My Mother's Kitchen: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the Meaning of Life

by Peter Gethers

A funny, moving memoir about a son’s discovery that his mother has a genius for understanding the intimate connections between cooking, people and love

Peter Gethers wants to give his aging mother a very personal and perhaps final gift: a spectacular feast featuring all her favorite dishes. The problem is, although he was raised to love food and wine he doesn’t really know how to cook. So he embarks upon an often hilarious and always touching culinary journey that will ultimately allow him to bring his mother’s friends and loved ones to the table one last time.

The daughter of a restaurateur—the restaurant was New York’s legendary Ratner’s—Judy Gethers discovered a passion for cooking in her 50s. In time, she became a mentor and friend to several of the most famous chefs in America, including Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton and Jonathan Waxman; she also wrote many cookbooks and taught cooking alongside Julia Child. In her 80s, she was robbed of her ability to cook by a debilitating stroke. But illness has brought her closer than ever to her son: Peter regularly visits her so they can share meals, and he can ask questions about her colorful past, while learning her kitchen secrets. Gradually his ambition becomes manifest: he decides to learn how to cook his mother the meal of her dreams and thereby tell the story of her life to all those who have loved her.

With his trademark wit and knowing eye, Peter Gethers has written an unforgettable memoir about how food and family can do much more than feed us—they can nourish our souls.

Genres: Memoir, Food, Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Cooking, Biography Memoir, Biography

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2017

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this memoir was interesting, funny, engaging, and emotional. I loved the photos, family, and the history. The recipes throughout the book were perfectly positioned in the story and Gethers really has a way with words. I would recommend this book to all and especially those who have a love for food and cooking. 4****

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review...

[Offbalance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing can be more evocative than a properly worded title. In this case, one must pay careful attention to the fact that this book is called "MY mother's kitchen," because the MY takes center stage throughout this book. This book purports to be about the legendary food celebrity Judy Gethers - daughter of the Ratners restaurant family, friend/mother figure to dozens who came out of the California Cuisine explosion of the 1970s, most notably Ma Maison and Wolfgang Puck, but make no mistake, it is only a little bit about those things. This book is completely about the author of this book, his thoughts about his mother, his feelings about his mother and her life, her journey, and his feelings about her feelings. For a book that claims to be about this legendary woman, she's at best a minor character.

Whenever Judy Gethers is truly the center of the narrative, this is truly a fascinating story of a woman finding a second act and a thrilling new passion to excite her. If ever anyone was in need of a good example of what pulling focus looks like, add this to your list. This completely self-aggrandizing collection of anecdotes and recipes was supposed to be to celebrate the author's mother after she fought a herculean series of illnesses (including multiple strokes). I never once felt like the writer was telling his mother's story, or even a joint story. He was consumed with putting himself front and center, making himself, his feelings, his thoughts, and his view of what he thought his mother was or should be took a back seat to that. Every opportunity the younger Gethers had to tell a more detailed story about his mother (maybe by interviewing a friend? other sources beside himself? broadening the scope?), he turned the so-called camera back on himself to focus on his favorite subject, himself. Truly, an editor should know better, if he cared to pay attention. I suspect he did not.

(Most galling of all? None of the recipes in this book are new or original either. They all come from other sources, and other previously published cookbooks. )

[Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

What a fantastic book! I am so glad I read My Mother’s Kitchen: Family, Food, and the Meaning of Life. Peter Gethers wants to give his mom a gift before she is gone so he decides to cook her each of her favorite dishes for her. The journey that ensues is poignant and hilarious. Gethers does not generally cook very often, and his mother loves complicated dishes. In between the frequently humorous portions of the book detailing his preparation of the various meals, Gethers imparts to the reader his family history, including the operation by family members of several restaurants in New York City. While his mother did not become interested in cooking until she was in her 50’s, she made the most of her interest and ended up working with Wolfgang Puck in his early years and numerous other talented chefs. She remained close with Wolfgang Puck, and twice when she was in the hospital, Puck traveled cross country to bring her food.

