Hi Everyone!
Sorry I missed another Saturday morning with you but I have just returned from an amazing 3 days in my Postpartum Doula Workshop. I'm excited about continuing on with my training and am eager to work with new families. If you know anyone who is expecting a baby in the near future and you think they might like to have a postpartum doula, I need to work at least 8 hours for 3 different families as part of my certification process.
Book Report: I have no new books to share this week - all of my reading has been related to my workshop.
Food and Dining Report:
Janet and I went out for dinner at the new Radda Trattoria next to Ideal Market on Alpine. The food was terrific but it was pretty noisy. They certainly seem to be doing a great business. Definitely worth a return trip - they're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I apologize that I didn't record and can't remember what we ate. It has been a hectic week!
I did come up with a winner of a recipe this week - it is a great sandwich and makes a terrific casual supper - Caesar Club Sandwich http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35860,00.html?rsrc=search
Hopefully, there will be more pleasure reading ahead and lots more good food.
Love,
Susan
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Saturday Morning Walkers - February 20, 2007
Hi everyone,
Just back from another whirlwind travel weekend! This time Jack and I were in LA with Jexy, Joe and Jacob. We had a great time - really enjoyed the warm, sunny weather and did some fun stuff.
I missed seeing my walking buddies on Saturday but I actually got to spend some time with Barb riding together to and from the airport.
Before I fill you in on our trip, here's my book report:
Jexy and Joe have recommended a memoir Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in LA by Luis Rodriguez. He is a Latino poet and writer who Jexy and Joe are very familiar with. He grew up in East LA where Jexy and Joe teach and he draws on his experience as someone who was in a gang and eventually got himself out of that life and really made something of his life. His daughter, Andrea, is a teacher at Jacob's co-op pre-school.
I started reading it before I left there yesterday and on the plane. I am totally engaged.
Cooking and Dining Report:
Libby did some cooking for friends on a weekend trip in Pennsylvania -
Saturday breakfast - she made our Steamboat Frittata (See the August 27 edition of my blog for the recipe)
Saturday dinner dessert - Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding by Gale Gand of the Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_27065,00.html
Sunday dinner - Tagliatelle with Short Ribs . (See the October 22 edition of my blog for the link to the recipe)
I haven't done much cooking this week - I actually did make something on Sunday night at Jex's house but I didn't particularly like it - we did have some great dining experiences, though:
Friday night dinner was at a new Italian restaurant in South Pasadena called Briganti
http://www.brigantirestaurant.com/index.html.
We all enjoyed our salads - Jex had Caesar, Joe had a Misto (mixed greens), I had Arugula with shaved Parmesan, baby artichoke hearts, lemon and olive oil and Jack had an amazing fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and roasted tomatoes topped with pesto.
For our main courses we had a few of their specials - Jex had Shrimp Risotto topped with a giant prawn, Joe had White Fish with tomato sauce and served with spinach and mashed potatoes, Jack had Spaghetti with pink sauce and lobster and cherry tomatoes, I had Tagliatelle with sausage and mushrooms and Jacob had Angel Hair pasta with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. He didn't get to eat too much of it before he fell asleep in Jexy's lap!
Back at the house, we had a special birthday dessert for Jack and me - Tres Leche Cake - the real deal from a Mexican bakery in Jexy's neighborhood - that cake deserves at least 4 spirals -
Saturday morning, we stopped for coffee at the brand new cafe in Jexy's neighborhood - yet another sign of gentrification in the Highland Park section of Los Angeles. It is called appropriately, Highland Perk. It is a great space but needs a little time to get their service act together.
We then headed for a visit to the Getty Museum - it was certainly one of the most spectacular museums I've ever seen - the architecture, the gardens and the exhibits were just outstanding. It is also a great place with kids. They have some innovative "games" to get kids engaged with the exhibits and a terrific "family room" with interactive exhibits designed for kids. We had lunch at the Cafe there and it was ok, not great.
A great suggestion from one of Jexy's friends for any of you taking young children to a museum - stop in the gift shop before you go through the museums and purchase postcards of different works of art or exhibits. Kids can play detective and find the different pieces throughout the museum, then keep the postcards in a book to refer back to at home.
Saturday night - Jexy and Joe went out and Jack, Jacob and I enjoyed a movie (Cars) and pizza from Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock - we've had their pizza many times but this one was a little disappointing
Sunday morning - Jack and I took Jacob out for breakfast at Cindy's Restaurant in Eagle Rock (near Occidental College) - it is a classic diner experience and perfect for a basic breakfast - Jacob loved his short stack of pancakes, Jack enjoyed his waffle (very thin -served with scrambled egg and sausage). I had my usual poached egg and toast breakfast.
After breakfast we headed out to a lovely park in Glendale for Jacob's friend's birthday party.
Monday lunch - before heading to the airport, Jexy, Jacob and I stopped at a little Vietnamese restaurant called The Blue Hen http://www.eatatbluehen.com/menu8.29.html - it is located in Eagle Rock - Jexy recommended their Chicken Sandwich which I enjoyed very much, especially the Sweet Potato and Turmeric Fries that came with it. She and Jacob had Pho Ga- a chicken noodle soup. It is a great find!
You know, I thought that I would share some of my favorite food and snacks to pack for traveling these days since airlines have cut back on food service. It is nice to pack these things before heading to the airport so that you don't have to pay outrageous prices there. If you have any other favorites, please share them with us.
Buy a sandwich from a favorite place at home - deli, grocery store, etc and bring it along with a piece of fruit
Nuts and chocolate chips packed in a baggie - I use raw almonds or walnuts mostly
Non-pareils from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory - Jack's favorite
Chocolate Travelers - bitterseet chocolate wedges (70%) packed in little round tins - from Trader Joe's
Hope you all have a good week - I'll miss you all again this Saturday - I'm starting my Postpartum Doula Workshop on Thursday and it ends on Saturday evening - I'm very excited about finally doing that. I'm not sure who's leading this week's walk but I'm sure we'll hear shortly. See you on Saturday the 3rd back at Caffe Sole - Barb won't be there but I'll plan our walk for that morning.
Love,
Susan
Just back from another whirlwind travel weekend! This time Jack and I were in LA with Jexy, Joe and Jacob. We had a great time - really enjoyed the warm, sunny weather and did some fun stuff.
I missed seeing my walking buddies on Saturday but I actually got to spend some time with Barb riding together to and from the airport.
Before I fill you in on our trip, here's my book report:
Jexy and Joe have recommended a memoir Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in LA by Luis Rodriguez. He is a Latino poet and writer who Jexy and Joe are very familiar with. He grew up in East LA where Jexy and Joe teach and he draws on his experience as someone who was in a gang and eventually got himself out of that life and really made something of his life. His daughter, Andrea, is a teacher at Jacob's co-op pre-school.
I started reading it before I left there yesterday and on the plane. I am totally engaged.
Cooking and Dining Report:
Libby did some cooking for friends on a weekend trip in Pennsylvania -
Saturday breakfast - she made our Steamboat Frittata (See the August 27 edition of my blog for the recipe)
Saturday dinner dessert - Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding by Gale Gand of the Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_27065,00.html
Sunday dinner - Tagliatelle with Short Ribs . (See the October 22 edition of my blog for the link to the recipe)
I haven't done much cooking this week - I actually did make something on Sunday night at Jex's house but I didn't particularly like it - we did have some great dining experiences, though:
Friday night dinner was at a new Italian restaurant in South Pasadena called Briganti
http://www.brigantirestaurant.com/index.html.
We all enjoyed our salads - Jex had Caesar, Joe had a Misto (mixed greens), I had Arugula with shaved Parmesan, baby artichoke hearts, lemon and olive oil and Jack had an amazing fresh Buffalo Mozzarella and roasted tomatoes topped with pesto.
For our main courses we had a few of their specials - Jex had Shrimp Risotto topped with a giant prawn, Joe had White Fish with tomato sauce and served with spinach and mashed potatoes, Jack had Spaghetti with pink sauce and lobster and cherry tomatoes, I had Tagliatelle with sausage and mushrooms and Jacob had Angel Hair pasta with olive oil and Parmesan cheese. He didn't get to eat too much of it before he fell asleep in Jexy's lap!
Back at the house, we had a special birthday dessert for Jack and me - Tres Leche Cake - the real deal from a Mexican bakery in Jexy's neighborhood - that cake deserves at least 4 spirals -
Saturday morning, we stopped for coffee at the brand new cafe in Jexy's neighborhood - yet another sign of gentrification in the Highland Park section of Los Angeles. It is called appropriately, Highland Perk. It is a great space but needs a little time to get their service act together.
We then headed for a visit to the Getty Museum - it was certainly one of the most spectacular museums I've ever seen - the architecture, the gardens and the exhibits were just outstanding. It is also a great place with kids. They have some innovative "games" to get kids engaged with the exhibits and a terrific "family room" with interactive exhibits designed for kids. We had lunch at the Cafe there and it was ok, not great.
A great suggestion from one of Jexy's friends for any of you taking young children to a museum - stop in the gift shop before you go through the museums and purchase postcards of different works of art or exhibits. Kids can play detective and find the different pieces throughout the museum, then keep the postcards in a book to refer back to at home.
Saturday night - Jexy and Joe went out and Jack, Jacob and I enjoyed a movie (Cars) and pizza from Casa Bianca in Eagle Rock - we've had their pizza many times but this one was a little disappointing
Sunday morning - Jack and I took Jacob out for breakfast at Cindy's Restaurant in Eagle Rock (near Occidental College) - it is a classic diner experience and perfect for a basic breakfast - Jacob loved his short stack of pancakes, Jack enjoyed his waffle (very thin -served with scrambled egg and sausage). I had my usual poached egg and toast breakfast.
After breakfast we headed out to a lovely park in Glendale for Jacob's friend's birthday party.
Monday lunch - before heading to the airport, Jexy, Jacob and I stopped at a little Vietnamese restaurant called The Blue Hen http://www.eatatbluehen.com/menu8.29.html - it is located in Eagle Rock - Jexy recommended their Chicken Sandwich which I enjoyed very much, especially the Sweet Potato and Turmeric Fries that came with it. She and Jacob had Pho Ga- a chicken noodle soup. It is a great find!
You know, I thought that I would share some of my favorite food and snacks to pack for traveling these days since airlines have cut back on food service. It is nice to pack these things before heading to the airport so that you don't have to pay outrageous prices there. If you have any other favorites, please share them with us.
Buy a sandwich from a favorite place at home - deli, grocery store, etc and bring it along with a piece of fruit
Nuts and chocolate chips packed in a baggie - I use raw almonds or walnuts mostly
Non-pareils from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory - Jack's favorite
Chocolate Travelers - bitterseet chocolate wedges (70%) packed in little round tins - from Trader Joe's
Hope you all have a good week - I'll miss you all again this Saturday - I'm starting my Postpartum Doula Workshop on Thursday and it ends on Saturday evening - I'm very excited about finally doing that. I'm not sure who's leading this week's walk but I'm sure we'll hear shortly. See you on Saturday the 3rd back at Caffe Sole - Barb won't be there but I'll plan our walk for that morning.
Love,
Susan
Saturday Morning Walkers - February 5, 2007
Good Morning Everyone!
Sorry to be a bit delayed this week! Saturday morning found some of us - Barb, Mary, Jan, Andrea and me - staying warm around the table at Caffe Sole. Still a bit too risky to be walking on snow covered ice patches so we chatted over coffee and planned February's upcoming "walks" - weather permitting!
Book Report:
Barb - she read a book that was mentioned a few months ago called So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell. This book was recommended by Stewart O'Nan at the Steamboat Literary Sojourn and Barb's book group chose that for this month's selection. From what Barb said, it looks like a good book for discussion. Check out the review on the October 16 edition of my blog.
Susan - is in the middle of a "can't put it down" first novel called Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. It is a fictionalized account of Nazi Germany and its aftermath, emphasizing the impact that time had on non- Jewish Germans, particularly women.
From Publishers Weekly
Blum, who worked for Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation, takes a direct, unsentimental look at the Holocaust in her first novel. The narrative alternates between the present-day story of Trudy, a history professor at a Minneapolis university collecting oral histories of WWII survivors (both German and Jewish), and that of her aged but once beautiful German mother, Anna, who left her country when she married an American soldier. Interspersed with Trudy's interviews with German immigrants, many of whom reveal unabashed anti-Semitism, Anna's story flashes back to her hometown of Weimar. As Nazi anti-Jewish edicts intensify in the 1930s, Anna hides her love affair with a Jewish doctor, Max Stern. When Max is interned at nearby Buchenwald and Anna's father dies, Anna, carrying Max's child, goes to live with a baker who smuggles bread to prisoners at the camp. Anna assists with the smuggling after Trudy's birth until the baker is caught and executed. Then Anna catches the eye of the Obersturmführer, a high-ranking Nazi officer at Buchenwald, who suspects her of also supplying the inmates with bread. He coerces her into a torrid, abusive affair, in which she remains complicit to ensure her survival and that of her baby daughter. Blum paints a subtle, nuanced portrait of the Obersturmführer, complicating his sordid cruelty with more delicate facets of his personality. Ultimately, present and past overlap with a shocking yet believable coincidence. Blum's spare imagery is nightmarish and intimate, imbuing familiar panoramas of Nazi atrocity with stark new power. This is a poised, hair-raising debut.
Mandy - has a few books to share with us.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger - also a first novel which is one of my personal favorites - it actually has some elements of science fiction but it is really a love story - very cleverly written.
From Publishers Weekly
This highly original first novel won the largest advance San Francisco-based MacAdam/Cage had ever paid, and it was money well spent. Niffenegger has written a soaring love story illuminated by dozens of finely observed details and scenes, and one that skates nimbly around a huge conundrum at the heart of the book: Henry De Tamble, a rather dashing librarian at the famous Newberry Library in Chicago, finds himself unavoidably whisked around in time. He disappears from a scene in, say, 1998 to find himself suddenly, usually without his clothes, which mysteriously disappear in transit, at an entirely different place 10 years earlier-or later. During one of these migrations, he drops in on beautiful teenage Clare Abshire, an heiress in a large house on the nearby Michigan peninsula, and a lifelong passion is born. The problem is that while Henry's age darts back and forth according to his location in time, Clare's moves forward in the normal manner, so the pair are often out of sync. But such is the author's tenderness with the characters, and the determinedly ungimmicky way in which she writes of their predicament (only once do they make use of Henry's foreknowledge of events to make money, and then it seems to Clare like cheating) that the book is much more love story than fantasy. It also has a splendidly drawn cast, from Henry's violinist father, ruined by the loss of his wife in an accident from which Henry time-traveled as a child, to Clare's odd family and a multitude of Chicago bohemian friends. The couple's daughter, Alba, inherits her father's strange abilities, but this is again handled with a light touch; there's no Disney cuteness here. Henry's foreordained end is agonizing, but Niffenegger has another card up her sleeve, and plays it with poignant grace. It is a fair tribute to her skill and sensibility to say that the book leaves a reader with an impression of life's riches and strangeness rather than of easy thrills.
Echo Park by Michael Connelly - Mandy's book group chose this as their next selection. It is detective fiction which has gotten great reviews. Apparently it is the most recent in a series of novels - not sure if it is necessary to start with the first - Mandy, what do you think?
From Publishers Weekly
Bestseller Connelly's compelling 12th Harry Bosch novel (after 2005's The Closers) offers some new wrinkles on a familiar theme—the aging detective haunted by the one who got away. In Bosch's case, the elusive quarry is the man who abducted a 22-year-old equestrian, Marie Gesto, in 1993. Having returned to active duty as a member of the LAPD Open-Unsolved Unit, Bosch repeatedly pulls the file to see if he can discover something new and give some small solace to the victim's parents. When a chance police stop of a suspicious vehicle nets serial killer Raynard Waits, who's carrying body parts in his van, Bosch assesses the murderer's claim that he was responsible for killing Gesto, too. The weary and cynical detective soon suspects that Waits is trying to barter information for a reduced sentence of life imprisonment. Political motivations connected with the upcoming DA election also cloud the investigation. Smooth prose and plausible characters—even the secondary figures—elevate this several notches above the standard cop vs. serial-killer thriller. Author tour. (Oct.)
Mandy also recommends books/essays by Sarah Vowell - here's what she says - "She's on NPR and her stories are wonderfully funny--about U.S. history, about family. Not as sophomoric as David Sedaris (who I LOVE), but very, very funny. I finished "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" and just started "Assassination Vacation." They're quick reads and I recommend them."
Check out this link to Wikipedia for more on Sarah Vowell - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Vowell
Cooking and Food Report
Jack's Birthday Dinner Menu:
Lacinato Kale and Ricotta Salato - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/236940 - The ricotta salato is a hard style ricotta cheese that can be grated. I used purple kale
Spaghetti with Brooklyn Red Clam Sauce - http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=238295 - a family favorite!
Profiteroles - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_30401,00.html - thanks to Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - first time I've ever made these pastries, very intimidating but they turned out so well and the chocolate sauce was amazing and so easy! I actually made the pastry puffs a couple of days ahead and followed these directions for freezing and reheating - Freeze the baked unfilled puffs for up to 3 months (best at one month). Keep in an airtight container. No need to cut them open before freezing. Thaw at room temperature. To crisp, unwrap and place in a 325 degree F. oven until warm. Let cool and fill as desired. It is best to freeze them rather than refrigerating.
Here's another great dish we tried this week - it is based on Giada De Laurentiis' recipe for Seared Rib-Eye Steak with Arugula and Roasted Pepper Salad - I used a Buffalo London Broil, thinly sliced and it was delicious. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_22317,00.html?rsrc=search
Oh! Here are some "cheap" wine tips I heard on one of my podcasts this week:
How Low Can You Go?February 4, 2006
When it comes to cheap wine, Josh Wesson advises avoiding bottles more than three years old. "Age is not a virtue with cheap wine," he says. So just how low can you go? You won't go wrong with these picks from Josh priced well under $10.
Chuck Shaw's Shiraz from Trader Joe's for about $3 a bottle. Skip the Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay.
La Boca Chardonnay from Argentina is fresh, yummy, and also about $3 at Trader Joe's.
Casa Solar Tempranillo from Spain for about $6. Get the youngest possible (2003 should be available).
Viumanent, a wonderful Malbec from Argentina.
Willow Glen non-vintage tawny port from Australia. About $6
Barefoot Bubbly, a non-vintage sparkling wine from California, is one happy glass of fizz.
I've got a busy travel month ahead but I do hope to keep up with my weekly blog e-mail. This coming weekend, we'll be in NYC - should have some great food reports from there! The following weekend we'll be in LA and the last weekend in February, I'll be at my Post-Partum Doula Workshop in Denver. I'll miss the next few Saturday mornings - keep me posted on any books you're reading!
