First published 2013
Victoria is eighty years old and recently widowed. She feels cut off from the world around her. To combat her isolation, she decides to offer cooking lessons. Her first student surprises her: Lorca, a troubled teenager with her own mission. Lorca believes that preparing the perfect dish will finally win her mother's attention. She searches for masgouf, a complex Middle Eastern recipe that represents her mother's ideal meal. In Victoria's kitchen, the two women bond over traditional sweets like almond cookies, pistachio treats, and layers of honey-soaked baklava. As they measure spices and knead dough together, Victoria and Lorca discover their connection runs deeper than shared recipes. Both struggle with loss and the desire for meaningful relationships. Their unlikely friendship becomes a lifeline for each of them, offering hope that food can bridge generational gaps and heal old wounds.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama, food-writing
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-friendship
Setting: Middle East
Period: 21st-century
336 pages · Kindle Edition · Cornerstone Digital