Book ~ "From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home" (2019) Tembi Locke

From Goodreads ~ It was love at first sight when actress Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro’s traditional Sicilian family did not approve of his marrying a black American woman. However, the couple, heartbroken but undeterred, forged on. They built a happy life in Los Angeles, with fulfilling careers, deep friendships and the love of their lives: a baby girl they adopted at birth. Eventually, they reconciled with Saro’s family just as he faced a formidable cancer that would consume all their dreams.

"From Scratch chronicles" three summers Tembi spends in Sicily with her daughter, Zoela, as she begins to piece together a life without her husband in his tiny hometown hamlet of farmers. Where once Tembi was estranged from Saro’s family, now she finds solace and nourishment - literally and spiritually - at her mother-in-law’s table. In the Sicilian countryside, she discovers the healing gifts of simple fresh food, the embrace of a close knit community, and timeless traditions and wisdom that light a path forward. All along the way she reflects on her and Saro’s romance - an incredible love story that leaps off the pages.

While studying in Italy, Tembi, an African-American woman, meets Saro, a Sicilian chef. They fall in love, even though his traditional family isn't exactly thrilled at first. Eventually they build a life together in Los Angeles and adopt a daughter, Zoela. Their happy life takes a turn when Saro gets cancer and passes away. After his death, Tembi and Zoela head to Sicily to reconnect with his roots and spend time with his family. Happily his family had accepted her a few years before and welcome her into their homes.

I thought this book was okay. It bounced back and forth from the past to the present. It was interesting to read about their customs. For example, Saro's parents didn't approve of the relationship and marriage and his father, as the patriarch, forbid anyone in the family to have contact with Saro and Tembi ... and the members of his family went along with it. Eventually his second cousin visited them and then other members started to reach out until finally his parents did. From the author's descriptions, Sicily sounds like a nice place to visit. There are recipes at the back. It would have been nice to have some pictures included of Saro, Tembi and the rest of the families. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Tembi and I share a birthday (she's 8 years younger) and got married to Saro on our birthday, which is coincidentally what Gord and I did!