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Spirits in a Spice Jar
For Sarina Kamini’s Kashmiri family, food is love, love is faith, and faith is family. It’s cause for total emotional devastation when, ten years after her Australian mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, unaddressed grief turns the spice of this young food writer’s heritage to ash and her prayers to poison. At her lowest ebb, Sarina’s dead Ammi’s typed-up cooking notes become a recipe for healing, her progress in the kitchen marked by her movement through bitterness, grief and loneliness—the daal that is too fiery and lumpen; her play with salt that pricks and burns. In teaching herself how to personalise tradition and spirituality through spice, Sarina creates space to reconsider her relationship with Hinduism and God in a way that allows room for questions. She learns forgiveness of herself for being different, and comes to accept that family means change and challenge as much as acceptance and love.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2018
22 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 33 reviews
February 23, 2019
5th Book of 2019
Quote from the Book I Liked - 'Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood.'
Rating - 2 Stars
Plot Summary - For Sarina Kamini’s Kashmiri family, food is love, love is faith, and faith is family. It’s cause for total emotional devastation when, ten years after her Australian mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, unaddressed grief turns the spice of this young food writer’s heritage to ash and her prayers to poison. At her lowest ebb, Sarina’s dead Ammi’s typed-up cooking notes become a recipe for healing, her progress in the kitchen marked by her movement through bitterness, grief and loneliness—the daal that is too fiery and lumpen; her play with salt that pricks and burns. In teaching herself how to personalize tradition and spirituality through spice, Sarina creates space to reconsider her relationship with Hinduism and God in a way that allows room for questions. She learns forgiveness of herself for being different and comes to accept that family means change and challenge as much as acceptance and love.
My Review - I soo wanted to read this book for such a long time but when I actually got the chance, I felt a bit sour. Why I wanted to read this book so badly you may ask? It's simply because this book contained 2 of my most loved things together, The Food and Kashmir. I don't know why but whenever I got to know about the book which somehow related to Kashmir, I drift away and gets an instant urge to read the book right away. So was the thing with this book.
The book tells the story about a Kashmiri family, keeping the relation of Daughter and mother at its nucleus. The mother-daughter duo had a very good time until Parkinson's caused an array of disdain and disorder in their lives. Poignant's mother totally drew herself back in her self shell, totally becoming irresponsible towards her growing girl. Being in a Kashmiri family, the poignant, had an affection towards the special cuisine they were famously known for and a range of spices they incorporated in their food. But since the major disattachment, the mother-daughter went through she totally stopped cooking the recipes she was soo fond to eat through her childhood because she thought this way she could distance herself from the despairing childhood she went through.
The author uses a very good approach to name every chapter of the book as an Ingredient which indeed has an effect on poignant life just like it plays an important role in every dish it is used in. What made me abandon this book is the pace and stagnant growth of the story where the daughter keeps on Ranting about her relationship with her mother and her own failure as a Mother, wife, and daughter, blaming the disease and her mother's aloofness towards her. I felt the story doesn't move and just sits there for a whole lot of time than it should've.
I so wanted to complete the book but this part just didn't end and I started feeling having a mixed feeling of irritation and a bit too sad for the type of emotions the girl hold towards her mother. Yes, its a plus as well as a minus thing about the book which can be said as the turning point for the readers. Where a few like me might just leave the book while others went on with it. The way the words have been crafted into such an array of emotions which makes the reader totally feel what the character felt is the best and the worst thing about the book. I just wish I had it in me to complete the book. Maybe I'll try to read this book sometime later but for now, I just can't get on with it.
Conclusion - Amalgam of emotions which can make a reader feel the same as that of the character.
Full Review on Blog.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
Quote from the Book I Liked - 'Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood.'
Rating - 2 Stars
Plot Summary - For Sarina Kamini’s Kashmiri family, food is love, love is faith, and faith is family. It’s cause for total emotional devastation when, ten years after her Australian mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, unaddressed grief turns the spice of this young food writer’s heritage to ash and her prayers to poison. At her lowest ebb, Sarina’s dead Ammi’s typed-up cooking notes become a recipe for healing, her progress in the kitchen marked by her movement through bitterness, grief and loneliness—the daal that is too fiery and lumpen; her play with salt that pricks and burns. In teaching herself how to personalize tradition and spirituality through spice, Sarina creates space to reconsider her relationship with Hinduism and God in a way that allows room for questions. She learns forgiveness of herself for being different and comes to accept that family means change and challenge as much as acceptance and love.
My Review - I soo wanted to read this book for such a long time but when I actually got the chance, I felt a bit sour. Why I wanted to read this book so badly you may ask? It's simply because this book contained 2 of my most loved things together, The Food and Kashmir. I don't know why but whenever I got to know about the book which somehow related to Kashmir, I drift away and gets an instant urge to read the book right away. So was the thing with this book.
The book tells the story about a Kashmiri family, keeping the relation of Daughter and mother at its nucleus. The mother-daughter duo had a very good time until Parkinson's caused an array of disdain and disorder in their lives. Poignant's mother totally drew herself back in her self shell, totally becoming irresponsible towards her growing girl. Being in a Kashmiri family, the poignant, had an affection towards the special cuisine they were famously known for and a range of spices they incorporated in their food. But since the major disattachment, the mother-daughter went through she totally stopped cooking the recipes she was soo fond to eat through her childhood because she thought this way she could distance herself from the despairing childhood she went through.
The author uses a very good approach to name every chapter of the book as an Ingredient which indeed has an effect on poignant life just like it plays an important role in every dish it is used in. What made me abandon this book is the pace and stagnant growth of the story where the daughter keeps on Ranting about her relationship with her mother and her own failure as a Mother, wife, and daughter, blaming the disease and her mother's aloofness towards her. I felt the story doesn't move and just sits there for a whole lot of time than it should've.
I so wanted to complete the book but this part just didn't end and I started feeling having a mixed feeling of irritation and a bit too sad for the type of emotions the girl hold towards her mother. Yes, its a plus as well as a minus thing about the book which can be said as the turning point for the readers. Where a few like me might just leave the book while others went on with it. The way the words have been crafted into such an array of emotions which makes the reader totally feel what the character felt is the best and the worst thing about the book. I just wish I had it in me to complete the book. Maybe I'll try to read this book sometime later but for now, I just can't get on with it.
Conclusion - Amalgam of emotions which can make a reader feel the same as that of the character.
Full Review on Blog.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
July 23, 2018
Spirits in a spice jar
By Sarina Kamini
Genre -Non fiction
Total pages -324
Publishing house -Westland
About the book :
Spirits in a Spice jar is a personal account of The author . Her Australian Mother , diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease , took food as love . Those recipes are her Healing power . The author has penned down all the journey of her Healing and how each spice attached the her Mother's spirit and how everything hold a memory of her .
My views :
The book is divided into seven chapter . And they are named as the name of ingredients and the recipes . The chapters starts with the complete recipes . For me it's really a new type of book . And these in these chapters , she mixed her emotions and shows are the similarity we have with them . I really like the way she describe all . I can clearly picturised her childhood , her relasionship , husband and brothers. The writting style is really admirable .
This book is really a good read .
I would like to give it 5/5
I would like to thank the author and The publishers for this review copy
By Sarina Kamini
Genre -Non fiction
Total pages -324
Publishing house -Westland
About the book :
Spirits in a Spice jar is a personal account of The author . Her Australian Mother , diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease , took food as love . Those recipes are her Healing power . The author has penned down all the journey of her Healing and how each spice attached the her Mother's spirit and how everything hold a memory of her .
My views :
The book is divided into seven chapter . And they are named as the name of ingredients and the recipes . The chapters starts with the complete recipes . For me it's really a new type of book . And these in these chapters , she mixed her emotions and shows are the similarity we have with them . I really like the way she describe all . I can clearly picturised her childhood , her relasionship , husband and brothers. The writting style is really admirable .
This book is really a good read .
I would like to give it 5/5
I would like to thank the author and The publishers for this review copy
August 2, 2018
Follow Just A Girl High On Books for more reviews.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood."
