and routines.  There is definitely a huge emphasis on coming of age and growing up, but it's gently told, nothing hugely overt.

Overall, I really liked the book.  I loved the "cozy mysteries" that have the recipes in the books, so this was a great twist on that theme.  Non-fiction, but doesn't read like non-fiction.  Will recommend it for teens, mostly since a lot of it takes place as Lucy is a teen or young adult.  Fun book!

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