Have a great week!
Sorry to be a bit delayed this week! Saturday morning found some of us - Barb, Mary, Jan, Andrea and me - staying warm around the table at Caffe Sole. Still a bit too risky to be walking on snow covered ice patches so we chatted over coffee and planned February's upcoming "walks" - weather permitting!
Book Report:
Barb - she read a book that was mentioned a few months ago called So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell. This book was recommended by Stewart O'Nan at the Steamboat Literary Sojourn and Barb's book group chose that for this month's selection. From what Barb said, it looks like a good book for discussion. Check out the review on the October 16 edition of my blog.
Susan - is in the middle of a "can't put it down" first novel called Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. It is a fictionalized account of Nazi Germany and its aftermath, emphasizing the impact that time had on non- Jewish Germans, particularly women.
From Publishers Weekly
Blum, who worked for Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation, takes a direct, unsentimental look at the Holocaust in her first novel. The narrative alternates between the present-day story of Trudy, a history professor at a Minneapolis university collecting oral histories of WWII survivors (both German and Jewish), and that of her aged but once beautiful German mother, Anna, who left her country when she married an American soldier. Interspersed with Trudy's interviews with German immigrants, many of whom reveal unabashed anti-Semitism, Anna's story flashes back to her hometown of Weimar. As Nazi anti-Jewish edicts intensify in the 1930s, Anna hides her love affair with a Jewish doctor, Max Stern. When Max is interned at nearby Buchenwald and Anna's father dies, Anna, carrying Max's child, goes to live with a baker who smuggles bread to prisoners at the camp. Anna assists with the smuggling after Trudy's birth until the baker is caught and executed. Then Anna catches the eye of the Obersturmführer, a high-ranking Nazi officer at Buchenwald, who suspects her of also supplying the inmates with bread. He coerces her into a torrid, abusive affair, in which she remains complicit to ensure her survival and that of her baby daughter. Blum paints a subtle, nuanced portrait of the Obersturmführer, complicating his sordid cruelty with more delicate facets of his personality. Ultimately, present and past overlap with a shocking yet believable coincidence. Blum's spare imagery is nightmarish and intimate, imbuing familiar panoramas of Nazi atrocity with stark new power. This is a poised, hair-raising debut.
Mandy - has a few books to share with us.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger - also a first novel which is one of my personal favorites - it actually has some elements of science fiction but it is really a love story - very cleverly written.
From Publishers Weekly
This highly original first novel won the largest advance San Francisco-based MacAdam/Cage had ever paid, and it was money well spent. Niffenegger has written a soaring love story illuminated by dozens of finely observed details and scenes, and one that skates nimbly around a huge conundrum at the heart of the book: Henry De Tamble, a rather dashing librarian at the famous Newberry Library in Chicago, finds himself unavoidably whisked around in time. He disappears from a scene in, say, 1998 to find himself suddenly, usually without his clothes, which mysteriously disappear in transit, at an entirely different place 10 years earlier-or later. During one of these migrations, he drops in on beautiful teenage Clare Abshire, an heiress in a large house on the nearby Michigan peninsula, and a lifelong passion is born. The problem is that while Henry's age darts back and forth according to his location in time, Clare's moves forward in the normal manner, so the pair are often out of sync. But such is the author's tenderness with the characters, and the determinedly ungimmicky way in which she writes of their predicament (only once do they make use of Henry's foreknowledge of events to make money, and then it seems to Clare like cheating) that the book is much more love story than fantasy. It also has a splendidly drawn cast, from Henry's violinist father, ruined by the loss of his wife in an accident from which Henry time-traveled as a child, to Clare's odd family and a multitude of Chicago bohemian friends. The couple's daughter, Alba, inherits her father's strange abilities, but this is again handled with a light touch; there's no Disney cuteness here. Henry's foreordained end is agonizing, but Niffenegger has another card up her sleeve, and plays it with poignant grace. It is a fair tribute to her skill and sensibility to say that the book leaves a reader with an impression of life's riches and strangeness rather than of easy thrills.
Echo Park by Michael Connelly - Mandy's book group chose this as their next selection. It is detective fiction which has gotten great reviews. Apparently it is the most recent in a series of novels - not sure if it is necessary to start with the first - Mandy, what do you think?
From Publishers Weekly
Bestseller Connelly's compelling 12th Harry Bosch novel (after 2005's The Closers) offers some new wrinkles on a familiar theme—the aging detective haunted by the one who got away. In Bosch's case, the elusive quarry is the man who abducted a 22-year-old equestrian, Marie Gesto, in 1993. Having returned to active duty as a member of the LAPD Open-Unsolved Unit, Bosch repeatedly pulls the file to see if he can discover something new and give some small solace to the victim's parents. When a chance police stop of a suspicious vehicle nets serial killer Raynard Waits, who's carrying body parts in his van, Bosch assesses the murderer's claim that he was responsible for killing Gesto, too. The weary and cynical detective soon suspects that Waits is trying to barter information for a reduced sentence of life imprisonment. Political motivations connected with the upcoming DA election also cloud the investigation. Smooth prose and plausible characters—even the secondary figures—elevate this several notches above the standard cop vs. serial-killer thriller. Author tour. (Oct.)
Mandy also recommends books/essays by Sarah Vowell - here's what she says - "She's on NPR and her stories are wonderfully funny--about U.S. history, about family. Not as sophomoric as David Sedaris (who I LOVE), but very, very funny. I finished "The Partly Cloudy Patriot" and just started "Assassination Vacation." They're quick reads and I recommend them."
Check out this link to Wikipedia for more on Sarah Vowell - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Vowell
Cooking and Food Report
Jack's Birthday Dinner Menu:
Lacinato Kale and Ricotta Salato - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/236940 - The ricotta salato is a hard style ricotta cheese that can be grated. I used purple kale
Spaghetti with Brooklyn Red Clam Sauce - http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/recipe.cgi?r=238295 - a family favorite!
Profiteroles - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_30401,00.html - thanks to Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - first time I've ever made these pastries, very intimidating but they turned out so well and the chocolate sauce was amazing and so easy! I actually made the pastry puffs a couple of days ahead and followed these directions for freezing and reheating - Freeze the baked unfilled puffs for up to 3 months (best at one month). Keep in an airtight container. No need to cut them open before freezing. Thaw at room temperature. To crisp, unwrap and place in a 325 degree F. oven until warm. Let cool and fill as desired. It is best to freeze them rather than refrigerating.
Here's another great dish we tried this week - it is based on Giada De Laurentiis' recipe for Seared Rib-Eye Steak with Arugula and Roasted Pepper Salad - I used a Buffalo London Broil, thinly sliced and it was delicious. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_22317,00.html?rsrc=search
Oh! Here are some "cheap" wine tips I heard on one of my podcasts this week:
How Low Can You Go?February 4, 2006
When it comes to cheap wine, Josh Wesson advises avoiding bottles more than three years old. "Age is not a virtue with cheap wine," he says. So just how low can you go? You won't go wrong with these picks from Josh priced well under $10.
Chuck Shaw's Shiraz from Trader Joe's for about $3 a bottle. Skip the Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay.
La Boca Chardonnay from Argentina is fresh, yummy, and also about $3 at Trader Joe's.
Casa Solar Tempranillo from Spain for about $6. Get the youngest possible (2003 should be available).
Viumanent, a wonderful Malbec from Argentina.
Willow Glen non-vintage tawny port from Australia. About $6
Barefoot Bubbly, a non-vintage sparkling wine from California, is one happy glass of fizz.
I've got a busy travel month ahead but I do hope to keep up with my weekly blog e-mail. This coming weekend, we'll be in NYC - should have some great food reports from there! The following weekend we'll be in LA and the last weekend in February, I'll be at my Post-Partum Doula Workshop in Denver. I'll miss the next few Saturday mornings - keep me posted on any books you're reading!
Have a great week!
Saturday Morning Walkers - Feburary 12, 2007
Hi everyone,
Missed you all on Saturday AM - Jack and I arrived in NY on Friday afternoon. Before I share the culinary details of our weekend, I'll fill you in on books and food for this past week.
Book Report: I did finish Jenna Blum's book, Those Who Saved Us - I highly recommend it. It is difficult to read at times but it is a fascinating story and well worth it
Cooking Report:
Several weeks ago, I mentioned Ina Garten's Ribollita Soup but didn't include the recipe - here it is:
1/2 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini
Kosher salt
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving
1/4 pound large-diced pancetta or smoked bacon
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped carrots (3 carrots)
1 cup chopped celery (3 stalks)
3 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes in purée, chopped
4 cups coarsely chopped or shredded Savoy cabbage (optional)
4 cups coarsely chopped kale
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
4 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1 inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the beans, plac e them in a large pot with 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and continue to simmer about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their purée, the cabbage, the kale and basil and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor, purée half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid in a large measuring cup and add enough chicken st o ck to make 8 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and drizzled with olive oil. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Other winners this week:
Portuguese Kale Soup - originally served by Rita Sharp at our book group: a wonderful hearty soup. I used Chorizo instead of linguica. It is recommended that if you anticipate freezing this soup you do so before you add the potatoes.
1 pound linguica, sliced or diced
1 Spanish onion
8 cloves garlic
1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 pound kale, torn by hand, stems removed
12 cups low salt chicken or beef stock
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes - add more or less to taste
1 cup red wine
1 pound potatoes, unpeeled, cubed
salt to taste
1. Cook sausages and chopped onion over medium heat, until sausages are rendered of fat and onion begins to wilt and starts to brown slightly, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. Add garlic cloves, and cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add lentils, kale, 10 cups stock, red pepper flakes, and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour.
4. Add 2-4 cups additional stock and potatoes; stir and continue to cook, uncovered, over low heat for at least 2 hours. Salt to taste.
Yield: 12 cups
Golden Sauteed Veal with Arugula and Tomato Salad - this is elegant and relatively light - I use Panko breadcrumbs. If you don't want to use veal, you could easily substitute turkey cutlets - just be sure to pound them very thin.
http://www.kqed.org/w/weircookinginthecity/recipe-p11.html
A perfect NY weekend:
Friday night - dinner at Dinosaur Barbecue in Harlem - http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/
We shared Fried Green Tomatoes for an appetizer - Yum! - they were lightly breaded, fried and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. We all had ribs which were outstanding. They have terrific sides - I particularly loved the Syracuse Salted Potatoes - tiny boiled potatoes with a Cajun and Garlic sauce. We all shared a piece of Peanut Butter Pie with an Oreo Crust - my Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is better! I'll share that with you soon. What a fun place!
Here's the history of Syracuse Salt Potatoes
http://yorkstaters.blogspot.com/2006/03/tastes-of-region-7-salt-potatoes_20.html
Saturday breakfast at Libby's - scrambled eggs, bagels, bialys and lox - my favorites!
Saturday lunch in Connecticut at The Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood - perfect spot overlooking the Five Mile River - Libby and David had the New England Clam Chowder and Lobster Roll, Jack had fried clams and I had the chowder and a crabcake (not quite like a Maryland crabcake but pretty good). Here's a review from the NY Times
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E4D61E38F93AA25752C0A961958260
We did a driving tour of some of the most amazing neighborhoods and houses in the Greenwich and Westport areas - of course, Violet (the dog!) came along for the ride. She's gotten so big! She seems to be a real trooper and quite an attention getter!
After a rest back at our hotel, we joined Libby and David for dinner in Brooklyn - we ate at Dressler's http://www.dresslernyc.com/in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. It is a relatively new restaurant and one of L & D's favorites. It was outstanding! The decor is great - lots of intricate ironwork and wood - fabulous chandeliers! Here's a review from the NY Times
http://events.nytimes.com/2006/06/07/dining/reviews/07rest.html
Appetizers:
Libby - Lamb ragout, David - Scallops, Jack - Raviolini , Susan - Rouget (strips of a fish I'd never had before - sauteed and golden brown) served with braised fennel, capers and kalamata olives.
Entrees:
Libby - Day Boat Cod with white asparagus, wild mushroom vinaigrette & truffle oil
David - Braised Short Rib & Grilled Aged Rib Eye with horseradish whipped potato, onion jam, spinach & Bordelaise
Jack - Grilled Duck Breast & Braised Duck Leg with wild mushroom risotto, Duck confit Crepinette, Escarole & Red Wine Gastrique - not sure what all of that is but it sure was delicious
Susan - Raviolo filled with Butternut Squash-Ricotta Filling, Wild Mushroom & Mushroom Broth
Dessert: We shared two chocolate wonders!
Chocolate Tart with Soft Marshmallows and Coffee Ice Cream
Peanut Butter Cup - Chocolate Foam and Peanut Brittle Ice Cream
Sunday - Breakfast was a simple Continental breakfast at our hotel
Libby, David and I had lunch at a great place in Brooklyn - Relish - http://www.relish.com/
This is a very hip place housed in an authentic old diner - very cool and great food - I had a fantastic burger, Lib had a grilled chicken sandwich and David had eggs benedict.
Dinner was with our family in New Jersey - my niece, Christine, outdid herself with a wonderful roast beef dinner (Nana Laura - my mom would have been proud!) - everything was delicious but the biggest hit was her corn pudding - we were scraping the bowl!
1 pkg. Jiffy cornbread mix
1 8oz corn (drained)
1 8 oz creamed corn
8 oz sour cream
1 stick melted butter
2 tbls. sugar.
bake @ 350 for 60 mins.
I'm back home now and will re-group until I leave for LA on Friday - what a whirlwind!
Love,
Susan
Missed you all on Saturday AM - Jack and I arrived in NY on Friday afternoon. Before I share the culinary details of our weekend, I'll fill you in on books and food for this past week.
Book Report: I did finish Jenna Blum's book, Those Who Saved Us - I highly recommend it. It is difficult to read at times but it is a fascinating story and well worth it
Cooking Report:
Several weeks ago, I mentioned Ina Garten's Ribollita Soup but didn't include the recipe - here it is:
1/2 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini
Kosher salt
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus extra for serving
1/4 pound large-diced pancetta or smoked bacon
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped carrots (3 carrots)
1 cup chopped celery (3 stalks)
3 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes in purée, chopped
4 cups coarsely chopped or shredded Savoy cabbage (optional)
4 cups coarsely chopped kale
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
4 cups sourdough bread cubes, crusts removed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
In a large bowl, cover the beans with cold water by 1 inch and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the beans, plac e them in a large pot with 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered 45 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and continue to simmer about 15 minutes, until the beans are tender. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot. Add the pancetta and onions and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, the pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes with their purée, the cabbage, the kale and basil and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the beans, reserving their cooking liquid. In the bowl of a food processor, purée half of the beans with a little of their liquid. Add to the stockpot, along with the remaining whole beans. Pour the bean cooking liquid in a large measuring cup and add enough chicken st o ck to make 8 cups. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and drizzled with olive oil. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Other winners this week:
Portuguese Kale Soup - originally served by Rita Sharp at our book group: a wonderful hearty soup. I used Chorizo instead of linguica. It is recommended that if you anticipate freezing this soup you do so before you add the potatoes.
1 pound linguica, sliced or diced
1 Spanish onion
8 cloves garlic
1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 pound kale, torn by hand, stems removed
12 cups low salt chicken or beef stock
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes - add more or less to taste
1 cup red wine
1 pound potatoes, unpeeled, cubed
salt to taste
1. Cook sausages and chopped onion over medium heat, until sausages are rendered of fat and onion begins to wilt and starts to brown slightly, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. Add garlic cloves, and cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add lentils, kale, 10 cups stock, red pepper flakes, and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour.
4. Add 2-4 cups additional stock and potatoes; stir and continue to cook, uncovered, over low heat for at least 2 hours. Salt to taste.
Yield: 12 cups
Golden Sauteed Veal with Arugula and Tomato Salad - this is elegant and relatively light - I use Panko breadcrumbs. If you don't want to use veal, you could easily substitute turkey cutlets - just be sure to pound them very thin.
http://www.kqed.org/w/weircookinginthecity/recipe-p11.html
A perfect NY weekend:
Friday night - dinner at Dinosaur Barbecue in Harlem - http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/
We shared Fried Green Tomatoes for an appetizer - Yum! - they were lightly breaded, fried and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. We all had ribs which were outstanding. They have terrific sides - I particularly loved the Syracuse Salted Potatoes - tiny boiled potatoes with a Cajun and Garlic sauce. We all shared a piece of Peanut Butter Pie with an Oreo Crust - my Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is better! I'll share that with you soon. What a fun place!
Here's the history of Syracuse Salt Potatoes
http://yorkstaters.blogspot.com/2006/03/tastes-of-region-7-salt-potatoes_20.html
Saturday breakfast at Libby's - scrambled eggs, bagels, bialys and lox - my favorites!
Saturday lunch in Connecticut at The Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood - perfect spot overlooking the Five Mile River - Libby and David had the New England Clam Chowder and Lobster Roll, Jack had fried clams and I had the chowder and a crabcake (not quite like a Maryland crabcake but pretty good). Here's a review from the NY Times
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E4D61E38F93AA25752C0A961958260
We did a driving tour of some of the most amazing neighborhoods and houses in the Greenwich and Westport areas - of course, Violet (the dog!) came along for the ride. She's gotten so big! She seems to be a real trooper and quite an attention getter!
After a rest back at our hotel, we joined Libby and David for dinner in Brooklyn - we ate at Dressler's http://www.dresslernyc.com/in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. It is a relatively new restaurant and one of L & D's favorites. It was outstanding! The decor is great - lots of intricate ironwork and wood - fabulous chandeliers! Here's a review from the NY Times
http://events.nytimes.com/2006/06/07/dining/reviews/07rest.html
Appetizers:
Libby - Lamb ragout, David - Scallops, Jack - Raviolini , Susan - Rouget (strips of a fish I'd never had before - sauteed and golden brown) served with braised fennel, capers and kalamata olives.
Entrees:
Libby - Day Boat Cod with white asparagus, wild mushroom vinaigrette & truffle oil
David - Braised Short Rib & Grilled Aged Rib Eye with horseradish whipped potato, onion jam, spinach & Bordelaise
Jack - Grilled Duck Breast & Braised Duck Leg with wild mushroom risotto, Duck confit Crepinette, Escarole & Red Wine Gastrique - not sure what all of that is but it sure was delicious
Susan - Raviolo filled with Butternut Squash-Ricotta Filling, Wild Mushroom & Mushroom Broth
Dessert: We shared two chocolate wonders!