- Sarina Kamini, Spirits in A Spice Jar
Spirits in A Spice Jar is a memoir penned down by Sarina Kamini. The story revolves around food, basically. Or rather, the importance of food in a family like that of Kamini. In a way, thus, this is every Indian household's story because as it is, there are a lot of families in our nation for who, food is love, love is faith and faith is family. Or family is faith, faith is love and love is food. (I know it is true for my Punjabi family!)
Anyway, the book takes us to the journey of the author's life through the route of food and spices—something a lot of Indian houses excel in. In a country like ours, it is common to compare, or sometimes even show, one's feelings via food, but to depict them through specific spices is a whole feat in itself. Kamini has done a great job of it in her novel.
The thing that I loved the most about this book (apart from the cover, of course!) was the beautiful words used by Kamini. There were so many different lines that carried so many contrasting and beautiful emotions. I was a fan of her work right then and there! This is her debut novel, I believe but the emotions and the feelings it holds, and the way things are written—they make me wonder if she really is a debutante or not. It makes me wonder why there aren't anymore such authors in our country. And there is this one particular line in the novel, that I cannot help but not love:
The ending is mine to write and I must word it on my own.
Isn't this beautiful?
Other than that, I cannot help but notice how apt the title of the book really is. I mean, if I have the right to judge it, then I'd very much say that well...okay yeah, I cannot say anything except how apt it is.
In a nutshell, this book has a rather smooth writing style. Things within are beautiful and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of food and is one of those food is love and love is family kind of people. At places, it can be a little too much, though. I mean, who are we kidding? It deals with her inner fears and insecurities. It is bound to be brutal in a casual way. Yet, it is something I would definitely recommend. And when you do take this on my recommendation, let me know what do you think of it. Will await your view!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood."
- Sarina Kamini, Spirits in A Spice Jar
Spirits in A Spice Jar is a memoir penned down by Sarina Kamini. The story revolves around food, basically. Or rather, the importance of food in a family like that of Kamini. In a way, thus, this is every Indian household's story because as it is, there are a lot of families in our nation for who, food is love, love is faith and faith is family. Or family is faith, faith is love and love is food. (I know it is true for my Punjabi family!)
Anyway, the book takes us to the journey of the author's life through the route of food and spices—something a lot of Indian houses excel in. In a country like ours, it is common to compare, or sometimes even show, one's feelings via food, but to depict them through specific spices is a whole feat in itself. Kamini has done a great job of it in her novel.
The thing that I loved the most about this book (apart from the cover, of course!) was the beautiful words used by Kamini. There were so many different lines that carried so many contrasting and beautiful emotions. I was a fan of her work right then and there! This is her debut novel, I believe but the emotions and the feelings it holds, and the way things are written—they make me wonder if she really is a debutante or not. It makes me wonder why there aren't anymore such authors in our country. And there is this one particular line in the novel, that I cannot help but not love:
The ending is mine to write and I must word it on my own.
Isn't this beautiful?
Other than that, I cannot help but notice how apt the title of the book really is. I mean, if I have the right to judge it, then I'd very much say that well...okay yeah, I cannot say anything except how apt it is.
In a nutshell, this book has a rather smooth writing style. Things within are beautiful and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of food and is one of those food is love and love is family kind of people. At places, it can be a little too much, though. I mean, who are we kidding? It deals with her inner fears and insecurities. It is bound to be brutal in a casual way. Yet, it is something I would definitely recommend. And when you do take this on my recommendation, let me know what do you think of it. Will await your view!
October 7, 2018
I just don't know where to begin with. I wanted to read this book for so long and when I actually did finish reading it, I want more!
Amazing, heart touching, what else will do justice to Sarina's writing. I am in awe of her writing style.
Spirits in the Spice Jar is a memoir. We get to experience and live the life of the author, her understanding of life, family and traditions, her emotions all through food.
Yes! U heard it right, through food!
In every Indian family, food has its own importance, people connect over food, share their love over food. Food is love, love is faith and faith is family.
The words chosen by Sarina are beautiful❤❤
The thoughtful and apt title of the book, the gorgeous cover, the title of the chapters, the narrations, moreover the emotions that this book depicts are perfect, hearttouching and fantastic. Looking forward to reading more of Sarina's amazing work. 😍
Definitely a MUST MUST MUST READ!!
Amazing, heart touching, what else will do justice to Sarina's writing. I am in awe of her writing style.
Spirits in the Spice Jar is a memoir. We get to experience and live the life of the author, her understanding of life, family and traditions, her emotions all through food.
Yes! U heard it right, through food!
In every Indian family, food has its own importance, people connect over food, share their love over food. Food is love, love is faith and faith is family.
The words chosen by Sarina are beautiful❤❤
The thoughtful and apt title of the book, the gorgeous cover, the title of the chapters, the narrations, moreover the emotions that this book depicts are perfect, hearttouching and fantastic. Looking forward to reading more of Sarina's amazing work. 😍
Definitely a MUST MUST MUST READ!!
July 26, 2018
"Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood."
The book follows the journey of the author Sarina which is explained with reference to different ingredients and spices which are related to her life. Food is the most important part of everyone's life and acts as a connecting thread which binds people together. Sarina, describes her life experiences which are connected to the Kashmiri Food and her life in Kashmir.
Born into a mix heritage, Sarina's father is a Kashmiri while her mother is an Australian, she was always intrigues into Indian religion and food. When she gets to know about her mother being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, she is heart broken and distances herself from her mother and Indian food as well. The author reminiscence her experience with the common kitchen ingredients which heels her while adding fragrance, colour and flavour to the dish.
Spirits In A Spice Jar is a story of personal growth and understanding. It is a memoir that doubles up as a recipe book.The author takes the reader on an emotional ride enriching them with spiritual knowledge. This plot/book was something new for me and I really loved the recipies which are given by the author. The writing was a bit complex but keep a dictionary along with you and you'll definitely enjoy it. Overall it's really a beautiful read.
The book follows the journey of the author Sarina which is explained with reference to different ingredients and spices which are related to her life. Food is the most important part of everyone's life and acts as a connecting thread which binds people together. Sarina, describes her life experiences which are connected to the Kashmiri Food and her life in Kashmir.
Born into a mix heritage, Sarina's father is a Kashmiri while her mother is an Australian, she was always intrigues into Indian religion and food. When she gets to know about her mother being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, she is heart broken and distances herself from her mother and Indian food as well. The author reminiscence her experience with the common kitchen ingredients which heels her while adding fragrance, colour and flavour to the dish.
Spirits In A Spice Jar is a story of personal growth and understanding. It is a memoir that doubles up as a recipe book.The author takes the reader on an emotional ride enriching them with spiritual knowledge. This plot/book was something new for me and I really loved the recipies which are given by the author. The writing was a bit complex but keep a dictionary along with you and you'll definitely enjoy it. Overall it's really a beautiful read.
December 19, 2018
I got this book as part of Amazon's Readers Delight, which gives me a free ebook every month, as i am Amazon Prime member. I had read such good reviews of the book, so was excited to read it . I dont like reading memoirs much, but i enjoyed this one. I love the fact that most of the chapters end with recipes. The book takes us through the journey the authors undertakes, by going back to cooking Kashmiri dishes using which, she rediscovers herself.
August 9, 2018
"Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood" - Sarina Kamini
🌿
```BOOK REVIEW```
🌿
'Spirits in a Spice Jar' by Sarina Kamini is a memoir of Sarina's life. She belongs to a Kashmiri family where food act as medium to heal souls! But her life gets devastated when her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease! This grief of Sarina became evident in her cooking..by making daal too fiery...raita too sharp etc. But step by step following her Ammi's cooking notes ...she found solace! She mastered to personalise cooking with tradition and spirituality🌻 The path of aroma of spices made her rendezvous with Hinduism and god! This inspiring journey is about how to cherish change, challenges and forgiveness😇
🌿
#NARRATION_n_ WRITING: I just loved the narrration style! The exceptional blend of food and emotions. As an Indian..food has a different meaning rather than being just a meal..which the author has presented remarkably! How words like 'Roti' Khaana' 'thaali' plays an important emotional role in our life! It's spicy and crispy narration blending the tale of rage, anger, loneliness, forgiveness, cooking urge..amalgamating the hidden meaning of how author's life took 360 degree turn as she found peace in cooking where she can revisit her beautiful past anytime she wants😇
.
