Finding Freedom by Erin French

A little over a year ago a friend had mentioned this book that she was aware of The Lost Kitchen in Maine through another friend. I had put it on my TBR List and was glad when our book club chose it for our January selection. 

Finding Freedom is a memoir penned by Erin French with emotion, humor, and an uplifting message. She meticulously details her life from childhood, through puberty, a wake-up call to adulthood, and her success as an entrepreneur.  French grew up as the child of an abusive father who owned a diner and required that she spent her waking hours there from the time she was a tween. He enjoyed his beer and while he was with friends, imbibing, she was tending to the cleaning of the diner and prepping for the next day. He opposed her leaving to go to college, but she worked hard, saved her money, and was accepted. However, after 2 years she found herself single and pregnant and was forced to drop out. 

 She returned to her hometown, Freedom to raise her son. She had the support of her mother and nominal support of her father, only because the child was male. She becomes involved in a disastrous relationship, as abusive as her father from which she retreats to wine and pills.  He seems supportive enough as she follows her dream to open a restaurant and follow the passion she has for cooking, but resents her for calling him out for his alcoholism. French's honesty throughout this book is startling. She pulls no punches as she describes her descent into a situation that requires a stay in a rehab facility. 

With the support of her mother, who gets her own chapter in the book, and numerous other women of the area, she rights herself and in 2014 opened The Lost Kitchen. It has been a success and she is to be congratulated for becoming a successful chef and restaurateur.  The book leaves the reader uplifted with the knowledge that lives can be reawakened even from the deepest depths. This was an emotional read, but one that can be endured knowing the outcome.

 

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg

With all the stress, strife, and struggles of everyday life, it is a welcome relief to read a charming book like A Redbird Christmas. I am not usually fond of the Hallmark style feel-good story, but for some reason this novel really resonated with me. 

Oscar T. Campbell, a divorced alcoholic living in Chicago is given the news by his doctor that he barely has a year to live due to the fact that he suffers from terrible emphysema and other organ failures. He is counseled to move south where it is warmer and where he can possibly extend his life. The doctor gives him a brochure for a residential home that may accommodate his needs. After making a few calls, he is informed that the hotel has long since been gone and there really isn't another suitable place. However, he is given the name of a person who may be able to help him. And she did, offering to give him room and board for $20/week, which fits in nicely with his pension. 

And so he moves to the tiny Alabama town of Lost River, where the residents are friendly beyond belief. He settles in and, although he keeps to himself, the single ladies of the village are all quite interested in this single man who has moved into the community. He becomes friends with the storekeeper (groceries and sundries), Roy, who has taken under his wing a wounded redbird, whom he names Jack. Jack has free reign over the store and becomes a central character and the one for whom the title draws its name. 

Enter Patsy, an orphan given up by her father to a step-mother and a tiny waif. Patsy bonds with Jack and the two even put on shows together. Midway through the novel, Patsy's step-mother abandons her to the care of the townspeople, who are glad to take care of her. The second part of the book centers around Patsy and the need for her to have orthopedic surgery for which the residents of Lost River pay. 

The myriad characters, their compassion and bonding with each other are central to the book. After a tragedy with Jack ensues, they witness a real Christmas miracle that solidifies for the readers that there is still good in the world. Fannie Flagg has written a dear book, filled with humor, a bit of melancholy, and an ending that will take a twist. Included, also, are a number of recipes for dishes that are served in the book.

bonjour kale by Kristen Beddard

I was a bit skeptical when our book club chose a book about kale for its December read. I am not fond of kale, probably dating back to the summer when our CSA in Watertown only had kale to distribute because of  a horrible growing season. The book was available in the Kindle edition for a mere $1.99, so why not?

bonjour kale is a memoir, a collection of recipes, and a travelogue of Paris. Kristen Beddard, a native Pittsburgher, after college settles in New York City where she meets her husband, Phillip. Soon after they marry they move to Paris for his job. She is a "trailing spouse" and for the greater part of a year feels isolated and like a fish out of water. She describes their quest for an apartment, her many attempts to learn the language, and trying to make friends, as well as trying to fit into the culture. 

But the most disconcerting matter of the move was the absence of kale in the Parisian markets. Kristen's background was rooted in healthy foods and eating. One of the mainstays of her diet was kale and it didn't exist in France. And so began the Kale Project. It was her attempt to introduce the vegetable into the cuisine of the French. One of the issues she discovered was lack of a French word for the greens. In her quest she really couldn't even ask for it and have the market proprietors understand her. As she eventually allies herself with some farmers, the memoir details her mission to bring kale from farm to table. She ends each chapter with a recipe or two, which I can say that I will not try. I admire her tenacity in this undertaking, but I still can't bring myself to cook this green.

This was an easy, fun,  and interesting read. I enjoyed the smattering of French words, the descriptions of the markets, and the references to Pittsburgh. If anyone really likes kale, you would absolutely love this book.