Chocolate Tart with Soft Marshmallows and Coffee Ice Cream
Peanut Butter Cup - Chocolate Foam and Peanut Brittle Ice Cream
Sunday - Breakfast was a simple Continental breakfast at our hotel
Libby, David and I had lunch at a great place in Brooklyn - Relish - http://www.relish.com/
This is a very hip place housed in an authentic old diner - very cool and great food - I had a fantastic burger, Lib had a grilled chicken sandwich and David had eggs benedict.
Dinner was with our family in New Jersey - my niece, Christine, outdid herself with a wonderful roast beef dinner (Nana Laura - my mom would have been proud!) - everything was delicious but the biggest hit was her corn pudding - we were scraping the bowl!
1 pkg. Jiffy cornbread mix
1 8oz corn (drained)
1 8 oz creamed corn
8 oz sour cream
1 stick melted butter
2 tbls. sugar.
bake @ 350 for 60 mins.
I'm back home now and will re-group until I leave for LA on Friday - what a whirlwind!
Love,
Susan
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Saturday Morning Walkers - January 28, 2007
Hi everyone!
It has been a busy weekend but I wanted to be sure and get this edition out to you. Saturday had our usual "walkers" in two different places. Mary, Jan and Christie had a nice long coffee date at the Dragonfly in Louisville. It was another snowy morning and they didn't want to fool around with icy patches covered with snow - smart decision! Barb, Chris, Laila, Andrea and I ventured out to the Tattered Cover event in Denver. We were joined by Jack and a few other friends. The turnout was pretty good considering the yucky weather.
As usual, I really enjoyed the day - it was an eclectic group of writers - I think all of us would agree that Ayelet Waldman was the most entertaining. It was so interesting to hear about their very different styles and experiences. I had mentioned Waldman and Robb Dew Forman's books last week. This week I managed to read a couple of short stories written by Nick Arvin (In the Electric Eden) and Nell Freudenberger (Lucky Girls). Short stories are a great way to get a taste of an author's style.
In the Electric Eden:
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Arvin comes to fiction via engineering, and his understanding of technology and those who create it infuses his first book with a unique and mesmerizing power. But Arvin is also able to distance himself from the seductive world of machines and recognize how radically technology has altered life on earth and how subtly it modulates human interactions. In the bewitching title story, electricity, new and miraculous on Coney Island in 1903, is used as a lethal weapon against Topsy the elephant, a towering force of nature killed in an instant by man's ingenuity; then, in "Electric Fence," a man attempts to cordon off an Edenic safe zone for his orphaned grandson, but here nature prevails. Elsewhere a telescope and cell phone become devices of mischief, while trouble between a father and son is exacerbated by the bumbling son's mechanical ineptness. Arvin's complexly structured and psychologically dynamic stories are as discerning as they are incandescent. Donna Seaman
Lucky Girls:
From Publishers Weekly
Freudenberger saw her first story, "Lucky Girls," published in the New Yorker's 2001 debut fiction issue and subsequently received a reported six-figure sum to round out the collection with a bunch more (at that time unwritten) works. The gamble has paid off, at least from a critical perspective: the five long stories in this collection are thoughtful and entertaining. Most take place in Asia and feature Americans living abroad. In the title piece, a young American painter recalls her long affair with a married Indian man. The man has died unexpectedly, and the story traces the development of the narrator's antagonistic yet moving relationship with the mother of her late lover. "The Orphan" is a witty story of a middle-aged couple who, along with their college-age son, go to Thailand for Christmas to visit their daughter and break the news of their impending divorce. The daughter, who works at a Bangkok hospital for orphaned AIDS babies, finds her parents benighted and so... Western, while her brother announces that he belongs to the Cool Rich Kids club, whose members seek to give their parents' money away ("it's this chance to endorse the more radical causes that people your age wouldn't support"). In "The Tutor," a romance blossoms between an Indian SAT coach and a Prada-wearing American teenager living in Bombay who wants nothing more than to get into UC-Berkeley. Many of these tales concern the slow birth and disintegration of romantic relationships, although some lack pull, due to their one-dimensional characters. Freudenberger is more inventive and piquant when she probes characters' relationships to their adopted homelands-which, she shows, are often more passionate and grounded than their ties to the people in their lives.
I read Calvin Trillin's memoir about his late wife, About Alice - its am short book, actually an expansion of an article that he wrote for the NewYorker Magazine. I read it in about an hour this morning in bed (waiting for the Puzzle Master to do his Sunday Morning puzzle game on NPR). It is a loving and moving tribute to the love of his life. They were partners in a long term marriage and created a life together centered on their children and their love of words and food.
From Publishers Weekly
Trillin (A Heckuva Job: More of the Bush Administration in Rhyme), a staff writer with the New Yorker since 1963, has often written about the members of his family, notably his wife, Alice, whom he married in 1965. A graduate of Wellesley and Yale, she was a writer and educator who survived a 1976 battle with lung cancer. In 1981, she founded a TV production company, Learning Designs, producing PBS's Behind the Scenes to teach children creative thinking; her book Dear Bruno (1996) was intended to reassure children who had cancer. A weakened heart due to radiation treatments led to her death on September 11, 2001, at age 63. Avoiding expressions of grief, Trillin unveils a straightforward, honest portrait of their marriage and family life in this slim volume, opening with the suggestion that he had previously mischaracterized Alice when he wrote her into "stories that were essentially sitcoms." Looking back on their first encounter, he then focuses on her humor, her beauty, her "child's sense of wonderment," her relationship with her daughters and her concern for others. Trillin's 12-page "Alice, Off the Page" was published earlier this year in the New Yorker, and his expansion of his original essay into this touching tribute is certain to stir emotions
Food and Cooking Report:
A couple of Denver restaurants worth mentioning:
Chris, her friend Lynda, Barb, Laila and Andrea had a great lunch at Dixons, right down the street from the LoDo Tattered Cover - http://www.dixonsrestaurant.com/.
Jack and I went to the Wazee Supper Club and had outstanding pizza - http://www.wazeesupperclub.com/
Jack and I stayed down in Denver for dinner and went to Sullivan's Steakhouse on Wazee - http://www.sullivansteakhouse.com/denver/ - we both enjoyed our appetizers - Jack had Lobster Bisque - it was very creamy with good sized chunks of lobster - I had seared Aji Tuna served with a mustard and wasabi sauce. We were both a little disappointed in our steaks - mine was a New York boneless strip and Jack had the Kansas City bone-in strip. They were both a little too well done for our taste. We enjoyed a bottle of one of our favorite wines, Jordan Cabernet. Dessert was luscious - we shared a luscious molten brownie.
A couple of recipes to share:
This one was actually recommended by Janet - Pork Chops with Golden Onions and Wilted Tomatoes from Gourmet Magazine - I made it the other night and it is a winner! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107013
Here's a recipe for White Bean Dip With Pita Chips - adapted from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network - the original recipe used 1/4 cup parsley instead of the tarragon and basil and didn't use the roasted tomato. I made those changes based on a White Bean Dip we had at Denver's Barolo Grill.
15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 tomato, oven-roasted and chopped
6 pita rounds (I used whole wheat)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, herbs and roasted tomato in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl
.3. Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color
.4. Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree
That's it for now - its getting late and I have to prepare for what will hopefully be our final appearance before the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board tomorrow evening to resolve any remaining issues regarding the Grillo Center Labyrinth. Send good positive energy our way! If you'd like to be there for support of the project, it will be held at 6 PM Monday evening in the City Council Chamber at Canyon and Broadway
Love,
Susan
It has been a busy weekend but I wanted to be sure and get this edition out to you. Saturday had our usual "walkers" in two different places. Mary, Jan and Christie had a nice long coffee date at the Dragonfly in Louisville. It was another snowy morning and they didn't want to fool around with icy patches covered with snow - smart decision! Barb, Chris, Laila, Andrea and I ventured out to the Tattered Cover event in Denver. We were joined by Jack and a few other friends. The turnout was pretty good considering the yucky weather.
As usual, I really enjoyed the day - it was an eclectic group of writers - I think all of us would agree that Ayelet Waldman was the most entertaining. It was so interesting to hear about their very different styles and experiences. I had mentioned Waldman and Robb Dew Forman's books last week. This week I managed to read a couple of short stories written by Nick Arvin (In the Electric Eden) and Nell Freudenberger (Lucky Girls). Short stories are a great way to get a taste of an author's style.
In the Electric Eden:
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Arvin comes to fiction via engineering, and his understanding of technology and those who create it infuses his first book with a unique and mesmerizing power. But Arvin is also able to distance himself from the seductive world of machines and recognize how radically technology has altered life on earth and how subtly it modulates human interactions. In the bewitching title story, electricity, new and miraculous on Coney Island in 1903, is used as a lethal weapon against Topsy the elephant, a towering force of nature killed in an instant by man's ingenuity; then, in "Electric Fence," a man attempts to cordon off an Edenic safe zone for his orphaned grandson, but here nature prevails. Elsewhere a telescope and cell phone become devices of mischief, while trouble between a father and son is exacerbated by the bumbling son's mechanical ineptness. Arvin's complexly structured and psychologically dynamic stories are as discerning as they are incandescent. Donna Seaman
Lucky Girls:
From Publishers Weekly
Freudenberger saw her first story, "Lucky Girls," published in the New Yorker's 2001 debut fiction issue and subsequently received a reported six-figure sum to round out the collection with a bunch more (at that time unwritten) works. The gamble has paid off, at least from a critical perspective: the five long stories in this collection are thoughtful and entertaining. Most take place in Asia and feature Americans living abroad. In the title piece, a young American painter recalls her long affair with a married Indian man. The man has died unexpectedly, and the story traces the development of the narrator's antagonistic yet moving relationship with the mother of her late lover. "The Orphan" is a witty story of a middle-aged couple who, along with their college-age son, go to Thailand for Christmas to visit their daughter and break the news of their impending divorce. The daughter, who works at a Bangkok hospital for orphaned AIDS babies, finds her parents benighted and so... Western, while her brother announces that he belongs to the Cool Rich Kids club, whose members seek to give their parents' money away ("it's this chance to endorse the more radical causes that people your age wouldn't support"). In "The Tutor," a romance blossoms between an Indian SAT coach and a Prada-wearing American teenager living in Bombay who wants nothing more than to get into UC-Berkeley. Many of these tales concern the slow birth and disintegration of romantic relationships, although some lack pull, due to their one-dimensional characters. Freudenberger is more inventive and piquant when she probes characters' relationships to their adopted homelands-which, she shows, are often more passionate and grounded than their ties to the people in their lives.
I read Calvin Trillin's memoir about his late wife, About Alice - its am short book, actually an expansion of an article that he wrote for the NewYorker Magazine. I read it in about an hour this morning in bed (waiting for the Puzzle Master to do his Sunday Morning puzzle game on NPR). It is a loving and moving tribute to the love of his life. They were partners in a long term marriage and created a life together centered on their children and their love of words and food.
From Publishers Weekly
Trillin (A Heckuva Job: More of the Bush Administration in Rhyme), a staff writer with the New Yorker since 1963, has often written about the members of his family, notably his wife, Alice, whom he married in 1965. A graduate of Wellesley and Yale, she was a writer and educator who survived a 1976 battle with lung cancer. In 1981, she founded a TV production company, Learning Designs, producing PBS's Behind the Scenes to teach children creative thinking; her book Dear Bruno (1996) was intended to reassure children who had cancer. A weakened heart due to radiation treatments led to her death on September 11, 2001, at age 63. Avoiding expressions of grief, Trillin unveils a straightforward, honest portrait of their marriage and family life in this slim volume, opening with the suggestion that he had previously mischaracterized Alice when he wrote her into "stories that were essentially sitcoms." Looking back on their first encounter, he then focuses on her humor, her beauty, her "child's sense of wonderment," her relationship with her daughters and her concern for others. Trillin's 12-page "Alice, Off the Page" was published earlier this year in the New Yorker, and his expansion of his original essay into this touching tribute is certain to stir emotions
Food and Cooking Report:
A couple of Denver restaurants worth mentioning:
Chris, her friend Lynda, Barb, Laila and Andrea had a great lunch at Dixons, right down the street from the LoDo Tattered Cover - http://www.dixonsrestaurant.com/.
Jack and I went to the Wazee Supper Club and had outstanding pizza - http://www.wazeesupperclub.com/
Jack and I stayed down in Denver for dinner and went to Sullivan's Steakhouse on Wazee - http://www.sullivansteakhouse.com/denver/ - we both enjoyed our appetizers - Jack had Lobster Bisque - it was very creamy with good sized chunks of lobster - I had seared Aji Tuna served with a mustard and wasabi sauce. We were both a little disappointed in our steaks - mine was a New York boneless strip and Jack had the Kansas City bone-in strip. They were both a little too well done for our taste. We enjoyed a bottle of one of our favorite wines, Jordan Cabernet. Dessert was luscious - we shared a luscious molten brownie.
A couple of recipes to share:
This one was actually recommended by Janet - Pork Chops with Golden Onions and Wilted Tomatoes from Gourmet Magazine - I made it the other night and it is a winner! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107013
Here's a recipe for White Bean Dip With Pita Chips - adapted from Giada De Laurentiis on the Food Network - the original recipe used 1/4 cup parsley instead of the tarragon and basil and didn't use the roasted tomato. I made those changes based on a White Bean Dip we had at Denver's Barolo Grill.
15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 tomato, oven-roasted and chopped
6 pita rounds (I used whole wheat)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the beans, garlic, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, herbs and roasted tomato in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the bean puree to a small bowl
.3. Cut each pita in half and then into 8 wedges. Arrange the pita wedges on a large baking sheet. Pour the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil over the pitas. Toss and spread out the wedges evenly. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until toasted and golden in color
.4. Serve the pita toasts warm or at room temperature alongside the bean puree
That's it for now - its getting late and I have to prepare for what will hopefully be our final appearance before the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board tomorrow evening to resolve any remaining issues regarding the Grillo Center Labyrinth. Send good positive energy our way! If you'd like to be there for support of the project, it will be held at 6 PM Monday evening in the City Council Chamber at Canyon and Broadway
Love,
Susan
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Saturday Morning Walkers - January 21, 2007
Hi everyone!
I'm pleased to say that we actually managed to have a walk yesterday. Andrea, Laila, Jan and I started out with a warm-up of coffee and "treats" at the Boulder Bookstore's Bookend Cafe on the Pearl Street Mall. We then bundled up and walked the "Mall" and window shopped. We did talk about a few books - here goes:
Jan - is enjoying listening to the most current book of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Breath of Snow and Ashes. She definitely recommends listening to it and also that you should start at the beginning of the series, The Outlander.
From AudioFile
The sixth book of the adventures of Claire and Jamie Fraser, set in North Carolina from 1772 through 1777, provides glimpses of the beginnings of the American Revolutionary War and reacquaints us with the extended Fraser clan and friends. Geraldine James enchants the listener with her varied accents, from British and Scots to twentieth-century American and an occasional Irish brogue. Using foreknowledge and their usual survival skills, Claire doctors the hurts and Jamie avenges the wrongs. James's performance brings out the adventurer in the listener. Some pops and skips are audible throughout, adding charm to the narration and the ever complicated plots. This story vibrates with the energy of an America seeking its freedom and the battles that ensue, philosophically and physically, throughout this tumultuous period. M.B.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award
Laila - is reading a book by one of the writers who will be presenting at the Tattered Cover's Writers Respond to Readers event next Saturday. It is The Evidence Against Her by Robb Forman Drew. She's finding it kind of slow-going. The review below sounds promising.
From Publishers Weekly
Appearing after a decade-long hiatus, Dew's latest novel proves well worth the wait. In her vibrant new work, Dew (Dale Loves Sophie to Death) once again demonstrates her mastery of the nuances of family life; her slow, painstaking accretion of detail, like the cross-hatching on a Drer etching, produces a rich and resonant landscape fully representative of its time and place. The setting here is Washburn, Ohio, a small town made prosperous by the Scofield engine manufacturer. Lily Scofield, her cousin Warren, and Robert Butler, son of the pastor of the Methodist church, are born on the same day in 1888, and their lives are intimately intertwined. Headstrong, clever Lily is their leader, first in their childhood and later as they mature. When she marries Robert, townspeople gossip that Warren is heartbroken, but the truth lies elsewhere; Warren carries a secret burden that he cannot acknowledge. His marriage to the much younger Agnes Claytor, eldest child in a dysfunctional family, disrupts the threesome's dynamic. World War I ends; the flu epidemic claims several victims. Another generation of children is born and become inseparable. And an accidental death occurs. Under the surface of these events Dew records minute changes in the emotional atmosphere, epiphanic moments that interrupt quotidian routines and small events, such as an argument over a riding habit, that signal domestic crises with lasting repercussions. A marvel of lyrical understatement, the narrative flows like a river smooth, with surprising depths, some turbulence and the inexorability of time's passing. Does character conspire with fate, or against it? Does love solve problems, or cause them? Both ambiguous and satisfying, the ending is laden with portent, suggesting another novel to come. Meanwhile, the subtlety and complexity of Dew's absorbing story is a signal achievement.
Susan - I am also reading a one of Robb Forman Drew's books, Fortunate Lives. Even though it turns out to be a sequel to an earlier book, I've gotten caught up rather quickly and I'm pretty engaged in the story. I'll probably finish it today - another snowy day! Good day to curl up on the couch with a good read!
From Library Journal
Dew continues the story of the New England Howell family in this sequel to the prize-winning Dale Loves Sophie to Death ( LJ 5/15/81). The story centers around a summer six years after the death of the oldest son, Toby, when his surviving brother David is readying himself for Harvard. Parents Martin and Dinah are thus forced to come to grips with the death of one son and the departure (another sort of family "death") of the other. Ordinary People is at times suggested, but here it is Martin who must overcome his guilt and anger. During this one summer both he and Dinah learn that life goes on and that it is good. This is the kind of novel one doesn't find much anymore--featuring a sophisticated, Cheever-like town and people centered around a college and its subculture (Martin is a professor and editor of a literary magazine), where nothing much happens but the reader has a certain satisfaction in savoring the prose itself. A nice haven in the midst of the usual best-seller dreck
Also from Susan - I'm also very excited about a cookbook that I picked up at the library yesterday - it is called Starting With Ingredients by Aliza Green - I must say that it first attracted my attention by the incredible size of the book. After "hoisting" this huge volume off the shelf (over 1000 pages), I knew I had to take it home with me. It is an encyclopedia-like reference book filled with wonderful recipes.
Book DescriptionThe revolutionary approach of Starting with Ingredients will transform the way we shop, prepare, cook, and even think about food.
Each chapter focuses on a single ingredient. The accompanying recipes in Chef Aliza Green’s culinary tour de force demonstrate the broad range of possibilities for each ingredient, utilizing a variety of cooking methods, flavors, and ethnic inspirations.
