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I love books that have elaborate descriptions of food and cooking. They have a comforting and calming feel to them. I had a colleague who would only read fiction where the main character was a chef or someone who loved to cook. She said these books gave her hope and instilled a strong belief that when all else failed there would always be food, to nourish and ground you. Over time, reading about food has made me want to be better in the kitchen. I have learned to cook many dishes just by googling recipes that fictional characters have made in their fictional world. Somehow, they always come out well, despite my mediocre cooking skills. Here are five books that you might enjoy if you are a foodie like me. 

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay

Set in the 1960s, ‘Love & Saffron’ is witty and tender. It’s a reminder of the fact that good food and a good life are two sides of a coin. It begins when Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter to food writer Imogen Fortier, thereby kickstarting a life-changing friendship. The two women communicate through letters and build a closeness that helps them get through tough times as well as reminds them to be grateful for all the good things they have been blessed with. Through their letters, the two not only discuss food but also talk about the books they love. It’s a feel-good story that teaches you the value of food and friendship, and the importance of connections in life.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist. She works hard at the lab, doing research on things that matter. But after years of working in her lab, she finds herself the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Her no nonsense, scientific approach to cooking appeals to the masses. She doesn’t say vinegar and salt. She says, “combine one tablespoon of acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride” instead. And it’s endearing. You want to reach in and hug Elizabeth. Without realizing what she is doing, Elizabeth, through her cooking techniques, is challenging women to change the status quo. ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ has elaborate descriptions of food that will whet your appetite and leave you wanting to put on the chef’s hat.

 The Kitchen’s God Wife by Amy Tan

Amy Tan is a genius. I love all her works. I read ‘The Kitchen God’s Wife’ when I was in high school and have since then recommended and gifted it to many of my family and friends. It’s Tan’s second novel which was published in 1991. The book is essentially about relationships and explores the complex dynamics between a mother and a daughter. It’s a story about a woman who is born into wealth in pre-communist China. She goes through a degrading arranged marriage and the early deaths of three children, lives through World War II, and emigrated to America, before finally creating a comfortable and stable life for herself in a new country. What I loved about the book is the numerous mentions of food and recipes that are handed down from one generation to another.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

I believe in first novels. They hold a lot of promise. They have got a writer’s sweat, blood, and tears on them and I often find myself picking them up because of that very reason. ‘Ghosts’ in Dolly Alderton’s first novel. I read her other works before I read this book. Though I like her writing, I instantly connected with Ghost more than with the others. The premise is simple but the book has a sharp message. It’s a coming-of-age novel that discusses the importance of family and our relationships, especially the one we have with ourselves.

Thirty-year-old food writer Nina Dean gets stood up numerous times by a Very Lame Dude but that’s not what haunts her the most. Her friendships are disappearing and her father has dementia. The only place that calms her down is the kitchen. 

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

‘Like Water for Chocolate’ is a classic love story that takes place on the De la Garza ranch. The book opens with the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chopping onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy. While still in her mother’s womb, the child cries so violently she causes an early labor. Little Tita slips out amid the spices and ingredients for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes a way of life for her. Tita grows up to be a master chef, using cooking to express herself and sharing recipes with readers along the way. Tita loves Pedro but she can’t marry him because of her family’s traditions. Cooking is how she can express her pent-up emotions. It’s cathartic. The lighthearted book will make you laugh, sigh, and shed a tear or two while reminding you of the healing powers of food.

I love thrillers. It’s the genre I most gravitate towards. It gives me an adrenaline rush that feels so good. Mysteries are what I pick up when I’m not in the mood for heavy stories that get me all riled up, struggling to get a hold on my emotions. The thing about mysteries and thrillers, however, is that the more you read, the more you are able to predict the course of the story. You start seeing a pattern and then it takes a lot to catch you by surprise.

But there are some books and authors who are really the master of their crafts. Reading them always makes me marvel over their talent. Their works are gripping and full of twists and turns. No matter how many thrillers I have read, I have never been able to guess the ending. This week, I’m sharing three of my favorite thrillers and authors hoping you will love them as much as I do, and that they will bring you some respite when you need it the most.

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

‘The Housemaid’ by Frieda McFadden follows a struggling young woman who makes a fresh start by working as a housemaid to a wealthy, upscale couple. But little does she know that the family isn’t as perfect as it seems. But Millie too has secrets of her own. The Housemaid has two more books in the series. It’s a taut thriller that made me anxious for the characters. Unlike most thrillers, here the characters aren’t black and white. Everyone has good and bad points and you struggle to decide whose side you are on. I could never really make up my mind. Besides The Housemaid series, McFadden has many other thrillers to her credit. Her novels have been translated into more than 30 languages.

