From Mystery to Memoir @LeslieKarst

LUCY BURDETTE: I love our guest Leslie Karst's culinary mysteries starring Sally Solari. But she's branched out into something almost entirely different with her newest book--I'll let her tell the story!

LESLIE KARST: As soon as the big event was over, I wrote down all I could remember of how I finagled my way into hosting an intimate dinner party for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her celebrated tax professor/attorney husband, Martin, as well as all the planning and preparation—and angsting and obsessing—that went along with the experience. But then there it sat on my computer for many years as I was sidetracked, first by my work as a research and appellate attorney, later by writing and promoting my Sally Solari mystery series.

Leslie and Ruth, the night of the dinner

Finally, after much egging on by my wife, Robin, and other people who knew of the document’s existence, I decided that the extraordinary story needed to be out there, for others to read. But once I opened the file and began to read what I’d written all those years earlier, I saw that I had a problem: the manuscript wasn’t ready for publication. Not by a long shot. For although I’d set down the facts—all that had happened to me along the way to finally sitting down with Ruth, Marty, Robin, and my mom and dad on that memorable evening—I’d failed to include much anything about how the experience had affected me personally. 

The issue, I realized, was that this story was a memoir, something I’d never attempted before. 

But I do have five mystery novels under my belt, I said to myself. And memoirs are similar to novels, right? Both tell a story, have a narrative arc, and tend to contain the same elements of dialogue, discrete scenes, dramatic highs and lows, and a payoff at the end. 

So what would be the big deal, switching from one to the other?

As I set out to revise Justice is Served, however, the process felt far different from writing my Sally Solari series. For this story was about me; I had to be honest about myself in a way not required of fiction. No easy feat. Although my mysteries are written in the first person (and many are convinced that Sally is, in fact, simply my far braver and riskier alter-ego), I’d never before had to delve deep within myself and then share those innermost thoughts on paper—for the world to read. 

But, of course, it is this very personal nature of memoirs that sets them apart from other writing—and what makes them so very compelling. Stories of love, loss, and lessons learned. Stories that allow the reader to peek into the one’s soul, to experience the author’s journey towards awakening, or redemption, or simply the discovery that she’s exactly where she wants to be, after all. 

the table is set for the big event

In order for my memoir to truly resonate with others, I had to be completely honest and open about my personal journey and about how the experience of cooking for RBG had affected me—as a lawyer, as a romantic partner, as a daughter, as a person. 

So I set to work. And it was only after this emotionally arduous re-write that the book came truly alive, transformed from merely the story of a fancy dinner into one of simultaneously searching for delicious recipes as well as purpose in life—and a reminder that it’s never too late to discover and follow your deepest passion. 

Readers—For a chance to win a signed advance reader copy of Justice is Served, answer this question in the comments: Are you a fan of memoirs? If so, what is it you enjoy about them?

About Justice is Served:

In this true-life Julie and Julia meets Notorious RBG mash-up, former attorney Leslie Karst recounts how finagling her way into hosting an intimate dinner party for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sends her on a journey of culinary discovery—and, ultimately, completely changes her life. 

Justice is Served is Karst’s light-hearted, earnest account of the journey this unexpected challenge launched her on—starting with a trip to Paris for culinary inspiration, and ending with the dinner itself. Along the way, she imparts details of Ginsburg’s transformation from a young Jewish girl from Flatbush, Brooklyn, to one of the most celebrated Supreme Court justices in our nation’s history, and shares recipes for the mouthwatering dishes she came up with as she prepared for the big night. 

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney that she rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking, and she once more returned to school—this time to earn a degree in culinary arts. Now retired from the law, Leslie spends her time cooking, cycling, gardening, observing cocktail hour promptly at five o’clock, and of course writing. 

In addition to Justice is Served, she is also the author of the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a “snarky cozy” series set in Santa Cruz, California. Leslie and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz, California and Hilo, Hawai‘i. 

Visit Leslie’s website to learn more about and purchase the book. 

My Dinner with Ruth @lesliekarst

 LUCY BURDETTE: When Ruth Bader Ginsburg died last week, I thought instantly of my friend Leslie Karst. I remembered that she knew RBG and has written a memoir about cooking dinner for the Ginsburgs. (I've read it, it's excellent, and I hope we'll see it out in the world soon!) Leslie agreed graciously to write a post about this for us.