This innovative work is the product of Green’s ceaseless culinary curiosity and in-depth knowledge of ingredients. With these tools, she has created hundreds of clear and imaginative recipes that will enable experienced and fledgling home chefs to recognize how foods should look and behave, their fragrance and feel, their seasonal changes, how they are transformed by different cooking methods, and their flavor affinities. Extensive sidebars satisfy
Andrea - also recommending a cookbook called Serves One by Toni Lydecker - Andrea is making an effort to do more cooking for herself and is enjoying the recipes in this book
Amazon.com
Anyone facing an occasional dinner for one, making solo brown-bag lunches, or living alone will find Toni Lydecker's Serves One invaluable. She shows you how to make tabbouleh and ratatouille in modest amounts so you don't have to eat them for days. She even gives a recipe for pizza dough you can turn into perfect, single-size pies. Who needs soggy take-out when you can make your own potato and pesto pizza, or luxuriate on Sunday with a creamy Smoked Salmon Pizza? (You bake the dough, then add the topping; it's much better than a bagel!)
Lydecker tells how to make Mini Meatloaf and Oven-Barbecued Pork Ribs, just the right amount of Chicken Fingers, even your very own Shellfish Steamer, a kind of clambake. Many recipes cook in 5 to 20 minutes. When stews and soups take longer, they don't need tending. If any cookbook will ever wean you off frozen entrees and instant mixes so you eat as well on your own as with family or friends, Serves One can do it.
Chris - reported picking up Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen's latest book, You: On a Diet - The Owner's Manual for Waist Management. They are both highly regarded physicians featured on Oprah and the Discovery Channel.
Amazon.com Book Description
For the first time in our history, scientists are uncovering astounding medical evidence about dieting--and why so many of us struggle with our weight and the size of our waists. Now researchers are unraveling biological secrets about such things as why you crave chocolate or gorge at buffets or store so much fat.
Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, America's most trusted doctor team and authors of the bestselling YOU series, are now translating this cutting-edge information to help you shave inches off your waist. They're going to do it by giving you the best weapon against fat: knowledge. By understanding how your body's fat-storing and fat-burning systems work, you're going to learn how to crack the code on true and lifelong waist management.
Food and Cooking Report:
Just one recipe this week and this would not be a part of Dr. Oz' plan!
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs by Giada De Laurentiis - the very essence of comfort food although I must say that I used low fat milk instead of the whole milk called for in the recipe and it was just great!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32174,00.html
Restaurant Report:
Jack and I tried the new restaurant in Laudisio's former location, Mista Italian Kitchen. It was opened by our friends from Antica Roma (on the Pearl Street Mall) and the now defunct Pane e Vino and Accqua Pazza - these guys just keep on trying!) They offer a huge menu with a heavily southern Italian slant. It was just ok - the Caesar Salad was a bit too saturated with dressing and the pasta dishes were drowning in sauce. The flavors were good - the calamari was tender. Jack did like the polenta appetizer. The prices are pretty reasonable and the decor is simple and unobtrusive. I would definitely try it again, maybe for lunch next time - any takers?
Jan has been to L'Atelier on Pearl Street (east of the Mall) and thought that it was outstanding - better than Frasca! Sounds like a great place for a celebration meal! http://www.latelierboulder.com/
"Theatrical" review:
Janet, Christie, Annette and I went to the "reading" of the play, Jacks, by local playwright, Lys Anzia. It was a very moving and creative portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy during the first several days following President Kennedy's assassination. It also cleverly inserted glimpses into Jacqueline's childhood and family.
From a review of its performance at the Fremont Centre Theater in South Pasadena, California : "JACKS" is the chilling story of Jacqueline Kennedy as she witnessed the events following the murder of her husband.
Dramatist Lys Anzia, of Boulder, Colorado, spent 10 years researching and writing the play which has never been performed before. "I have always been intrigued by Jacqueline Kennedy," Anzia said, "It was astonishing for me to realize when Jacqueline's husband was killed she was only 34 years old., There is much the public does not know about the story. Much that needs to be told."
Random Bits: have you ever been frustrated by the inability to get melted wax out of your glass votive candleholders? Well, Janet and I had a discussion about that yesterday and after considerable research have come up with not one but two solutions to this most irritating problem. The first solution naturally comes from Martha Stewart and that is to place the glass holders in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes and the wax should then come out easily. The other solution is actually more of a preventive measure - put about 1/4" of water in the glass holder before placing the candle. I must confess that we have not yet tested these solutions.
Have a warm and cozy Sunday watching the snow fall. Next week I will have a full report on the Tattered Cover event!
Love,
Susan
I'm pleased to say that we actually managed to have a walk yesterday. Andrea, Laila, Jan and I started out with a warm-up of coffee and "treats" at the Boulder Bookstore's Bookend Cafe on the Pearl Street Mall. We then bundled up and walked the "Mall" and window shopped. We did talk about a few books - here goes:
Jan - is enjoying listening to the most current book of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Breath of Snow and Ashes. She definitely recommends listening to it and also that you should start at the beginning of the series, The Outlander.
From AudioFile
The sixth book of the adventures of Claire and Jamie Fraser, set in North Carolina from 1772 through 1777, provides glimpses of the beginnings of the American Revolutionary War and reacquaints us with the extended Fraser clan and friends. Geraldine James enchants the listener with her varied accents, from British and Scots to twentieth-century American and an occasional Irish brogue. Using foreknowledge and their usual survival skills, Claire doctors the hurts and Jamie avenges the wrongs. James's performance brings out the adventurer in the listener. Some pops and skips are audible throughout, adding charm to the narration and the ever complicated plots. This story vibrates with the energy of an America seeking its freedom and the battles that ensue, philosophically and physically, throughout this tumultuous period. M.B.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award
Laila - is reading a book by one of the writers who will be presenting at the Tattered Cover's Writers Respond to Readers event next Saturday. It is The Evidence Against Her by Robb Forman Drew. She's finding it kind of slow-going. The review below sounds promising.
From Publishers Weekly
Appearing after a decade-long hiatus, Dew's latest novel proves well worth the wait. In her vibrant new work, Dew (Dale Loves Sophie to Death) once again demonstrates her mastery of the nuances of family life; her slow, painstaking accretion of detail, like the cross-hatching on a Drer etching, produces a rich and resonant landscape fully representative of its time and place. The setting here is Washburn, Ohio, a small town made prosperous by the Scofield engine manufacturer. Lily Scofield, her cousin Warren, and Robert Butler, son of the pastor of the Methodist church, are born on the same day in 1888, and their lives are intimately intertwined. Headstrong, clever Lily is their leader, first in their childhood and later as they mature. When she marries Robert, townspeople gossip that Warren is heartbroken, but the truth lies elsewhere; Warren carries a secret burden that he cannot acknowledge. His marriage to the much younger Agnes Claytor, eldest child in a dysfunctional family, disrupts the threesome's dynamic. World War I ends; the flu epidemic claims several victims. Another generation of children is born and become inseparable. And an accidental death occurs. Under the surface of these events Dew records minute changes in the emotional atmosphere, epiphanic moments that interrupt quotidian routines and small events, such as an argument over a riding habit, that signal domestic crises with lasting repercussions. A marvel of lyrical understatement, the narrative flows like a river smooth, with surprising depths, some turbulence and the inexorability of time's passing. Does character conspire with fate, or against it? Does love solve problems, or cause them? Both ambiguous and satisfying, the ending is laden with portent, suggesting another novel to come. Meanwhile, the subtlety and complexity of Dew's absorbing story is a signal achievement.
Susan - I am also reading a one of Robb Forman Drew's books, Fortunate Lives. Even though it turns out to be a sequel to an earlier book, I've gotten caught up rather quickly and I'm pretty engaged in the story. I'll probably finish it today - another snowy day! Good day to curl up on the couch with a good read!
From Library Journal
Dew continues the story of the New England Howell family in this sequel to the prize-winning Dale Loves Sophie to Death ( LJ 5/15/81). The story centers around a summer six years after the death of the oldest son, Toby, when his surviving brother David is readying himself for Harvard. Parents Martin and Dinah are thus forced to come to grips with the death of one son and the departure (another sort of family "death") of the other. Ordinary People is at times suggested, but here it is Martin who must overcome his guilt and anger. During this one summer both he and Dinah learn that life goes on and that it is good. This is the kind of novel one doesn't find much anymore--featuring a sophisticated, Cheever-like town and people centered around a college and its subculture (Martin is a professor and editor of a literary magazine), where nothing much happens but the reader has a certain satisfaction in savoring the prose itself. A nice haven in the midst of the usual best-seller dreck
Also from Susan - I'm also very excited about a cookbook that I picked up at the library yesterday - it is called Starting With Ingredients by Aliza Green - I must say that it first attracted my attention by the incredible size of the book. After "hoisting" this huge volume off the shelf (over 1000 pages), I knew I had to take it home with me. It is an encyclopedia-like reference book filled with wonderful recipes.
Book DescriptionThe revolutionary approach of Starting with Ingredients will transform the way we shop, prepare, cook, and even think about food.
Each chapter focuses on a single ingredient. The accompanying recipes in Chef Aliza Green’s culinary tour de force demonstrate the broad range of possibilities for each ingredient, utilizing a variety of cooking methods, flavors, and ethnic inspirations.
This innovative work is the product of Green’s ceaseless culinary curiosity and in-depth knowledge of ingredients. With these tools, she has created hundreds of clear and imaginative recipes that will enable experienced and fledgling home chefs to recognize how foods should look and behave, their fragrance and feel, their seasonal changes, how they are transformed by different cooking methods, and their flavor affinities. Extensive sidebars satisfy
Andrea - also recommending a cookbook called Serves One by Toni Lydecker - Andrea is making an effort to do more cooking for herself and is enjoying the recipes in this book
Amazon.com
Anyone facing an occasional dinner for one, making solo brown-bag lunches, or living alone will find Toni Lydecker's Serves One invaluable. She shows you how to make tabbouleh and ratatouille in modest amounts so you don't have to eat them for days. She even gives a recipe for pizza dough you can turn into perfect, single-size pies. Who needs soggy take-out when you can make your own potato and pesto pizza, or luxuriate on Sunday with a creamy Smoked Salmon Pizza? (You bake the dough, then add the topping; it's much better than a bagel!)
Lydecker tells how to make Mini Meatloaf and Oven-Barbecued Pork Ribs, just the right amount of Chicken Fingers, even your very own Shellfish Steamer, a kind of clambake. Many recipes cook in 5 to 20 minutes. When stews and soups take longer, they don't need tending. If any cookbook will ever wean you off frozen entrees and instant mixes so you eat as well on your own as with family or friends, Serves One can do it.
Chris - reported picking up Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen's latest book, You: On a Diet - The Owner's Manual for Waist Management. They are both highly regarded physicians featured on Oprah and the Discovery Channel.
Amazon.com Book Description
For the first time in our history, scientists are uncovering astounding medical evidence about dieting--and why so many of us struggle with our weight and the size of our waists. Now researchers are unraveling biological secrets about such things as why you crave chocolate or gorge at buffets or store so much fat.
Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, America's most trusted doctor team and authors of the bestselling YOU series, are now translating this cutting-edge information to help you shave inches off your waist. They're going to do it by giving you the best weapon against fat: knowledge. By understanding how your body's fat-storing and fat-burning systems work, you're going to learn how to crack the code on true and lifelong waist management.
Food and Cooking Report:
Just one recipe this week and this would not be a part of Dr. Oz' plan!
Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs by Giada De Laurentiis - the very essence of comfort food although I must say that I used low fat milk instead of the whole milk called for in the recipe and it was just great!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32174,00.html
Restaurant Report:
Jack and I tried the new restaurant in Laudisio's former location, Mista Italian Kitchen. It was opened by our friends from Antica Roma (on the Pearl Street Mall) and the now defunct Pane e Vino and Accqua Pazza - these guys just keep on trying!) They offer a huge menu with a heavily southern Italian slant. It was just ok - the Caesar Salad was a bit too saturated with dressing and the pasta dishes were drowning in sauce. The flavors were good - the calamari was tender. Jack did like the polenta appetizer. The prices are pretty reasonable and the decor is simple and unobtrusive. I would definitely try it again, maybe for lunch next time - any takers?
Jan has been to L'Atelier on Pearl Street (east of the Mall) and thought that it was outstanding - better than Frasca! Sounds like a great place for a celebration meal! http://www.latelierboulder.com/
"Theatrical" review:
Janet, Christie, Annette and I went to the "reading" of the play, Jacks, by local playwright, Lys Anzia. It was a very moving and creative portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy during the first several days following President Kennedy's assassination. It also cleverly inserted glimpses into Jacqueline's childhood and family.
From a review of its performance at the Fremont Centre Theater in South Pasadena, California : "JACKS" is the chilling story of Jacqueline Kennedy as she witnessed the events following the murder of her husband.
Dramatist Lys Anzia, of Boulder, Colorado, spent 10 years researching and writing the play which has never been performed before. "I have always been intrigued by Jacqueline Kennedy," Anzia said, "It was astonishing for me to realize when Jacqueline's husband was killed she was only 34 years old., There is much the public does not know about the story. Much that needs to be told."
Random Bits: have you ever been frustrated by the inability to get melted wax out of your glass votive candleholders? Well, Janet and I had a discussion about that yesterday and after considerable research have come up with not one but two solutions to this most irritating problem. The first solution naturally comes from Martha Stewart and that is to place the glass holders in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes and the wax should then come out easily. The other solution is actually more of a preventive measure - put about 1/4" of water in the glass holder before placing the candle. I must confess that we have not yet tested these solutions.
Have a warm and cozy Sunday watching the snow fall. Next week I will have a full report on the Tattered Cover event!
Love,
Susan
Monday, January 15, 2007
Saturday Morning Walkers - January 14, 2007
Hi everyone!
Snow again!! Freezing cold!! Good time to hunker down with the books and some cooking. I hope we all remember how to walk when all of this thaws out! Unfortunately, they had no choice but to cancel the 5k portion of the Oatmeal Festival yesterday. Chris and Mary did brave the icy cold for what sounds like a wonderful, warming breakfast at the Huckleberry Cafe in downtown Lousiville (formerly the home of Karen's). Sounds like they covered the restaurant history of Louisville - Mary's worked in many of them as did Chris' kids.
I don't know what everyone else is reading but I'll give you my current status.
Earlier this week, I finished Thunderstruck by Erik Larsen (see last week's blog for an official review). It was slow-going and a bit tedious at first but as these two seemingly unrelated stories evolved and were woven together, I was hooked and by the end, couldn't put it down. Larsen really is a master storyteller and so gifted at tying these two true events together.
I'm now well into a novel, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman. She is one of the writers that will be at the upcoming Tattered Cover Event (Saturday, Jan 27) and interestingly to me, is married to Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, among others). Chabon grew up around the time that my kids did in Columbia, Maryland. We didn't know him but its always pretty neat when someone from your hometown gets to be famous. We also claim actor, Edward Norton as one of our hometown kids. His family actually lived on our street and the kids went to the same elementary school. His grandfather was James Rouse, the developer of the new town of Columbia. It was a pretty unique community and a very special place to raise a family. Here's a description from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,_Maryland. By the way, Rae still lives there and is an active participant in the community!
Back to the book - I can't wait to get back to it - she's kind of quirky but its also a very touching, story about grief and loss.
From Publishers WeeklyHow a five-year-old manages to make the adults in his life hew to the love he holds for them is the sweet treat in this honest, brutal, bitterly funny slice of life. When Emelia's day-old daughter, Isabel, succumbs to SIDS, her own life stalls. She can't work; she can't sleep; Central Park, once her personal secret garden, now is a minefield of happy mother-child dyads. Since Isabel's death, husband Jack's only solace for the guilt of breaking up his sexless marriage with Carolyn for Emelia's (now-absent) passion and love is joint custody of William, now five. What Emelia cannot bear most are Wednesdays, when she must cross the park to collect William at the 92nd Street Y preschool and take another shot at stepmotherhood. Carolyn, William's furious mother and a renowned Upper East Side OB/GYN, lives to nab Emelia for mistakes in handling him. Carolyn's indicting phone calls raise the already sky-high tension in Jack and Emelia's home, but they don't compare with Carolyn's announcement that, at age 42, she is pregnant. The news pushes Emelia to confess to Jack two things she shouldn't. William is charmingly realized, and Waldman (Daughter's Keeper) has upper bourgeois New York down cold. The result is a terrific adult story
I am going to read at least one of the other writers who will be at the Tattered Cover event - I have several books that I took out of the library - you can check out the website for more info on the writers. By the way, if you weren't able to get tickets for the event last Monday, it wouldn't hurt to call and see if there's a waitlist for cancellations. I know someone who got a ticket at the last minute that way. You could also post a request on Craigslist. www.tatteredcover.com, www.craigslist.org
A writer that I've recently heard about on NPR is Calvin Trillin. Actually, I've heard of him before but am not familiar with his work. He's written many books and writes for the New Yorker and Nation Magazine. He's also known as a food writer - my favorite combination - books about food! He's actually a good friend of Ruth Reichl (Tender at the Bone) He's "on the circuit" right now for a book he's written about his late wife, Alice - its called About Alice (duh!). He sounds terrific and they seemed to have had a wonderful relationship. I've put this most recent book and some of his other books high on my list of must reads.
From Publishers WeeklyTrillin (A Heckuva Job: More of the Bush Administration in Rhyme), a staff writer with the New Yorker since 1963, has often written about the members of his family, notably his wife, Alice, whom he married in 1965. A graduate of Wellesley and Yale, she was a writer and educator who survived a 1976 battle with lung cancer. In 1981, she founded a TV production company, Learning Designs, producing PBS's Behind the Scenes to teach children creative thinking; her book Dear Bruno (1996) was intended to reassure children who had cancer. A weakened heart due to radiation treatments led to her death on September 11, 2001, at age 63. Avoiding expressions of grief, Trillin unveils a straightforward, honest portrait of their marriage and family life in this slim volume, opening with the suggestion that he had previously mischaracterized Alice when he wrote her into "stories that were essentially sitcoms." Looking back on their first encounter, he then focuses on her humor, her beauty, her "child's sense of wonderment," her relationship with her daughters and her concern for others. Trillin's 12-page "Alice, Off the Page" was published earlier this year in the New Yorker, and his expansion of his original essay into this touching tribute is certain to stir emotions.