Love her writing style..easy yet engrossing! You will feel the emotions! I love the in-between recipes❤ Language is poetic and intense. She commendably brought out how food act as a catalyst to stabilise her life😇
🌿
#MY_VIEWS: It is one of the best memoir I have read so far...as I can connect with it more, being an Indian❤ This book is provocative, engaging, emotional rollercoaster, refreshing and honest😇 Love her take towards cooking and the usage of Hindi words of spices and edibles❤ This book tells us 'food' is not a word, it is an 'emotion'.😇
🌿
```BOOK REVIEW```
🌿
'Spirits in a Spice Jar' by Sarina Kamini is a memoir of Sarina's life. She belongs to a Kashmiri family where food act as medium to heal souls! But her life gets devastated when her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease! This grief of Sarina became evident in her cooking..by making daal too fiery...raita too sharp etc. But step by step following her Ammi's cooking notes ...she found solace! She mastered to personalise cooking with tradition and spirituality🌻 The path of aroma of spices made her rendezvous with Hinduism and god! This inspiring journey is about how to cherish change, challenges and forgiveness😇
🌿
#NARRATION_n_ WRITING: I just loved the narrration style! The exceptional blend of food and emotions. As an Indian..food has a different meaning rather than being just a meal..which the author has presented remarkably! How words like 'Roti' Khaana' 'thaali' plays an important emotional role in our life! It's spicy and crispy narration blending the tale of rage, anger, loneliness, forgiveness, cooking urge..amalgamating the hidden meaning of how author's life took 360 degree turn as she found peace in cooking where she can revisit her beautiful past anytime she wants😇
.
Love her writing style..easy yet engrossing! You will feel the emotions! I love the in-between recipes❤ Language is poetic and intense. She commendably brought out how food act as a catalyst to stabilise her life😇
🌿
#MY_VIEWS: It is one of the best memoir I have read so far...as I can connect with it more, being an Indian❤ This book is provocative, engaging, emotional rollercoaster, refreshing and honest😇 Love her take towards cooking and the usage of Hindi words of spices and edibles❤ This book tells us 'food' is not a word, it is an 'emotion'.😇
July 14, 2018
Sarina Kamini’s ‘Spirits in a Spice Jar’ is an intimate narrative that takes readers into the writer’s personal landscape filled with emotional baggage and her journey towards finding herself while trying to come to terms with her roots and faith through cooking. Born into a mixed cultural heritage: her father’s side are of Kashmiri origin while her mother is an Australian who takes to Indian culture, religion and food; Sarita Kamini’s moorings are firmly rooted in a beautiful synthesis of East and West but only till the time her mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The rage and subsequent guilt not only distances the author from her family but from Indian food and cooking as well. Her only emotional anchors are her two children for she ends up distancing her husband as well and it is only when she finds her way to cooking Indian food based on her maternal grandmother’s recipes and notes that she slowly finds a way to her self.
‘Spirits in a Spice Jar’ sees the author taking readers through time that includes her parent’s marriage, her connection with India through her yearly visits and the various memories around food. Writing about happier times, Sarita writes,‘Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood. It was the history of my family, made real with the pieces of herself that Mum built into each mouthful.’ When her father takes charge of the kitchen following her mother’s diagnosis and attempts to teach her cooking, Sarita rebels. In a career that involves writing about food, she manages to stay away from all things Indian in an attempt to shut off her emotions, which will resonate with every one of us who have managed to cope through a chronic illness in the family.
I would recommend it for those interested in the emotional and cultural dynamics of food and for those who love to read personal narratives.
‘Spirits in a Spice Jar’ sees the author taking readers through time that includes her parent’s marriage, her connection with India through her yearly visits and the various memories around food. Writing about happier times, Sarita writes,‘Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood. It was the history of my family, made real with the pieces of herself that Mum built into each mouthful.’ When her father takes charge of the kitchen following her mother’s diagnosis and attempts to teach her cooking, Sarita rebels. In a career that involves writing about food, she manages to stay away from all things Indian in an attempt to shut off her emotions, which will resonate with every one of us who have managed to cope through a chronic illness in the family.
I would recommend it for those interested in the emotional and cultural dynamics of food and for those who love to read personal narratives.
May 26, 2019
A mother who is exuberant, who connected the family members, a mother who is stylish, energetic and everyoung, when she is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the axle of Sarina's world was broken and it toppled.
A memoir of the famous food writer, food editor and food critic about how she redefined her life with the help of spices is an endearing read. The book is enchanting at different level. On one level it is a recipe book. On another level it is a contemporary fiction. On third level it is a parenting book. On the forth level, it is a non-fiction, a memoir.
Author has connected the different spices to the instances of her life. How turmeric, salt, cinnamon, garam masala and other Indian spices are intertwined with her life is impeccable. The entry of the spices in her memoir is like adding salt to a dish so that it's taste is enhanced.
The book had a niche target audience. Not everyone would be able to find it as engaging since if you are not much of a of Indian food and cooking in general you would find it lagging but the painful backstory makes up for it. But if you are looking for an easy fun read, the book is not for you.
On a personal front I couldn't have enough of it for I loved it.
A memoir of the famous food writer, food editor and food critic about how she redefined her life with the help of spices is an endearing read. The book is enchanting at different level. On one level it is a recipe book. On another level it is a contemporary fiction. On third level it is a parenting book. On the forth level, it is a non-fiction, a memoir.
Author has connected the different spices to the instances of her life. How turmeric, salt, cinnamon, garam masala and other Indian spices are intertwined with her life is impeccable. The entry of the spices in her memoir is like adding salt to a dish so that it's taste is enhanced.
The book had a niche target audience. Not everyone would be able to find it as engaging since if you are not much of a of Indian food and cooking in general you would find it lagging but the painful backstory makes up for it. But if you are looking for an easy fun read, the book is not for you.
On a personal front I couldn't have enough of it for I loved it.
March 11, 2019
I understand this book is a part of the author's soul and it must have taken a lot out of her to put it out for the world to see. But that's the thing about this book - it tries too hard and in the process:
- The whole point of the narrative becomes obscure.
- Fragmented sentences.
- Forced metaphors and paradoxes.
- Jumbled plot points that are scattered throughout the book, trying to reach for coherence but not succeeding.
- Unnecessarily complicated language.
- Confused and mercurial narrative.
I wish I could be kinder to this book but it just did not work for me!
- The whole point of the narrative becomes obscure.
- Fragmented sentences.
- Forced metaphors and paradoxes.
- Jumbled plot points that are scattered throughout the book, trying to reach for coherence but not succeeding.
- Unnecessarily complicated language.
- Confused and mercurial narrative.
I wish I could be kinder to this book but it just did not work for me!
August 2, 2018
An Interview with the author herself! Check out her journey through this interview! I hope you guys love it >>> https://parishmitasaikia.wordpress.co...
My Review!
Food is an important part of our life. It not only fills our tummy but also, our minds! It is these rich delicacies that makes the author nostalgic as she tries to take up her old grandmother’s recipes as she reconciles with her past.
The author takes up an adventure with these common household ingredients to come to terms with her faith, her roots and her intimate relations. The different spices heals the author while adding fragrance, colour and flavour to the dish! Gradually, she feels herself being freed from the grief – stricken remains of the past. The story starts with the author buying the first spice for her house and ends with a rich Kashmiri cauliflower sabzi that has an underlying spiritual understanding!