True foodies will love the recipes included, some from famous chefs, and the details regarding the preparation of these complicated recipes. I enjoyed more the stories about his family and his mother’s foray into the food business. Gethers includes photos and newspaper articles which really add to his tale. I highly, highly recommend this memoir. Thanks to LibraryThing for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heavily promoted by B&N this summer, so when it was 50% off, I bought it. I debated finishing it, but did. The last 1/3 of the book is the best.
1. The title is misleading: this is far more about the author than his mother.
2. Not much about her Kitchen.
3. His mother's late-blooming career is interesting but would have been a good magazine article; there's just not enough to carry a book.

[Maria Burnham · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't crazy about this book. Although I liked the premise (a son cooking his mother's favorite dishes in her last years of life), I just couldn't see the focus of the book as it progressed in the beginning.

However, by the end, I was sobbing (I mean ugly crying kind of sobbing) at the end as Peter Gethers talks about his mother and the power of friendship, love, a good meal and a delicious bottle of wine.

This book isn't just for "foodies." It's a memoir explaining how children learn about their parents as they age and that, in life, there's always room for a second chance. I didn't know anything about Judy Gethers before reading this book. But now, I feel as though she is partly my mom, too.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strange, very strange. I didn’t know what to expect, but this book was confusing. Gethers has a lot of grudges...his mother’s side of the family, his brother, his nephew, and has brushed shoulders with a lot of famous people I’ve never heard of. He never mentions what his brother or nephew did to piss him off, but he tells the story of his mother’s side in detail, and that’s how the book begins. He also brags about his Martini brothers in just a way that makes you hate their arrogance, because like so many other things they really had no place in this book.

I still don’t know who Judy Gethers was - I think most of her cookbooks were published in the 80s and are probably no longer relevant. I had no interest in attempting to recreate any of the recipes although I have enjoyed Joel Robuchon’s potatoes.

[Yenta Knows · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish. Author seems like a warm and loving person,but I just wasn't interested in what he had to say.

[Lindsay Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my book. Judy Gethers IS my inspiration to live a full and overwhelmingly beautiful life, loving others, inspiring others, and leaving a legacy through the love language of food and drink. I can only hope to have .01 percent of the impactful and ever-unfolding life she led, and have my children(my own or others I acquire through compassion and listening, over a well-prepared meal) know me like this, and leave a legacy such as this.
Also, I bought this book for $1 at the dollar tree…but it’s worth more than I can put into words.

[Sue Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an ARC. I loved this book and the ending made me cry. It is well written and a warm, loving tribute to the author's mother. I highly recommend it.

[Pat Lampe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this memoir. Uplifting, happy, sad, wise. So good.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fan of this one. Should have known when the title includes: "Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the Meaning of Life." The author is quite full of himself and likes to drop names of celebrity acquaintances. He references his mother's "more sophisticated world" i.e. his family had money. The only recipe I'd consider making was the tarte tartin (from Martha Stewart).

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story he has could be a good one. Unfortunately his unprofessional stream-of-consciousness-writing is poorly edited.

In addition, his ignorance, misinformation and cultural insensitivity shows with gratuitous comments on an area of Jewish practice (see bottom of page 52). He continues to repeat his disgust within his Matzo Brei recipe on the following page (see Directions #1).

Gethers believes himself to be an open-minded person especially politically but in reality he shows us his hypocrisy and--more importantly--an excessive negativity when it comes to his own heritage. I cannot help feeling he'd show much more respect to the culture of others.
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[Michelle Ule · Rating 3 out of 5]

This memoir started out strong and I enjoyed many parts of the first half, but the last 1/3 or so turned away from Judy Gethers and focused on her son and his reactions--drifted really.

