Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten

The holidays are about family and food, so I would like to recommend a memoir written by one of America’s most famous chefs, Ina Garten.  In “Be Ready When the Luck Happens,” the famous cookbook author takes us beyond the walls of her kitchen, into her personal life. The jovial Barefoot Contessa had a childhood far from happy, because of a mother who was cold and dismissive. Searching for love and support, she married husband Jeffrey while still in college. She said in many ways he raised her better than her parents did, because he told her to do what makes you happy. After a stint in Washington, D.C. working for the government, she answered an ad to work at a specialty good store in the Hamptons. It was there she dove into catering, and continued to refine the recipes based on what people bought and didn’t buy. Cooking was a hobby, until Jeffrey encouraged her to make it a career. Her memoir is as direct, no nonsense and charming as her books. When people muse who would you like to sit next to at a dinner party, I would say Ina Garten because I know I would laugh and learn some cooking skills. She set out to make cooking look easier and less complicated, but in doing so she has inspired millions of amateur chefs to be bold in their own kitchens. Also, her marriage to Jeffrey is an example of how you bend, and not break during a long-term marriage. Is there anything this woman cannot do? I think not. To buy this book on Amazon click here.