A fascinating read, with a structure that is a blend of a guide to Indian spices, culture and spirituality, a cook book and also, an autobiography. I love the idea of having spice, vegetable themed chapters in the book that adds its own quality to the narration. Overall, the book is beautiful… whether it be in terms of the plot, the narration, the writing style, entertainment quotient or even, the book cover itself!
My Review!
Food is an important part of our life. It not only fills our tummy but also, our minds! It is these rich delicacies that makes the author nostalgic as she tries to take up her old grandmother’s recipes as she reconciles with her past.
The author takes up an adventure with these common household ingredients to come to terms with her faith, her roots and her intimate relations. The different spices heals the author while adding fragrance, colour and flavour to the dish! Gradually, she feels herself being freed from the grief – stricken remains of the past. The story starts with the author buying the first spice for her house and ends with a rich Kashmiri cauliflower sabzi that has an underlying spiritual understanding!
A fascinating read, with a structure that is a blend of a guide to Indian spices, culture and spirituality, a cook book and also, an autobiography. I love the idea of having spice, vegetable themed chapters in the book that adds its own quality to the narration. Overall, the book is beautiful… whether it be in terms of the plot, the narration, the writing style, entertainment quotient or even, the book cover itself!
July 9, 2018
Title : Spirits In A Spice Jar
Author: Sarina Kamini
Publisher : Westland Ltd
Published on: 29th May 2018
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 978-9386850195
"Dhania that contains the seed of who I am: the soft and citric taste of my own self -determination."
BLURB
For Sarina Kamini’s Kashmiri family, food is love, love is faith, and faith is family. It’s cause for total emotional devastation when, ten years after her Australian mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, unaddressed grief turns the spice of this young food writer’s heritage to ash and her prayers to poison. At her lowest ebb, Sarina’s dead Ammi’s typed-up cooking notes become a recipe for healing, her progress in the kitchen marked by her movement through bitterness, grief and loneliness—the daal that is too fiery and lumpen; her play with salt that pricks and burns. In teaching herself how to personalise tradition and spirituality through spice, Sarina creates space to reconsider her relationship with Hinduism and God in a way that allows room for questions. She learns forgiveness of herself for being different, and comes to accept that family means change and challenge as much as acceptance and love.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of the book Spirits In A Spice Jar is very beautifu; in dark shades of blue having image of spices and a rosary. It is very apt with the content the book holds. It is a lovely cover with a very nice texture. I liked it a lot.
REVIEW
Food is the basic necessity of each one of us, and when it comes to reading about food, I cannot stop myself. Spirits In A Spice Jar by Sarina Kamini is a beautiful and one of the finest books that I've read in the year 2018. This book has already made space in my favourites list. When I got this book in my hand, I just got busy in looking at the lovely cover page. The title made me think a lot. I thought that it might be a cookbook but it is not, it is something very precious and beautiful.
Spirits In A Spice Jar is an overwhelming personal account of author Sarina Kamini, after her mother was diagnosed with Parkison's disease and she was not able to come in terms with it and how her Ammi's typed up cooking notes become a recipe for healing. In the book, author has written about her journey of healing, how each spice and ingredient holds a memory in her life.
The book is written in a beautiful manner divided into seventeen chapters with each chapter talking about a new ingredient and the memories that ingredient holds in her life. She wants to get that Kashmiri touch in her food the one that her Ammi used to cook and she struggles a lot. The book is written in a lucid manner that anyone reading it will get attached to it. To be honest, this book was an emotional ride for me, a heartwarming read and I felt it really close to me. I loved how the author has mentioned a bit about each spice or food before starting of the chapter.
As the book is author's personal account so it was more about her anxieties, problems and complexities she faced. So, the other characters were not so evolved like Scott, author's husband who tried a lot to help her cope with her anxieties. The book covers a lot of diverse themes from food to mental health problems, faith and also the most important relationship of the parent and child. I really liked the bond author shares with her children, Cailean and Ashok.
Author has shared quite a lot of Kashmiri recipes in the book and I tried some of them and they are really tasty. Overall, this book made me think a lot of various aspects of life. I really had a nice time reading this overwhelming book.
* I received a copy of the book from the publisher (Westland Ltd) in exchange of a review. Thank You.
Author: Sarina Kamini
Publisher : Westland Ltd
Published on: 29th May 2018
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 978-9386850195
"Dhania that contains the seed of who I am: the soft and citric taste of my own self -determination."
BLURB
For Sarina Kamini’s Kashmiri family, food is love, love is faith, and faith is family. It’s cause for total emotional devastation when, ten years after her Australian mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, unaddressed grief turns the spice of this young food writer’s heritage to ash and her prayers to poison. At her lowest ebb, Sarina’s dead Ammi’s typed-up cooking notes become a recipe for healing, her progress in the kitchen marked by her movement through bitterness, grief and loneliness—the daal that is too fiery and lumpen; her play with salt that pricks and burns. In teaching herself how to personalise tradition and spirituality through spice, Sarina creates space to reconsider her relationship with Hinduism and God in a way that allows room for questions. She learns forgiveness of herself for being different, and comes to accept that family means change and challenge as much as acceptance and love.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of the book Spirits In A Spice Jar is very beautifu; in dark shades of blue having image of spices and a rosary. It is very apt with the content the book holds. It is a lovely cover with a very nice texture. I liked it a lot.
REVIEW
Food is the basic necessity of each one of us, and when it comes to reading about food, I cannot stop myself. Spirits In A Spice Jar by Sarina Kamini is a beautiful and one of the finest books that I've read in the year 2018. This book has already made space in my favourites list. When I got this book in my hand, I just got busy in looking at the lovely cover page. The title made me think a lot. I thought that it might be a cookbook but it is not, it is something very precious and beautiful.
Spirits In A Spice Jar is an overwhelming personal account of author Sarina Kamini, after her mother was diagnosed with Parkison's disease and she was not able to come in terms with it and how her Ammi's typed up cooking notes become a recipe for healing. In the book, author has written about her journey of healing, how each spice and ingredient holds a memory in her life.
The book is written in a beautiful manner divided into seventeen chapters with each chapter talking about a new ingredient and the memories that ingredient holds in her life. She wants to get that Kashmiri touch in her food the one that her Ammi used to cook and she struggles a lot. The book is written in a lucid manner that anyone reading it will get attached to it. To be honest, this book was an emotional ride for me, a heartwarming read and I felt it really close to me. I loved how the author has mentioned a bit about each spice or food before starting of the chapter.
As the book is author's personal account so it was more about her anxieties, problems and complexities she faced. So, the other characters were not so evolved like Scott, author's husband who tried a lot to help her cope with her anxieties. The book covers a lot of diverse themes from food to mental health problems, faith and also the most important relationship of the parent and child. I really liked the bond author shares with her children, Cailean and Ashok.
Author has shared quite a lot of Kashmiri recipes in the book and I tried some of them and they are really tasty. Overall, this book made me think a lot of various aspects of life. I really had a nice time reading this overwhelming book.
* I received a copy of the book from the publisher (Westland Ltd) in exchange of a review. Thank You.
January 20, 2023
3.25 stars
'Spirits in a Spice Jar' is a memoir that follows Kamini on her journey to heal from the inner psychological wounds and rifts caused between her and her family after her mother is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Her journey addresses themes of - familial expectations, rifts caused by silence and denial, spirituality and its influence on our relationships and internal faith, generational weight, motherhood, finding oneself after your life has been turned upside down, empathy, and a lot more.
I think this memoir was meant as a catharsis - written for none but the author, to reflect on her own emotions and journey. However, because of this, I think a lot of emotional undercurrents of character relationships were quite on-the-nose, and it undermined the possible value gained from subtext.