LESLIE KARST: History will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg for many things, including her tireless and passionate work with the ACLU as an advocate for women’s rights, her thirteen years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, her twenty-seven years as justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and, recently, her rock-star status as the “Notorious R.B.G.,” inspiring “I dissent!” tattoos and jewelry in the shape of her famous lace collars. 

But to me, she was also a family friend.

RBG and me

My father and “Ruth,” as he always referred to her, became close back in the 1960s, when he was teaching at the Ohio State Law School and she was teaching at Rutgers and later at Columbia. They had both been involved in comparative law—Dad with Latin American land reform issues, and Ruth with Swedish civil procedure. (Yes, you read that right: Did you know that as a young lawyer, RBG learned Swedish and then helped translate the Swedish Code of Civil Procedure into English?)

The two stayed in touch over the years, and I grew up hearing stories about Ruth, as she and my father both moved on from comparative law to civil rights as their areas of study and advocacy—and she, eventually, on to the federal judiciary.

And then came the chance of a lifetime. Dad told me he’d invited Ruth to come speak at the UCLA Law School, where he now taught, and she had accepted. Only half-serious, I suggested that I come down to Los Angeles and cook dinner for Ruth and her husband Marty at my parents’ house. 

I’d expected Dad to merely laugh, in that “ha-ha, that’s a ridiculous notion” kind of way, but instead he cocked his head and looked at me, then said quite seriously, “That sounds like a great idea.” 

What had I gotten myself into?

I spent the next nine months planning and fretting, as I worked out the menu for a Supreme Court justice and her world-renowned tax law professor husband—both of whom I knew to be devout foodies. 

And when the evening finally arrived, I sat in my parents living room shaking in my boots. 

But I needn’t have worried. Ruth—though taciturn and serious, as was her wont—was absolutely lovely. And even more so as the evening wore on and the six of us (my parents; the Ginsburgs; my wife, Robin; and me) consumed all six of the bottles of wine I’d purchased for the dinner. 

Ruth, my dad, and me

And Marty was as charming as could be, enthusiastically digging into the food I’d prepared while regaling the table with hilarious stories—some regarding his wife, who simply smiled and nodded in response. Here are a few tidbits we learned that evening:

Ruth would routinely consume fourteen cups of coffee a day.

She once got her car stuck atop a bollard which had risen up as she tried to enter the DC Circuit Court parking lot after another car without waiting her turn.

The purse she carried (at least that night) was very heavy—weighing at least five pounds.

I’ve written a memoir of my experience planning, cooking, and attending the dinner—tentatively entitled Cooking for Ruth—which I hope will be published some time soon. But in the meantime, here’s a peek at the menu I served:

Seared Sea Scallop with Ginger-Lime Cream Sauce

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter

Garnished with Crème Fraîche, Chopped Walnuts, and Walnut Oil

Baby Spinach Salad with Blood Orange, Red Onion, Dried Cranberries, 

Pine Nuts, Gorgonzola Cheese, and Dijon Vinaigrette Dressing

Blackened Ahi Coated in a Dry-Rub of Spices and Black Sesame Seeds

Served with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Snow Peas

A Selection of Pastries from Amandine Patisserie in Los Angeles

Robin and I saw Ruth several times after the big dinner. Whenever we were in Washington, DC, she’d invite us to the Supreme Court, and after watching the day’s arguments we’d chat with the justice in her chambers. (My attendance at Malice Domestic was twice the occasion for such visits with Ruth.)

RBG bobblehead in her chambers

The last contact I had with Ruth was last summer, to let her know that my father had passed away. She recorded a beautiful testimonial for his memorial service at the UCLA Law School, which you can watch here:  

I will miss you Ruth. Thank you for dedicating your own life to bettering ours. 

About Leslie:

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Sally Solari Mysteries (Dying for a Taste, A Measure of Murder, Death al Fresco, Murder from Scratch), a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California. An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. 

Visit Leslie at lesliekarstauthor.com 

Leslie blogs at chicksonthecase.com and mysteryloverskitchen.com 

About Murder from Scratch:

Sally’s life is already plenty complicated, what with running the popular and bustling Gauguin and dealing with irate cooks, scheduling headaches, and other staffing issues. So when her dad convinces her to take in a blind relative, Evelyn, whose mother has just died of a drug overdose, she’s none too happy. Sally’s cousin, however, turns out to be not only highly competent, but also lots of fun. And she’s a terrific cook, to boot—taught at an early age by her chef mom, Jackie. 