Still, it was clever and fun, just should have been shorter.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Gethers grew up around good food. His mother Judy's family owned Ratner's in New York and his father worked in the entertainment business so he was always wining and dining friends and clients. When Judy was in her 50's and living in L.A. she decided to learn how to professionally cook and became a well-respected chef and mentor. She was particularly close with Wolfgang Puck. Once Judy started cooking and working in the food business her life really blossomed. She was the youngest of five children and always felt overshadowed by her family, but out on the West coast doing something new that she loved really changed her. In her eighties after two strokes she could no longer cook, but Peter hired professional chefs to cook for her once a week and he also started talking to his mother more about cooking and food. While he always loved eating, Peter wasn't a gifted cook like his mother. But, he had the idea to cook her a meal with all of her favorite foods as a way to bring everyone and everything she loved together. Unfortunately she died before that meal could take place, but then it became her memorial instead. Throughout the book Peter combines family history with food and memorial meals they experienced. As he puts together this "ultimate meal" he provides the recipes he used and his often-hilarious attempts at cooking each part of the meal. At times funny and at other times serious or sad, this is a loving tribute to his mother and how her love of food shaped Peter and their family.

I did find it incredibly sad that Judy's oldest brother tried not once or twice, but three different times to cheat her out of family money from Ratner's (the family restaurant) and the buildings their father had owned. Then the same thing happened to her husband Steven when his siblings cheated him out of his rightful portion of the family business when it was sold. It made me feel a little better to know my family isn't the only one who has people on both sides stealing/cheating/whatever family members for money though...

Some quotes I liked:

[After Judy's brother tried to steal the rights to the Ratner's cookbook that she wrote and published] "I was a bit awed by the courage it took for my mom to stand up to her brother - and for herself - the way she did. Her anger and firm sense of right and wrong overrode almost seven decades of familial deference. It was a turning point in her life. I don't think she was ever bullied or cowed by anyone ever again." (p. 49)

"A year after my mother started working in the restaurant kitchen, Patrick erected a new building on the restaurant's parking lot and opened Ma Cuisine, Ma Maison's cooking school. My mother became its first manager and main teacher. She was now cooking and teaching alongside Julia Child and Paula Wolfert and her new friend Maida, the stars of that era's food universe, as well as with the new generation of great California chefs: Jonathan Waxman, Nancy Silverton, Mark Peel, and so many others." (p. 186)

"When I was around seven years old, television commercials began running that warned of the dangers that tobacco engendered. Because I saw how much my dad smoked, these commercials scared me. Before my eighth birthday, my dad asked me what I might be thinking about as a present. I said that I wanted him to stop smoking - that would be the perfect gift. So on my eighth birthday, my dad stopped cold. He never had another cigarette for the remaining twenty-eight years of his life. But the damage had been done [he died of lung cancer]." (p. 217)

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine growing up as part of the family that owns one of New York’s iconic restaurants. It is a life where food becomes the main reference to most major events. That is the story that Peter Gethers tells in My Mother’s Kitchen, but it is not his story. It is the story of his mother, Judith Gethers nee Harmatz. She is one of the children in the family that founded Ratner’s, one of New York’s most famous Kosher restaurants.

Judith Harmatz was born in 1922, in New York, and grew up in and around Ratner’s restaurant, co-owned by her father and her uncle. This was her life until she married Steven Gethers, a television writer. His work eventually took the family to Los Angeles, where she was mother and wife. At the age of 53, with both of her sons out of the house, Judith decided that she wanted to do something more. She wanted to learn how to cook like a chef. So, she took an unpaid position at Ma Maison, one if LA’s swanky-ist restaurants at the time. She worked with Wolfgang Puck, Jonathan Waxman and Nancy Silverton, among other top name chefs. Eventually, she became an instructor at Ma Maison’s cooking school. She has also written six cookbooks.

In her eighties, Mrs. Gethers suffered two strokes and several bouts of cancer. As she was reaching the end of her life, Mr. Gethers decided to put together a day’s menu of his mother’s favorite dishes, breakfast, lunch and dinner. That is the structure that he has given this exploration of his mother’s life. He has used this format to include the recipes for the dishes that his mother chose.

Breakfast covers Mrs. Gethers early life. Her family history and growth of Ratner’s as a cultural icon are explored. Ratner’s was a kosher dairy restaurant on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It became one of the most famous kosher establishments in the city, and a hang out for many of New York’s celebrities. Mr. Gethers also gives us a recipe for one of my favorite childhood dishes – Matzoh-brei. This is a mix of moist matzoh pieces cooked with scrambled eggs. My mother served it with maple syrup, a wonderous dish of sweet and savory flavors.

