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Published by ECW Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
A warm, generous, and illustrated guide to nurturing yourself when life — and the world — is too much
When artist Sonali Menezes found herself struggling with mental illness, disordered eating, and the crushing weight of capitalism, she began to look for easy and delicious ways to feed herself that would both fulfill her hunger and her need for care. Her method — non-judgmental, anti-diet, and approachable — became Depression Cooking, a book that combines recipes, personal memoir, and illustrations to provide a guide for those moments in all of our lives when making a meal, and loving yourself, feels impossible.
In each chapter, Sonali writes and draws about a challenging period in her life, when food seemed more like an enemy than an ally, and shares the recipes and cooking tips that nurtured her body and her soul. From dal to ramen to “things on toast,” Depression Cooking lays out an approach that helps us through life’s hardest challenges, whether that’s becoming a new parent, being fired from a job, weathering grief, or living on our own for the first time.
Part comic, part food memoir, part cookbook, Depression Cooking is a love letter to the sad, hungry, and exhausted versions of ourselves who always deserve care, community, and good food. This empathetic, innovative, and delightfully funny book is one of one, and exactly the permission we all need to enjoy beautiful meals just because we can.
When artist Sonali Menezes found herself struggling with mental illness, disordered eating, and the crushing weight of capitalism, she began to look for easy and delicious ways to feed herself that would both fulfill her hunger and her need for care. Her method — non-judgmental, anti-diet, and approachable — became Depression Cooking, a book that combines recipes, personal memoir, and illustrations to provide a guide for those moments in all of our lives when making a meal, and loving yourself, feels impossible.
In each chapter, Sonali writes and draws about a challenging period in her life, when food seemed more like an enemy than an ally, and shares the recipes and cooking tips that nurtured her body and her soul. From dal to ramen to “things on toast,” Depression Cooking lays out an approach that helps us through life’s hardest challenges, whether that’s becoming a new parent, being fired from a job, weathering grief, or living on our own for the first time.
Part comic, part food memoir, part cookbook, Depression Cooking is a love letter to the sad, hungry, and exhausted versions of ourselves who always deserve care, community, and good food. This empathetic, innovative, and delightfully funny book is one of one, and exactly the permission we all need to enjoy beautiful meals just because we can.
Product Details
- Publisher: ECW Press (October 13, 2026)
- Length: 216 pages
- ISBN13: 9781770418431
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Raves and Reviews
“Generous, compassionate, and full of tenderness, Depression Cooking feels like being welcomed into the warmth of a dear friend’s kitchen to share a home-cooked meal. Through candid reflections and practical guidance, this book is a nourishing companion in times of both struggle and celebration.” — Tessa Hulls, author of Feeding Ghosts, winner of the Pulitzer Prize
“Sonali Menezes offers a warm and relatable narrative that is practical, joyous, honest, and defiant in the face of diet culture and food shame. This is a book to share with friends and to return to whenever you’re hungry for humour, healing, and hope — and something good to eat!” — Anuja Varghese, Governor General’s Literary Award winning author of Chrysalis
“Through personal stories that are both charming and heartbreaking, Sonali Menezes unwinds her long path to self-nourishment. Depression Cooking is wise and generous, a reassuring voice for when you need it the most.” — Teresa Wong, author of All Our Ordinary Stories
“Depression Cooking is the warmest, most expansive work of art I’ve read in a long time. We are made all the richer for Sonali Menezes’s love of food and her insight into our beating human hearts. Food without shame is a mantra for our time, and one that I’ll keep with me forever.” — Amanda Leduc, author of Wild Life, longlisted for the 2026 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction
“Depression Cooking is sharp, earnest, and heartfelt. Sonali’s tips for dressing up toast, mac and cheese, instant ramen, and other lower-cost, lower-effort staples are tasty, practical, and, most importantly, an antidote to our current diet culture moment.” — andrea bennett, author of Hearty, a Taste Canada gold award winner
Resources and Downloads
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Depression Cooking
Trade Paperback 9781770418431