 The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

My husband and I both love Keigo Higashino. The Japanese author is a phenomenal writer whose stories are crafted with an unmatched precision. ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ sold more than two million copies in Higashino’s native Japan, becoming what the English translation calls a ‘national obsession’. The premise of the book is how a mathematical genius uses his abilities to save the woman he is secretly in love with from being arrested for murder. There’s even a movie adaptation of the book starring Kareena Kapoor. The book is a thriller that has many elements of a love story as well. After the popularity of The Devotion of Suspect X, many of Higashino’s other works have been translated into English. ‘Malice’ and ‘A Midsummer’s Equation’ are two other titles that I found to be hugely entertaining.

 The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

I love this book for its dark vibes. The novel is set in Paris and follows a young woman, Jess, as she investigates the disappearance of her half-brother, Ben. In doing so, she uncovers the many secrets of the residents living in the same apartment building as her brother. The novel is fast paced and the ending is a bit predictable but that doesn’t take away from its atmospheric setting that sucks you in from the first page. I’m a huge fan of Lucy Foley. Her books stress me out. I feel like I’m the one who’s trapped in the difficult situations Foley builds in her stories. ‘The Hunting Party’ and ‘The Guest List’ were suspenseful and kept me up at night. The Paris Apartment also makes for a fascinating exploration of life and culture in Paris.

A good cry can be therapeutic. Sometimes you don’t know you needed it till you end up bawling your eyes out. I find myself unburdened whenever I cry. It’s like a load is lifted off my heart. But I’m not someone who cries easily so whenever a book makes me cry it immediately makes it to my favorites list. 

One of the reasons why I love sad books is because they make me feel these emotions that I perhaps wouldn’t otherwise. I know it might sound silly to some of you but a whirlpool of mixed feelings can actually give you a fresh new perspective in life. So, grab some tissues and settle in for the weekend because the books I’m recommending this week will break your heart into a million little pieces. 

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

This book made me sob—in private, and in public. I might not have actually sobbed in public but I did cry at work because I couldn’t reign in my emotions. It’s a book I wouldn’t recommend to anyone (and I actually mean that in a good way) because it wrecks you. Critics have called ‘A Little Life’ ‘a tour de force’, and ‘a masterwork,’. When it was published in 2015, it was discussed as the most ambitious chronicle of the social and emotional lives of gay men. It’s Yanagihara’s second novel and it chronicles the lives of four college friends and how their friendship evolves over the years. You meet JB, who is an artist; Malcolm, an architect; Willem, an actor; and Jude who is a lawyer. They become your friends and you just get so invested in their lives that you are unable to put the thick volume down. The way the plot sucks you in speaks volumes about the writer’s talent. It’s a book that will stay in your mind long after you have finished it. 

We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

‘We All Want Impossible Things’ is essentially a book about death. But the story has a touch of humor that makes you laugh through your tears. Newman talks about death without making it seem like a dark, ominous presence. Despite a painful backdrop, it’s a cozy and comforting read. The story is about two childhood friends Edith and Ashley as they grapple with the former’s cancer prognosis. Edi and Ash have shared everything. They have seen each other through heartbreaks, family issues, marriages, divorce, childbirth among other gazillion issues of life. They complete each other. But now things are changing and neither of them is ready for it. Newman’s debut adult novel will make you cry and want to hug everybody close to you. It’s a slim volume but you will want to take your time and savor the story and the brilliantly crafted characters. There’s also a lot to unpack here. I found myself putting the book down to take in what I had read and think things through. 

Maybe Next Time by Cesca Major 

You get a strong sense of how the story ends right from the beginning even though nothing is given away that early or even more than halfway through the book. But ‘Maybe Next Time’ by Cesca Major keeps you hooked because of its gorgeous writing and plot. It’s a wonderful story about second chances and prioritizing what you value in life before it’s too late that made me cry at the very end. I thought I wouldn’t but I did. I could see what was coming and even though it was expected, I wasn’t prepared for it. The story is about a literary agent named Emma Jacobs who finds herself stuck in a time loop. The same day keeps repeating itself but the outcome is always the same. Will she be able to fix her mistake so she can save the one she loves? The element of magical realism keeps things interesting and the protagonist is so well crafted that her problems become your problems, and you want to be able to fix them all. 

