Tomatoes for Neela
“Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of cooking with the women in my family. It is the foundation for all I have spent my life working on.” –Padma Lakshmi
Neela loves cooking with her amma and writing down the recipes in her notebook. It makes her feel closer to her paati who lives far away in India. On Saturdays, Neela and Amma go to the green market and today they are buying tomatoes to make Paati's famous sauce. But first, Neela needs to learn about all the different kinds of tomatoes they can pick from. And as Neela and Amma cook together, they find a way for Paati to share in both the love and the flavors of the day.
Bestselling author and host of Bravo's Top Chef and Hulu's Taste the Nation Padma Lakshmi takes young readers on an intergenerational journey full of delicious flavors and fun food facts that celebrates a family's treasured recipes. And Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal brings this circle of women to life with vivid detail and warmth. Tomatoes for Neela lovingly affirms how we can connect to other cultures, as well as to our own, through food.
Tomatoes for Neela: A Memoir of Food, Family, and the Meaning of Home
In her deeply personal and engaging memoir, Padma Lakshmi takes us on a culinary journey through her life, from her childhood in India to her rise to fame as a chef, model, and television personality.
Through vivid storytelling and mouthwatering recipes, Padma explores the complex relationship between food, family, and identity.
She writes about the comfort she found in cooking after her parents' divorce, the challenges of growing up as a mixed-race child in America, and the unexpected ways that food has shaped her life.
Whether she's sharing her grandmother's recipe for tomato chutney or reflecting on the significance of a shared meal, Padma's writing is infused with warmth, humor, and a deep appreciation for the power of food to connect people.
Padma Lakshmi is a renowned chef, model, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the host of the Emmy-nominated cooking show "Top Chef" and for her work as a judge on "MasterChef" and "MasterChef Junior."
Padma is also a vocal advocate for social justice and women's rights. She is the founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America and has spoken out about her own experience with the disease.
Praise for Tomatoes for Neela:
"A beautifully written and deeply moving memoir. Padma Lakshmi is a gifted storyteller who brings her readers into her world with honesty, humor, and warmth." —Nigella Lawson
"Tomatoes for Neela is a love letter to food, family, and the power of storytelling. Padma Lakshmi's writing is evocative and deeply personal, and her recipes are sure to inspire readers to cook and eat with joy." —Yotam Ottolenghi
"Padma Lakshmi is a national treasure. Her memoir is a must-read for anyone who loves food, family, and the stories that connect us all." —Marcus Samuelsson
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