Australian born and raised Frances Castelli had five wishes as a child: move to the United States, marry a Beatle, become a teacher, become an artist, and write a book. With the publication of The Kitchen Alchemist: How I Became My Own Food Scientist So My Kids Could Thrive with Anaphylactic Food Allergies, she has manifested all five into reality.
After moving to the U.S. and marrying Ralph Castelli, who played Ringo Starr in Beatlemania and Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, Frances became a homeschooling teacher and an artist in the kitchen to successfully manage her children’s broad spectrum, anaphylactic food allergies. Thanks to her dedication and creative culinary alchemy, today grown-up sons Anthony and Nat and daughter Hope lead exceptional lives filled with vibrant health, nurturing relationships, and fulfilling careers. She wants parents of allergic children to know that with the right tools, proper management and a rich mindset, everything is possible.
What would you do?
In The Kitchen Alchemist, author Frances Castelli recounts her unanticipated journey into the world of broad spectrum anaphylactic allergies with humor, grace, and honesty. From consultations with endless medical specialists to in-depth research into the composition and interaction of food, you’ll discover how this devoted mother transformed from distraught parent to confident kitchen alchemist. She debunks the myths, offers practical advice for parents and kids, and shares 30 safe, delicious, and easy-to-prepare recipes (yes, even desserts!). Now grown-ups with lives of their own, her children, Anthony, Hope, and Nat prove that life with food allergies can be full and enjoyable, even if they never go away. They are passionately living their dreams and want others to know they can too.