The Recipe Box

A Novel

By: Viola Shipman

Narrated by: Susan Bennett

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

"Filled with cherished memories and treasured recipes, The Recipe Box is a touching tribute to the women and food that unite us and connect our past to the present." (Richard Paul Evans, number-one New York Times best-selling author)

In The Recipe Box, beloved author Viola Shipman spins a tale about a lost young woman and the family recipe box that changes her life.

Growing up in northern Michigan, Samantha “Sam” Mullins felt trapped on her family’s orchard and pie shop, so she left with dreams of making her own mark in the world. But life as an overworked, undervalued sous chef at a reality star’s New York bakery is not what Sam dreamed.

When the chef embarrasses Sam, she quits and returns home. Unemployed, single, and defeated, she spends a summer working on her family’s orchard, cooking and baking alongside the women in her life - including her mother, Deana, and grandmother, Willo. One beloved, flour-flecked, ink-smeared recipe at a time, Sam begins to learn about and understand the women in her life, her family’s history, and her passion for food through their treasured recipe box. As Sam discovers what matters most, she opens her heart to a man she left behind but who now might be the key to her happiness.

The Recipe Box is a warm and heartfelt audiobook listeners will love.

©2018 Viola Shipman (P)2018 Macmillan Audio

Surprisingly good...

I ended up having to start this book over because I kept getting interrupted and would lose track of the characters. I'm very glad I did. The book turned out to be surprisingly good, the characters were interesting. There was not a lot of love story or romance, which made it more interesting. And as a baker, I appreciate the recipes.

Good story!

Living in northern Michigan, I loved this book. I was eager to download it, as I adore stories about the past, and especially about food. I listened nearly straight through. Very enjoyable listen, and the narrator did a great job. My only complaint is that I was hoping for recipes that were authentically "old." They obviously aren't. The very first recipe mentioned for apple crisp called for Honeycrisp apples, which Michiganders know aren't native to Michigan and weren't even developed until several decades later than the 1930s that the recipe supposedly originated. It would have been a better story if the author used real recipes from that generation -- it would have given the novel more authenticity. Still, overall a great story.

Precious Memories

This book has inspired me to start this tradition with my daughter. I love cooking and baking. I grew up watching my grandma bake. This story is precious!

Perfect for a baker.

As much as I love Audible, I wish I’d bought the hard copy of this book simply for the recipes recited in the story. A wonderful blend of a family story and the food that ties the generations together.

We bake because we love someone

This isn't my usual fare, but sometimes to rest from my special forces, murder mysteries, and sci-fi first loves, I look for recipe stories, you know, the ones that take place in coffee shops, catering businesses, cookie kitchens, or pastry pantries. These usually involve murders the women must solve, and vary widely in quality. This book has no murder, no "action" and yet it was delightful.

This is a multi-generational love story, love for the land, for serving others, for family, for heritage. There is only a little confusion as the story jumps through time to tell various stories, but you can get through it. These are normal, everyday events that all our families have gone through, but are the stuff of lore and love. It ends up being interesting all the way through as you hear how the women of the orchard handled hardships and good times and changing times. And how the recipe box ties them all throughout. The narration is good, and maintains the tone of groundedness. This is well-worth your time, and you might enjoy trying some of the recipes.

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Wonderful recipes

Heartwarming story with delicious recipes.
This is a book I will share with friends and family.

The recipe box

It is a very soothing listen, and it relates to my own life. Thanks for your kind words of wisdom stashed away in the book.

Feel good

I enjoy this book. About the family and recipes. I enjoy every moment of all the love for each other.

Wonderful!

This book captures the beauty and value of family. Absolutely wonderful! A must read for daughters and granddaughters.

The Mantle of Tradition

Loved this story of finding the treasures of the past and blending them with hope for future, all the while weaving a family story. Bought this book for 2 Boomer Friends!