A central tenet of the book is food, specifically Indian food and cooking. It brought me a lot of joy to find a reflection of my own belief of 'food as healing' in another's story, especially when it came from the same socio-cultural contexts as mine. Representation is truly magic y'all. I loved uncovering how each chapter title (named after a specific Indian spice or dish) related to the theme of that particular chapter, and it definitely made me crave a lot of homely Indian food (raita anyone?). I found Kamini's connection with her Ammi (grandmother) through her recipes very heartwarming, but found the explanation of her connection to her mother via food a bit lacking. It came as a surprise because I was expecting a lot more of the latter, the lack of which can possibly be explained by Kamini's reluctance to speak about her mother in detail - something she openly acknowledges in the book as well. I was also expecting Kamini's brothers to make an appearance in the story, but they are only ever mentioned once or twice, which I thought was quite strange. No explanation is afforded for this either.
I thought the writing was strangely a bit choppy and awkward, and there were quite a few moments where I felt the words did not flow into a natural sentence, either because of the punctuation, choice of words, or tone. However, many quotes were very beautiful and thoughtfully said. Kamini's observations of the human psyche - specifically consequences of our actions, even when born of grief and self preservation - are very apt and were quite reflective of my own state of mind at the moment of reading her book. It was also interesting (and emotionally painful) to read this as someone who has been dealing with similar emotions (caused by different events), but has insight from years of therapy to understand not just how and why both Kamini & I feel a certain way, but also to recognise that our mental and emotional states are a creation of our own perceptions and not something to be foisted on others' actions. I was not expecting this level of relatability, and I think I may have gone through my own catharsis at the end of the book lol.
Overall, my desi heart is very happy to add this book to my collection, but I'm also glad I finished reading it, because I could not have possibly put my emotions through much more. Definitely a mark of my own mental state rather than the quality of the book!
"Dinner was food. Khaana was an emotional language with its own vocabulary that only we understood."
'Spirits in a Spice Jar' is a memoir that follows Kamini on her journey to heal from the inner psychological wounds and rifts caused between her and her family after her mother is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Her journey addresses themes of - familial expectations, rifts caused by silence and denial, spirituality and its influence on our relationships and internal faith, generational weight, motherhood, finding oneself after your life has been turned upside down, empathy, and a lot more.
I think this memoir was meant as a catharsis - written for none but the author, to reflect on her own emotions and journey. However, because of this, I think a lot of emotional undercurrents of character relationships were quite on-the-nose, and it undermined the possible value gained from subtext.
A central tenet of the book is food, specifically Indian food and cooking. It brought me a lot of joy to find a reflection of my own belief of 'food as healing' in another's story, especially when it came from the same socio-cultural contexts as mine. Representation is truly magic y'all. I loved uncovering how each chapter title (named after a specific Indian spice or dish) related to the theme of that particular chapter, and it definitely made me crave a lot of homely Indian food (raita anyone?). I found Kamini's connection with her Ammi (grandmother) through her recipes very heartwarming, but found the explanation of her connection to her mother via food a bit lacking. It came as a surprise because I was expecting a lot more of the latter, the lack of which can possibly be explained by Kamini's reluctance to speak about her mother in detail - something she openly acknowledges in the book as well. I was also expecting Kamini's brothers to make an appearance in the story, but they are only ever mentioned once or twice, which I thought was quite strange. No explanation is afforded for this either.
I thought the writing was strangely a bit choppy and awkward, and there were quite a few moments where I felt the words did not flow into a natural sentence, either because of the punctuation, choice of words, or tone. However, many quotes were very beautiful and thoughtfully said. Kamini's observations of the human psyche - specifically consequences of our actions, even when born of grief and self preservation - are very apt and were quite reflective of my own state of mind at the moment of reading her book. It was also interesting (and emotionally painful) to read this as someone who has been dealing with similar emotions (caused by different events), but has insight from years of therapy to understand not just how and why both Kamini & I feel a certain way, but also to recognise that our mental and emotional states are a creation of our own perceptions and not something to be foisted on others' actions. I was not expecting this level of relatability, and I think I may have gone through my own catharsis at the end of the book lol.
Overall, my desi heart is very happy to add this book to my collection, but I'm also glad I finished reading it, because I could not have possibly put my emotions through much more. Definitely a mark of my own mental state rather than the quality of the book!
August 22, 2018
"Dinner was food, Khana was an emotional language with it's own vocabulary that only we understood." - Sarina Kamini
Blurb:
For Sarina Kamini’s Kashmiri family, food is love, love is faith, and faith is family. It’s cause for total emotional devastation when, ten years after her Australian mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, unaddressed grief turns the spice of this young food writer’s heritage to ash and her prayers to poison. At her lowest ebb, Sarina’s dead Ammi’s typed-up cooking notes become a recipe for healing, her progress in the kitchen marked by her movement through bitterness, grief and loneliness—the daal that is too fiery and lumpen; her play with salt that pricks and burns. In teaching herself how to personalise tradition and spirituality through spice, Sarina creates space to reconsider her relationship with Hinduism and God in a way that allows room for questions. She learns forgiveness of herself for being different, and comes to accept that family means change and challenge as much as acceptance and love.
Views:
This book is one of the most unique book I've ever read. All the chapters have titles of Indian food or ingredients and starts with it's recipe or use respectively.
Debutante author, Sarina Kamini's writing style hooked me to the book throughout. Though it's a memoir, it doesn't stop being engaging all the way. Author's vocabulary and lucid descriptions made everything much more beautiful.
She has written the pain she felt since her childhood because of her mother's disease in such a way that it almost tore my heart to read on. I could feel her anguish, her sadness everything through the words she has put down.
I could relate much more to this book because my paternal uncle is suffering from this dangerous disease and he's not the same man I knew from my childhood. His change is drastic and he's a broken man now, both physically and mentally.
Coming back to the book, I'm extremely fortunate that I could read this one. It is nothing short of a gem. I would like to thank the author because of writing this book. It'll definitely help many to be aware of this disease. Wish you all the luck for your upcoming books.
Thankyou so so much @sarinakamini @westland_books for this book.
Rating and Recommendations:
5/5. If you are looking for an unique book, make sure you pick this one up. I'm sure very few books are this unique as this one.
Blurb:
For Sarina Kamini’s Kashmiri family, food is love, love is faith, and faith is family. It’s cause for total emotional devastation when, ten years after her Australian mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, unaddressed grief turns the spice of this young food writer’s heritage to ash and her prayers to poison. At her lowest ebb, Sarina’s dead Ammi’s typed-up cooking notes become a recipe for healing, her progress in the kitchen marked by her movement through bitterness, grief and loneliness—the daal that is too fiery and lumpen; her play with salt that pricks and burns. In teaching herself how to personalise tradition and spirituality through spice, Sarina creates space to reconsider her relationship with Hinduism and God in a way that allows room for questions. She learns forgiveness of herself for being different, and comes to accept that family means change and challenge as much as acceptance and love.
Views:
This book is one of the most unique book I've ever read. All the chapters have titles of Indian food or ingredients and starts with it's recipe or use respectively.
Debutante author, Sarina Kamini's writing style hooked me to the book throughout. Though it's a memoir, it doesn't stop being engaging all the way. Author's vocabulary and lucid descriptions made everything much more beautiful.
She has written the pain she felt since her childhood because of her mother's disease in such a way that it almost tore my heart to read on. I could feel her anguish, her sadness everything through the words she has put down.
I could relate much more to this book because my paternal uncle is suffering from this dangerous disease and he's not the same man I knew from my childhood. His change is drastic and he's a broken man now, both physically and mentally.
Coming back to the book, I'm extremely fortunate that I could read this one. It is nothing short of a gem. I would like to thank the author because of writing this book. It'll definitely help many to be aware of this disease. Wish you all the luck for your upcoming books.
Thankyou so so much @sarinakamini @westland_books for this book.
Rating and Recommendations:
5/5. If you are looking for an unique book, make sure you pick this one up. I'm sure very few books are this unique as this one.
August 28, 2018
Mindful food writing at its spicy, evocative best.
Kamini punctuates each step of her journey with flavour: turmeric for one sort of bitterness, green cardamom for another, cinnamon for sweetness, cumin for complexity. It is a difficult journey that encompasses loss and gain, separation and connection, fragmentation and a tentative wholeness.
