Mama's Homesick Pie Review by Donna Bijan and Giveaway

(from the publisher)

For Donia Bijan’s family, food has been the language they use to tell their stories and to communicate their love. In 1978, when the Islamic revolution in Iran threatened their safety, they fled to California’s Bay Area, where the familiar flavors of Bijan’s mother’s cooking formed a bridge to the life they left behind. Now, through the prism of food, award-winning chef Donia Bijan unwinds her own story, finding that at the heart of it all is her mother, whose love and support enabled Bijan to realize her dreams.
From the Persian world of her youth to the American life she embraced as a teenager to her years at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris (studying under the infamous Madame Brassart) to apprenticeships in France’s three-star kitchens and finally back to San Francisco, where she opened her own celebrated bistro, Bijan evokes a vibrant kaleidoscope of cultures and cuisines. And she shares thirty inspired recipes from her childhood (Saffron Yogurt Rice with Chicken and Eggplant and Orange Cardamom Cookies), her French training (Ratatouille with Black Olives and Fried Bread and Purple Plum Skillet Tart), and her cooking career (Roast Duck Legs with Dates and Warm Lentil Salad and Rose Petal Ice Cream).
An exhilarating, heartfelt memoir, Maman’s Homesick Pie is also a reminder of the women who encourage us to shine.
“A memoir both universal and intimate, anchored in history and lifted by the mysterious elements that only occur in a warm and inviting kitchen.” –Marsha Mehran, author of Pomegranate Soup
“I can feel the big heart in this story, the delicious recipes and the story of an amazing woman whom we all wish we had known.” –Firoozeh Dumas, author of Funny in Farsi

My Review Loved, Loved Loved the book. Did I tell you I loved the book? Memoirs are one of my favourite genres. Make it a food memoir and I am all the more happier. Give me a food memoir about a woman who goes off to Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, well now I am just pretending that this is my food memoir. This is my dream come true.

When I first picked up the book I did not understand understand why it was called Mama's Homesick Pie. However now that I have finished the book, it is the perfect title. Whether intentional or not the book is a tribute to the author's mother. Both her parents shared a love for food. Bijan's mother gave her the encouragement to follow her dreams and study in France.

Bijan's family story is a remarkable one. Her family was on vacation in Spain, when the situation in Iran was such that they could not return home. Her father a physician, would turn eating into an adventure. Skeptical of restaurants he would turn a hotel room into a banquet call, finding the most delicious foods and produce the area had to offer. Her mum assimilated into American culture after migrating to the United States. While staying true to her heritage she learnt about American culture by finding traditional American recipes.

Bijan is truly a great story-teller. While describing her mother's newspaper recipe clipping she aroused fond memories for me of my mother's similar habits. Unfortunately my mum got ill at a young age and never taught me her recipes. No-one could bake an apple pie like my mum. Given my love for her pies, I never eat apple pie as it is just not my mum's pie. What I do have are some newspaper clipping recipes and cards with handwritten recipes from my mum. I loved this part of the story.

From studying at Cordon Bleu, Bijan then goes on to work in one of Paris' more fashionable bakeries, Fauchon. What I would do for an afternoon in their basement. Bijan is then fortunate enough to work in a few restaurants throughout France before returning to the U.S. to open her own restaurant.

Her book is so much more than food. It is about family, being a migrant and following your dreams. Everyone in her family had a dream. Her father fulfilled his by building a hospital only to find himself in a foreign country unable to master English well enough to pass the Medical Boards How many migrants are there in the U.S. who cannot ever be who they were back home. Bijan struggled with being from "Iran" as a teenager, it was so much better to say "Persia". Through it all she persevered and in the end we have a wonderful story and collection of recipes that are influenced both by her culture and training in France. Adding to the sweetness of the book is that every recipe was chosen for a reason. Bijan explains to us the significance of each of these recipes.

Thank you to TLC for providing me with a copy of this book.

I know I am doing this backwards, Beth Fish Reads hosts a great Weekend Cooking meme and I am going to use this as my entry, even though I did it earlier in the week. Blogspot does not allow us to keep a post at the top once we have posted another post and I want to keep the post about Jack the Cat and his needs for purrs as the current post this weekend. He needs all the purrs he can get.

I have three copies to giveaway. The contest is open in the US and Canada. No P.O.Boxes please. Please leave separate entries for each comment.

1. Please tell me a favourite dish you have from a dear one.
2. Feed the kitties-you can click on the upper right hand corner.
3. Spread the word.

Contest end November 3rd.