I first heard about Life from Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness by Sasha Martin from a Weekend Cooking post, so it’s only fitting to keep passing the word along about this satisfying memoir this way.
I don’t read many food blogs, so before I started reading I wasn’t aware of Sasha Martin’s blog, Global Table Adventure, where she records her experience of trying recipes from around the world. The author grew up in Jamaica Plain, a Boston neighborhood, so there was a Massachusetts connection there, but I can’t resist the lure of a foodie memoir, anyway.
In Life from Scratch, Sasha Martin writes about growing up with and mostly without her mother, who – present or absent – dominates the book with her larger-than-life personality. Mom eventually gives up custody of all five of her children, and seems to be a cross between a happy-go-lucky, irrepressible, eccentric, free-spirited single mother and an unlucky, unhappy depressive burdened by the weight of family responsibilities.
When the author starts her own family and begins her food blog documenting her once-a-week meal inspired by other cuisines starting with Afghanistan and on through 195 countries to Zimbabwe, her unadventurous-eater husband and their young daughter are dubious, at first, but as she continues her project through some failures (including an episode of food poisoning) but many successes, they get carried along by her enthusiasm.
Life from Scratch starts off fairly dark; the author survived a rough beginning. Despite having a wealth of experiences such as living in other countries as a teenager, she had a lot of sadness in her young life. She opens the book with the story of finding out in fourth grade why she had no fingerprints on some of her fingers. They had melted off in a kitchen accident at age one when she reached into an open broiler while her mother had her back turned. This incident, though her mother was cleared of any charges, got them entered into “the system” and they never fully bounced back from that.
Recommended for anyone who likes a good foodie memoir with recipes, or for readers who liked The Glass Castle and are looking for other memoirs about growing up in a dysfunctional or unusual family.
Life from Scratch
Martin, Sasha
National Geographic Society
March 3, 2015
9781426213748
336 pp.
$25.00, hard.
Disclosure: I won my copy of Life from Scratch in a giveaway from Books on the Table in March (Thank you, Ann, and thank you, National Geographic!)
Other opinions:
I’d Rather Be at the Beach
The 3 R’s Blog
The Well-Read Redhead
This post is part of Weekend Cooking, a weekly feature on Beth Fish Reads. Click on the image for more Weekend Cooking posts.
Great review! This one is on my TBR because I cannot resist a foodie memoir. I wasn’t aware that the author was a blogger either but now I definitely need to go check it out. Thanks for sharing!
I have this one on my TBR list and enjoyed hearing your reactions. Cringing at the lost fingerprints . . .
Thanks, Katherine! I have to keep away from food blogs most of the time because they can become addictive!
Yes, me too! I included that info because I was expecting a lighter-hearted book when I picked it up, and had to switch gears quickly.
I just picked this one up. I can’t wait to read it.
I’m going to put this one on my list. Think it’s available on audio? That’s how I do a lot of non-fiction. Her life sounds a little perilous, but eating dishes from 195 countries seems very ambitious (and fun likely). Thanks for sharing about it!
Oh shoot, I’ve been meaning to pick up a copy of this. I know I’d love it. Thanks for the reminder. Despite the sad parts, this sounds like a great memoir.
Interesting. I’m getting into memoirs lately. Cheers
Yes, Blackstone Audio has put out the audiobook edition, narrated by Andi Arndt. I’m sure it would be really good as an audiobook!
It’s all the Weekend Cooking posts that bring these foodie memoirs to my attention!
I’m sure you’ll like it. Her blog makes me want to try cooking from more countries, too.
I recently read and reviewed this book. I loved it!
Yes, I think your post was where I saw it first! I linked to your review (under Other Opinions at the bottom). I love the cover design, too.
I love a good foodie memoir, but was the only person in my book club who wasn’t wild about The Glass Castle. Still think I’ll give this a try.
Thanks for this recommendation! Added to my TBR list.
This sounds like a good foodie memoir. I don’t have fingerprints either but it wasn’t due to an unfortunate accident. So funny, cause I work in the law enforcement field! I had to get my prints done 3 times for employ,net to be sure I didn’t have a record!!