When moved objects around her house cause Evelyn to suspect that Jackie’s death was not the accident or suicide the police believe it to have been, she and Sally decide to investigate on their own. And Sally soon learns that Evelyn’s blindness makes her more attuned to her other senses, allowing her to discover clues that Sally would easily have missed. The cousins’ sleuthing takes them into the world of pop-up and Southeast Asian restaurants, macho commercial kitchens, and the cut-throat competitiveness that can flame up between chefs—especially when stolen recipes are at stake. 

“Karst seasons her writing with an accurate insider’s view of restaurant operation, as well as a tenderness in the way she treats family, death and Sally’s reactions to Evelyn’s blindness.”

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, A tribute.

RHYS BOWEN:  I’m still in a state of shock after learning of the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I’ve been crying when I’m normally quite stoic. But I suppose this is fear and despair mixed with grief.

What a giant of influence this tiny woman was. I can’t think of anyone who embodies the word justice more completely. And yet she was not always stuffy, earnest and serious. She had a dry wit, as she confessed getting advice on her marriage that it is sometimes wise to be deaf, and she has continued this into her professional life. Also that she was allowed on stage, in costume in many DC operas as she is such a huge opera fan

I realize I’ve been writing IS not was, as if I can’t believe she’s gone  All we can do is take up the fight for justice and decency in her honor.

LUCY BURDETTE: Totally agree Rhys, she was a whirling dervish--so dedicated to her fight against gender discrimination, and then for all Americans, once she was appointed to the supreme court. I fell in love with her after watching the documentary RBG. (ON THE BASIS OF SEX is another film about her life.) Who could not love a mid-eighties woman holding a plank for 60 seconds while on camera? She had astonishing work habits and a brilliant mind, and I simply can’t fathom working through 3 bouts of cancer as she did over the recent years. I can only imagine that she was heartbroken knowing her fight was over. I know that I am…

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Think of the lives she changed! With her brilliance, and authentic love of justice, and unstoppable humor, and genuine delight in who she’d become. Her laser logic. She understood power, and her power, and understood the power of right. And got to love how she was so incredibly confident. Her late-in-life attendance at law school.

And she not only changed women’s lives for the better, but men's, too, right? SInce it’s all dominoes.

(Not to mention the politics of it, which she deeply understood. Her last wish to her granddaughter, which will most certainly not be granted.)

She would have wanted us to persevere, too. Her death must inspire us not to give up.

HALLIE EPHRON: She was amazing. For her intellect. Her tenacity. Her convictions. She did it all and in her own way and in her own good time. Losing her, and losing her now makes me weep for her and her loved ones... and for us.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: She will be remembered as a giant of jurisprudence, not necessarily for her opinions, well-thought-out and well-written as they were, but for the example she set for women in the law and the inspiration she’s been to countless young women everywhere. Her work as an attorney helped ensure women and men equal opportunity under the law, without regard for gender or orientation.  

Also, having read Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik, I have to say she and her beloved Marty set an example of equality and mutual support that’s hard to find in many marriages today, let alone back in the 50’s and 60’s when she was going to law school and starting her career. 

I think of that lovely phrase used when people die: May her name be a blessing. We don’t need to wish that for Ruth Bader Ginsburg; her name is already a blessing.

 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I have to admit I've been putting off adding to this thread because I knew I couldn't do it without tears. Her name will be a blessing indeed, Julia, and a touchstone for future generations. What an amazing light in the world she was. Brave, honest, decent, compassionate, funny. And while we are all grieving for ourselves in OUR loss, I keep think how incredibly hard it must have been for her to let go, knowing the consequences. But I know she had faith that we would continue her legacy. RIP, RBG.

JENN MCKINLAY: There are so many things I admired about Justice Ginsburg and you've all covered it quite well. I don't want to be repetitive. I do, however, have a bookmark of Notorious RBG. I've had it for years. I think of our mighty warrior every night when I read, and she keeps my place for another day. It seems fitting. She kept our place at the table when no one else would. Now we need to keep hers.

RHYS: I must have been psychic because I bought my daughter this mask for her birthday, also one for me

I lIke to think of her shooting into the heavens like a giant rocket, exploding into a million stars that fall to Earth igniting a flame in all of us for justice and decency and equality

RBG rest in power!