Reviewed by Susan E. Richardson
The old cliché says that opposites attract, but what about when opposites are members of the same family? Can a disorganized mother and a neat freak daughter survive together? Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph answer, “Yes!” in We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook. They’ve learned to negotiate the challenges their differences provide by adding heaping helpings of love and understanding.
Cooking brings them many opportunities for applying those extras. Becky styles herself a bacon-and-butter-loving mama while Rachel and her husband eat vegan. With humor and a little thought for the others’ preferences, they manage to cook meals the entire family will enjoy.
Overall, the book is rather like a good casserole: a delectable mixture of humor, recipes, and insights. Some pieces are laugh out loud funny while others are more poignant. The sauce of family acceptance pulls everything together.
The recipes vary throughout the book. The authors offer suggestions to make some recipes vegan or vegetarian friendly, while others already meet those criteria. The emphasis is on good food you can share with friends and family, not what ingredients you may choose to use.
Women of all ages will find something to relate to in We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook, whether you’re a mother, a daughter, or both, and wherever you are along the journey in those roles. You may be a messy or a compulsive organizer, a vegan or meat-eater. There’s room for everyone at the table here.