Cooking and Food:
A few highlights this week:
Classic Spaghetti Carbonara from Emeril Lagasse - talk about a comfort food for a cold winter night - yum! Although certainly not a low-fat dish, this particular recipe does not call for either cream or butter. Eggs and lots of parmesan cheese make it rich enough! I served it with a simple arugula and shaved parmesan salad with lemon juice and olive oil. Check it out:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_10210,00.html
Beef Bourgiugnon from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - I had suggested this to Libby for a dinner she was making for friends this weekend and it inspired me to make it today. I made this before for book group and it was a big hit. Libby called this afternoon to report that her's was a huge success. She served hers with a salad - I may serve mine with some sauteed green beans.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_25938,00.html?rsrc=search
Libby also made Ina Garten's Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies - however, she didn't use white chocolate, she used dark chocolate for the chunks - they turned out great - better than Toll House!
Hmmm - I may have to try those today.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26051,00.html?rsrc=search
Chicken with Artichokes from Everyday Food on PBS - fairly light and easy. I replaced the couscous with rice pilaf.
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/chicken_with_artichokes.html
Hope everyone stays safe and warm this week!
Happy reading and eating!
Love,
Susan
Snow again!! Freezing cold!! Good time to hunker down with the books and some cooking. I hope we all remember how to walk when all of this thaws out! Unfortunately, they had no choice but to cancel the 5k portion of the Oatmeal Festival yesterday. Chris and Mary did brave the icy cold for what sounds like a wonderful, warming breakfast at the Huckleberry Cafe in downtown Lousiville (formerly the home of Karen's). Sounds like they covered the restaurant history of Louisville - Mary's worked in many of them as did Chris' kids.
I don't know what everyone else is reading but I'll give you my current status.
Earlier this week, I finished Thunderstruck by Erik Larsen (see last week's blog for an official review). It was slow-going and a bit tedious at first but as these two seemingly unrelated stories evolved and were woven together, I was hooked and by the end, couldn't put it down. Larsen really is a master storyteller and so gifted at tying these two true events together.
I'm now well into a novel, Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman. She is one of the writers that will be at the upcoming Tattered Cover Event (Saturday, Jan 27) and interestingly to me, is married to Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, among others). Chabon grew up around the time that my kids did in Columbia, Maryland. We didn't know him but its always pretty neat when someone from your hometown gets to be famous. We also claim actor, Edward Norton as one of our hometown kids. His family actually lived on our street and the kids went to the same elementary school. His grandfather was James Rouse, the developer of the new town of Columbia. It was a pretty unique community and a very special place to raise a family. Here's a description from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,_Maryland. By the way, Rae still lives there and is an active participant in the community!
Back to the book - I can't wait to get back to it - she's kind of quirky but its also a very touching, story about grief and loss.
From Publishers WeeklyHow a five-year-old manages to make the adults in his life hew to the love he holds for them is the sweet treat in this honest, brutal, bitterly funny slice of life. When Emelia's day-old daughter, Isabel, succumbs to SIDS, her own life stalls. She can't work; she can't sleep; Central Park, once her personal secret garden, now is a minefield of happy mother-child dyads. Since Isabel's death, husband Jack's only solace for the guilt of breaking up his sexless marriage with Carolyn for Emelia's (now-absent) passion and love is joint custody of William, now five. What Emelia cannot bear most are Wednesdays, when she must cross the park to collect William at the 92nd Street Y preschool and take another shot at stepmotherhood. Carolyn, William's furious mother and a renowned Upper East Side OB/GYN, lives to nab Emelia for mistakes in handling him. Carolyn's indicting phone calls raise the already sky-high tension in Jack and Emelia's home, but they don't compare with Carolyn's announcement that, at age 42, she is pregnant. The news pushes Emelia to confess to Jack two things she shouldn't. William is charmingly realized, and Waldman (Daughter's Keeper) has upper bourgeois New York down cold. The result is a terrific adult story
I am going to read at least one of the other writers who will be at the Tattered Cover event - I have several books that I took out of the library - you can check out the website for more info on the writers. By the way, if you weren't able to get tickets for the event last Monday, it wouldn't hurt to call and see if there's a waitlist for cancellations. I know someone who got a ticket at the last minute that way. You could also post a request on Craigslist. www.tatteredcover.com, www.craigslist.org
A writer that I've recently heard about on NPR is Calvin Trillin. Actually, I've heard of him before but am not familiar with his work. He's written many books and writes for the New Yorker and Nation Magazine. He's also known as a food writer - my favorite combination - books about food! He's actually a good friend of Ruth Reichl (Tender at the Bone) He's "on the circuit" right now for a book he's written about his late wife, Alice - its called About Alice (duh!). He sounds terrific and they seemed to have had a wonderful relationship. I've put this most recent book and some of his other books high on my list of must reads.
From Publishers WeeklyTrillin (A Heckuva Job: More of the Bush Administration in Rhyme), a staff writer with the New Yorker since 1963, has often written about the members of his family, notably his wife, Alice, whom he married in 1965. A graduate of Wellesley and Yale, she was a writer and educator who survived a 1976 battle with lung cancer. In 1981, she founded a TV production company, Learning Designs, producing PBS's Behind the Scenes to teach children creative thinking; her book Dear Bruno (1996) was intended to reassure children who had cancer. A weakened heart due to radiation treatments led to her death on September 11, 2001, at age 63. Avoiding expressions of grief, Trillin unveils a straightforward, honest portrait of their marriage and family life in this slim volume, opening with the suggestion that he had previously mischaracterized Alice when he wrote her into "stories that were essentially sitcoms." Looking back on their first encounter, he then focuses on her humor, her beauty, her "child's sense of wonderment," her relationship with her daughters and her concern for others. Trillin's 12-page "Alice, Off the Page" was published earlier this year in the New Yorker, and his expansion of his original essay into this touching tribute is certain to stir emotions.
Cooking and Food:
A few highlights this week:
Classic Spaghetti Carbonara from Emeril Lagasse - talk about a comfort food for a cold winter night - yum! Although certainly not a low-fat dish, this particular recipe does not call for either cream or butter. Eggs and lots of parmesan cheese make it rich enough! I served it with a simple arugula and shaved parmesan salad with lemon juice and olive oil. Check it out:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_10210,00.html
Beef Bourgiugnon from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - I had suggested this to Libby for a dinner she was making for friends this weekend and it inspired me to make it today. I made this before for book group and it was a big hit. Libby called this afternoon to report that her's was a huge success. She served hers with a salad - I may serve mine with some sauteed green beans.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_25938,00.html?rsrc=search
Libby also made Ina Garten's Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies - however, she didn't use white chocolate, she used dark chocolate for the chunks - they turned out great - better than Toll House!
Hmmm - I may have to try those today.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_26051,00.html?rsrc=search
Chicken with Artichokes from Everyday Food on PBS - fairly light and easy. I replaced the couscous with rice pilaf.
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/chicken_with_artichokes.html
Hope everyone stays safe and warm this week!
Happy reading and eating!
Love,
Susan
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Saturday Morning Walkers - January 7, 2007
Hi everyone,
I'm still feeling a bit under the weather from a cold and didn't make it yesterday to join other other stoic friends, Barb, Andrea, Laila and Mary, for coffee and good conversation at Caffe Sole. Walking wasn't an option in the aftermath of our 3rd snowstorm in 3 weeks!
Book Report:
Although I haven't finished any books recently to tell you about, I did hear a podcast interview this week with Alice McDermott about her new book, After This. If you're interested in listening to this interview on-line , go to http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/07/01/01.php. The interviewer is Diane Rehm from Washington, D.C.'s local NPR station - she was one of my favorite hosts when I lived in Maryland.
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. A master at capturing Irish-Catholic American suburban life, particularly in That Night (1987) and the National Book Award–winning Charming Billy (1998), McDermott returns for this sixth novel with the Keane family of Long Island, who get swept up in the wake of the Vietnam War. When John and Mary Keane marry shortly after WWII, she's on the verge of spinsterhood, and he's a vet haunted by the death of a young private in his platoon. Jacob, their first-born, is given the dead soldier's name, an omen that will haunt the family when Jacob is killed in Vietnam (hauntingly underplayed by McDermott). In vignette-like chapters, some of which are stunning set pieces, McDermott probes the remaining family's inner lives. Catholic faith and Irish heritage anchor John and Mary's feelings, but their children experience their generation's doubt, rebellion and loss of innocence: next eldest Michael, who had always dominated Jacob, drowns his guilt and regret in sex and drugs; Anne quits college and moves to London with a lover; Clare, a high school senior, gets pregnant. The story of '60s and '70s suburbia has been told before, and McDermott has little to say about the Vietnam War itself. But she flawlessly encapsulates an era in the private moments of one family's life.
A reminder: Tomorrow AM at 9 - lines open at Tattered Cover to make reservations for Writers Respond to Readers - they finally have posted the info on their website:
http://www.tatteredcover.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp?s=localinterest. I'll assume that everyone who is interested in going has worked out pairing up for calling - if not, let me know if you need someone to help with that.
I saw something in the Daily Camera yesterday that I'd like to share with all of you:
Make a difference this week:
Donate books
Donate books to the Global Education Fund book drive
Here's an opportunity to clean out your home a little, and help out a great cause.
The Global Education Fund book drive is being held throughout the month at the IZZE Beverage Company, 2990 Center Green Court, Boulder.
You know you have extra books on hand — maybe your shelves are a bit crowded now, after the holiday season? You don't even need to edit your collection: Books not suitable for India will be sold on the Internet to pay for shipping.
All types of books in good condition may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Books collected will go to one of five orphanages in India. Please visit www.globaleducationfund.org, or call (303) 415-9935.
Food and Cooking Report:
I did manage to prepare one decent meal this week - its a wonderful winter recipe for a Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel from on of my favorites, Ina Garten:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25757,00.html - don't be afraid of the fennel - eaten raw, it does have a strong licorice flavor, but it really mellows out during the roasting process.
Oh - I almost forgot I made an Italian style meatloaf with crushed potatoes and pesto from Michael Chiarello (Easy Entertaining on the Food Network). I really liked it and I'm not a big meatloaf fan - the potatoes were yummy with store-bought pesto and pine nuts
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35425,00.html?rsrc=search
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35426,00.html
Let's all hope that our snow starts to disappear soon - next Saturday is the Lafayette Oatmeal 5k and Festival - they need some time to clear those streets!
Have a great week!
Love,
Susan
I'm still feeling a bit under the weather from a cold and didn't make it yesterday to join other other stoic friends, Barb, Andrea, Laila and Mary, for coffee and good conversation at Caffe Sole. Walking wasn't an option in the aftermath of our 3rd snowstorm in 3 weeks!
Book Report:
Although I haven't finished any books recently to tell you about, I did hear a podcast interview this week with Alice McDermott about her new book, After This. If you're interested in listening to this interview on-line , go to http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/07/01/01.php. The interviewer is Diane Rehm from Washington, D.C.'s local NPR station - she was one of my favorite hosts when I lived in Maryland.
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. A master at capturing Irish-Catholic American suburban life, particularly in That Night (1987) and the National Book Award–winning Charming Billy (1998), McDermott returns for this sixth novel with the Keane family of Long Island, who get swept up in the wake of the Vietnam War. When John and Mary Keane marry shortly after WWII, she's on the verge of spinsterhood, and he's a vet haunted by the death of a young private in his platoon. Jacob, their first-born, is given the dead soldier's name, an omen that will haunt the family when Jacob is killed in Vietnam (hauntingly underplayed by McDermott). In vignette-like chapters, some of which are stunning set pieces, McDermott probes the remaining family's inner lives. Catholic faith and Irish heritage anchor John and Mary's feelings, but their children experience their generation's doubt, rebellion and loss of innocence: next eldest Michael, who had always dominated Jacob, drowns his guilt and regret in sex and drugs; Anne quits college and moves to London with a lover; Clare, a high school senior, gets pregnant. The story of '60s and '70s suburbia has been told before, and McDermott has little to say about the Vietnam War itself. But she flawlessly encapsulates an era in the private moments of one family's life.
A reminder: Tomorrow AM at 9 - lines open at Tattered Cover to make reservations for Writers Respond to Readers - they finally have posted the info on their website:
http://www.tatteredcover.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp?s=localinterest. I'll assume that everyone who is interested in going has worked out pairing up for calling - if not, let me know if you need someone to help with that.
I saw something in the Daily Camera yesterday that I'd like to share with all of you:
Make a difference this week:
Donate books
Donate books to the Global Education Fund book drive
Here's an opportunity to clean out your home a little, and help out a great cause.
The Global Education Fund book drive is being held throughout the month at the IZZE Beverage Company, 2990 Center Green Court, Boulder.
You know you have extra books on hand — maybe your shelves are a bit crowded now, after the holiday season? You don't even need to edit your collection: Books not suitable for India will be sold on the Internet to pay for shipping.
All types of books in good condition may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Books collected will go to one of five orphanages in India. Please visit www.globaleducationfund.org, or call (303) 415-9935.
Food and Cooking Report:
I did manage to prepare one decent meal this week - its a wonderful winter recipe for a Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel from on of my favorites, Ina Garten:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25757,00.html - don't be afraid of the fennel - eaten raw, it does have a strong licorice flavor, but it really mellows out during the roasting process.
Oh - I almost forgot I made an Italian style meatloaf with crushed potatoes and pesto from Michael Chiarello (Easy Entertaining on the Food Network). I really liked it and I'm not a big meatloaf fan - the potatoes were yummy with store-bought pesto and pine nuts
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35425,00.html?rsrc=search
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_35426,00.html
Let's all hope that our snow starts to disappear soon - next Saturday is the Lafayette Oatmeal 5k and Festival - they need some time to clear those streets!
Have a great week!
Love,
Susan
Saturday Morning Walkers - January 1, 2007
Happy New Year!
Wishing you all a very healthy and happy year ahead. Especially good wishes to Terri for a speedy recovery. I'd like to share some thoughts from Andrea about the support that we give to each other throughout the year. Of course, we are always right there for each other during the rough times, emotional or physical. Andrea has suggested that we focus our energy on supporting each others good health and wellness. Perhaps that involves supporting each other in taking care of ourselves by exercising, eating well, simplifying our lives, meditation, and of course taking time for a bit of pampering. Perhaps you would like to take the opportunity to ask this group to support you in doing something like that.
Well, the holidays have come and gone. The weather has certainly made our travels challenging but hopefully the worst of the weather is behind us. You would think that with all this "enforced" time indoors, I would have been doing a lot of reading but that has certainly not been the case. I do have a few book notes though:
Mary is reading a book called The Ride of Our Lives by Mike Leonard. Mike Leonard appears on The Today Show as a features correspondent. I've enjoyed his on-air stories.
From Publishers Weekly
Fans of NBC News correspondent Leonard's slice-of-life features for the Today show may enjoy this account of a month-long road trip he took with his parents, now in their 80s. (A DVD of the journey accompanies the book.) But what works on screen doesn't translate to the printed page, and Leonard's attempt to merge a tribute to his parents with greater issues of life and death hits a dead end. As he drives from Chicago through the Southwest, up the East Coast and back to Chicago, Leonard intertwines his reflections with biographical stories by and about his somewhat eccentric parents. Their tales offer the book's most entertaining moments: phlegmatic Jack, who's "conversational 'off' button got jammed," likes to sing old songs, while gregarious Marge likes to drink and repeatedly spices her conversation with profanity ("Toora loora, my ass!" she yells during one of Jack's songs). Although Marge's behavior begins to seem more unnerving than unusual, Leonard's account of her brave childhood with an abusive father is the book's highlight. But Leonard keeps putting himself at the center of the story, detailing how charmed his life has been from his college prep high school days to lucking into his TV career, which makes for dull reading. Photos. (Apr.)
Jexy started reading Wickett's Remedy by Myla Goldberg (The Bee Season) while she was here.
From Publishers Weekly
The author of the bestselling Bee Season returns with an accomplished but peculiarly tensionless historical novel that follows the shifting fortunes of a young Irish-American woman. Raised in tough turn-of-the-century South Boston, Lydia Kilkenny works as a shopgirl at a fancy downtown department store, where she meets shy, hypochondriacal medical student Henry Wickett. After a brief courtship, the two marry (Henry down, Lydia decidedly up) in 1914. Henry quits school to promote his eponymous remedy, whose putative healing powers have less to do with the tasty brew that Lydia concocts than with the personal letters that Henry pens to each buyer. After failing to pass the army physical as the U.S. enters WWI, Henry quickly, dramatically dies of influenza, and Lydia returns to Southie, where she watches friends, neighbors and her beloved brother die in the 1918 epidemic. A flu study that employs human subjects is being conducted on Boston Harbor's Gallups Island; lonely Lydia signs on as a nurse's assistant, and there finds a smidgen of hope and a chance at a happier future. A pastiche of other voices deepens her story: chapters close with snippets from contemporary newspapers, conversations among soldiers and documents revealing the surprising fate of Wickett's Remedy. And the dead offer margin commentary—by turns wistful, tender and corrective (and occasionally annoying). Yet as well-researched, polished and poignant as the book is, Goldberg never quite locks in her characters' mindsets, and sometimes seems adrift amid period detritus. While readers will admire Lydia, they may not feel they ever truly know her.
Libby was reading The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl) - she seemed disappointed in it but I think that Janet listened to this one on tape and enjoyed it. Sometimes books are better to listen to than to read.
From Publishers Weekly
As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs and crusaders King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina, princess of Wales and of Spain, was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England, where she finds true love with Arthur (after some initial sourness) as they plot the future of their kingdom together. Arthur dies young, however, leaving Catalina a widow and ineligible for the throne. Before his death, he extracts a promise from his wife to marry his younger brother Henry in order to become queen anyway, have children and rule as they had planned, a situation that can only be if Catalina denies that Arthur was ever her lover. Gregory's latest (after Earthly Joys) compellingly dramatizes how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title. By alternating tight third-person narration with Catalina's unguarded thoughts and gripping dialogue, the author presents a thorough, sympathetic portrait of her heroine and her transformation into Queen Katherine. Gregory's skill for creating suspense pulls the reader along despite the historical novel's foregone conclusion.
