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2000s: Torn between cultures, reunited by the love of food
2000s: Torn between cultures, reunited by the love of food
Addy Mayford has always struggled with her identity. Brought up in a household of stories, food and faith by her Irish mother and Pakistani Nana, she feels constantly torn between the two sides of her upbringing. Since the death of her father, she’s found contentment cooking delicious recipes from his home city of Lahore, despite the protestations of her mother that being a chef is no career for a young woman. It’s only with the love of her gorgeous husband, Gabe, that she’s truly found happiness.
When Addy stumbles across a secret that shatters her world, she desperately needs to escape and is drawn to the sights of Lahore and the family she’s never known. Waiting for her there is Addy’s final acceptance of who she is, and a long-buried family secret that will change her life for ever.
Despite the title, most of this book is set in London. However we see the daily lives of a Pakistani family and characters who were born in the UK but who feel that they owe a lot to their homeland in Lahore.
There is a real sense of the city of Lahore, its traditions and especially the food. Oh the food! Each chapter introduces a dish with a very special name as the main character uses her food to describe her life and emotions. It’s a wonderful way to learn about the culture and the food.
And wait until you visit ~The Wishing Place – the Data Darbar – the tomb of the Sufi mystic Data Ganj Baksh, in a large, renowned shrine with a yearly festival. It’s a wonderful addition to a hearty novel about food and love and the meaning of cultural wealth.
Destination/location: London, Lahore Author/guide: Hina Belitz Departure Time: 2000s
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