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Tag: Tuscany

  • Mansi Shah Blows Us Away With New Novel, A Good Indian Girl

    Mansi Shah Blows Us Away With New Novel, A Good Indian Girl

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    It feels like everyone’s vacationing in Europe this summer except us at THP! And by everyone, we mean the book characters we’ve been reading about. Mansi Shah’s new novel, A Good Indian Girl, transports us to Tuscany, Italy.

    A Good Indian Girl by Mansi Shah is a story about Jyoti Shah, an Indian American divorcée spending her summer in Italy after her husband of more than 15 years left her for being unable to conceive. There, Jyoti rekindles her passion for cooking and tries to figure out how best to live her life.

    It felt like A Good Indian Girl had been written with us in mind, and we’re taking it to heart! Here are three of our favorite things about Mansi Shah’s A Good Indian Girl.

    Cover: A Good Indian Girl by Mansi Shah
    Image Source: HarperCollins Publishers

    Book Overview: A Good Indian Girl

    Content Warnings: mention of pregnancy and miscarriages, infertility, racism, medical procedures, needles, depression

    Summary: Jyoti is the “perfect” Indian American daughter: She stayed out of trouble, looked after her younger sisters, and married a man her parents approved of. So when her husband, Ashok, pushes her to quit her dream job as head chef to focus on conceiving, she obliges, knowing this will please her parents—only for Ashok to leave her when she cannot carry to term. Now unemployed, childless, and divorced, a disgrace to her Gujarati family, Jyoti books a ticket to Tuscany for the summer to visit her best friend (and fellow social outcast), Karishma.

    Carbs, chianti, and la bella vita slowly restore Jyoti’s confidence, inspiring her to experiment with Indian-Italian fusion recipes. But when she unexpectedly goes viral for her impromptu cooking vlogs—and candid vent sessions—her gossiping aunties have a field day. And when a shocking reveal comes to light, Jyoti must choose between family acceptance, a fulfilling career, and even motherhood, all before the summer ends…

    The Italy Itinerary

    In the past two weeks, we’ve reviewed books about London and Paris, and now we’re in Italy for A Good Indian Girl. This book only adds to our ever-growing European bucket list, specifically the kind of food we’d love to try. Jyoti’s best friend Karishma is the ultimate tour guide, showing her the best pasta spots that Jyoti could appreciate to the fullest. Karishma also takes Jyoti to the Amalfi Coast, going on boat tours and swimming in caves. We can only read and dream of these experiences (for now)!

    So Many Recipes

    The scenes where Jyoti cooks and eats in A Good Indian Girl are some of our favorites! She cooks hangover cures, Gujarati comfort foods, and eventually Indian-Italian fusion dishes. And the way readers experience these dishes is just out of this world. We’re salivating imagining the rich and savory goodness of this novel. Plus, that’s not even the best part. Everything that Jyoti cooks has a recipe listed at the back of the book! So if you can try your hand at making samosas, saag paneer ravioli, or even Gujarati Shaak-inspired risotto.

    The Topic Of Living Childfree

    Another one of our favorite things about A Good Indian Girl is how it addresses being child-free. After years of trying to conceive and suffering several miscarriages, Jyoti now grapples with her decision to destroy the embryos she had with her ex-husband Ashok. She knows that she may not have any kids at all once that happens. But she starts to realize that she never really wanted children. She only went with what her parents and former husband wanted, never stopping to ask herself. Meeting other people in Italy who live fulfilling, childfree lives like Karishma, Ben, and Mae helps her start living for herself. And the possibilities are limitless.

    An inspirational and sincere message to children of immigrants, eldest daughters, and women choosing to be childfree. We recommend reading Mansi Shah’s A Good Indian Girl with all our hearts.

    A Good Indian Girl by Mansi Shah comes out September 3rd, and you can preorder a copy of it here!

    What’s your favorite thing about A Good Indian Girl so far? Are you adding it to your TBR? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MANSI SHAH:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

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    Julie Dam

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  • Enjoy This Tuscan Soup With Marijuana Olive Oil

    Enjoy This Tuscan Soup With Marijuana Olive Oil

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    This dish will transport you to a leisurely chill dinner under the Tuscan sun…and you can control the dosage.

    Italy is the second most popular destination for American and Canadian tourists. The food, the lifestyle, the dolce vita. Along with France, it is the subject of books about escape, falling in love, or just finding yourself.  It is a magical place and who hasn’t dreamt of being in the countryside, outside under fairy lights and feasting on some amazing local dishes. Well now you can enjoy this Tuscan soup with marijuana olive oil…live the dream!

    RELATED Here Are 5 Weed And Cheese Pairings That Will Blow Your Mind

    The good thing with this recipe is your can control the dosage. You can provide the marijuana oil on the table and let people add it to the taste and desire.

    Chill Tuscan Zuppa

    Photo by Darnell Scott

    Makes 4-6 servings

    For the broth:

    • ½ lb Hard cheese rinds (Pecorino, Parmigiano, Grana, Asiago, Piave, Manchego)
    • 1 Medium red onion
    • 1 Bulb garlic
    • Salt to taste
    • 5 peppercorns
    • 10 rosemary needles
    • 4 c vegetable broth
    • 6 c water

    Notes on the cheese

    Hard cheeses tend to be saltier than softer ones, and are aged to develop really unique savory flavors. Italian hard cheeses like Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, and Piave are excellent for this recipe. Simply save rinds and until there is at least a full sandwich bag to make the tasty soup. If other hard cheeses like Manchego are on hand, they can be used to provide you the bulk of the rinds on the Italian side off the cheese wheel, you’ll get salty richness without too much ‘funk’ like with some types.

    Soup Ingredients:

    • Kale
    • Veggie Sausage (or an Italian sausage of choice)
    • White beans
    • Cannabis olive oil*
    • Toasted Italian bread

    Quarter onion, peel garlic, and place all ingredients into a large stockpot, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for 45 minutes, strain with a fine sieve.

    Photo by Darnell Scott

    Return broth to pot and bring to a boil with beans. Sear sausages on all sides and chop roughly, save to add at the end.

    Photo by Darnell Scott

    Add kale after 5 minutes. After 8 minutes, beans should be tender and kale well wilted and soft, even the stems. Serve hot in a large bowl, add some of the sausage, garnish with toast rubbed with garlic for dipping, drizzled in cannabis olive oil* and grate more fresh cheese and pepper generously on top. If you want more spice add red pepper flakes, but not too much, it’s a delicately flavored broth.

    Photo by Darnell Scott

    *To make cannabis olive oil:

    Decarboxylate starting material for 20 minutes at 225 degrees, 10 for hash and wax, in a sealed container. Add ½ c olive oil to a mason jar with cannabis and seal. Heat in water bath for 1 hour, strain and funnel into a clean bottle.

    You can sub in pasta or tortellini for any of the above ingredients, or even just use all four. Even with vegetarian sausage, this combination with kale and beans makes it a filling, hearty meal that is fuel for a long evening of whatever you do on cold winters nights, from Hygge to Hamilton tickets.

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    Amy Hansen

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