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If you’re like me you have some of her cookbooks, which include down-to-earth recipes for everyday meals. There’s not a hint of fussy in Ina Garten’s offerings, just varied, yummy suggestions for food written in an accessible style with pages of scrumptious photos to entice readers to give this appetizer, soup, main dish or dessert a whirl.
Ina’s new memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Comes,” is certain to entice for the same reasons her cookbooks have become bestsellers. It’s a pleasant read, easy to digest and told in a friendly, honest voice that covers her childhood issues, brief separation from her husband Jeffrey, and the challenges Ina faced as she rose to fame—her courage on display without a hint of ego.
This memoir is at once a love story and the inspiring tale of a woman who overcame obstacles and broke out of a mold in an era when females were raised to have the security of a husband to provide for the family, or seek employment as a teacher, nurse or secretary.
Career choices for women were few when Ina, a high school senior in 1965, was dating Jeffrey, a sophomore at Dartmouth. The two hailed from very different backgrounds. Ina had a difficult childhood, the daughter of a doctor with a horrific temper, and his pretty wife, a solid appearing scenario that looked good on the outside, but within the walls of Ina’s home, negativity reigned supreme, as did abuse.
Though Ina and Jeffrey were very young when they were dating, their love for one another was serious and had staying power. Ina had always done what her parents expected, yet she had a “rebellious streak.” She drew the line when they opposed a relationship Ina knew was best for her. It seems she was spot on, Ina and Jeffrey will soon celebrate their 60th anniversary.
Reading about their early years together is just plain fun, their numerous jobs and world travel. Ina credits a 4-month camping trip to Europe, on a budget of $5 a day, and subsequent stay in France, as the impetus that drove her desire to create and simplify cooking at a time when Julia Child’s “The Art of French Cooking” was an impressive mainstay. Later in their lives, Ina and Jeffrey bought a place in Paris, a dream she never imagined coming true, from camping in a tent to purchasing an apartment with a view of the Seine. How in the world did that happen?
Therein lies the theme of this magical story. Throughout her life, Ina might have been afraid to take risks, but she did, her rebellious streak not allowing her to take no for an answer, Jeffrey at her side reminding her to “Do what you love. If you love it, you’ll be really good at it.”
Treat yourself as you prepare Thanksgiving dishes, or everyday meals—download Ina’s memoir, which she narrates, a book that makes the time fly while peeling potatoes or rolling out pie crusts. “Be ready When the Luck Happens” is a love of a book sure to have mass appeal.
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