Lunch covers the early years of Mrs. Gethers’ marriage, and Peter’s life. Starting with an apartment in Peter Cooper Village, in lower Manhattan, and then a house in Rockland County, Mr. Gethers explores the ups and downs of his mother’s life. He explores the family issues as Ratner’s ownership change generations, and her desire to be away from pressures from her siblings.

Dinner brings us to life in California. Here we follow Mrs. Gethers blossoming into a chef, a teacher and an author. We meet some of the many chefs that came into the Gethers’ family. We watch her blossom into a social fixture among the restaurant set in Los Angeles. As her life experiences grow, the recipes given become more complicated that are included. But as the food becomes more interesting, so does the tale of Mrs. Gethers’ life.

My Mother’s Kitchen us a fascinating look at the story of a woman who led a quiet, but amazing life. Mr. Gethers does a great job weaving together food and life experiences, just as it happens to us all every day.

[3GirlsMom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly? I was moving this book from the kitchen to the giveaway box, never having stuck my nose into it. Then I thought, “Let’s not be rash here. Maybe just a quick scan...” Well that was that for reorganizing the kitchen and I spent the rest of the day with Peter Gethers and his fascinating, accomplished mother Judy Gethers. I have to admit I’d never heard of her (or of the author for that matter) but she seems to be quite famous in the foodie world. What charmed me right from the start was the relationship he had with his mother. He appreciated her and all she had achieved over a very long lifetime. The premise of the story is that he wanted to make her a day’s menu of all her favorite foods. He would make a celebration of it, see her eyes light up as she tasted a tarte tatin like the one she had eaten in Paris, or salmon coulibiac à la her great friend Wolfgang Puck. Trouble was, Peter was more of a workaday cook like most of us. He could follow a recipe-well, sort of-but knew whom he could call on for help. The chapters are organized loosely around the planning and preparation of the three meals, including the recipes for the famous dishes. He manages to tell Judy’s life story as he goes along. She was a member of the family that owned the famous “Ratners” in New York but she didn’t set foot in a professional kitchen till she was in her fifties and was living in LA. Peter’s father Steve (also a famous person in films, theater and TV) was a supportive husband and loving father. The author manages to flesh out Steve’s story as well. You know: humble beginnings, service in WWII, self-made Hollywood writer, director, producer. That sort of thing.
I think what I loved most about the book is the true affection among the family. No, it’s not all roses and valentines, especially as to the extended family, but there was love and acceptance and strong bonds among them. Some reviewers have noted that the book seems to be more about the author than his mom but I didn’t find it so. He’s a man whose mother is at the end of her life and he wants to do something very special for her. Meanwhile we enjoy learning about his family, his own kitchen adventures and most of all his fascinating mother.

My one quibble (hence 4 rather than 5 stars) is that a couple of the end sections of the book are repetitive of material covered at the beginning of the book. Almost as if these were excerpted for magazine articles and then reinserted at the end of the book. Not very careful editing there.

Thanks to Henry Holt and Company for the Goodreads Giveaway copy

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book as an early reviewer.

I read "My Mother's Kitchen" slowly. Not because it was a slog, quite the opposite. I was so delighted by the stories of the author's mother that I decided 1/3 of the way through to take my time with it. Peter Gethers memoir of his mother's llfe, and her relationship with him, family, and friends is a wonderful and sweet read. As his mother, Judy, begins to grow frail, he decides to cook an ultimate meal for her based on all of her favorite dishes. It is great fun to read the stories behind Judy's favorites and Peter's attempts at cooking them. Peter admits upfront that he is not a great cook and that he is very lacking in cooking knowledge so while you are provided with some tasty recipes throughout the book, it is refreshing to read about Peter's attempts - both failures and successes - to cook them. While the recipes are interesting themselves, the stories about Judy's life and her relationships with friends and family are the true meat of this book.

