Proving that age is no barrier to creativity and hard work, Miriam Samuel, an entrepreneur and retired teacher, released a poignant memoir of her life on the eve of her 90th birthday.
The book “Mirie’s Magic Recipe: Loving, Leading, Legacy,” features recipes for life and food. It was officially launched at an event dubbed Mirie’s Marketplace, on May 11th at Body Pond Too, in Fitches Creek.
This active nonagenarian discussed the inspiration for her book and provided samples of her food from her favorite recipes, prepared by James Murphy, a New York based Antiguan chef. Born during the struggle for political change in the British Caribbean during the explosive decade of the 1930s, Miriam Samuel, lived through World War II, facing economic hardship and food shortages. She became a creative cook and artisan by elevating simple ingredients from her family’s backyard garden to prepare delicious meals for her siblings.
Noting that the secret to a successful life is creating a melting pot of good virtues, Miriam took her guests on a culinary exploration of life through a cooking lens. She shared fascinating stories and delectable recipes that apply nine key ingredients to nourish the mind, body and soul. As an avid gardener, she integrates the fruits of her harvest in not only food and beverages, but also oils and soaps.
Throughout her 40-year career, this retired teacher taught at nine schools in 4 parishes, touching students from virtually every community in Antigua.
The book provides a delightful narrative of Miriam’s experiences as an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life, filled with trials and triumphs. Arguably one of Antigua’s most senior entrepreneurs, Miriam is also a lifelong learner. While most in her generation look forward to retiring comfortably at age 65 with pension and social security benefits, Mirie has refused to slow down. With a thriving agri-products business called Screw Pine, she has demonstrated that growing older simply means gaining confidence by learning from one’s life lessons.
“Whatever you dream you can achieve if you believe in yourself. I encourage everyone to read this book as a source of inspiration and encouragement. It will help to nourish your body and uplift your spirits,” Miriam says.
His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams, Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda and Opposition Leader Hon. Jamale Pringle, fellow villagers from Swetes were among the dignitaries who attended the event. Sir Rodney Williams praised Mrs Samuel for her dedication as a teacher and influencer in the community. He expressed his excitement to read the book which cites his late mother, Irene B. Williams, as one of Mirie’s teachers and mentors.
“Miriam is an example of some of the pillars that help to make our communities and nation strong. We honor her contributions to educating our youth and for helping to preserve our heritage and culture, through her array of products. We pay homage to a woman whose impact extends far beyond the pages of her memoirs. Aunt Mirie or Sister Mirie, as many of us fondly know her, embodies the essence of diligence, determination, and dedication. We salute her for 90 years of loving, leading and legacy,” said Sir Rodney Williams.
For this mother of five, grandmother of 10 and great grandmother of 2, there are no boundaries in her desire to help, teach and inspire others. She hopes that book will be read in schools and used as a tool to educate students about Antigua and Barbuda’s history and culture. “Mirie’s Magic Recipe: Loving, Leading, Legacy” is available on Amazon:https://a.co/d/2QZL8fk.
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