The Measure of my Powers

This memoir of food, misery and Paris was mouth watering, delightfully descriptive, and poignant.
In her Eggplant Bharta chapter, author Jackie Kai Ellis shares how she was brought up with outspoken women who's opinions she took on rather than her own. Her parents were always busy managing the household, so she was conscious of not being a burden. She makes an introspective observation that from this, she learned how to not speak, and after awhile, forgot to speak entirely.  

Her sad marriage to G was the constant melancholy tune throughout The Measure of my Powers. There were several heart wrenching moments detailed, with her back and forth thoughts in the Tell Me I'm Beautiful chapter bringing it all together. It's the rationalization, followed by coming to terms with what's been going on, the understanding that your spouse would rather play mind games than give you what you need and want. 

Something wonderful to read was how Ellis overcame a painful eating disorder by travelling to Paris. It was refreshing to read her honesty about not enjoying the restaurants in Paris at first. She went to the touristy spots, and it wasn't until she discovered the markets that she had good food. 

Some miscellaneous things that also stood out: her discovery that it's not the destination, but the journey. We all are in such a hurry to find happiness, but not enjoying the now moments. 

I cheered for her for making the elusive croissant. That takes dedication, and perhaps some obsessiveness, to keep at it, and perfect the difficult recipe. 

I totally relate to needing a career that satisfies. The desire to do good and provide joy is strong. 

While the recipes sounded delectable, and the photographs were lovely, for me, they were not the focal point of the book. It was Ellis' lovely descriptions of ingredients and meals that I found memorable. She takes such care when describing food, just like she must with her cooking. I felt happy for her reading how much pleasure she gets from creating and eating her dishes. 

I received The Measure of my Powers  in a GoodReads giveaway. 

Until next time,

Kara