When I started the book I did not realize that his mother was such a well known cook and celebrity in the food world. While the name-dropping was a little much at times (thus my half star). At first I thought this would irritate me after my initial delight with the book, however it quickly became clear that Peter is very down to earth and appreciative of the experiences in his life thanks to his parents' and his own successes rather than taking them for granted.

[Irena Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Really?" I thought when I first saw the subtitle of this book. "Really? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and the meaning of life?"

Apparently, yes, it turns out, if you, like most reasonable people, think that the meaning of life lies in food, family, and deep connections (and rifts, occasionally) between people. Peter Gethers is a lucky guy: his father was a well-known writer and producer, his mother reinvented herself by becoming Wolfgang Puck's kitchen slave at Ma Maison in LA in the late '70s, when she was in her fifties, and in short order became a respected (and adored) doyenne of the food world, a cookbook author, and a cooking teacher (oh, and her family used to own Ratner's in New York City, as if Gethers' family weren't interesting enough already). The book totally won me over, in spite of my initial skepticism—what it is, really, is a love letter to his family, and to his mother, with her indomitable strength and force of will and sixth sense about food above all. It embraces their idiosyncrasies, their deep bonds, and above all their good taste. (Also, his father had the foresight to buy cases of Chateau d'Yquem in the 1970s, when no one in the US was drinking the stuff and prize vintages went for $10 a bottle.) Lucky indeed.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published in 2017 I am just getting to doing my review. I reread this book again and from what I remembered the first time I still I the same thoughts. The author goes over recipes and memories from the times he shared with his mother and from trying to recreate the recipes that he has.
Really for me this really reminded me of when I was younger and cooking with my father, learning our family recipes while at the same time he would tell stories of his grandparents and how they came over from Italy and him cooking with his grandmother. For the true food person who still loves to cook and where cooking and eating is about family, telling stories is one way to find out about your history, no different than working with your dad or grandparent on restoring an old car. It is about the love of the person and finding a way to connect with that loved one while they are still with us. The food and recipes, and photos just helped make this story and book so much better especially if you are into food or cooking like I am. I found this to be a wonderful book. Very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this advance readers copy with a slightly different cover, and title, a few months ago, and am finally getting caught up with some of my reading that I had gotten behind on.

I received My Mothers's Kitchen, Family, Food, and the Meaning of Life, and I finished it over the period of 3 days. I REALLY enjoyed this memoir. The author, Peter Gethers, is very funny and made the book so interesting, I didn't want to put it down. His relationship with his mother, food, and wine, restaurants and famous people, made me love the book. He is a loving son that wanted to give his aging mother a final gift of all of her favorite dishes. Included are a few pictures, and the recipes, and you have just the right mix for a well done book. I'm not likely to make the recipes, but it was so fun to read the process with a bit of humor thrown in. It was like I was there in the kitchen watching all this unfold. This was a fun book to read, and I will definitely seek out his other titles.
Thanks Goodreads.

[Maryann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was prepared for something much more rustic in tone when I saw the cover. But what's inside is an elegant and well-crafted tribute to an amazing woman. Peter Gethers' relationship with his mother was intimate and loving and his admiration shines through on every page. This isn't a bragfest, though- there is balance and she remains human, not a superhero. Peter sets out to make his mother her favorite meals, the ultimate of her favorite foods, and he aims to make them himself. His mother worked with Wolfgang Puck and so many other famous chefs and was a cookbook author, so this was no easy feat. The author owns his shortcomings in the kitchen, but this is a labor of love. There are recipes included, most of which are far above my skill set. The author set out to let the world know how amazing a woman his mother is and he achieved his goal.

[Susan Conklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a son and his mother with no whining. Gethers honors his mother's pretty amazing accomplishment as a chef or "cook" as she humbly called herself who in her 50's dove into the culinary world in the deep end.

In her last few years, her son sets out to learn, cook and share with her her favorite dishes from her vast repertoire of dishes from around the world and her own cookbooks.

There is no need to spell out any shortcomings of his mother as a mother, it's very subtle in his and her words and certainly was not the point of the book which was refreshing. As his mother says, he is lucky to have had her as his mother.