Tilo is an immigrant from India who runs a spice shop in Oakland in the US. Her spices aren’t just ingredients for curries, they have special powers as Tilo can command them to do her bid. She helps customers get what they desire. Everyone who comes to Tilo’s shop is given the spice she thinks they need—for the restoration of sight, to heal an aching heart, or to deal with the pain of rejection among many other problems.

 She is the mistress of spices with magical powers. She chose this life and she has had to make a few sacrifices for it. But she is happy to be able to help those who need it the most, like an abused wife or unhappy, bullied children. She feels she couldn’t possibly ever want anything else. She was warned that this life of service wouldn’t be easy but she stubbornly stuck to it and hasn’t ever regretted it.

 Then, one day, a lonely American comes into the store and Tilo can’t find the right spice for him. Maybe she doesn’t want to because there’s something about this man that makes her feel things she hasn’t felt before. And it feels a lot like desire and perhaps love. Tilo knows she can’t give in. She can’t touch anyone else, much less get close to them. Else, the spices will stop speaking to her and she will lose her powers. But Tilo can’t seem to stay away, even as the voices in her head warn her about the inevitable doom.

 ‘The Mistress of Spices’ by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a bizarre book. For the first half, it’s mostly all vibe and no plot. The story picks up but it’s not as gripping as her other works. I didn’t care about Tilo until I was more than halfway through the book. I couldn’t even picture her. There is a movie adaptation of the book starring Aishwarya Rai that I haven’t watched and I couldn’t even picture the actor as Tilo. The writing didn’t evoke my senses as Divakaruni’s works often do. (Also, there is a mismatch between the book and the movie. The book describes Tilo as trapped in an old woman’s body whereas a young Rai is shown as the protagonist in the movie.)

 I have read most of Divakaruni’s works and have loved them. ‘The Palace of Illusions’, an adaptation of the epic Mahabharata, told from Draupadi’s perspective, is a favorite of many people I know. I love her short stories, which mainly deal with the Indian immigrant experience. The Mistress of Spices, however, I felt is mediocre at best. There’s not much character development and even though you meet quite a few interesting ones, none of them really stay in your mind. There’s a lot of talk of spices which is fascinating. Maybe that was the reason I couldn’t stop reading despite the story not making much sense.

 It’s definitely not one of the author’s best works. But given that it was written back in 1997, reading it now in the age of smartphones and other gizmos lends it a certain charm that’s quite addictive. I wouldn’t recommend The Mistress of Spices as an introduction to the author’s large body of work. If you have read Divakaruni’s other works, you might be more forgiving of this book. For me, it evoked mixed feelings. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. I would give it a two and a half star rating.

Fiction

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/94669.The_Mistress_of_Spices  

The Mistress of Spices

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Published: 1997

Publisher: Black Swan

Pages: 317, Paperback

We crave change. We want to be fit and healthy, become better, do better, and be happy and content. The allure and the modus operandi or marketing strategy, if I might say so, of self-help books lies in people’s inherent desire to make their lives better. There are plenty of books that make lofty promises—you will be happier, you will learn to navigate relationships, you will thrive at work, etc. But reading about concepts and ways to change your life won’t actually do a thing unless you are willing to put in the hard work. And even then, what’s the guarantee that the things that worked for the author and his/her friends will work for you? This is one of the main reasons why I often steer clear of self-help books.

However, self-help books that are rooted in scientific or research-backed suggestions appeal to me. It puts me in the right mindset, one that makes me want to listen to the advice and implement them in my life. In that sense, ‘Everyday Ayurveda’ by Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya is one of the best books I’ve read. Dr Bhattacharya is a licensed, board-certified physician who has been incorporating ayurveda in her treatments for the past 25 years. Her work was featured on The Discovery Channel’s documentary, Healers: Journey into Ayurveda.

My interest in ayurveda probably comes from my mother. She is a medical doctor who has always supported the ayurvedic way of life. Watching her practice and recommend ayurvedic ways of healing has made me believe in its powers. I already knew many of the things mentioned in the book but it was still a good reminder of what I needed to do to be more active and agile. The book is divided into short chapters and the tone feels conversational and not preachy at all. The author is knowledgeable and the writing is thus convincing. Backed by evidence and anecdotes, Everyday Ayurveda makes for an interesting and eye-opening read.