Susan: I actually have two children's books I want to tell you about - one is a classic that I gave as a gift to some children this year and the other is a book I just heard about that I ordered and sent to Jacob.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein:
Amazon.comTo say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take? Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) --Karin Snelson
Sayonara Mrs Kackleman by Maira Kalman:
From Publishers Weekly
While watching a performance of The Mikado , Alexander suggests to his older sister Lulu that perhaps they should visit Japan. Lulu, eager to avoid her piano lesson and her teacher, the dreaded Mrs. Kackleman, is only too happy to agree. The two arrive in Tokyo (without parents, you understand), and are bundled off in a red taxi driven by a gloved man with "sharp black hair." Images of houses and people, food and customs jumble together in a wild stream-of-consciousness travelogue that springs from the minds and lips of the irrepressible brother and sister. A man sitting on a park bench and a frog in a kimono reciting a haiku are as riveting as a visit to a Japanese school or communal bath house. The book is studded with many gems from the mouths of Lulu and Alexander, like the poem dedicated to their guide: "Hey Hiroko, are you loco? Would you like a cup of cocoa?" The unique and provocative illustrative style evidenced in Hey Willy, See the Pyramids flourishes in this new work, demonstrating a graphic brilliance that is fast becoming Kalman's hallmark. Her carefully orchestrated yet extravagantly kinetic paintings are crammed with details and characters ready to spill off each page. All ages.
Cooking and Food notes:
I received two wonderful cookbooks for Christmas:
From Jeff: The Barefoot Contessa at Home - I just made her recipe for Ribollita - a Tuscan bean, vegetable and bread soup that looks wonderful - tastings from the pot (my fabulous new Creuset dutch oven from Santa) seem promising.
From David: Food and Wine's The Best of the Best Volume 9 Best Recipes from the 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year - I'll be sharing some of these with you soon.
Book Description
Almost one million subscribers heartily agree: Food & Wine is the unrivaled leader in the field, and every year their editors search tirelessly for the most delectable dishes from the crème de la crème of cookbooks. Here are their selections, along with an extra treat: some special and previously unpublished recipes. It comes to more than 100 fully kitchen-tested, temptingly photographed dishes in all. And the food doesn’t come better than this: From Grilling for Life, Bobby Flay presents Smoky and Fiery Skirt Steak with Avocado-Oregano Relish. Paula Deen serves up some of her Southern-style Shrimp and Grits (Paula Deen & Friends), while Marc Meyer prepares Brunch (Baked Eggs Rancheros).
One night for dinner while Libby and David (and of course, new puppy Violet) were still here, we made Fettucine with Wild Mushrooms - pretty simple and elegant:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/741 - apparently this recipe originated at a restaurant in New York, Becco. We served with a salad of arugula, tomatoes, hearts of palm and pine nuts.
Ooops - almost forgot! Some of us did actually meet on Saturday for a walking tour of the new 29th Street Shopping Center and goodies at Panera. Barb did send out a pretty good description of that which I will quote here for those of you who did not see it:
"Six Brave Women dared the elements - and the unplowed side streets - and showed up right on time at Panera's this morning. Even Chris Rich made it - must have been the window shopping that got her out to actually walk. ;-) Susan, Chris, Mary, Jan, Jan's newly graduated daughter, Jill, and I ambled down 29th street, around the square that Staples anchors, and back up the other side of 29th. We peeked in the windows and, of course, passed judgment on all the new stores. Our cold noses appreciated the warmth and good aromas that greeted us as we came back into Panera's. Susan and I each had a fabulous soufflé "thing".
Here's a review of that souffle: http://www.foodchannel.com/2005/08/following_the_story_on_paneras.html
A helpful tidbit that we talked about - free on-line greeting card websites - if you have other suggestions, let us know:
www.americangreetings.com
www.storypeople.com
www.regards.com
www.bluemountainarts.com
Once again, wishes for a Happy New Year filled with family, friends, food and books. And don't forget Andrea's advice to support each other's well-being and good health!
Love,
Susan
Wishing you all a very healthy and happy year ahead. Especially good wishes to Terri for a speedy recovery. I'd like to share some thoughts from Andrea about the support that we give to each other throughout the year. Of course, we are always right there for each other during the rough times, emotional or physical. Andrea has suggested that we focus our energy on supporting each others good health and wellness. Perhaps that involves supporting each other in taking care of ourselves by exercising, eating well, simplifying our lives, meditation, and of course taking time for a bit of pampering. Perhaps you would like to take the opportunity to ask this group to support you in doing something like that.
Well, the holidays have come and gone. The weather has certainly made our travels challenging but hopefully the worst of the weather is behind us. You would think that with all this "enforced" time indoors, I would have been doing a lot of reading but that has certainly not been the case. I do have a few book notes though:
Mary is reading a book called The Ride of Our Lives by Mike Leonard. Mike Leonard appears on The Today Show as a features correspondent. I've enjoyed his on-air stories.
From Publishers Weekly
Fans of NBC News correspondent Leonard's slice-of-life features for the Today show may enjoy this account of a month-long road trip he took with his parents, now in their 80s. (A DVD of the journey accompanies the book.) But what works on screen doesn't translate to the printed page, and Leonard's attempt to merge a tribute to his parents with greater issues of life and death hits a dead end. As he drives from Chicago through the Southwest, up the East Coast and back to Chicago, Leonard intertwines his reflections with biographical stories by and about his somewhat eccentric parents. Their tales offer the book's most entertaining moments: phlegmatic Jack, who's "conversational 'off' button got jammed," likes to sing old songs, while gregarious Marge likes to drink and repeatedly spices her conversation with profanity ("Toora loora, my ass!" she yells during one of Jack's songs). Although Marge's behavior begins to seem more unnerving than unusual, Leonard's account of her brave childhood with an abusive father is the book's highlight. But Leonard keeps putting himself at the center of the story, detailing how charmed his life has been from his college prep high school days to lucking into his TV career, which makes for dull reading. Photos. (Apr.)
Jexy started reading Wickett's Remedy by Myla Goldberg (The Bee Season) while she was here.
From Publishers Weekly
The author of the bestselling Bee Season returns with an accomplished but peculiarly tensionless historical novel that follows the shifting fortunes of a young Irish-American woman. Raised in tough turn-of-the-century South Boston, Lydia Kilkenny works as a shopgirl at a fancy downtown department store, where she meets shy, hypochondriacal medical student Henry Wickett. After a brief courtship, the two marry (Henry down, Lydia decidedly up) in 1914. Henry quits school to promote his eponymous remedy, whose putative healing powers have less to do with the tasty brew that Lydia concocts than with the personal letters that Henry pens to each buyer. After failing to pass the army physical as the U.S. enters WWI, Henry quickly, dramatically dies of influenza, and Lydia returns to Southie, where she watches friends, neighbors and her beloved brother die in the 1918 epidemic. A flu study that employs human subjects is being conducted on Boston Harbor's Gallups Island; lonely Lydia signs on as a nurse's assistant, and there finds a smidgen of hope and a chance at a happier future. A pastiche of other voices deepens her story: chapters close with snippets from contemporary newspapers, conversations among soldiers and documents revealing the surprising fate of Wickett's Remedy. And the dead offer margin commentary—by turns wistful, tender and corrective (and occasionally annoying). Yet as well-researched, polished and poignant as the book is, Goldberg never quite locks in her characters' mindsets, and sometimes seems adrift amid period detritus. While readers will admire Lydia, they may not feel they ever truly know her.
Libby was reading The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl) - she seemed disappointed in it but I think that Janet listened to this one on tape and enjoyed it. Sometimes books are better to listen to than to read.
From Publishers Weekly
As youngest daughter to the Spanish monarchs and crusaders King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Catalina, princess of Wales and of Spain, was promised to the English Prince Arthur when she was three. She leaves Spain at 15 to fulfill her destiny as queen of England, where she finds true love with Arthur (after some initial sourness) as they plot the future of their kingdom together. Arthur dies young, however, leaving Catalina a widow and ineligible for the throne. Before his death, he extracts a promise from his wife to marry his younger brother Henry in order to become queen anyway, have children and rule as they had planned, a situation that can only be if Catalina denies that Arthur was ever her lover. Gregory's latest (after Earthly Joys) compellingly dramatizes how Catalina uses her faith, her cunning and her utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title. By alternating tight third-person narration with Catalina's unguarded thoughts and gripping dialogue, the author presents a thorough, sympathetic portrait of her heroine and her transformation into Queen Katherine. Gregory's skill for creating suspense pulls the reader along despite the historical novel's foregone conclusion.
Susan: I actually have two children's books I want to tell you about - one is a classic that I gave as a gift to some children this year and the other is a book I just heard about that I ordered and sent to Jacob.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein:
Amazon.comTo say that this particular apple tree is a "giving tree" is an understatement. In Shel Silverstein's popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. Making the boy happy makes the tree happy, but with time it becomes more challenging for the generous tree to meet his needs. When he asks for money, she suggests that he sell her apples. When he asks for a house, she offers her branches for lumber. When the boy is old, too old and sad to play in the tree, he asks the tree for a boat. She suggests that he cut her down to a stump so he can craft a boat out of her trunk. He unthinkingly does it. At this point in the story, the double-page spread shows a pathetic solitary stump, poignantly cut down to the heart the boy once carved into the tree as a child that said "M.E. + T." "And then the tree was happy... but not really." When there's nothing left of her, the boy returns again as an old man, needing a quiet place to sit and rest. The stump offers up her services, and he sits on it. "And the tree was happy." While the message of this book is unclear (Take and take and take? Give and give and give? Complete self-sacrifice is good? Complete self-sacrifice is infinitely sad?), Silverstein has perhaps deliberately left the book open to interpretation. (All ages) --Karin Snelson
Sayonara Mrs Kackleman by Maira Kalman:
From Publishers Weekly
While watching a performance of The Mikado , Alexander suggests to his older sister Lulu that perhaps they should visit Japan. Lulu, eager to avoid her piano lesson and her teacher, the dreaded Mrs. Kackleman, is only too happy to agree. The two arrive in Tokyo (without parents, you understand), and are bundled off in a red taxi driven by a gloved man with "sharp black hair." Images of houses and people, food and customs jumble together in a wild stream-of-consciousness travelogue that springs from the minds and lips of the irrepressible brother and sister. A man sitting on a park bench and a frog in a kimono reciting a haiku are as riveting as a visit to a Japanese school or communal bath house. The book is studded with many gems from the mouths of Lulu and Alexander, like the poem dedicated to their guide: "Hey Hiroko, are you loco? Would you like a cup of cocoa?" The unique and provocative illustrative style evidenced in Hey Willy, See the Pyramids flourishes in this new work, demonstrating a graphic brilliance that is fast becoming Kalman's hallmark. Her carefully orchestrated yet extravagantly kinetic paintings are crammed with details and characters ready to spill off each page. All ages.
Cooking and Food notes:
I received two wonderful cookbooks for Christmas:
From Jeff: The Barefoot Contessa at Home - I just made her recipe for Ribollita - a Tuscan bean, vegetable and bread soup that looks wonderful - tastings from the pot (my fabulous new Creuset dutch oven from Santa) seem promising.
From David: Food and Wine's The Best of the Best Volume 9 Best Recipes from the 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year - I'll be sharing some of these with you soon.
Book Description
Almost one million subscribers heartily agree: Food & Wine is the unrivaled leader in the field, and every year their editors search tirelessly for the most delectable dishes from the crème de la crème of cookbooks. Here are their selections, along with an extra treat: some special and previously unpublished recipes. It comes to more than 100 fully kitchen-tested, temptingly photographed dishes in all. And the food doesn’t come better than this: From Grilling for Life, Bobby Flay presents Smoky and Fiery Skirt Steak with Avocado-Oregano Relish. Paula Deen serves up some of her Southern-style Shrimp and Grits (Paula Deen & Friends), while Marc Meyer prepares Brunch (Baked Eggs Rancheros).
One night for dinner while Libby and David (and of course, new puppy Violet) were still here, we made Fettucine with Wild Mushrooms - pretty simple and elegant:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/741 - apparently this recipe originated at a restaurant in New York, Becco. We served with a salad of arugula, tomatoes, hearts of palm and pine nuts.
Ooops - almost forgot! Some of us did actually meet on Saturday for a walking tour of the new 29th Street Shopping Center and goodies at Panera. Barb did send out a pretty good description of that which I will quote here for those of you who did not see it:
"Six Brave Women dared the elements - and the unplowed side streets - and showed up right on time at Panera's this morning. Even Chris Rich made it - must have been the window shopping that got her out to actually walk. ;-) Susan, Chris, Mary, Jan, Jan's newly graduated daughter, Jill, and I ambled down 29th street, around the square that Staples anchors, and back up the other side of 29th. We peeked in the windows and, of course, passed judgment on all the new stores. Our cold noses appreciated the warmth and good aromas that greeted us as we came back into Panera's. Susan and I each had a fabulous soufflé "thing".
Here's a review of that souffle: http://www.foodchannel.com/2005/08/following_the_story_on_paneras.html
A helpful tidbit that we talked about - free on-line greeting card websites - if you have other suggestions, let us know:
www.americangreetings.com
www.storypeople.com
www.regards.com
www.bluemountainarts.com
Once again, wishes for a Happy New Year filled with family, friends, food and books. And don't forget Andrea's advice to support each other's well-being and good health!
Love,
Susan
Monday, December 25, 2006
Saturday Morning Walkers - December 25, 2006
Ho! Ho! Ho! everyone!
We're having a bit of a lull in the festivites at our house so I thought I would put my feet up and catch up with all of you. Hope you're all enjoying the holidays and taking time to relax and enjoy the season. It has been a wild and crazy weather week here and much focus on our relatives getting in or out of town. We're disappointed that Jeff couldn't get here but we still have quite a full house and Libby's new puppy Violet is arriving this evening. Our Saturday morning walk turned out to be a Saturday morning coffee date - I'm sorry I missed you all.
Last night we had our traditional Cincinnati Chili with a twist - instead of ground beef, we used ground dark meat turkey - turned out great!
See the recipe posted on my November 5 blog.
Tonight, we're having roast tenderloin of beef with a port wine and shitake mushroom sauce http://food.cookinglight.com/cooking/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223410 (Janet has made this sauce and loves it)
and Giada' De Laurentiis Roman Style Chicken and Roasted Potatoes and Onions (see both recipes posted on my September 24 blog.
Tomorrow night, no cooking for me - we'll be having dinner at Brasserie TenTen - one of our favorite places in Boulder - http://www.brasserietenten.com/
Jacob and I did a bit of baking earlier in the week and turned out some wonderfully decorated Hanukah cookies along with my rugulah, biscotti and chocolate whoppers (the best chocolate cookie ever!)
http://www.fostersmarket.com/Recipes/whoppers.htm - chocolate whoppers
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28255,00.html?rsrc=search - chocolate chip anise biscotti
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35322,00.html?rsrc=search - rugelach - this recipe calls for raisins but we also made them with chocolate chips - Libby's preference
Not much time for reading this week but we did manage to get out to see Charlotte's Web on Thursday - we had the theater to ourselves. Jacob seemed a little bored by it but Jack, Jexy and I enjoyed it very much - it is such a wonderful story.
Let's hope that the weather will cooperate with us this coming Saturday and we can get out for a walk - I sure will need it by then!
Enjoy the week!
Love,
Susan
We're having a bit of a lull in the festivites at our house so I thought I would put my feet up and catch up with all of you. Hope you're all enjoying the holidays and taking time to relax and enjoy the season. It has been a wild and crazy weather week here and much focus on our relatives getting in or out of town. We're disappointed that Jeff couldn't get here but we still have quite a full house and Libby's new puppy Violet is arriving this evening. Our Saturday morning walk turned out to be a Saturday morning coffee date - I'm sorry I missed you all.
Last night we had our traditional Cincinnati Chili with a twist - instead of ground beef, we used ground dark meat turkey - turned out great!
See the recipe posted on my November 5 blog.
Tonight, we're having roast tenderloin of beef with a port wine and shitake mushroom sauce http://food.cookinglight.com/cooking/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223410 (Janet has made this sauce and loves it)
and Giada' De Laurentiis Roman Style Chicken and Roasted Potatoes and Onions (see both recipes posted on my September 24 blog.
Tomorrow night, no cooking for me - we'll be having dinner at Brasserie TenTen - one of our favorite places in Boulder - http://www.brasserietenten.com/
Jacob and I did a bit of baking earlier in the week and turned out some wonderfully decorated Hanukah cookies along with my rugulah, biscotti and chocolate whoppers (the best chocolate cookie ever!)
http://www.fostersmarket.com/Recipes/whoppers.htm - chocolate whoppers
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28255,00.html?rsrc=search - chocolate chip anise biscotti
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35322,00.html?rsrc=search - rugelach - this recipe calls for raisins but we also made them with chocolate chips - Libby's preference
Not much time for reading this week but we did manage to get out to see Charlotte's Web on Thursday - we had the theater to ourselves. Jacob seemed a little bored by it but Jack, Jexy and I enjoyed it very much - it is such a wonderful story.
Let's hope that the weather will cooperate with us this coming Saturday and we can get out for a walk - I sure will need it by then!
Enjoy the week!
Love,
Susan
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Saturday Morning Walkers - December 17, 2006
Hi everyone!
First of all, I want to send love and "mazel tov" to Rae and family (her daughter, Dawn, son-in-law, Michael, Adam and Jeremy) on the arrival home of her new grandaughter (that makes 8 grandchildren!), Maria. Rae and Dawn brought 6 month old Maria home from Guatemala on Friday and they are just thrilled to welcome her into the family.
We had a great turnout yesterday for our walk/hike. Andrea, Laila, Barb, Mary, Christie and I went out in search of the Mesa Trail. We drove up to NCAR and headed out. As soon as the trail looked a bit perilous to me (It doesn't take much!), I opted to head back and Andrea graciously kept me company. Apparently the others had a great hike but never actually made it to the Mesa Trail. Of course, we all re-grouped and headed back down to Caffe Sole where Jan joined us for coffee and such. Mary will let us know where next Saturday's walk/coffee will be.
Everyone is pretty busy with holiday preparations, so not much reading going on. Barb is taking her dad out to see A Christmas Carol to celebrate his 97th!!!! birthday - Happy Birthday, George!!
Laila is taking her granddaughter to see The Velveteen Rabbit at the Boulder Dinner Theatre. The Wadles are excited about all the kids coming "home" this week - Jex and Jacob arrive on Monday evening, Jeff arrives on Thursday morning, Libby, David and new puppy, Violet arrive on Thursday evening and Joe arrives on Christmas Eve. We'll have a full house - eased thankfully by Andrea's generous offer to use her house and refrigerator while she's away.
Jacob is very excited about Hanukah this year and Jex has come up with a great plan to play down the over-stimulation of gift receiving. As you may or may not know, Hanukah lasts for 8 nights and part of the tradition is that you get a gift each night - it gets to be a bit overwhelming especially when Hanukah falls at the same time as Christmas. This year, Jacob got a gift on the first night, on the second night he bought a gift to donate to another child, and tonight they are having friends over to light the Menorah and do a Hanukah craft (no gifts) - they'll repeat the process until Hanukah ends on Friday evening.
