I am hosting Maame by Jessica George for the October/November round of Cook the Books. I really enjoyed the character, George’s writing and revisiting the trials and tribulations of being twenty-five. There actually was a bit of food and drink in the novel.
About the book:
Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.
It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.
When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it’s not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils—and rewards—of putting her life on the line.
Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong. (Taken from Macmillan Publishing)
About the author:
Jessica George is the New York Times bestselling author of Maame. She was born and raised in London to Ghanaian parents and studied English Literature at the University of Sheffield.
(Taken from Macmillan Publishing)
What I thought…
What was it like to be twenty-five? This book brought me back.
Was I taken in and infatuated by an older man’s affections? Check.
Did I want to have a more robust social life? Check.
Did I not find myself where I wanted to be at that age? Check.
Maddie, however, has to navigate these wants and feelings while caring for her invalid father (while mum is away in Ghana), dealing with mom’s homecoming (and monetary neediness), and overcoming a family tragedy.
Maddie’s nickname, from a very early age, is Maame (as mentioned above). What a burden for her.
It made me grow up when I should have had more time. It made my dad overlook me when I was a child, my mum leave me behind, and my brother get away with doing the bare minimum. It made me lonely and it made me sad. It made me responsible and guilty. It made me someone, if given the choice, I wouldn’t want to be. (238).
She is trying to be an adult with very little guidance, hence her googling everything and having long conversations with herself. While some of the googling and inner dialogues dealt with serious topics, they did provide some comic relief to the situations.
Maddie is truly the rock of this family and has to figure out how to balance family loyalty without being taken advantage of.
The Food:
There is a bit of food mentioned but this isn’t a food-centric book. There’s family food like making pancakes, lasagna, and pepper soup for her dad. There’s the food she eats on dates: roasted aubergine, tabbouleh, pasta, macarons, burgers, ice cream, risotto, and apple tart. Maddie mentions Jollof Rice and trying to explain what it is to her coworkers as she eats her packed lunches.
Maddie’s current job (and the one she seems to love) is a small publishing house focusing on food books. She introduces her superiors to a food influencer of Middle Eastern cuisine. She also has the idea of a book tentatively entitled Flavor Pairing:
Like, an index page and I follow the section on tomatoes and that chapter tells me what to pair it with and what best brings out it’s natural flavors. Like, why do fresh tomatoes and mozzarella work so well Or it tells you to pair tinned tomatoes with bay leaves to make great pasta sauce. Simple pairings you might not think of but which make great flavor combinations. (323)
These are great ideas but she has to fight to be recognized for them. She does find her voice.
When I researched Ghanaian food, this interesting salad kept popping up. Topping lettuce with pork ‘n beans is just weird but I was totally intrigued and wanted to try it.
A Salad for Maame
Based on this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 bag romaine lettuce with carrots
- 1 small cucumber, sliced
- ½ shallot, sliced thin
- ½ can pork ‘n beans, drained
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Fresh ground pepper
- Salad cream (recipe below)
Instructions
- Add the lettuce mix, cucumbers, and shallots to a large salad bowl and toss to combine.
- Top the salad with the beans, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs and avocado. Sprinkle with the black pepper.
- Drizzle the salad cream onto the salad before serving.
I can totally see Maddie taking this for lunch. Here’s the salad cream recipe if you can’t find the Heinz version in your store.
Salad Cream
Based on this recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 T. mayonnaise
- ½ to 2 t. anchovy paste
- 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ t. Dijon mustard
- ½ t. tarragon vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- ⅛ t. Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Place in a small jar with a lid or cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate.
This was an interesting salad. The salad cream along with the beans reminded me of a salad my grandmother used to make—but I am sure she used peas instead of pork ‘n beans. I would make this again. It’s a good entree salad.
I really want to make the author’s Jollof Rice before the end of this round, too.
You have another month to read Maame and post up a recipe. The deadline is November 30. For more information, check out the Cook the Books website.
I’m also linking up with Foodies Read.
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