Everything We Know About Padma Lakshmi's Children's Book Tomatoes For Neela
You might know Padma Lakshmi from "Top Chef" or from her own Hulu show, "Taste the Nation," a show that's incredibly meaningful to her. For any big Lakshmi fans, you might also know that she's written multiple cookbooks and even a memoir, "Love, Loss, and What We Ate." Now, Lakshmi is showing off her many talents again and breaking into another type of medium: children's picture books.
Lakshmi's first children's book, "Tomatoes for Neela," will be released on August 31 and is aimed for children from four to eight years old, according to People. Lakshmi told People that the inspiration for her book comes from bonding with her family through food, and she highlighted tomatoes' importance in Indian cuisine. The picture book will be illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, according to ABC News.
Based on the book's page on Penguin Random House's website, the main character of "Tomatoes for Neela" is Neela, who cooks with her amma, and together, they go to a market to buy tomatoes for her paati's tomato sauce recipe. Through cooking, Neela is also able to connect with her paati, who lives in India.
What inspired Tomatoes for Neela?
In an interview with The Cut, Lakshmi said, "I wanted to teach my daughter that things grow in certain seasons, and it's essential to try to eat them when Mother Nature grows them near you. Because not only are they more delicious, they also have more nutrition."
According to Publisher's Weekly, Lakshmi got the idea for the book when her daughter asked for pomegranates in the summer, when they're out of season. But "Tomates for Neela" includes more than just Neela's story. Lakshmi also told The Cut, "Then there's back matter that talks about farmworkers and where food comes from. But it's also an intergenerational story about a mother, daughter, and grandmother who is not living with them. But they have a connection through food."
ABC News also mentioned that the book will have one of Lakshmi's recipes. Look out for "Tomatoes for Neela" coming out at the end of the summer, and in the meantime, learn more about Lakshmi's passion for food.