*Spirits in a Spice Jar* grapples with the grief of growing up with a mother who has Parkinson's disease; a grief complicated by a crisis of faith – Kamini's Hindu version of 'How can a loving God allow suffering?': “... I gave Shivji jurisdiction over my destiny, as if Hinduism would protect me from harm. And look how well that turned out” (pp.101-2). I identify, as a Christian, with Kamini's struggle to reconcile suffering with the existence of God, and appreciate her honesty in articulating both her doubt, and her hesitant return to a re-conceived personal faith.
Kamini's book travels over other difficult terrain – marriage tension, tricky parents, life with small children, career failure, and the loss of material possessions. Some of this terrain is, quite literally, familiar to me: I laughed out loud reading about Kamini's parents' response when she attempts to communicate with them about her personal difficulties. She longs for their empathy, and receives, instead, a stream of gratuitous advice. Perhaps Chinese parents of that generation share something with their Indian counterparts.
The most poignant gift of *Spirits in a Spice Jar* is its recipes. Set in the context of the author's life, each recipe takes on an extra dimension of meaning. I had always wondered what one did with gur. Now I can use it with confidence to make chai from scratch, and each cup I drink reminds me, with its fragrance, of the power of stories.
Kamini punctuates each step of her journey with flavour: turmeric for one sort of bitterness, green cardamom for another, cinnamon for sweetness, cumin for complexity. It is a difficult journey that encompasses loss and gain, separation and connection, fragmentation and a tentative wholeness.
*Spirits in a Spice Jar* grapples with the grief of growing up with a mother who has Parkinson's disease; a grief complicated by a crisis of faith – Kamini's Hindu version of 'How can a loving God allow suffering?': “... I gave Shivji jurisdiction over my destiny, as if Hinduism would protect me from harm. And look how well that turned out” (pp.101-2). I identify, as a Christian, with Kamini's struggle to reconcile suffering with the existence of God, and appreciate her honesty in articulating both her doubt, and her hesitant return to a re-conceived personal faith.
Kamini's book travels over other difficult terrain – marriage tension, tricky parents, life with small children, career failure, and the loss of material possessions. Some of this terrain is, quite literally, familiar to me: I laughed out loud reading about Kamini's parents' response when she attempts to communicate with them about her personal difficulties. She longs for their empathy, and receives, instead, a stream of gratuitous advice. Perhaps Chinese parents of that generation share something with their Indian counterparts.
The most poignant gift of *Spirits in a Spice Jar* is its recipes. Set in the context of the author's life, each recipe takes on an extra dimension of meaning. I had always wondered what one did with gur. Now I can use it with confidence to make chai from scratch, and each cup I drink reminds me, with its fragrance, of the power of stories.
July 27, 2018
Before I started reading this book, I had only one motive in mind which is to understand a female perspective of life, following up with my last read, Fight Like a Girl.
This book is absolutely different from anything I have ever read before and instead of coming out to simply talk about feminism, this one was a tale covering emotions, struggles and a journey like nothing else of a family and beyond with as the title suggested, a spice being in focus with every chapter.
The book is separated into seventeen sections, each has been titled after a spice or sustenance thing and as needs are the story in every part identifies with that fixing. It appears that the book has been composed flawlessly and endeavours to tie you together with the recollections of the writer.
It is a diary that takes the peruser on an enthusiastic ride enhancing them with profound learning.
Until the point that the day she chose to transcend her depression and anguish by training herself to cook utilizing her Ammi’s recipes. With each dish, she restored her bond with those long overlooked flavours, reviving lost recollections, customizing her own conventions, and in the process diagramming an approach to absolution and love. Outrage, dissatisfactions, dread, blame and parcels more were covered up inside her and the diverse spices recuperate the writer hile including aroma, shading and flavour to the dish!
I would suggest it for those intrigued by the enthusiastic and social flow of nourishment and for the individuals who love to peruse individual stories, or to those like me who are trying to open themselves up to a new world of mindsets beyond age, culture and gender.
This book is absolutely different from anything I have ever read before and instead of coming out to simply talk about feminism, this one was a tale covering emotions, struggles and a journey like nothing else of a family and beyond with as the title suggested, a spice being in focus with every chapter.
The book is separated into seventeen sections, each has been titled after a spice or sustenance thing and as needs are the story in every part identifies with that fixing. It appears that the book has been composed flawlessly and endeavours to tie you together with the recollections of the writer.
It is a diary that takes the peruser on an enthusiastic ride enhancing them with profound learning.
Until the point that the day she chose to transcend her depression and anguish by training herself to cook utilizing her Ammi’s recipes. With each dish, she restored her bond with those long overlooked flavours, reviving lost recollections, customizing her own conventions, and in the process diagramming an approach to absolution and love. Outrage, dissatisfactions, dread, blame and parcels more were covered up inside her and the diverse spices recuperate the writer hile including aroma, shading and flavour to the dish!
I would suggest it for those intrigued by the enthusiastic and social flow of nourishment and for the individuals who love to peruse individual stories, or to those like me who are trying to open themselves up to a new world of mindsets beyond age, culture and gender.
October 30, 2018
I love cooking and I love different spices, their flavours, fragrances, taste and their overall impact, how they completely changes a dish. And I can totally understand how Sarina feels so connected with cooking, specially spices , which helped her in her journey of self exploration.
Being an Anglo - Indian, Sarina has knowledge of her culture basically from her Grandmother and Father, which she considered as an identity of her yet she wants a different identity, of her own.
Sarina Kamini, living with her husband and two beautiful boys was wounded from inside because of her unpleasant childhood memories. She was in early teens when her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, from that time their whole world changed, and she still have that impact on her.
This book is journey of Self exploration of Sarina Kamini in which she overcomes her fears , makes an own identity of her yet attached with her roots, with the help of Spices. With each Chapter, she used a different Spice, which not only had past connection with her but also created a memory for her future, and she expressed them Beautifully. Anger, disappointments, fear, guilt and lots more was hidden inside her. But in this journey with spices and cooking her traditional kashmiri food in her own way gave her opportunity of self exploration. I felt so connected with her at times and yet so different at times.
But, it was her journey, her battle with her own self, which she won.
It's a very enlightening book.
P.S. - I loved her recipes, her spirit.
I would definitely recommend this book, it has much more has cooking.
Though I would have loved it more if certain Character and things were more elaborate.
Being an Anglo - Indian, Sarina has knowledge of her culture basically from her Grandmother and Father, which she considered as an identity of her yet she wants a different identity, of her own.
Sarina Kamini, living with her husband and two beautiful boys was wounded from inside because of her unpleasant childhood memories. She was in early teens when her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, from that time their whole world changed, and she still have that impact on her.
This book is journey of Self exploration of Sarina Kamini in which she overcomes her fears , makes an own identity of her yet attached with her roots, with the help of Spices. With each Chapter, she used a different Spice, which not only had past connection with her but also created a memory for her future, and she expressed them Beautifully. Anger, disappointments, fear, guilt and lots more was hidden inside her. But in this journey with spices and cooking her traditional kashmiri food in her own way gave her opportunity of self exploration. I felt so connected with her at times and yet so different at times.
But, it was her journey, her battle with her own self, which she won.
It's a very enlightening book.
P.S. - I loved her recipes, her spirit.
I would definitely recommend this book, it has much more has cooking.
Though I would have loved it more if certain Character and things were more elaborate.
August 12, 2018
Name- Spirits in a Spice jar
Written By- Sarina Kamini
Published by- Westland Publications
Pages- 326
Ratings- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(.8)/5 (4.8/5)
Plot-
A memoir in it's truest sense Sarina Kamini's Spirits in a Spice jar retells her journey from a faith in Hinduism to her mother's Parkinson's and leading to a loss of faith and ultimately loss of herself. The one thing that helps her find herself back is her love for food and her knowledge of Spices. Where does this journey of self discovery ends? (Read the book to find out)
Review-
Thumbs Up-
●The entire portrayal of her journey towards understanding and getting in touch with her inner self, the author has done a brilliant job.