For me it was easy to consume the book very quickly.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet tribute to his mother, written by her son, who obviously adored her. Judy Gethers seems to have been a marvelous woman, with an interesting life, and her son Peter memorializes her mostly through their shared love of, passion for, and careers in food. It is lovely but honestly (I cringe to say) it went on a bit too long for me, perhaps like home movies or photo scrapbooks that are really of most intense interest only to those who know and love the people in them. As a tribute to a beloved mother I give it 5 stars, but as a book, 3. It took me nearly 2 weeks to read the nearly 300 pages, and at that I skimmed in places. 300 pages is a long read when you're reading about how somebody feels about their mom.

[Joy Treacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The author is quite funny, & the depiction of his life growing up with his family (extended included) was interesting beyond measure. His relationship with his mother, a remarkable woman, was a joy to read about. And the FOOD, wine, & other types of alcoholic beverages was truly a learning experience for me. The wonderful restaurants, the countries (especially the French countryside), made one feel as if they were experiencing it themselves. And the recipes the author so graciously shared with the reader were divine. I've yet to try any of them yet, but will make an attempt one of these days. All in all, a most enjoyable read!!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author had a fascinating mother that I was glad to get to know in this memoir. I loved that this book had recipes for the dishes (although I am not particularly likely to make them) because through the recipes he was able to explain so much about his family, his mother, and life in general. The ending was quite insightful, perhaps my favorite paragraph:
"The most wondrous thing I learned is that cooking can give us hope. Hope that by combining different ingredients we can somehow create something newer and better. Something magical. It gives us hope that if we try again, maybe we'll get it right."

[Jennifer Cannady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. I’ve seen many reviews that note the flaws— yes the author is self-absorbed, privileged and a name dropper but he is also truly funny and I laughed at many points of reading this. His hostility towards his brother and uncles/cousins really put in a sour note and were completely unnecessary to explaining his mom’s evolution from daughter to housewife to worldly cook. He also made me cringe when he described his relationship with an African American housekeeper as one that made him “fairly colorblind”. Seriously? Very entitled That said his love and admiration for his mom shines through and the stories were fun.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subtitled “Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the Meaning of Life” this is Peter Gethers’ homage to his mother, Judy Gethers. I had never heard of her before. Her family had owned and run Ratner’s, a well-known Jewish delicatessen in New York. When she moved to Los Angeles with her husband and sons, she often dined at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant, Spago, and was invited to come into his kitchen and learn to cook. She became well known as a chef and author of cookbooks. Peter decided to learn how to cook and prepare “the perfect meal” for his mother. The book is framed around this meal, but it is much more than that taken as a whole. I enjoyed it.

[Judi Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is memoir which is not my favorite genre. I will be going to hear the author speak at a book signing so that is why I read it. There was a lot I could relate to so I found that enjoyable. There is a great deal of description of food, recipes, restaurants, chefs and wine. I am not much into all that but I imagine if you are you will be salivating and smiling throughout. Gethers writes with love, humor and sensitivity. To quote the author, "The most wondrous thing I learned is that cooking can give us hope. Hope that by combining different ingredients we can somehow create something newer and better. Something magical. It gives us hope that if we try again, maybe we'll getvitvright."

[Jessica Snajder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't looking for new or original receipts from this book, nor was I looking to learn more about his mother's life. This is a memoir of the author, written about his time spent cooking for his mother. It is self-centered, as it is his relationship with her and with his family.

This book made me reflect on the legacy I want to leave my children. Am I living my life to the fullest? Am I creating memories with friends and family that my children will want to recreate? Am I enjoying good food, good wine and good company? Am I using my home to gather together?

I'm glad I read this early on in the year as it has helped me frame by goals for this new year.

[Ellen Pilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Peter Gether's writing since I read all three of his books about his beloved cat, Norton. This is part memoir, part cookbook and a wonderful tribute to his mom.
After her two sons were grown, she starts a career as a chef at the age of 53. She authored several cookbooks and mentored many chefs just as Wolfgang Puck had done for her.
The author recreates many of her favorite dishes in this beautiful memoir about her. I highly recommend this for anyone who appreciates a fine meal as well as anyone who enjoys memoirs.