Former VJ and model Maria Goretti uses her experiences of food, life and love as the main ingredients for her debut as an author with her cookbook, From My Kitchen to Yours. By Devi Singh
After running a food blog for years manifesting her trials and tribulations with food, and honing the art and skills of cooking, Goretti comes up with a book reflecting her life journey and her experiences with cooking. The book is more of a celebration of Goretti’ life than just another cookbook. It is a demonstration of how Maria discovered her untapped talent as a cook. The essence of love and cooking with a big heart runs through the book. As Tisca Chopra says, Maria and Arshad’s heart and kitchen size have remained the same. “They emphasise a lot on having a big kitchen. Their first house was more of a kitchen attached to a room,” she quipped.
The book contains some of the family recipes including her mother’s East-Indian spreads, aromas from her grandmother’s kitchen, and the food that she has discovered over the years by travelling all over the world and the sumptuous recipes shared by her friends. As Goretti puts it, “It’s basically labour of love. It’s all about cooking for people you love. I seriously want to add some happiness in people’s lives through this book.”
The book has been formatted in an interesting fashion with menu spread over six-course meal layout for each month. It includes soups, salads, starters, non-vegetarian and vegetarian entrée and desserts. “I’m not a chef or writer so I didn’t know how to start this book. I didn’t know how to put a menu together. So I decided to divide the book into months and dedicate each month to something that I love and someone that I know and make a menu accordingly,” commented Goretti.
The idea for the book came about in Bhutan while Goretti was on a vacation. As Ajay Mago, Publisher, Om Books said, “I happened to go through Maria’s blog and was certain that she could put together a unique book filled not only with the flavors of her rich cultural moorings, but also with those picked up along her journeys across India and beyond.”
After making many disastrous dinners for friends who were willing guinea pigs, Maria discovered that mastering food was her true calling.
“I realized I wasn’t qualified in many things. And that’s when I realised I needed at least one degree besides my graduation. So I went to Tante Marie School of Cookery in May 2011 which was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. “
She added, “The reason I could do it was Arshad stayed home for three months and looked after our kids. It opened my mind to everything concerning food and life,” she said.
The book is an initiative by BollyGoods, a unique platform that promotes celluloid inspired Fashion, Art and lifestyle.
Talking about her food memories, Goretti said, “Risotto was the dish I learnt how to make for the very first time. After which I started enjoying the whole cooking process by hit and trial of course. I’m not a star chef but I love cooking.”