If someone had told me five years ago that I would write a book, I would have laughed out loud. I think if any teachers from my school days had to find out that Nina has become a writer, there would be many raised eyebrows. It still seems unreal to me – similar to the way I felt when I was expecting my first child. As happens with a first pregnancy, you don’t know what to expect, but when the swollen feet and discomfort start, you know that this is a reality you can’t escape. My writing experience was exactly like that!
And here it is now – the ‘baby’ I’ve been cherishing in my heart for over a year is now in your hands. I hope and believe that you will read, enjoy and use it, and that you will find the short cut to your family’s hearts and tummies.
The foodie bug bit me during my childhood, and it has grown immensely over the years. I wake up with a recipe in my head and go to bed at night with a different one. I grew up in a family where literally everything was celebrated with food, whether it was the death of a family member, the birth of a new one or just the precious get-togethers we had with friends and family. I remember that all our holidays were planned around everybody’s favourite dishes from Grandma’s and Mom’s kitchens. Sometimes, when there were so many dishes that still had to be cooked but only a day or two of our holiday left, Mom would go on a mission and make two huge meals in one day – great memories!
As a child I didn’t think of the price of food, and that it costs money to entertain. This was probably because my parents only gave of their best – that which was good, wholesome and affordable. What they had, they shared, even if it was just sandwiches that everyone could enjoy together. But if you got lucky and arrived at our house on a day when there was a leg of lamb, we shared that too. Everyone just ate a little less, but the togetherness made up for it a hundred times over.
I don’t think my food stories are unique – there are many people who grew up in the same environment – but I’m happy to share them because on my travels through our beautiful country I’ve often met women who feel inferior and intimidated by modern food fads and new trends. Believe me, nothing, and I mean NOTHING, on Earth can be greater, better and more acceptable than food made with love. If you can open your heart so that people can see your love for them and for the gift of food, they will return to your table again and again … guaranteed. After all, the short cut to people’s hearts is made of love!