text and images britt-arnhild
A most popular cookbook in Norway is Mofongo, mat for sjelen (food for the soul). It is a book filled not only with recipes, but also with colourful photos and warm family tales.
I have used the book for many dinners, for my family, together with friends (do you remember our Mofongo party over at The Blue Cafe?)
While flipping through this book, enjoying its photos and tales, trying its recipes, it was never in my dreama that one day I would take part in one of the Samartin´s parties.
But you never know what life has hidden up in its sleeves for you, do you.......
Cecilia´s parents had to flee Cuba in the early 60ies. Cecilia was just a little baby then, and grew up as a typical first generation Cuban American girl.
Her books have both Latin America and The US in them, based as they are on stories from her own family and stories she has met as a psycotherapist and social worker, working with families from Mexico and Central and South America.
Over the dessert Cecilia´s parents came over to talk with us. They are the most charming couple. How I loved discussing books and photography with papi Jose Antonio, cooking and family tales with mami Tania. And travel tales with them both. During a long evening we traveled the world together.
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I have read all of Cecilia´s books, and now I am rereading them.
Starting with the one I found by accident many years ago, Senor Peregrinio. I read it and loved it so much that I gave it away right afterwards, knowing that this book had to be read by more people. Now I have downløoaded the English version, Tarnished Beauty, on my kindle.
The gipsy girl Rosa plays an important role in Senior Peregrino, and also in its sequel, La Salvadorena.
And look on the wall in Cecilia and Steve´s dining room :-)
There she is!
Painted in Paris in the 1920ies, as a Parisian gipsy, but there is no doubt,
she is Rosa all the same.
Cecilia has a new book coming out in Norway in September, Dona Maria. Set in Cuba, with the Ladies in White as her inspiration.
She and Steve will be in Trondheim the 18th of September, where Cecilia will do a book signing in a couple of our book stores.
Guess where I will be then?
While waiting I will continue to reread Cecilia´s other book.
Out in the blue garden right now.....though in my mind I am in a sun room on the other side of the world.
Or in quite another garden, a more secret one..........
(Cecilia and Steve, I LOVE your garden, with its koi ponds, its waterfall and its many secret hiding places)
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Cecilia´s book can be found on amazon
or you can find the Norwegian ones here, with interviews with Cecilia in English.
Thank you Cecilia for sharing part of your life and family with us.
And thank you for letting me share it all with my blog readers.
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