●The best thing about this book is the raw emotions, which the author never tried to shy away from and thus making this a more realistic read.
● Then comes the icing in the cake, her passion towards food and cooking especially Kashmiri food and her immense knowledge about spices and a courage for experimentation.
● The personal recipes were a bonus(spoiler alert!!!)
Thumbs down-
◆The book was a perfect creation except the fact that the author wrote the book as she felt it there were instances where I felt lost in the whirlpool of emotions which she described and some of which were hard to grasp.
Personal Views-
This book was a delicacy for me which I relished to the last pages and the recipes were the chownk to a mouthwatering creation. The journey to self discovery is something that held its meaning with all these spices which otherwise would not have been that much irresistible.
Written By- Sarina Kamini
Published by- Westland Publications
Pages- 326
Ratings- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(.8)/5 (4.8/5)
Plot-
A memoir in it's truest sense Sarina Kamini's Spirits in a Spice jar retells her journey from a faith in Hinduism to her mother's Parkinson's and leading to a loss of faith and ultimately loss of herself. The one thing that helps her find herself back is her love for food and her knowledge of Spices. Where does this journey of self discovery ends? (Read the book to find out)
Review-
Thumbs Up-
●The entire portrayal of her journey towards understanding and getting in touch with her inner self, the author has done a brilliant job.
●The best thing about this book is the raw emotions, which the author never tried to shy away from and thus making this a more realistic read.
● Then comes the icing in the cake, her passion towards food and cooking especially Kashmiri food and her immense knowledge about spices and a courage for experimentation.
● The personal recipes were a bonus(spoiler alert!!!)
Thumbs down-
◆The book was a perfect creation except the fact that the author wrote the book as she felt it there were instances where I felt lost in the whirlpool of emotions which she described and some of which were hard to grasp.
Personal Views-
This book was a delicacy for me which I relished to the last pages and the recipes were the chownk to a mouthwatering creation. The journey to self discovery is something that held its meaning with all these spices which otherwise would not have been that much irresistible.
September 20, 2018
We have never paid attention to the food and our emotions connected with it.
What importance does the food have in our lives?
Spirits in a spice jar is a perfect book for your all the answers. Spirits in a spice jar is a memior and author's journey towards emotions, self worth, life and understanding family values.
The chapters of the book is named on the spices, Indian cuisines which is alluring and enchanting .
Sarina who is an Anglo-Indian whose father is a Kashmiri Bharamin, discovered her realm in food and spices. The book deals with a broken relationship between a mother and a daughter. This one tale has struggle of family and beyond. How the family embark on the troubles.
Sarina was a teen when her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson which shattered her completely. Due to this she distance herself from the mother and food.
Spending ten years away from the Indian food, she reunited herself and mould her emotions by cooking. Later on which made her realize the missing part of her life was cooking. Cooking helped her in dealing with her family, emotions and the bond between author and her mother improved. She started spending time with her family. She started to communicate with them.
The book is a heartfelt read which often tear you apart with the incidents mentioned. Perhaps, the book is an enchanting read which doubles up as few authentic indian recipes are shared on the end of every chapter.
Disclaimer: Don't judge this book by its cover.
What importance does the food have in our lives?
Spirits in a spice jar is a perfect book for your all the answers. Spirits in a spice jar is a memior and author's journey towards emotions, self worth, life and understanding family values.
The chapters of the book is named on the spices, Indian cuisines which is alluring and enchanting .
Sarina who is an Anglo-Indian whose father is a Kashmiri Bharamin, discovered her realm in food and spices. The book deals with a broken relationship between a mother and a daughter. This one tale has struggle of family and beyond. How the family embark on the troubles.
Sarina was a teen when her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson which shattered her completely. Due to this she distance herself from the mother and food.
Spending ten years away from the Indian food, she reunited herself and mould her emotions by cooking. Later on which made her realize the missing part of her life was cooking. Cooking helped her in dealing with her family, emotions and the bond between author and her mother improved. She started spending time with her family. She started to communicate with them.
The book is a heartfelt read which often tear you apart with the incidents mentioned. Perhaps, the book is an enchanting read which doubles up as few authentic indian recipes are shared on the end of every chapter.
Disclaimer: Don't judge this book by its cover.
July 10, 2018
For Sarina Kamini's Kashmiri family, food, love, faith and family all mean one and the same thing. Having grown up watching her Ammi (grandmother) cook, she inherited a love for food which resulted in her becoming a food writer in later life. But many years before that happened, her relationship with her family took a sharp turn downhill after her mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.
Unable to deal with the grief, Kamini soon left home and with it everything they believed in, behind. She went on to marry, have children, travel, and write, but her faith in all things that mattered to her Kashmiri roots was lost.
Until the day she decided to rise above her loneliness and grief by teaching herself to cook using her Ammi's handwritten recipes. With each dish, she reinstated her bond with those long forgotten spices, rekindling lost memories, personalising her own traditions, and in the process charting a way to forgiveness and love.
Spirits in a Spice Jar is a memoir that doubles up as a recipe book. She writes a heartfelt tale of her journey, as guided by food, that brings her closer to her family and to God. And in the process, she learns how family is as much about love as it is about challenges and acceptance.
Unable to deal with the grief, Kamini soon left home and with it everything they believed in, behind. She went on to marry, have children, travel, and write, but her faith in all things that mattered to her Kashmiri roots was lost.
Until the day she decided to rise above her loneliness and grief by teaching herself to cook using her Ammi's handwritten recipes. With each dish, she reinstated her bond with those long forgotten spices, rekindling lost memories, personalising her own traditions, and in the process charting a way to forgiveness and love.
Spirits in a Spice Jar is a memoir that doubles up as a recipe book. She writes a heartfelt tale of her journey, as guided by food, that brings her closer to her family and to God. And in the process, she learns how family is as much about love as it is about challenges and acceptance.
October 23, 2018
Sarina Kamini's faith is all about her family and food. Food has always played an essential role in her life as well as her family's life. It's just food but also representation of the person's personality. It's Sarina's emotional strength but it has been ruined when she comes to know bout her mother's disease. A whole world along with her faith crumbles down. however, she uses her ammi's cooking notes to heal herself via cooking and every spice and dish evokes different kinds of emotions, questions and answers with her.
It's a very different kind of a non-fiction book I have come across. The title completely goes with the book because all of Sarina's faith and spirituality comes from the her spice jars.
The language is simple to understand but there is a usage of a few complex words for the not so avid readers.
Now the book will make you feel lost in itself, make you introspect and also want to cook for deeper reasons. It is a very very deep book that has taught me a lot personally. I was so lost in this book right from the beginning and it was so relieving, I seriously wanted to live in Sarina's world for a little longer time. One thing is for sure, now I have a totatlly different perspective towards food.
I highly recommend this book to everybody as a must-read.
It's a very different kind of a non-fiction book I have come across. The title completely goes with the book because all of Sarina's faith and spirituality comes from the her spice jars.
The language is simple to understand but there is a usage of a few complex words for the not so avid readers.
Now the book will make you feel lost in itself, make you introspect and also want to cook for deeper reasons. It is a very very deep book that has taught me a lot personally. I was so lost in this book right from the beginning and it was so relieving, I seriously wanted to live in Sarina's world for a little longer time. One thing is for sure, now I have a totatlly different perspective towards food.
I highly recommend this book to everybody as a must-read.
October 11, 2018
I picked up this book because I have recently started cooking and coincidentally this came up on my Amazon recommendations. I loved the concept of making a cookbook a memoir and the way the author has weaved recipes into her life stories. However, I found it a bit difficult to follow the thread of thoughts and events as the story keeps jumping from one point to the other. She writes beautifully and there's no doubt about that but then it's just too tragic for me, the events, her story, her family ties, her conflicting emotions. I couldn't read it at a stretch because it would just maul me with these overwhelming feelings about all the battles she and her family were facing. But I loved how chapters have been named after spices and every spice has its own story, followed by one recipe that the author holds close to her heart. Read it when you have time and when you have the energy to process the layers of emotions that cover every character and life event in this book.