Delving into the principles of ayurveda, Dr Bhattacharya tells us why and how we should listen to the signs our bodies give us. She urges readers to focus on self-care, building healthy habits, and following ancient wisdom and practices for sound health. You will pick up some helpful tips on how to turn your life around. Most of these tips don’t require much effort. They are just some basic modifications in your current lifestyle. Everyday Ayurveda, I believe, is an essential guide to a deeper understanding of yourself and the ways in which you can live a more fulfilling life.

Everyday Ayurveda

Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya

Published: 2015

Publisher: Ebury Press
Pages: 298, Paperback

In Nepal, most of us grow up eating ‘dal, bhat, tarkari’. The meal is so intricately woven in the fabric of our existence that if we don’t have it for a few days (because we are traveling or just haven’t had the time to cook the often-elaborate meal) we feel something is amiss. My father can have dal, bhat, tarkari three times a day. Yes, even for ‘khaja’. He says twice is a must, thrice is better. There are many others, relatives and friends, who feel the same way.

 During my school days, I had dal, bhat, tarkari every day, often for lunch and dinner. I used to hate it. It might be a balanced meal but I never liked it very much. I enjoy rice and curry but an ensemble of different things never appealed to me. So, I would often say I don’t like Nepali food. I was equating Nepali food with dal, bhat, tarkari. Much later, I would realize that Nepali food is diverse and, in many cases, nutritionally dense as well and come to love it.

I came across Prashanta Khanal’s cookbook ‘Timmur: Stories and Flavors from Nepal’ while waiting to consult a nutritionist at her office. The coffee table book caught my attention because of its interesting title. Also, I love the spice timmur, which is a flavoring ingredient that gives dishes a tangy touch. Upon flipping the book, I was enthralled. There are full page photos of dishes accompanying the recipes which are divided into nine sections.

The book could be considered an introduction into the various cuisines of Nepal. There are concise introductions delving into the history and traditions of the different cuisines featured in the book. There are recipes for Thakali, Khas, Magar & Gurung, Newari, Sherpa, Tamang, & Tibetan, Tharu & Maithil, and Rai & Limbu cuisines in the 297 glossy pages of the book. There are brief introductions to each dish which made me feel really knowledgeable about the food I was about to make. Did you know ‘momo-cha’ was brought to the Kathmandu Valley from Tibet by Newa traders and has been adapted to local tastes using buffalo meat and local spices?

There’s an entire section devoted to achaar or pickles. For someone like me who loves achaars and can have them by the bottle, this section was a delight. The ease to replicate recipes meant I could whip up anything I was in the mood for anytime I wanted. I tried the ‘Karelako Achaar’ and ‘Dalle Khursaniko Achaar’ among the 17 recipes in the section. They came out really well. Thanks to this arsenal of recipes, I never need to buy packaged pickles anymore or trouble my mother by asking her to make her signature ‘mula ko achaar’ or chili pickle.

The book is a visual delight as well with stunning photos by Nabin Baral and Gagan Thapa. It was actually the photos that made me want to buy a copy of the book which has, since then, become a handy tool to have in the kitchen. The recipes are easy to follow and most of the ingredients mentioned in the book can be found in our pantries. The good thing about Nepali food is that you can tweak it to your liking, by tinkering around with the ingredients, and it will still taste good.

Timmur

Prashanta Khanal

Published: 2022

Publisher: Fineprint

Language: English
Pages: 297, Hardcover

The Instagram page of Penguin India has quite a few posts of celebrities and readers talking about ‘None of This is True’ by Lisa Jewell. And everybody raves about it. It’s Jewell’s most recent release. I had previously read ‘And Then She Was Gone’ and it quite literally yanked me out of my reading slump. So, I wanted to read her other books too, but not back-to-back as reading thrillers in a row can get tedious. Having finished None of This is True I have a strong urge to buy more of her works and read them. Jewell has a knack for telling gripping stories and crafting characters that you will come to care about.

None of This is True is about two women—Alix and Josie—who share the same birthday. They are the birthday twins. They meet by chance at a restaurant where Josie takes a strange fascination with Alix who is a podcaster. She interviews women from all walks of life about the hardships they faced and how they overcame them to become who they are. Josie persuades Alix to feature her in her new series. She tells Alix that she is on the cusp of great changes in her life. Alix agrees and they start the interview process. Alix decides to call the podcast ‘Hi! I’m Your Birthday Twin’ which is what Josie says to Alix when she first meets her.