Here's a description of the significance of Hanukah:
Hanukah, the festival of lights, commemorates the time in days of yore
when the Maccabees went to rebuild the temple, which had been
destroyed during a war with the Syrians. When they went to light the
lamp in order to begin the process of rebuilding the temple, they
found, much to their dismay, that there was only enough oil to last
for one day. When they lit the lamp however--"nes gadol haya sham"--a
great miracle happened there. On Hanukah, we celebrate this miracle,
and eat potato pancakes called latkes, which are appropriate for
Hanukah because they are cooked in oil. Here is a recipe for
everyone's favorite Hanukah treat.
POTATO LATKES12 potatoes
2 carrots
1 onion
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
A dash of pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder (use with flour)
1/3 cup sifted flour, matzo meal, or bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
Grate carrots, onion, and potatoes last, as they discolor quickly.
Drain off darkened liquid, add eggs and sifted dry ingredients. Drop
by tablespoonful into a skillet heated with 1/8-1/4 inch oil. Brown
and turn. Serves 8-10 adults.
Recipe compliments of Pearl Ruth Feder (note: I have not tried this recipe but it looks good!)
Our book group met this past Monday - Chris was our host and her book selection was 3 Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks. As usual we were more pre-occupied with her wonderful tapas menu and Prosecco wine to talk much about the book but here's the review from Amazon:
From Publishers Weekly
When bestselling author Sparks (The Notebook; Message in a Bottle; etc.) receives a brochure offering a three-week trip around the world,it's not hard for him to persuade Micah, his older brother, to join him in touring Guatemala's Mayan ruins, Peru's Incan temples, Easter Island, the killing fields in Cambodia, the Taj Mahal and Ethiopian rock cathedrals. His account of the trip is refreshingly honest and perceptive. At each stop, the brothers, both deeply committed to their families, cover the crucial moments in a life full of familial love and tragedy: Nick's role as the middle child always feeling left out; his marriage in 1989; the loss of Nick and Micah's mother two months later after a horseback riding accident; the death of Nick's first baby and the physical problems of his second son; the death of their father in a car accident; and the passing of their younger sister from a brain tumor. As the brothers travel together through these mythical sites and share candid thoughts, they find themselves stunned by fate's turns,realizing that a peaceful moment may be shattered at any time. Weaving in vignettes of tenderness and loss with travelogue-like observations, Sparks's account shows how he and his brother both evolved on this voyage. "Somehow there was a chance we could help each other, and in that way, I began to think of the trip less as a journey around the world than a journey to rediscover who I was and how I'? developed the way I did."
Here's a recipe for one of the dishes that we had:
Seared Shrimp with Pimenton and Sherry from Fine Cooking Magazine
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
Kosher salt
3 tbls olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon sweet pimenton (or paprika)
Heaping 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tbls thinly sliced chives
3 tablespoons of dry Sherry (I used dry white wine)
Fresh lemon juice
Sprinkle shrimp with 3/4 tsp kosher salt, toss, and let sit for 10 minutes for refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil on high heat. Pat shrimp dry, addto skillet. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp kosh salt and sear until they're pink and a little golden on one side, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the garlic,pimenton, and red pepper flakes over the shrimp, and saute, stirring,until the shrimp are almost completely pink, about 1 minute. Add the sherry and cook, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan, until theshrimp are pink all over (the sherry will evaporate quickly, but youshould still have some juices in the pan).
Remove from heat. Toss with the lemon zest and chives. Pour the shrimp and juices into a serving dish, squeeze on lemon juice to taste and serve.
Note: Pimenton is a spice - it is smoked paprika
Note about Barb's recipe for Caviar Pie that appeared last week: Be sure to use regular block cream cheese, not whipped or lite.
Just a couple of quick reminders of upcoming events:
Lafayette Oatmeal Festival will be Saturday, January 13 - that's become somewhat of a tradition for us so let's talk about plans to do that together - info at www.discoverlafayette.com
Tattered Cover Writers Respond To Readers will be Saturday, January 27 - registration is Monday, January 8 and it fills up fast - let me know if you're interested.
Okay, Okay - that's it for now! Have a great week!
First of all, I want to send love and "mazel tov" to Rae and family (her daughter, Dawn, son-in-law, Michael, Adam and Jeremy) on the arrival home of her new grandaughter (that makes 8 grandchildren!), Maria. Rae and Dawn brought 6 month old Maria home from Guatemala on Friday and they are just thrilled to welcome her into the family.
We had a great turnout yesterday for our walk/hike. Andrea, Laila, Barb, Mary, Christie and I went out in search of the Mesa Trail. We drove up to NCAR and headed out. As soon as the trail looked a bit perilous to me (It doesn't take much!), I opted to head back and Andrea graciously kept me company. Apparently the others had a great hike but never actually made it to the Mesa Trail. Of course, we all re-grouped and headed back down to Caffe Sole where Jan joined us for coffee and such. Mary will let us know where next Saturday's walk/coffee will be.
Everyone is pretty busy with holiday preparations, so not much reading going on. Barb is taking her dad out to see A Christmas Carol to celebrate his 97th!!!! birthday - Happy Birthday, George!!
Laila is taking her granddaughter to see The Velveteen Rabbit at the Boulder Dinner Theatre. The Wadles are excited about all the kids coming "home" this week - Jex and Jacob arrive on Monday evening, Jeff arrives on Thursday morning, Libby, David and new puppy, Violet arrive on Thursday evening and Joe arrives on Christmas Eve. We'll have a full house - eased thankfully by Andrea's generous offer to use her house and refrigerator while she's away.
Jacob is very excited about Hanukah this year and Jex has come up with a great plan to play down the over-stimulation of gift receiving. As you may or may not know, Hanukah lasts for 8 nights and part of the tradition is that you get a gift each night - it gets to be a bit overwhelming especially when Hanukah falls at the same time as Christmas. This year, Jacob got a gift on the first night, on the second night he bought a gift to donate to another child, and tonight they are having friends over to light the Menorah and do a Hanukah craft (no gifts) - they'll repeat the process until Hanukah ends on Friday evening.
Here's a description of the significance of Hanukah:
Hanukah, the festival of lights, commemorates the time in days of yore
when the Maccabees went to rebuild the temple, which had been
destroyed during a war with the Syrians. When they went to light the
lamp in order to begin the process of rebuilding the temple, they
found, much to their dismay, that there was only enough oil to last
for one day. When they lit the lamp however--"nes gadol haya sham"--a
great miracle happened there. On Hanukah, we celebrate this miracle,
and eat potato pancakes called latkes, which are appropriate for
Hanukah because they are cooked in oil. Here is a recipe for
everyone's favorite Hanukah treat.
POTATO LATKES12 potatoes
2 carrots
1 onion
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
A dash of pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder (use with flour)
1/3 cup sifted flour, matzo meal, or bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
Grate carrots, onion, and potatoes last, as they discolor quickly.
Drain off darkened liquid, add eggs and sifted dry ingredients. Drop
by tablespoonful into a skillet heated with 1/8-1/4 inch oil. Brown
and turn. Serves 8-10 adults.
Recipe compliments of Pearl Ruth Feder (note: I have not tried this recipe but it looks good!)
Our book group met this past Monday - Chris was our host and her book selection was 3 Weeks With My Brother by Nicholas and Micah Sparks. As usual we were more pre-occupied with her wonderful tapas menu and Prosecco wine to talk much about the book but here's the review from Amazon:
From Publishers Weekly
When bestselling author Sparks (The Notebook; Message in a Bottle; etc.) receives a brochure offering a three-week trip around the world,it's not hard for him to persuade Micah, his older brother, to join him in touring Guatemala's Mayan ruins, Peru's Incan temples, Easter Island, the killing fields in Cambodia, the Taj Mahal and Ethiopian rock cathedrals. His account of the trip is refreshingly honest and perceptive. At each stop, the brothers, both deeply committed to their families, cover the crucial moments in a life full of familial love and tragedy: Nick's role as the middle child always feeling left out; his marriage in 1989; the loss of Nick and Micah's mother two months later after a horseback riding accident; the death of Nick's first baby and the physical problems of his second son; the death of their father in a car accident; and the passing of their younger sister from a brain tumor. As the brothers travel together through these mythical sites and share candid thoughts, they find themselves stunned by fate's turns,realizing that a peaceful moment may be shattered at any time. Weaving in vignettes of tenderness and loss with travelogue-like observations, Sparks's account shows how he and his brother both evolved on this voyage. "Somehow there was a chance we could help each other, and in that way, I began to think of the trip less as a journey around the world than a journey to rediscover who I was and how I'? developed the way I did."
Here's a recipe for one of the dishes that we had:
Seared Shrimp with Pimenton and Sherry from Fine Cooking Magazine
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
Kosher salt
3 tbls olive oil
6 medium cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon sweet pimenton (or paprika)
Heaping 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tbls thinly sliced chives
3 tablespoons of dry Sherry (I used dry white wine)
Fresh lemon juice
Sprinkle shrimp with 3/4 tsp kosher salt, toss, and let sit for 10 minutes for refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
In a 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil on high heat. Pat shrimp dry, addto skillet. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp kosh salt and sear until they're pink and a little golden on one side, about 1 minute. Sprinkle the garlic,pimenton, and red pepper flakes over the shrimp, and saute, stirring,until the shrimp are almost completely pink, about 1 minute. Add the sherry and cook, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the pan, until theshrimp are pink all over (the sherry will evaporate quickly, but youshould still have some juices in the pan).
Remove from heat. Toss with the lemon zest and chives. Pour the shrimp and juices into a serving dish, squeeze on lemon juice to taste and serve.
Note: Pimenton is a spice - it is smoked paprika
Note about Barb's recipe for Caviar Pie that appeared last week: Be sure to use regular block cream cheese, not whipped or lite.
Just a couple of quick reminders of upcoming events:
Lafayette Oatmeal Festival will be Saturday, January 13 - that's become somewhat of a tradition for us so let's talk about plans to do that together - info at www.discoverlafayette.com
Tattered Cover Writers Respond To Readers will be Saturday, January 27 - registration is Monday, January 8 and it fills up fast - let me know if you're interested.
Okay, Okay - that's it for now! Have a great week!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Saturday Morning Walkers - December 3, 2006
Hi Everyone!
Well, we had a snowy morning yesterday and missed all of you. Barb and I had a lovely time together and were so happy to run into Jackie and Keith. Unlike the two of us, they were on their way for a day of cross-country skiing.
I do have books to talk about and many recipes to share, also a restaurant review, so here goes.
Susan: I finished The Memory Keeeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I definitely was pulled into the story and moral dilemma it posed - very reminiscent of Jodi Picoult's work.
From Publishers Weekly
Edwards's assured but schematic debut novel (after her collection, The Secrets of a Fire King) hinges on the birth of fraternal twins, a healthy boy and a girl with Down syndrome, resulting in the father's disavowal of his newborn daughter. A snowstorm immobilizes Lexington, Ky., in 1964, and when young Norah Henry goes into labor, her husband, orthopedic sur geon Dr. David Henry, must deliver their babies himself, aided only by a nurse. Seeing his daughter's handicap, he instructs the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take her to a home and later tells Norah, who was drugged during labor, that their son Paul's twin died at birth. Instead of institutionalizing Phoebe, Caroline absconds with her to Pittsburgh. David's deception becomes the defining moment of the main characters' lives, and Phoebe's absence corrodes her birth family's core over the course of the next 25 years. David's undetected lie warps his marriage; he grapples with guilt; Norah mourns her lost child; and Paul not only deals with his parents' icy relationship but with his own yearnings for his sister as well. Though the impact of Phoebe's loss makes sense, Edwards's redundant handling of the trope robs it of credibility. This neatly structured story is a little too moist with compassion.
Jack: Jack just finished Erik Larsen's (The Devil in the White City) new book, Thunderstruck and he loved it. Once again Larsen weaves two true historical events and creates a work of non-fiction that reads like a novel
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. [Signature]Reviewed by James L. SwansonIn this splendid, beautifully written followup to his blockbuster thriller, Devil in the White City, Erik Larson again unites the dual stories of two disparate men, one a genius and the other a killer. The genius is Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of wireless communication. The murderer is the notorious Englishman Dr. H.H. Crippen. Scientists had dreamed for centuries of capturing the power of lightning and sending electrical currents through the ether. Yes, the great cable strung across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean could send messages thousands of miles, but the holy grail was a device that could send wireless messages anywhere in the world. Late in the 19th century, Europe's most brilliant theoretical scientists raced to unlock the secret of wireless communication.Guglielmo Marconi, impatient, brash, relentless and in his early 20s, achieved the astonishing breakthrough in September 1895. His English detractors were incredulous. He was a foreigner and, even worse, an Italian! Marconi himself admitted that he was not a great scientist or theorist. Instead, he exemplified the Edisonian model of tedious, endless trial and error.Despite Marconi's achievements, it took a sensational murder to bring unprecedented worldwide attention to his invention. Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, a proper, unattractive little man with bulging, bespectacled eyes, possessed an impassioned, love-starved heart. An alchemist and peddler of preposterous patent medicines, he killed his wife, a woman Larson portrays lavishly as a gold-digging, selfish, stage-struck, flirtatious, inattentive, unfaithful clotheshorse. The hapless Crippen endured it all until he found the sympathetic Other Woman and true love. The "North London Cellar Murder" so captured the popular imagination in 1910 that people wrote plays and composed sheet music about it. It wasn't just what Crippen did, but how. How did he obtain the poison crystals, skin her and dispose of all those bones so neatly? The manhunt climaxed with a fantastic sea chase from Europe to Canada, not just by a pursuing vessel but also by invisible waves racing lightning-fast above the ocean. It seemed that all the world knew—except for the doctor and his lover, the prey of dozens of frenetic Marconi wireless transmissions. In addition to writing stylish portraits of all of his main characters, Larson populates his narrative with an irresistible supporting cast. He remains a master of the fact-filled vignette and humorous aside that propel the story forward. Thunderstruck triumphantly resurrects the spirit of another age, when one man's public genius linked the world, while another's private turmoil made him a symbol of the end of "the great hush" and the first victim of a new era when instant communication, now inescapable, conquered the world
Cooking Report:
I made 3 successful meals this week:
Meatballs and Spaghetti from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34023,00.html?rsrc=search
Basil Chicken Hash from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35293,00.html?rsrc=search
Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce from Giada De Laurentiis, The Everyday Italian - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28065,00.html?rsrc=search
I've had a request from my friend, Lynn for my biscotti recipe - they're great to make for the holidays and for gifts - they're actually called Chocolate Anise Cookies from Giada DeLaurentiis -
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28255,00.html?rsrc=search
A terrific recipe from Barb for make-ahead mashed potatoes that she got from the NPR website:
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
(Serves 8 to 10)
NPR.org, November 21, 2006 · Be sure to bake the potatoes until they are completely tender; err on the side of over- rather than undercooking. You can use a hand-held mixer instead of a standing mixer, but the potatoes will be lumpier.
5 pounds russet baking potatoes (about 9 medium), scrubbed and poked several times with a fork 3 cups heavy cream, hot
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Salt and ground black pepper
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Microwave the potatoes on high power for 16 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and place them directly on the hot oven rack. Bake until a skewer glides easily through the flesh, about 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the baking time (do not undercook).
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven, and cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using an oven mitt or a folded kitchen towel to hold the hot potatoes, scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into a medium bowl. Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a fork, potato masher, or rubber spatula.
4. Transfer half of the potatoes to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the potatoes on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds, gradually adding the rest of the potatoes to incorporate, until completely smooth and no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the
bowl as needed.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in 2 cups of the cream, followed by the butter and 2 teaspoons salt. Gently fold in up to 1/2 cup more of the cream as needed to reach your desired serving consistency. Once the desired serving consistency is reached, gently fold in an additional 1/2 cup cream (the potatoes will be quite loose).
6. To Store: Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
7. To Serve: Poke lots of holes in the plastic wrap with the tip of a knife, and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power until the potatoes are hot, about 14 minutes, stirring gently halfway through the reheating time.
Source: Editors at America's Test Kitchen
From Chris Rich a recipe from Martha Stewart for Sweet Potatoes with Carmelized Apples: http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe5060094&layout=martha
Restaurant Review: Restaurant 4580 at 4580 Broadway, Boulder - this is the trendy restaurant that was opened in "NoBo" by the former manager of the Flagstaff Restaurant. It is a more casual, hip sort of place, featuring small plates. The food was very good - Jack had Limoncello Flamed Jumbo Shrimp with Garlic Chips and Jalapeno Gremolade and Tomato Risotto; we shared a very nice Bibb lettuce salad with Cabrales (Spanish blue cheese), red onion, Marcona almonds and herb vinaigrette; I had Marinated Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde, Balsamic Onions and Frites.
The atmosphere was not great - lots of cold, hard surfaces, noisy, and an unappealing view into the kitchen. The prices were pretty reasonable.
Until next week........
Love,
Susan
Well, we had a snowy morning yesterday and missed all of you. Barb and I had a lovely time together and were so happy to run into Jackie and Keith. Unlike the two of us, they were on their way for a day of cross-country skiing.
I do have books to talk about and many recipes to share, also a restaurant review, so here goes.
Susan: I finished The Memory Keeeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I definitely was pulled into the story and moral dilemma it posed - very reminiscent of Jodi Picoult's work.
From Publishers Weekly
Edwards's assured but schematic debut novel (after her collection, The Secrets of a Fire King) hinges on the birth of fraternal twins, a healthy boy and a girl with Down syndrome, resulting in the father's disavowal of his newborn daughter. A snowstorm immobilizes Lexington, Ky., in 1964, and when young Norah Henry goes into labor, her husband, orthopedic sur geon Dr. David Henry, must deliver their babies himself, aided only by a nurse. Seeing his daughter's handicap, he instructs the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take her to a home and later tells Norah, who was drugged during labor, that their son Paul's twin died at birth. Instead of institutionalizing Phoebe, Caroline absconds with her to Pittsburgh. David's deception becomes the defining moment of the main characters' lives, and Phoebe's absence corrodes her birth family's core over the course of the next 25 years. David's undetected lie warps his marriage; he grapples with guilt; Norah mourns her lost child; and Paul not only deals with his parents' icy relationship but with his own yearnings for his sister as well. Though the impact of Phoebe's loss makes sense, Edwards's redundant handling of the trope robs it of credibility. This neatly structured story is a little too moist with compassion.
