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Book Review by
Mary Kay
Memories of a Lost
Egypt: A Memoir with Recipes
Colette Rossant
Clarkson Potter/Publishers
New York 4/99
 This
charming small volume tells the story of the childhood and
young adulthood of Colette Rossant, growing up in her
Egyptian grandparents’ house in the Garden City area of
pre-World War II Cairo. Abandoned by her widowed mother, Ms.
Rossant showed the creativity and ingenuity of a child in
making the best of her situation, drawing from it the warmth
and creativity that led her to blossom into a very prolific
writer and skilled cook.
She begins her story with the reestablishment of her
relationship with her dying mother, however quickly flashes
back to her arrival in Cairo and gives a very lively account
of life in the household. She learns that the soul of the
house is the kitchen and she develops a lasting friendship
with Ahmet, the cook, who introduces her to the nurturing
pleasures of Egyptian cooking. Throughout the book,
interspersed, are recipes of both common and exotic
delicacies as well as family photos, which add to the charm
and atmosphere of the book.
Ms. Rossant is a very gifted storyteller, painting for
her readers a colorful and romantic of Cairo in the years
before the war, describing not only daily life as seen
through the eyes of a young girl but also the special
occasions of life: weddings and Grandmaman’s always
important poker day for her friends. She also recounts with
love her struggle for a relationship with her mother and, at
the end, of her return to Cairo with her children.
The recipes contained within cover a variety of Egyptian
foods, from hummus, semit and tamiyya to the more exotic
holiday foods, including Christmas Four-Meat Pate’ and
Grilled Chicken with Roasted Bananas.
Love Egypt? Love food? Love to read about a slower paced,
more romantic culture? Then I highly recommend this book as
one for your summer reading shelf!
Ed. Note: A recipe from Memories of a Lost Egypt
will be featured in the Cooking with Tour Egypt
column this month. |
