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The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh
On a chilly Saturday afternoon, readers gathered at The Dolphin Bookshop in New York's Port Washington, taking refuge from the blistering cold and sipping cups of creamy hot chocolate. Many were members of a mother daughter book club that has been in existence for seventeen years and is sponsored by the local middle school. They were treated to a presentation and reading by Kat Yeh, author of The Truth About Twinkie Pie. Kat’s easy charm and graciousness immediately engaged the multigenerational audience.
She shared with us some “secret ingredients” that are part of her first middle grade novel.
The truth is that her book has its origin with two food-related concepts. First is Twinkie Pie, a “comfort” dessert consisting of Twinkies, whipped cream, and flavorings. For some time, Kat had considered writing a screenplay or cookbook centered on food of 1970’s. One day as she was developing a concept for her book, the words “Twinkie Pie” flashed into her mind and so began a story featuring Twinkies.
The other inspiration occurred when she reached an impasse in the story and couldn’t figure out how to proceed. Leaving her manuscript and powering down the laptop, she turned to the Food Network and began to watch cooking shows. An episode of “Chopped” where each contestant was given a box of ingredients from which each must create a meal intrigued Kat and crystallized her story idea. GiGi, like the TV show contestants, was in a similar situation. Life had handed her a "box of ingredients," events over which she had no control. While she could not choose what life dished out, she could choose how she would respond. She could create her own recipe for life.
This warm and wonderful book is thoughtful and reassuring. The recipes are an embrace of comfort as GiGi works through the challenges which life delivers. Serving "One-Two Punch", "The Perfect Kiss", or "Cherries in the Snow" (recipes included at the end of chapters) would be a fitting compliment to this book discussion. In addition to a mother daughter club selection, this book is also a great read for anyone reaching for a delicious slice life.
For a more detailed review, check out this review by Stacy Dillon.
She shared with us some “secret ingredients” that are part of her first middle grade novel.
The truth is that her book has its origin with two food-related concepts. First is Twinkie Pie, a “comfort” dessert consisting of Twinkies, whipped cream, and flavorings. For some time, Kat had considered writing a screenplay or cookbook centered on food of 1970’s. One day as she was developing a concept for her book, the words “Twinkie Pie” flashed into her mind and so began a story featuring Twinkies.
The other inspiration occurred when she reached an impasse in the story and couldn’t figure out how to proceed. Leaving her manuscript and powering down the laptop, she turned to the Food Network and began to watch cooking shows. An episode of “Chopped” where each contestant was given a box of ingredients from which each must create a meal intrigued Kat and crystallized her story idea. GiGi, like the TV show contestants, was in a similar situation. Life had handed her a "box of ingredients," events over which she had no control. While she could not choose what life dished out, she could choose how she would respond. She could create her own recipe for life.
This warm and wonderful book is thoughtful and reassuring. The recipes are an embrace of comfort as GiGi works through the challenges which life delivers. Serving "One-Two Punch", "The Perfect Kiss", or "Cherries in the Snow" (recipes included at the end of chapters) would be a fitting compliment to this book discussion. In addition to a mother daughter club selection, this book is also a great read for anyone reaching for a delicious slice life.
For a more detailed review, check out this review by Stacy Dillon.
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