Jack: Jack just finished Erik Larsen's (The Devil in the White City) new book, Thunderstruck and he loved it. Once again Larsen weaves two true historical events and creates a work of non-fiction that reads like a novel
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. [Signature]Reviewed by James L. SwansonIn this splendid, beautifully written followup to his blockbuster thriller, Devil in the White City, Erik Larson again unites the dual stories of two disparate men, one a genius and the other a killer. The genius is Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of wireless communication. The murderer is the notorious Englishman Dr. H.H. Crippen. Scientists had dreamed for centuries of capturing the power of lightning and sending electrical currents through the ether. Yes, the great cable strung across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean could send messages thousands of miles, but the holy grail was a device that could send wireless messages anywhere in the world. Late in the 19th century, Europe's most brilliant theoretical scientists raced to unlock the secret of wireless communication.Guglielmo Marconi, impatient, brash, relentless and in his early 20s, achieved the astonishing breakthrough in September 1895. His English detractors were incredulous. He was a foreigner and, even worse, an Italian! Marconi himself admitted that he was not a great scientist or theorist. Instead, he exemplified the Edisonian model of tedious, endless trial and error.Despite Marconi's achievements, it took a sensational murder to bring unprecedented worldwide attention to his invention. Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, a proper, unattractive little man with bulging, bespectacled eyes, possessed an impassioned, love-starved heart. An alchemist and peddler of preposterous patent medicines, he killed his wife, a woman Larson portrays lavishly as a gold-digging, selfish, stage-struck, flirtatious, inattentive, unfaithful clotheshorse. The hapless Crippen endured it all until he found the sympathetic Other Woman and true love. The "North London Cellar Murder" so captured the popular imagination in 1910 that people wrote plays and composed sheet music about it. It wasn't just what Crippen did, but how. How did he obtain the poison crystals, skin her and dispose of all those bones so neatly? The manhunt climaxed with a fantastic sea chase from Europe to Canada, not just by a pursuing vessel but also by invisible waves racing lightning-fast above the ocean. It seemed that all the world knew—except for the doctor and his lover, the prey of dozens of frenetic Marconi wireless transmissions. In addition to writing stylish portraits of all of his main characters, Larson populates his narrative with an irresistible supporting cast. He remains a master of the fact-filled vignette and humorous aside that propel the story forward. Thunderstruck triumphantly resurrects the spirit of another age, when one man's public genius linked the world, while another's private turmoil made him a symbol of the end of "the great hush" and the first victim of a new era when instant communication, now inescapable, conquered the world
Cooking Report:
I made 3 successful meals this week:
Meatballs and Spaghetti from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34023,00.html?rsrc=search
Basil Chicken Hash from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35293,00.html?rsrc=search
Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce from Giada De Laurentiis, The Everyday Italian - http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28065,00.html?rsrc=search
I've had a request from my friend, Lynn for my biscotti recipe - they're great to make for the holidays and for gifts - they're actually called Chocolate Anise Cookies from Giada DeLaurentiis -
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28255,00.html?rsrc=search
A terrific recipe from Barb for make-ahead mashed potatoes that she got from the NPR website:
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
(Serves 8 to 10)
NPR.org, November 21, 2006 · Be sure to bake the potatoes until they are completely tender; err on the side of over- rather than undercooking. You can use a hand-held mixer instead of a standing mixer, but the potatoes will be lumpier.
5 pounds russet baking potatoes (about 9 medium), scrubbed and poked several times with a fork 3 cups heavy cream, hot
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Salt and ground black pepper
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Microwave the potatoes on high power for 16 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and place them directly on the hot oven rack. Bake until a skewer glides easily through the flesh, about 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the baking time (do not undercook).
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven, and cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using an oven mitt or a folded kitchen towel to hold the hot potatoes, scoop out all of the flesh from each potato half into a medium bowl. Break the cooked potato flesh down into small pieces using a fork, potato masher, or rubber spatula.
4. Transfer half of the potatoes to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the potatoes on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds, gradually adding the rest of the potatoes to incorporate, until completely smooth and no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides and bottom of the
bowl as needed.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in 2 cups of the cream, followed by the butter and 2 teaspoons salt. Gently fold in up to 1/2 cup more of the cream as needed to reach your desired serving consistency. Once the desired serving consistency is reached, gently fold in an additional 1/2 cup cream (the potatoes will be quite loose).
6. To Store: Transfer the mashed potatoes to a large microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
7. To Serve: Poke lots of holes in the plastic wrap with the tip of a knife, and microwave at medium-high (75 percent) power until the potatoes are hot, about 14 minutes, stirring gently halfway through the reheating time.
Source: Editors at America's Test Kitchen
From Chris Rich a recipe from Martha Stewart for Sweet Potatoes with Carmelized Apples: http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe5060094&layout=martha
Restaurant Review: Restaurant 4580 at 4580 Broadway, Boulder - this is the trendy restaurant that was opened in "NoBo" by the former manager of the Flagstaff Restaurant. It is a more casual, hip sort of place, featuring small plates. The food was very good - Jack had Limoncello Flamed Jumbo Shrimp with Garlic Chips and Jalapeno Gremolade and Tomato Risotto; we shared a very nice Bibb lettuce salad with Cabrales (Spanish blue cheese), red onion, Marcona almonds and herb vinaigrette; I had Marinated Skirt Steak with Salsa Verde, Balsamic Onions and Frites.
The atmosphere was not great - lots of cold, hard surfaces, noisy, and an unappealing view into the kitchen. The prices were pretty reasonable.
Until next week........
Love,
Susan
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Saturday Morning Walkers - November 26, 2006
Hi everyone!
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We just got back from our visit to Jacob and family in California. We had a great time and a delicious turkey dinner - I'll have details below.
I did get some reading done and have a couple of other recommendations from Joe's mom, Barbara.
Book Report:
Susan: I finished Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer - a very timely account of Fundamentalist Mormons in Utah and a related murder. The story held my interest for most of the book and I learned a great deal but it got a bit tedious towards the end.
Amazon.comIn 1984, Ron and Dan Lafferty murdered the wife and infant daughter of their younger brother Allen. The crimes were noteworthy not merely for their brutality but for the brothers' claim that they were acting on direct orders from God. In Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer tells the story of the killers and their crime but also explores the shadowy world of Mormon fundamentalism from which the two emerged. The Mormon Church was founded, in part, on the idea that true believers could speak directly with God. But while the mainstream church attempted to be more palatable to the general public by rejecting the controversial tenet of polygamy, fundamentalist splinter groups saw this as apostasy and took to the hills to live what they believed to be a righteous life. When their beliefs are challenged or their patriarchal, cult-like order defied, these still-active groups, according to Krakauer, are capable of fighting back with tremendous violence. While Krakauer's research into the history of the church is admirably extensive, the real power of the book comes from present-day information, notably jailhouse interviews with Dan Lafferty. Far from being the brooding maniac one might expect, Lafferty is chillingly coherent, still insisting that his motive was merely to obey God's command. Krakauer's accounts of the actual murders are graphic and disturbing, but such detail makes the brothers' claim of divine instruction all the more horrifying. In an age where Westerners have trouble comprehending what drives Islamic fundamentalists to kill, Jon Krakauer advises us to look within America's own borders
Barbara Rowland: Barbara recommended two books by Edward Rutherford, Sarum and London.
Sarum:
From Library Journal
A first novel, Rutherfurd's sweeping saga of the area surrounding Stonehenge and Salisbury, England, covers 10,000 years and includes many generations of five families. Each family has one or more characteristic types who appear in successive centuries: the round-headed balding man who is good with his hands; the blue-eyed blonde woman who insists on having her independence; the dark, narrow-faced fisher of river waters and secrets. Their fortunes rise and fall both economically and politically, but the land triumphs over the passage of time and the ravages of humans. Rutherfurd has told the story of the land he was born in and has told it well. The verbosity of a Michener is missing, but all the other elements are present, from geology and archaeology to a rich story of human life. Highly recommended.
London:
Amazon.com
Edward Rutherfurd belongs to the James Michener school: he writes big, sprawling history-by- the-pound. His novel, London, stretches two millennia all the way from Roman times to the present. The author places his vignettes at the most dramatic moments of that city's history, leaping from Caesar's invasion to the Norman Conquest to the Great Fire to (of course) the Blitz, with many stops in between. London is ambitious, and students of English history will eat it up. The author doesn't skimp on historical detail, and that's a signal pleasure of the book. Ultimately, though, the structure of the novel determines the lion's share of its success. Rutherfurd is a good storyteller and each vignette makes for a good story; however, he has given himself the inevitable task of beginning what amounts to a new book every 40 pages or so. Just as one begins to warm to the characters, they are hurried off the stage. You can't read London without a scorecard—but that's part of the fun.
Jacob Rowland: Jacob and Jexy brought a Thanksgiving book to The Garden School on Wednesday for "circle". It is called The Firefighters' Thanksgiving by Maribeth Boelts and Terry Widener (illustrator)
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2 - On Thanksgiving Day, the firefighters at Station 1 are busy preparing a holiday dinner. While two of them are grocery shopping in the morning, a call comes in over their cell phone and they rush out, leaving behind a full shopping cart. After they've put out the fire, they go back to the store, help mop up the melted ice cream, and return to the station. Then another call comes in. In fact, every time they put out a fire and return to the firehouse, they inevitably get another call. In one of the later fires, Lou, who had volunteered to cook, is injured. This time, when the others return, they find a sumptuous holiday feast with a heartfelt thank-you note attached, and they take some of this food to Lou in the hospital. Vibrant, somewhat surreal illustrations vividly depict the firefighters walking through doorways ablaze in orange flames. Despite a tendency toward a crowded, sometimes confusing look to the spreads and some forced rhyming structure, firefighter fans should enjoy this story.
Food and Cooking Report: Needless to say, the featured player this week was our turkey. Following a long-standing tradition in my family, we always name our poultry. This year we named our bird, Borat. Jexy wanted to try the dry brine method that was featured in the LA Times. We did that and added a touch of our own, as well. Basically, you rub the bird with salt, inside and out, then seal it in a plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days before cooking. Once it was ready to go into the oven, we created an herb butter (we used Earth Balance - works great!) with some thyme, marjoram and sage. We rubbed that under the breast skin and all over the outside of the bird. You could use any herbs you like - we had those left over from other dishes we were preparing. Here's the LA Times recipe with all the details. It turned out great and I will definitely do it again.
Roasted Salted Turkey
Servings: 11 to 15
Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting.
1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey
Kosher salt
1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).
2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.
3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.
4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.
5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.
6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.
Of course, we had the usual cranberries, stuffing (we did not stuff the bird so I guess it is actually dressing), mashed potatoes and yams. Our veggie was particularly good - Sizzled Green Beans with Crispy Proscuitto and Pine Nuts - this recipe was from Eating Well - http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sizzled_green_beans.html
Dessert was Pumpkin Pie made by the students at Roosevelt High School and Brownies - a Wadle family favorite - here's the recipe:
2 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Flour
Pinch Salt
1 Cup Pecans, Chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease pan.
2. Melt chocolate (ideally use a double boiler)
3 .Cream butter until soft. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one a time, beating after addition.
4. Mix flour with salt and stir into mixture.
5. Stir in nuts, melted chocolate and vanilla.
6. Spread mixture in 8" square pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Let cool before cutting into squares.
We served the brownies with vanilla ice cream!
Well, now that Thanksgiving is over, it is time to gear up for Chanukah and Christmas holidays. Join me in keeping the emphasis on family, friends and great food. One thing that I'd like to share with you are a couple of traditions that our book group has established. We "publish" a cookbook each year which makes a great holiday gift and we collect children's books to donate to the Boulder Safehouse.
Also, Jexy and I were talking about how overwhelming last year was for Jacob with Chanukah and Christmas happening all at once. Jexy's idea for the eight days of Chanukah is to rotate activities throughout the eight days - one day for a present for Jacob to open, one day for Jacob to donate a present for a child who wouldn't otherwise have one, and one day for a craft activity related to Chanukah, etc.
Send me any special traditions your family has and share them with the rest of us.
Until next week......
Love,
Susan
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We just got back from our visit to Jacob and family in California. We had a great time and a delicious turkey dinner - I'll have details below.
I did get some reading done and have a couple of other recommendations from Joe's mom, Barbara.
Book Report:
Susan: I finished Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer - a very timely account of Fundamentalist Mormons in Utah and a related murder. The story held my interest for most of the book and I learned a great deal but it got a bit tedious towards the end.
Amazon.comIn 1984, Ron and Dan Lafferty murdered the wife and infant daughter of their younger brother Allen. The crimes were noteworthy not merely for their brutality but for the brothers' claim that they were acting on direct orders from God. In Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer tells the story of the killers and their crime but also explores the shadowy world of Mormon fundamentalism from which the two emerged. The Mormon Church was founded, in part, on the idea that true believers could speak directly with God. But while the mainstream church attempted to be more palatable to the general public by rejecting the controversial tenet of polygamy, fundamentalist splinter groups saw this as apostasy and took to the hills to live what they believed to be a righteous life. When their beliefs are challenged or their patriarchal, cult-like order defied, these still-active groups, according to Krakauer, are capable of fighting back with tremendous violence. While Krakauer's research into the history of the church is admirably extensive, the real power of the book comes from present-day information, notably jailhouse interviews with Dan Lafferty. Far from being the brooding maniac one might expect, Lafferty is chillingly coherent, still insisting that his motive was merely to obey God's command. Krakauer's accounts of the actual murders are graphic and disturbing, but such detail makes the brothers' claim of divine instruction all the more horrifying. In an age where Westerners have trouble comprehending what drives Islamic fundamentalists to kill, Jon Krakauer advises us to look within America's own borders
Barbara Rowland: Barbara recommended two books by Edward Rutherford, Sarum and London.
Sarum:
From Library Journal
A first novel, Rutherfurd's sweeping saga of the area surrounding Stonehenge and Salisbury, England, covers 10,000 years and includes many generations of five families. Each family has one or more characteristic types who appear in successive centuries: the round-headed balding man who is good with his hands; the blue-eyed blonde woman who insists on having her independence; the dark, narrow-faced fisher of river waters and secrets. Their fortunes rise and fall both economically and politically, but the land triumphs over the passage of time and the ravages of humans. Rutherfurd has told the story of the land he was born in and has told it well. The verbosity of a Michener is missing, but all the other elements are present, from geology and archaeology to a rich story of human life. Highly recommended.
London:
Amazon.com
Edward Rutherfurd belongs to the James Michener school: he writes big, sprawling history-by- the-pound. His novel, London, stretches two millennia all the way from Roman times to the present. The author places his vignettes at the most dramatic moments of that city's history, leaping from Caesar's invasion to the Norman Conquest to the Great Fire to (of course) the Blitz, with many stops in between. London is ambitious, and students of English history will eat it up. The author doesn't skimp on historical detail, and that's a signal pleasure of the book. Ultimately, though, the structure of the novel determines the lion's share of its success. Rutherfurd is a good storyteller and each vignette makes for a good story; however, he has given himself the inevitable task of beginning what amounts to a new book every 40 pages or so. Just as one begins to warm to the characters, they are hurried off the stage. You can't read London without a scorecard—but that's part of the fun.
Jacob Rowland: Jacob and Jexy brought a Thanksgiving book to The Garden School on Wednesday for "circle". It is called The Firefighters' Thanksgiving by Maribeth Boelts and Terry Widener (illustrator)
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2 - On Thanksgiving Day, the firefighters at Station 1 are busy preparing a holiday dinner. While two of them are grocery shopping in the morning, a call comes in over their cell phone and they rush out, leaving behind a full shopping cart. After they've put out the fire, they go back to the store, help mop up the melted ice cream, and return to the station. Then another call comes in. In fact, every time they put out a fire and return to the firehouse, they inevitably get another call. In one of the later fires, Lou, who had volunteered to cook, is injured. This time, when the others return, they find a sumptuous holiday feast with a heartfelt thank-you note attached, and they take some of this food to Lou in the hospital. Vibrant, somewhat surreal illustrations vividly depict the firefighters walking through doorways ablaze in orange flames. Despite a tendency toward a crowded, sometimes confusing look to the spreads and some forced rhyming structure, firefighter fans should enjoy this story.
Food and Cooking Report: Needless to say, the featured player this week was our turkey. Following a long-standing tradition in my family, we always name our poultry. This year we named our bird, Borat. Jexy wanted to try the dry brine method that was featured in the LA Times. We did that and added a touch of our own, as well. Basically, you rub the bird with salt, inside and out, then seal it in a plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days before cooking. Once it was ready to go into the oven, we created an herb butter (we used Earth Balance - works great!) with some thyme, marjoram and sage. We rubbed that under the breast skin and all over the outside of the bird. You could use any herbs you like - we had those left over from other dishes we were preparing. Here's the LA Times recipe with all the details. It turned out great and I will definitely do it again.
Roasted Salted Turkey
Servings: 11 to 15
Note: This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that is delicious as it is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with butter before roasting.
1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey
Kosher salt
1. Wash the turkey inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1 tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs (for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).
2. Sprinkle the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center, where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over-salted.
3. Turn the turkey on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt, concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite side.
4. Place the turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, turning it onto its breast for the last day.
5. Remove the turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Place the turkey breast-side up on a plate and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.
6. On the day it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
7. Place the turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up (it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts).
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4 hours total roasting.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.
Of course, we had the usual cranberries, stuffing (we did not stuff the bird so I guess it is actually dressing), mashed potatoes and yams. Our veggie was particularly good - Sizzled Green Beans with Crispy Proscuitto and Pine Nuts - this recipe was from Eating Well - http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sizzled_green_beans.html
Dessert was Pumpkin Pie made by the students at Roosevelt High School and Brownies - a Wadle family favorite - here's the recipe:
2 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate
1/2 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup Flour
Pinch Salt
1 Cup Pecans, Chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease pan.
2. Melt chocolate (ideally use a double boiler)
3 .Cream butter until soft. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one a time, beating after addition.
4. Mix flour with salt and stir into mixture.
5. Stir in nuts, melted chocolate and vanilla.
6. Spread mixture in 8" square pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Let cool before cutting into squares.
We served the brownies with vanilla ice cream!
Well, now that Thanksgiving is over, it is time to gear up for Chanukah and Christmas holidays. Join me in keeping the emphasis on family, friends and great food. One thing that I'd like to share with you are a couple of traditions that our book group has established. We "publish" a cookbook each year which makes a great holiday gift and we collect children's books to donate to the Boulder Safehouse.
Also, Jexy and I were talking about how overwhelming last year was for Jacob with Chanukah and Christmas happening all at once. Jexy's idea for the eight days of Chanukah is to rotate activities throughout the eight days - one day for a present for Jacob to open, one day for Jacob to donate a present for a child who wouldn't otherwise have one, and one day for a craft activity related to Chanukah, etc.
Send me any special traditions your family has and share them with the rest of us.
Until next week......
Love,
Susan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)