Not all of Lerman’s stories are easy to digest. The vomiting scene that occurs at the home of her other grandmother, Bubbe, highlights the guilt underlying the statement, “Food is meant to be eaten, not wasted.” This commandment, of course, has serious implications for Lerman’s relationship with her father. She must come to terms with Al’s persistent gluttony while forming her own identity and her relationship to food. Although she allows herself to cherish her father’s sporadic triumphs, her voice throughout the memoir is often doubtful. Nevertheless, Lerman offers a dialogue about food and dieting that many will find uplifting, if not inspiring. Grandma Beauty’s words shine through—that wisdom balances recipes and relationships. But when this key element is in short supply, Lerman endorses another one of her grandmother’s principled sayings to find her way forward, acknowledging that taste buds require nurturing, but that no chef or diner can afford to ignore the basics.