However, there is something unsettling about Josie. Her story is strange and complicated. She comes across as both the victim and hero, and you have an inkling that it couldn’t be so. Everybody else—her mother, her husband, and her two daughters—seems problematic. As Josie tells Alix her story you discover she has been hiding some secrets that could threaten her family. Josie also starts interfering in Alix’s life as she develops an unhealthy obsession with Alix and that’s when things take a sinister turn. But things were already set in motion when Alix and Josie first met, or even long before that.

The book alternates between the main plot which is the story as it happens and the transcripts of the podcast. This lends it a dark vibe because you get the feeling that things aren’t as black and white as Josie is making them out to be, that she is perhaps crafting a narrative that best suits her. The other characters you meet like her husband Walter, her daughter Erin, and Alix’s husband Nathan are also shifty. Walter is almost thirty years older than Josie. Erin spends all her time gaming and never comes out of her room. Alix’s husband has an alcohol problem. There’s a lot going on that just keeps you turning the pages.

[Spoiler alert] The book doesn’t have a happy ending. In many ways, you don’t get a sense of closure. This works to the book’s advantage though because readers will find themselves thinking about it long after they are done with it. To supplement your reading experience, Hi! I’m Your Birthday Twin is an actual podcast, available on Apple and Spotify. I listened to it and it gave me the creeps. But I loved the concept. It elevated my reading experience. The publishers definitely knew what they were doing. I can see myself buying every book Jewell has written so far, perhaps without even reading the blurb. I have a feeling I won’t be able to stop myself from binging on them.

None of This is True

Lisa Jewell

Published: 2023

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Pages: 390, paperback

We at ApEx are great believers in people’s list of favorites. We’re always asking friends and relatives to recommend their favorite books, music, and movies. The thing about reading books, listening to music, and watching movies that come recommended by someone is that we are 100 percent sure that we will love them. We have made up my mind that these will be fantastic experiences and so we always have a good time.

Recently, one of us was talking to a friend about a book ‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow’ by Gabrielle Zevin that we were reading together and we somehow got on the topic of movies. She mentioned that she isn’t much of a movie person and that she rewatches the same 10 movies, mainly because they provide comfort but also because they have great costume designs.

We asked her to share the list and watched a few of those movies over the weekend. We had a blast. They get your mind off things. For the several hours they lasted, some of us forgot all our worries. We’re sharing five movies from the list hoping the stories will lighten your mood.

Clueless

‘Clueless’ is a timeless PG-13 romance comedy with witty dialogue and many fashion takeaways. Alicia Silverstone, in her role as the protagonist Cher, is endearing. The movie is a feel-good classic that never fails to entertain. The 1995 American coming-of-age film is a loose adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1815 novel ‘Emma’. Our friend apparently knows all the dialogues by heart. They are witty one-liners so we can understand why. Though the movie was primarily aimed at teenagers, we believe it will appeal to everyone with a sense of humor. 

Sabrina

If you were to google you would find that there are several movies titled Sabrina. And we actually like quite a few of them. But our friend recommended the 1954 American romantic comedy directed by Billy Wilder. The movie stars Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, and William Holden. In 2002, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant’. The movie has a lot of drama and romance and a fair bit of intrigue. The characters are charming, gluing you to the screen. 

Howl’s Moving Castle

Read the book and watch the movie for a wholesome experience. The movie is perhaps one of the best works to come out of Studio Ghibli. The Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki is loosely based on the 1986 novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones. An under-confident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch. Her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his weird companions in his legged, walking castle. A brilliant execution of a great plot makes it a gripping and entertaining watch.  

Under the Tuscan Sun

Based on Frances Mayes’ 1996 memoir of the same name, the movie is about a recently divorced writer who buys a villa in Tuscany on a whim. Frances Mayes is a writer whose seemingly perfect life takes an unexpected turn when she learns that her husband has been cheating on her and that his young lover is pregnant with his child. Her best friend Patti worries that Frances might never recover from the traumatic divorce and urges her to go on a vacation. At first, Frances refuses. But then later she decides it might be a good idea to get away for a while and goes to Tuscany where she buys a villa on whim hoping it will change her life. Diana Lane received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in the movie. 

Funny Face

This musical is just what you need on a gloomy day when you don’t feel like doing anything. The 1957 romantic comedy is filled with vibrant performances by Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn. Funny Face is fascinating though there are quite a few loopholes in the writing. The movie has a lot of nonsensical elements between the dance numbers which is why it sticks to your mind. It does feel a tad bit misogynistic at times—the male character is the same throughout the movie while the female lead is the one who learns a lesson and changes. But the good thing is you don’t need to invest a lot of mental energy into the film and will definitely be entertained.