About Maman’s Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen:
- Hardcover: 272 pages
- Publisher: Algonquin Books (October 11, 2011)
For Donia Bijan’s family, food has been the language they use to tell their stories and to communicate their love. In 1978, when the Islamic revolution in Iran threatened their safety, they fled to California’s Bay Area, where the familiar flavors of Bijan’s mother’s cooking formed a bridge to the life they left behind. Now, through the prism of food, award-winning chef Donia Bijan unwinds her own story, finding that at the heart of it all is her mother, whose love and support enabled Bijan to realize her dreams.
From the Persian world of her youth to the American life she embraced as a teenager to her years at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris (studying under the infamous Madame Brassart) to apprenticeships in France’s three-star kitchens and finally back to San Francisco, where she opened her own celebrated bistro, Bijan evokes a vibrant kaleidoscope of cultures and cuisines. And she shares thirty inspired recipes from her childhood (Saffron Yogurt Rice with Chicken and Eggplant and Orange Cardamom Cookies), her French training (Ratatouille with Black Olives and Fried Bread and Purple Plum Skillet Tart), and her cooking career (Roast Duck Legs with Dates and Warm Lentil Salad and Rose Petal Ice Cream).
An exhilarating, heartfelt memoir, Maman’s Homesick Pie is also a reminder of the women who encourage us to shine.
“A memoir both universal and intimate, anchored in history and lifted by the mysterious elements that only occur in a warm and inviting kitchen.” –Marsha Mehran, author of Pomegranate Soup
“I can feel the big heart in this story, the delicious recipes and the story of an amazing woman whom we all wish we had known.” –Firoozeh Dumas, author of Funny in Farsi
About Donia Bijan
Donia Bijan graduated from UC Berkeley and Le Cordon Bleu. After presiding over many of San Francisco’s acclaimed restaurants and earning awards for her French-inspired cuisine, in 1994 she opened her own restaurant, L’amie Donia, in Palo Alto. She now divides her days between raising her son, teaching, and writing.
Connect with Donia at her website, doniabijan.com.
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Donia Bijan’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, October 10th: Books, Movies, and Chinese Food
Friday, October 14th: Chick Lit Reviews
Monday, October 17th: girlichef
Wednesday, October 19th: Melody & Words
Thursday, October 20th: Unabridged Chick
Monday, October 24th: Luxury Reading
Monday, October 24th: Unabridged Chick – author interview
Wednesday, October 26th: Chocolate and Croissants
Thursday, October 27th: Love, Laughter, and a Touch of Insanity
Friday, October 28th: Peeking Between the Pages
Monday, October 31st: 2 Kids and Tired Book Reviews
Tuesday, November 1st: A Bookish Libraria
Thursday, November 3rd: Mockingbird Hill Cottage