Late For Dinner

I was born in Marseille, France in Jan of 1979. On September 13, 1979 my father, Sahnur Ceyhan, suddenly passed away at the age of 32. I do not remember him with my own memories, how could I, I was only seven months old. But what I do have are second hand memories of him. Stories that I have heard from my mom, his brother, his sister, his cousins, his friends. When I meet somebody that knew my dad, I ask for stories, memories, I have been on a quest my entire life to understand the person who was taken from me far too soon. There are characteristics of me that are so opposite of my mom and I wonder, did I get that from him? Often times, the answer is yes. I have learned that so much of me is from him, and the more I find out about the man he was, the clearer the picture of my Dad is in my mind and heart.

While making his favorite meals, I felt a connection to him. I have also added some of my favorite meals to make. I often wonder what he would have though of my cooking. This book is not just about food though. It’s a love story about me getting to know my Dad. You will read some of the funny ways he would make the room erupt in laughter. It is incredible how much life he was able to live in just 32 years. I love food, cooking food and sharing it with people I love is my love language. I’ll never get to share my dad’s favorite meal with him, but I can share them with you.