July 17, 2018
My views-
The book is about author's journey of growth and understanding life, emotions and her experiences.
Food is an important part of life and this book portrays it beautifully. All the chapters are named after a spice, since, life is full of different ingredients like love, emotions, jealousy, anger ,relationships,grief and sorrow, so naming the chapters was relatable.
Author's journey is well described, her relationship with her mother, her mother's illness, suffering from Parkinson's disease etc.
Author's connect to the story makes the reader connect directly to the author's emotions and philosphy. The language makes it easy to relate to the story.
Each chapter describes a story from the author's life. They add fragnance and depth to the book.
Finally, a book so impactful and brilliantly written.
The book is about author's journey of growth and understanding life, emotions and her experiences.
Food is an important part of life and this book portrays it beautifully. All the chapters are named after a spice, since, life is full of different ingredients like love, emotions, jealousy, anger ,relationships,grief and sorrow, so naming the chapters was relatable.
Author's journey is well described, her relationship with her mother, her mother's illness, suffering from Parkinson's disease etc.
Author's connect to the story makes the reader connect directly to the author's emotions and philosphy. The language makes it easy to relate to the story.
Each chapter describes a story from the author's life. They add fragnance and depth to the book.
Finally, a book so impactful and brilliantly written.
August 31, 2020
You know the feeling that you get when you see a ridiculously dark, moist, sinful, tower like chocolate cake? And you want to live in it?
.
Thats how 'Spirits in a Spice Jar' was to me, when I started out. Powerful subject. It's about a woman coming to terms with her mother's illness (Parkinson's disease), while grappling with religious faith passed down by her ancestors. Absolutely mesmerizing writing. Full of depth, soul and promise.
.
So predictably, I dived right in. Excitedly. Wanting it all.
.
But then that's the very thing that's a mistake. Chocolate cake, however inviting, is way too heavy and dense to be eaten in one go. After a couple of bites, it isn't as delightful anymore. It begins to weigh you down, suck you into its initially delectable darkness till the darkness is around you. Inside you. It's everywhere.
.
Spirits in a spice jar is superlative writing. Albeit superlative in a melancholic, rueful way.
.
BUT. The story! The story had so much lacking, it left a gaping hole, and sadly made the wonderful writing which started off as a raw, painfully honest account sound like an extended, baseless rant after a while. I also felt that narrative kept skipping about, making it hard to pin down and process.
.
While some aspects related to her mother's deterioration and parents handling of it, and the authors likening of stages in her life to spices were unique and beautiful written, I just didn't get what the protagonist was so bitter about. There were no anecdotes or instances that explained or led upto or were commensurate with the resentment she kept accumulating and piling up. I wasn't moved to pity or sympathy for her, but did feel the emotions keenly for almost everyone else around her.
.
And the ending was the aggravating mix of 'Finally' and 'What even?!. It was like the long, interminable, beautiful, bleak road led up to - a wall.
.
Now I know I started off with chocolate cake and drew you in and then dashed you down toward the end - but this is exactly what the book did to me.
.
Rating - 3.8/5.
.
PS: I would still recommend this for the writing.
.
Thats how 'Spirits in a Spice Jar' was to me, when I started out. Powerful subject. It's about a woman coming to terms with her mother's illness (Parkinson's disease), while grappling with religious faith passed down by her ancestors. Absolutely mesmerizing writing. Full of depth, soul and promise.
.
So predictably, I dived right in. Excitedly. Wanting it all.
.
But then that's the very thing that's a mistake. Chocolate cake, however inviting, is way too heavy and dense to be eaten in one go. After a couple of bites, it isn't as delightful anymore. It begins to weigh you down, suck you into its initially delectable darkness till the darkness is around you. Inside you. It's everywhere.
.
Spirits in a spice jar is superlative writing. Albeit superlative in a melancholic, rueful way.
.
BUT. The story! The story had so much lacking, it left a gaping hole, and sadly made the wonderful writing which started off as a raw, painfully honest account sound like an extended, baseless rant after a while. I also felt that narrative kept skipping about, making it hard to pin down and process.
.
While some aspects related to her mother's deterioration and parents handling of it, and the authors likening of stages in her life to spices were unique and beautiful written, I just didn't get what the protagonist was so bitter about. There were no anecdotes or instances that explained or led upto or were commensurate with the resentment she kept accumulating and piling up. I wasn't moved to pity or sympathy for her, but did feel the emotions keenly for almost everyone else around her.
.
And the ending was the aggravating mix of 'Finally' and 'What even?!. It was like the long, interminable, beautiful, bleak road led up to - a wall.
.
Now I know I started off with chocolate cake and drew you in and then dashed you down toward the end - but this is exactly what the book did to me.
.
Rating - 3.8/5.
.
PS: I would still recommend this for the writing.
October 10, 2018
Some books deserve to be read by everyone. This is one such book. Everything about this book is perfect. From the enchanting cover to the style of writing. The book is perfect. It seems as if the reader itself is in this journey of self discovery of the author. Each chapter would bring you more closer to your soul and the book. I won't deny the fact that I would go back to this book again and again when I feel low or when I need my answers. This book would atleast answer some of the questions that are asked by the human soul. One can find solace and faith in anything, be it sunsets, beaches or food, as in the case of the author the latter one. I am glad that I read this book and more than happy that this book is going to remain in my collection forever
June 28, 2018
Review: 3.5/5
The story revolves around the life of the author, her heritage as a Kashmiri Pundit & her memories which are deep rooted with the Kashmiri food her Australian mother used to make. It’s after 10 years that her mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the author rekindles her memories & the grief and tries to mould her feelings by trying to cook the food her mother used to make using several spices which gave life to each single dish.
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
The story revolves around the life of the author, her heritage as a Kashmiri Pundit & her memories which are deep rooted with the Kashmiri food her Australian mother used to make. It’s after 10 years that her mother is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the author rekindles her memories & the grief and tries to mould her feelings by trying to cook the food her mother used to make using several spices which gave life to each single dish.
Read the full review on Just Another Bookaholic
June 24, 2018
Full Review: https://antorjatikbangali.wordpress.c...
To her credit, the author has beautifully crafted the characters. Each of them are enamoured with layers and complexities of emotions – which makes it very easy for a reader to connect to them. The author has also established a complex web of emotions centred around the mother-daughter relationship. The juxtaposition of the protagonist’s relationship with her mother with that of her children gives us a glimpse into the generational shift in parenting as well.
To her credit, the author has beautifully crafted the characters. Each of them are enamoured with layers and complexities of emotions – which makes it very easy for a reader to connect to them. The author has also established a complex web of emotions centred around the mother-daughter relationship. The juxtaposition of the protagonist’s relationship with her mother with that of her children gives us a glimpse into the generational shift in parenting as well.
August 16, 2018
Sarina a famous food critic embarks upon her dynamic family life with the essence of the basic living of every human soul-the food. She expresses her emotional turbulence through the recipes that she learnt from her Ammi and a few from her own cookbook.
Scott,Caliean and Ashok bring a change in her life that reflects through her culinary skills. Her parents teach her the life of guilt,pain and forgiveness that she gradually travels through.
P.S. An intellectual philosophy cramped in the soil of 'the art of cooking'.
Scott,Caliean and Ashok bring a change in her life that reflects through her culinary skills. Her parents teach her the life of guilt,pain and forgiveness that she gradually travels through.
P.S. An intellectual philosophy cramped in the soil of 'the art of cooking'.
September 27, 2018
Exceptional
A book that is educational, spiritual and enjoyable. I suffered with the author as she delved into her complicated relationship with her family and celebrated her success as she found her true self. Her descriptive writing style left me longing for India and one of her amazing meals. I loved this book!
A book that is educational, spiritual and enjoyable. I suffered with the author as she delved into her complicated relationship with her family and celebrated her success as she found her true self. Her descriptive writing style left me longing for India and one of her amazing meals. I loved this book!
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