Raj Tawney
Author Interview - Raj Tawney
Author of Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey Through a Mixed American Experience
A timely self-examination of the “mixed” American experience featuring exclusive recipes and photographs from the author’s multicultural family. As citizens continue to evolve and diversify within the United States, the ingredients that make up each flavorful household are waiting to be discovered and devoured. In Colorful Palate, author Raj Tawney shares his coming-of-age memoir as a young man born into an Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian-American family, his struggles with understanding his own identity, and the mouthwatering flavors of the melting pot from within his own childhood kitchen. While the world outside can be cruel and unforgiving, it’s even more complicated for a mixed-race kid, unsure of his place in the world. Turning to his mother and grandmother for guidance, Tawney assists in the kitchen, providing intimate moments and candor as he listened to the tales behind each culinary delicacy and the women who perfected it. Each lovingly prepared meal offered another opportunity to learn more about his extraordinary heritage. The ability to create delicious fare with his family wasn’t just a duty for the grand ladies who raised him; it was a survival tactic for navigating new and unknown cultures, not always willing to accept them at first or even a hundredth glance. As Tawney examines both himself and his loved ones through the formative stages of his life, from boyhood through adulthood, he begins to realize, through all of the chaos and confusion, just how “American” he actually was. In this contemporary coming-of-age tale, Tawney tackles personal hot-button issues about race and identity through poignant, heartfelt moments centered on delicious meals. From succulent tandoori chicken to delectable arroz con habichuelas to scrumptious spaghetti and meatballs, Tawney shares his family recipes along with the intimate stories he overheard in the kitchen as he played sous chef to hundreds of recipes that not only span continents but also come with their own personal histories attached. Colorful Palate is a tale of the mixed experience, one of the millions that rarely get told, undefined by a single group or birthright and unapologetic about its lack of classification.
Author Interview - Raj Tawney
Author I draw inspiration from:
A Drinking Life by Pete Hamill, The Color of Water by James McBride, Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia, Go Back to Where You Came From by Wajahat Ali
Author Interview - Raj Tawney | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
In an old, green La-Z-Boy recliner I found in a consignment shop.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Junior from The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. I'd tell him how honored I'd be if he drew me one of his cartoons.
Author Interview - Raj Tawney | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
When I turned 30 and realized I shouldn't be shy or embarrassed to show others my writing.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
I love the feel of a hardback but I dare not bend it. I love sticking a paperback in my back pocket for later reading. I haven't listened to many audiobooks but I imagine they're great for long trips or walks.
The last book I read:
Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia. It's an outstanding memoir with a unique American experience we don't often get to read about.
Author Interview - Raj Tawney | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
Brain to computer. Everything lives in my head.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
Helping authors in some capacity from the backend.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
As a vintage clothing lover, I'm most fond of the '50s and '60s. In particular, men's coats and buttoned shirts. The designs for men during that time were beautiful.
Place I’d most like to travel:
Mumbai, India, where my dad is from. I haven't been as an adult and I'd like to see it through his eyes.
My signature drink:
Coffee, black. Sometimes creamer if I'm feeling festive.
Favorite artist:
Frank Sinatra. His voice, his style, his life, his humanity, his timeliness. He makes me feel more than any artist ever has before.
Number one on my bucket list:
Attending Wimbledon.
Anything else you'd like to add:
I wrote this book for my family and so that other mixed people can see themselves through our story. I hope so.
About Raj Tawney:
Raj Tawney is a writer and journalist whose work largely reflects his New York–area upbringing and sensibility. Raised in an Indian, Puerto Rican, and Italian-American household, Tawney has explored his own race and identity through stories published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, USA Today, Smithsonian magazine, and many other outlets throughout the country.
