Savoring the Olde Ways gives way to A Cup of Redemption – blog hop

I was invited by Darlene Frank, a fellow member of the California Writers Club, to join her ‘blog hop’.  It seemed like a fun thing to do, so I agreed.  She also invited my daughter, Adaire Salome-Keating, to join her as well.  So, this ‘blog hop’ is our first mother-daughter event.

Darlene requested that we answer four questions about our own writing, so this is my response:

What am I working on/writing?

In 2000, I had the extraordinary good fortune of being befriended by a well-known and accomplished chef and culinary teacher, Sharon Shipley of Sunnyvale, California.  (Sadly, she has since passed away.)  I traveled with her throughout France and Italy in her search for traditional recipes, (known as cucina povera in Italian and cuisine pauvre in French) and to help her set up traditional cooking tours.  Sharon was laser-focused on the foods and their preparation but I was drawn to and fascinated by the intrinsic bond woven by families who shared their daily meal.

As a retired family therapist, I continue to hold an interest in family dynamics and am especially curious about the ‘glue’ that holds European families together.  Is it their religion?  Is it their traditions?  Could it be their culture?  To curb my curiosity, I decided to interview the families we met.  And, because most families come together at the family table, I began to ask people simple questions like, ‘What kinds of foods did you enjoy as a child?’, ‘What were your favorite holidays and traditions?’ and ‘What is the family recipe you continue to prepare?’  That line of questioning led to over seventy interviews in France and over thirty-five interviews in Italy along with receiving a plethora of ‘favorite family recipes’ they were willing to part with.  In fact, I received the honor of having many of these recipes prepared for me in their kitchens, at their tables, along with their favorite wines and delightful stories.  This became the basis for my travel/food tales I call Savoring the Olde Ways.

Then, a funny thing happened!  During one of my interviews with an elderly French woman, I was brought up short.  Instead of a simple recipe, she slowly began to reveal her life story—along with a secret past, which included not just stories of WWI, but also WWII.  Unfortunately, within a few months, she passed away, but with the help of her daughter, I continued to research her story, her letters, journals and we traveled extensively throughout France together. What I discovered about her life—which was one filled with selfless courage, love, and honor of family, was that her greatest desire was to find out her own identity.  My novel, A Cup of Redemption, which is based on her life, is being published this Fall by She Writes Press—on October 27^th, to be exact.

So, after a short twelve-year hiatus, I now feel content to be able to settle back once again among the discarded chapters, recipes and kitchen interviews from years ago.

How does my writing/work differ from others in its genre?

My writing is driven by the interviews and the interviewees—their interests, their favorite traditions, their cultural norms and their family stories.  Because many of the stories also included the impact of war—no matter the generation—the conversations easily glided into the ‘why’ of certain shared traditions and recipes born out of poverty or sacrifice during war.  The importance of ‘family’ was very pronounced, especially when the family had suffered so much loss.  So, I write about the human experience along with the passion for food and the sharing of recipes—which tends to nurture each and every one.

Why do I write what I do?

I’m driven by my desire to understand the women and families who, in spite of suffering so much, have given their families reasons to stand up, be courageous, laugh and rejoice.  Enjoy life, because you never know what the future holds!

How does my writing process work?

I pack my car with my favorite beach chair, notes, pen and paper, sunscreen, cheese sticks, bottled water and head to ‘my’ beach.  There, I let my mind wander back and forth from the surf, to the children laughing delightedly as the cold water engulfs their toes, to the birds skittering along the lacy fringes of the waves, to opening myself up to all the gifts I was given years ago—through those precious conversations over the kitchen tables in France and Italy.  You see, I enjoy a sweet life!

Whose next on this blog hop?

As it turns out, I’m not so adept in getting my ‘ducks in a row’, but the two women authors I would like to introduce are:  Elise Frances Miller, author of A Time to Cast Away Stones and Bernadette “Bette” Houchens, who is a new voice and in the process of completing her first memoir.  Both are member of our California Writers Club in Belmont, California!  They will be coming up on this roster the week of July 21^st.   At that time I will introduce them and give you their bios and details.  But, right now they both are either on vacation or have just returned.  (Tis the season!)  Stay tuned.

You are welcome to comment below.  And be certain to check out Darlene Frank’s blog post (http://www.darlenefrankwriting.com/ ) along with Adaire Salomé-Keating’s post (http://adventuresofaddgirl.com/)