The writing is on the kitchen wall

In the last couple of weeks, I received my book from the printers. Yes, my book! Actually, it is a compilation of a few of the stories and recipes that have appeared on this page in the last two years. 

Since childhood, I have always enjoyed writing. At first, it was in French, as I did all my studying in that language up to university. I often wrote short stories which my mother corrected. Long before the start of the 1954-62 war to get France out of their 132-year occupation of Algeria, my maternal grandmother worked as a school cleaner. Although very few Algerian girls were allowed to attend French school, the head of the establishment where my grandma worked, allowed my mother to sneak into class for a few lessons every week. By the time she was sixteen, she could have easily passed the equivalent of the GCSEs but, as her tuition was not formally authorised, she left without grades. Yet, she could speak and write perfect French.Later, as a pre-school toddler, she dragged me to tribunals, barracks and police stations, arguing Papa’s case with the French authorities. She stood up to judges and prosecutors, vainly trying to stop him being sent off to concentration camp for belonging to the freedom movement.

After Independence in 1962 and Papa’s release, as he went back to his ambulance driver job at the local hospital, she began volunteering for the Red Crescent, occasionally representing the town at national conferences. She often helped my siblings and me with our homework and occasionally wrote official letters for friends and neighbours.

In secondary school, my third language after French and Arabic was English, but it was very basic. Coming to the UK to study naval architecture was very daunting at first. 

I took to reading a lot of Harold Robbins books and detective stories. Going to the pictures at least once a week, something I did from a very early age, also helped improve my grasp of the language. At first, hearing John Wayne speak in his original American English instead of being dubbed in French, was quite funny but I soon got used to his accent. Working in restaurants, conversing with customers, writing menus and newsletters also helped me a lot with my English. When I started writing this page, Karen became my proof-reader. 

A few people suggested that I ought to write a book but I find that I do not possess enough patience or discipline to do that. However, I find it fairly easy to write an average of 500 words to fill this page. So, when we came up with the idea of producing a book linked to Life in the Kitchen to help finance the free paper, I simply selected a few anecdotes and recipes and ended up with a 60-page book. And I have realised that there is now enough material to produce two more books. A joker friend of mine suggested a funny title to it: “Fifty Shades of Gravy”. But, accordingly to Google, it seems that someone has got there first. So, I’ll just have to go back to the drawing board if ever it is decided that a second book is to be published.

I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have enjoyed reading it and tasting the recipes in it.