If you watch the Food Network at all (we do- a lot!), you are probably familiar with the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. This book is her memoir, a story of a life that wasn’t always easy (even though she makes everything look like it’s a breeze), and of the choices, planned and unplanned, that shaped her life and her approach to everything.
From a sometimes difficult childhood, to her college years where she met and married her husband, Jeffrey, to a boring and unfulfilling bureaucratic job in Washington, D.C., to her chance response to a small specialty food shop for sale in the Hamptons, Ina tells her story completely. She includes the good, the bad, and the ugly with the same intimate style that makes you think she’s talking just to you. Ina’s voice is all over this memoir, from her signature catch phrases (“How easy is that?”) to the cadence of the writing that catches her voice perfectly.
This is not a cookbook, although there are a few recipes included. It is the story of a life. A life with plenty of luck, yes, but also of determination, purpose, and deliberate choices. She believes in doing what you love, no matter how difficult or outrageous it may seem, taking chances when they present themselves, and always being ready for the next big step. I really enjoyed reading this one.
And So On... 