Orangette is a food blog that was on the scene long before I knew how to cook and years before I discovered that I had any sort of true passion for food. Molly Wizenberg created this blog six years ago.
Yes, the year was 2004 and I was a Sophomore in college. I drank Keystone 30 racks, Bacardi Limon by the handle, and the only thing I knew how to cook was Ramen Noodles and Kraft Easy Mac. (You can't even call that cooking, I realize this.) I found out through one of Molly's latest posts titled "
Ours Now" that her book which came out last year was just released in paperback. After having read only a few blog posts and her FAQs, I determined she was a pretty incredible writer and so I decided to purchase:
A Homemade Life -
Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table. A New York Times Bestseller and quoted on the cover as "A mouthwatering memoir", I had a feeling I was in for a good read.
I also learned from the Ours Now post, Molly would be appearing for a book talk and signing at one of my favorite local bookstores, The Brookline Booksmith.
I used to shop here often when I lived in Brookline. A Monday night at 7pm was do-able so I decided I was going make the trek out to my old neighborhood to hear what Ms. Wizenberg had to say.
P.S. How cute is this bookstore?
In addition to books they sell handmade jewelry, gifts and other quirky household decor items.
They hold the book talks and signings in the used book cellar.
I've been taking my time reading the book, really enjoying letting it all sink in slowly.
A Homemade Life is developed so that each chapter is more like a short essay independent of one another, yet they do have a flow to them. It's a coming of age journey detailing Molly's intimate relationships with family and food, maybe not in exact chronological order, but more or less so. I never thought I could enjoy reading recipes as much as I am. Literally, I'll read every ingredient on the list, while attempting not to drool on the pages. I didn't grow up reading cook books for fun, this is
new to me. I didn't used to think that cooking or trying out recipes was fun, at
all. But a young girl named Molly in Oklahoma City did. You quickly learn that sitting down to meals are very poignant memories for Molly. Watching the reactions of those who eat what she's created, is just as important as the cooking itself. That is what "ties it all together" and brings Molly a huge sense of satisfaction. I loved listening to her talk about the moments when she realized that her families obsession with food was just that -
her families obsession. This is not what every kids life is like?! What do you mean your family doesn't cook breakfast, lunch and dinner from scratch?!
For me, it is easy to relate to the realizations Molly speaks of. I grew up with a Mother who was a talented cook, baker, grill-master, hostess, all of the above. My parents threw dinner parties, and BBQs, and drank lots of good beer and wine. Heck, they were even certified scuba divers and literally brought lobsters caught that afternoon from the Cape Cod Bay or Nantucket Sound floor to our dinner table that evening. Same thing went for fishing - fresh caught stripped bass for dinner? Yes please. As year-round Cape Coders our summer weeks were booked out from the Fourth of July thru Labor Day with cousins, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents visiting from all over the map. Hosting and cooking is definitely in my parents blood and Cape Cod was the place everyone wanted to be. I didn't realize it until this post started flowing, that Molly recounting her childhood through food, has inspired me to want to do the same. I could totally (maybe) write a memoir about the giant Igloo coolers my parents packed for the Crows Pasture four-wheel drive beach excursions or perhaps for Wellfleet Beachcomber days where we adorned wetsuits and boogie boarded for hours. Or the kids gathered after sunset 'round the bonfire-in-the-sand roasting marshmellows and making a mess of ourselves eating smores. The lazy days spent boating on Bass River, the Old Camp weekends with trips to the penny candy store and eating breakfast in the graveyard....oh.my.gosh. Molly, seriously, look what you started. Who wants to know more about Old Camp? What - you and your family didn't have a summer tradition of eating breakfast in a graveyard? I digress (for now.) Back to the book talk already. Did I mention I lucked out with a front row seat?
Molly was engaging and very well-spoken, with her wavy strawberry blonde hair pulled back in a pony tail and her pale skin flushing pink at times.
After she finished speaking, she read Chapter One titled
A Place To Start. She had a calm intensity about her. You can tell she is humbled by all this fame, and is genuinely pleased to meet her fans and followers. She has no qualms that we all know so much about her life through the blog. And there is so much to know about her - her father died from Cancer too young, she writes a monthly column for Bon Appetit Magazine, her and her husband opened a restaurant in Seattle 7 months ago, her and a good friend recently started a podcast to name a few poignant points. She is a girl with a past known to us all, and a woman of many talents. She responds thoughtfully to all questions. "That is
such a good question" she would state a few times while clearly pondering her answer.
