The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen — 2nd edition!
The second edition of my award-winning cookbook The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen is coming out next week on Valentine’s Day!!! Jeez Louise, how many cookbook authors get a chance to do a 2nd edition in this day and age? The answer is, very few. There’s a reason why this book is an exception to the rule, and I’ll get to that in a minute. But first I have to say, I am the MOST grateful cookbook author on the planet. I love my publisher, Ten-Speed Press! Mwah!!!
My fearless partner
Before we proceed with all the good stuff in this new edition, there’s someone you need to meet: Mat Edelson, my fearless writing partner of 20 years.
Mat’s been a broadcast journalist with NPR, an award-winning sports writer, and is award-winning medical writer. Not only is he a brilliant writer, journalist and researcher, he’s an incredibly funny and immensely compassionate man, who has brought all of himself to all five books we’ve co-authored. I love you, Mat! (My husband calls Mat my “writer-husband.”)
Me, Mat, and our faithful, carrot-loving kitchen assistant, Bella, at the moment we completed the 1st edition on 10/31/2008. My hair isn’t blow-dried, I’ve got no makeup on my face — you know we just pulled an all-nighter! I don’t think I could do that anymore...
Very much to the point, he’s also a superb research analyst and made crucial decisions about the umpteen peer-reviewed studies we looked at in creating both editions of The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, zeroing in on the highest quality. We combined my knowledge gleaned from years of experience working in the field, cooking for people with cancer, talking with their caregivers, visiting top medical and community cancer centers, and then teaching what I had learned with Mat’s journalist skills, research and interviews with nearly 100 people — top cancer doctors, researchers and nurses, along with dozens of people who were going through treatment and frontline caregivers — to tell the story of how food can best nourish our bodies during treatment and beyond.
New science
In the eight years since the first edition was first published, the research linking what we eat to how it affects the occurrence, treatment, and recurrence of cancer has exploded; hence this second edition. The great news is that no matter where you are on the journey — a concerned mother looking to safeguard her family’s health, a patient currently in treatment (or a caregiver looking to help), or a cancer survivor looking to stay cancer free — science has shown, with even more increasing certainty, that nourishing foods have a healthful impact on all sorts of cancer-related pathways.
Trimmer, easier to navigate
In having this opportunity to re-do the book, we were able to revamp the front part so it’s easier to navigate and SO much more user friendly, with easy-to-grasp graphics that point the way. We removed anything extraneous. And most importantly, we listened to you! Over the year, readers wrote me at length (I’ve saved every letter and email, cried over some, and learned from all) and told me what was working and what wasn’t. What you wanted more of. What would make it easier. A big request? More super-simple recipes. And there are lots of beautiful new photographs! Thank you, Leo Gong.
This book never would have happened without the cancer community. The Cancer community supported us, from the grassroots, and helped The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen reach the mainstream. There would have been no 2nd edition without you. It’s your book.
And FYI, The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen Course, with colorful videos, short interviews about the science, menu-planning, prepping and shopping lists, and access to our online community, is based on this brand new 2nd edition. So there are several ways to get this important information, for yourself, family members or friends.
Of course, I’ll share recipes!
Something old, and something new. This soup from the first edition is named after my beloved, now-departed Bella, the Portuguese Water Dog who took over my life for 10 ½ years, and was the most enthusiastic kitchen supporter EVER and quite possibly the only dog on the planet who preferred carrots to bacon. For every 4 carrots that went into making this soup, 1 went into Bella’s mouth. And, by the way? This soup is both nourishing and totally delish.
Isn’t your mouth watering already? Talk about an alluring recipe. Masala is Indian for a spice blend, most notably those used in teas (aka, chai). This incredibly comforting libation heals both body and mind; the spices, notably turmeric and cinnamon, have outstanding anti-inflammatory properties. I recommend this chai to anyone whose appetite is waning or who finds him- or herself with a touch of indigestion. Added bonus: the almond milk, besides tasting great, is perfect for those of us who are lactose intolerant. Yum, yum, yum!