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If you’d like to buy Mami a burger or support her Dollar Tree habit:
Mami Maisonet
5960 S Land Park #222
Sacramento, CA 95822
IN-PERSON EVENTS | TICKETS ON SALE NOW
MAISONET X MILK STREET
Thursday, October 27
6:00 PM – 7:15 PM EDT
Both my MS radio interview and this class won’t go live until closer to the publishing date of my book (October 18), but you can sign up for the class today! You say you can’t attend this class because it’s your brother’s BM’s first husband’s birthday? I got you.
iLLYANNA & ERIC KIM HOSTED BY MOFAD
MAISONET X 92Y
Wednesday, December 21st
10:00 - 11:00 AM PST
illyanna in the news:
NPR: Illyanna Maisonet's new cookbook reflects the diversity of the Puerto Rican diaspora
Milk Street Radio: MOFONGO, PINCHOS AND CAMPBELL’S SOUP: THE TRUE STORY OF PUERTO RICAN FOOD IN THE DIASPORA
AFAR: Illyanna Maisonet Explores Puerto Rican American Cuisine’s Past—and Future—in Her Debut Cookbook
CANNONBALL READ: If you feel like washing your meat is keeping you closer to your ancestors, wash on, Sis
GARDEN & GUN: Cream Cheese and Guava Pastries
GARDEN & GUN: Coconut Soda–Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
GARDEN & GUN: The Great Southern Fall Cookbook Roundup
You know how I am. It’s just hard for me to focus on the positive, which is why so many people will have to snap me out of it and say, “Yeah, but look at the positives!”
My book tour kicked off with a sold out event at Rancho Gordo that I was two hours late for. I got the time wrong. It was 4-6PM and I thought it was 6-8PM. I left the house at 4PM and made a mad dash, thinking I could make it there by 5PM because it’s only an hour away. WRONG! The amount of traffic between San Francisco and Napa on a Friday afternoon was surprising. Who would have thought that a two lane byway in the middle of open space could present several obstructions; accidents, bad speed regulation and stop lights that appear out of nowhere.
Needless to say, I didn’t make it on time. And I felt feel so guilty! Steve, being the gracious person that he is just said, “We had a great sales night!” Haha.
I’m sorry to anyone who attended or checked into the IG Live stream.
The next day I had an appearance at Omnivore Books, in conversation with my former SF Chronicle editor, Paolo Lucchesi. And even though Omnivore Books is only 15 minutes from “the residence.” IYKYK. I still showed up hours ahead of time because the anxiety would just not let it happen any other way.
When 3PM came, time for the appearance to start, there was no line outside. Why am I noticing this? Because I interviewed Eric Kim when he came to Omnivore Books and he had a line wrapped around the block! True story. He had to stay and sign so many books, he finally politely declared in a whisper, “I have to go now.” Haha.
I have absolutely no business comparing myself to Eric. But, at one point my ego did. I don’t know why! It’s damaging on so many levels. One, there is literally no fucking comparison to our popularities. Two, it really prevents me from outwardly showing appreciation to the people that did come out to support me.
I don’t know why I have this obsession to compare myself to others, which is just a set up for disappointment. I think it may have something to do with…there are people that I cherish and admire for their talent, their craft, their personalities. Like, Eric. Which to say that I cherish and admire someone is already not an easy thing for me to say. And when I do hone in on a person and try to mold my…I try and copy them. There’s no better way to say it. I try and do everything that they have done. I was once given that piece of advice when I was 16, “If you see someone you admire and want what they have, just copy what they do.” And you’d think that I’d stop this because it always comes back to haunt me. It never delivers because no matter if two people have the same trajectory in life, they will never have the same end results.
Gustavo Arellano wrote about “The Parable of Ni and Ny,” in his last Canto. It landed in my inbox the day after Omnivore Books.
“Ni completely flamed out, done in by their own arrogance. All these years later, they blame everyone but themselves for not finding a career….
Talent doesn't translate into results. WERK always does.
The hustle never ends — when it does, bye-bye.
Hubris will get you shunned. Kindness will get you remembered.”
If that ain’t the epitome of my existence on this fucking blue floating marble. I have been known to self-sabotage many a thing in my life and I don’t want to be completely done in by my arrogance and hubris that I sometimes mistaken for “setting boundaries.”
Then there are moments where people you admire, like Paolo, compare you to Steph Curry. Whoa! Calm down, ego. Calm down. Where they know your faults and flaws and still…they believe in you. Support you. Help you to succeed. They also make you cry in public for the first time in your life. It got to the point where I couldn’t even look at Paolo or else I’d start crying again.
I should have been focused on the people that did come out to see me! I should have been focused on the fact that, for the last 13-years, I’ve wanted to be a part of that elite group of people who had appearances at Omnivore Books. And I did! I got to sit at a table and sign a cookbook that I created, with my cuñado (who was also there btw), being interviewed by someone who I admire in a city that stole my heart.
If you came out, I hope that I thanked you. And I hope that I expressed how grateful I am to you. THANK YOU!
The public library where I work finally got your book!
It's beautiful and I can't wait to read it and try some recipes.
I'll also be recommending it like crazy and hopefully adding it to our seasonal displays!
Take care!
It was my great pleasure hearing you talk about your journey and getting my book signed at Omnivore! I love your authenticity, and in sharing your vulnerabilities, we see ourselves as well. We’re all connected in that weird way.
I’d offer that maybe there was a piece missing from that advice you got as a 16-year-old. It’s not just copying what you see others do that you want, it’s taking what they do and making it fit you. I see your book as taking what all those other great people you admire do and making it your own. Here’s to starting to enjoy the success you earned!