Her passion and enthusiasm in person and in her writing are both really really powerful. I was so happy to have been able to meet her, and of course, have her sign my book.
I highly recommend you purchase yourself a copy of
A Homemade Life. You could borrow mine but I'd make you give it back. And then you wouldn't have all the recipes on hand.
I also learned from the Ours Now post, Molly would be appearing for a book talk and signing at one of my favorite local bookstores, The Brookline Booksmith.
I used to shop here often when I lived in Brookline. A Monday night at 7pm was do-able so I decided I was going make the trek out to my old neighborhood to hear what Ms. Wizenberg had to say.
P.S. How cute is this bookstore?
In addition to books they sell handmade jewelry, gifts and other quirky household decor items.
They hold the book talks and signings in the used book cellar. 
I've been taking my time reading the book, really enjoying letting it all sink in slowly. A Homemade Life is developed so that each chapter is more like a short essay independent of one another, yet they do have a flow to them. It's a coming of age journey detailing Molly's intimate relationships with family and food, maybe not in exact chronological order, but more or less so. I never thought I could enjoy reading recipes as much as I am. Literally, I'll read every ingredient on the list, while attempting not to drool on the pages. I didn't grow up reading cook books for fun, this is new to me. I didn't used to think that cooking or trying out recipes was fun, at all. But a young girl named Molly in Oklahoma City did. You quickly learn that sitting down to meals are very poignant memories for Molly. Watching the reactions of those who eat what she's created, is just as important as the cooking itself. That is what "ties it all together" and brings Molly a huge sense of satisfaction. I loved listening to her talk about the moments when she realized that her families obsession with food was just that - her families obsession. This is not what every kids life is like?! What do you mean your family doesn't cook breakfast, lunch and dinner from scratch?!
For me, it is easy to relate to the realizations Molly speaks of. I grew up with a Mother who was a talented cook, baker, grill-master, hostess, all of the above. My parents threw dinner parties, and BBQs, and drank lots of good beer and wine. Heck, they were even certified scuba divers and literally brought lobsters caught that afternoon from the Cape Cod Bay or Nantucket Sound floor to our dinner table that evening. Same thing went for fishing - fresh caught stripped bass for dinner? Yes please. As year-round Cape Coders our summer weeks were booked out from the Fourth of July thru Labor Day with cousins, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents visiting from all over the map. Hosting and cooking is definitely in my parents blood and Cape Cod was the place everyone wanted to be. I didn't realize it until this post started flowing, that Molly recounting her childhood through food, has inspired me to want to do the same. I could totally (maybe) write a memoir about the giant Igloo coolers my parents packed for the Crows Pasture four-wheel drive beach excursions or perhaps for Wellfleet Beachcomber days where we adorned wetsuits and boogie boarded for hours. Or the kids gathered after sunset 'round the bonfire-in-the-sand roasting marshmellows and making a mess of ourselves eating smores. The lazy days spent boating on Bass River, the Old Camp weekends with trips to the penny candy store and eating breakfast in the graveyard....oh.my.gosh. Molly, seriously, look what you started. Who wants to know more about Old Camp? What - you and your family didn't have a summer tradition of eating breakfast in a graveyard? I digress (for now.) Back to the book talk already. Did I mention I lucked out with a front row seat? 
Molly was engaging and very well-spoken, with her wavy strawberry blonde hair pulled back in a pony tail and her pale skin flushing pink at times.
After she finished speaking, she read Chapter One titled A Place To Start. She had a calm intensity about her. You can tell she is humbled by all this fame, and is genuinely pleased to meet her fans and followers. She has no qualms that we all know so much about her life through the blog. And there is so much to know about her - her father died from Cancer too young, she writes a monthly column for Bon Appetit Magazine, her and her husband opened a restaurant in Seattle 7 months ago, her and a good friend recently started a podcast to name a few poignant points. She is a girl with a past known to us all, and a woman of many talents. She responds thoughtfully to all questions. "That is such a good question" she would state a few times while clearly pondering her answer.
Her passion and enthusiasm in person and in her writing are both really really powerful. I was so happy to have been able to meet her, and of course, have her sign my book.
I highly recommend you purchase yourself a copy of A Homemade Life. You could borrow mine but I'd make you give it back. And then you wouldn't have all the recipes on hand.
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