Wednesday's Cookbook: Bravo

Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook

I have admitted that I have an addiction to books, so now that we're so close that we spill secrets, let me tell you another. I'm also addicted to Top Chef. I can't get enough of the show ― the cheftestants, Tom, Padma, the challenges ― I love it all. So if there is ever a lull in the series, it makes me crazy.
This summer there was a long void, and Bravo tried to fill it with Rocco's Dinner Party, which only gave me heartburn. But now we're back to my favorite Top Chef spin-off, Just Desserts.
Not only has the series created a huge television following, but it also has created a popular series of cookbooks. My favorite is The Quickfire Cookbook. A Quickfire Challenge on Top Chef is the appetizer to the show. It's usually a short, timed contest between the chefs, and involves crazy ingredients, a theme, and/or a blindfold. No matter how experienced or talented, the best chefs are tasked to the limit in the Quickfires.
The cookbook captures the pace and excitement of the show's segment, with recipes divided into chapters titled Ingredient Challenge, Time Challenge, Creativity Challenge, Technique Challenge, and Judges' Challenge.
Behind-the-scenes photos and insider information give a glimpse into how the episodes are filmed. My favorite bit describes the area where they film the show's dishes in all their glory as the "food porn" area. There are Fun Facts (like the fact that vanilla beans come from orchids), About an Ingredient (what exactly is in a Vienna Sausage?), and Useful Techniques (like how to butterfly chicken breasts).
Quotes from the cheftestants and in-depth bios showcase the best ― and the strangest ― characters from the show.
You can even create your own Top Chef at home, with tips on How to Throw a Quickfire Party, or Suggested Blind Taste Tests (that one could go very wrong).
But it's the recipes that shine. Despite the craziness thrown at the contestants, they are still able to create magic, like Sam's Tempura and Peach Sandwich; Stephanie's Shrimp, Pork and Banana Fritters; and Antonia's Poached Egg Salad. And then there's Hung's infamous Smurf Village on a plate. Oh yeah, it's in here, too. (2009 - Chronicle Books) 

Oh, Bother!

Winnie the Pooh turned 90 on Aug. 21. The little stuffed bear with the sweet disposition has warmed hearts for years as he shared adventures with his friend Christopher Robin.

Of course I'm talking about the actual stuffed bear that A.A. Milne purchased from Harrods for his son and then used as inspiration for his popular books, the first of which debuted 86 years ago. The original Pooh is still on display in the New York City Public Library.
In all those years, the books themselves have charmed children around the world. They have been translated into 46 languages and the spin-off merchandise has netted nearly $5 billion dollars.
Ironically, the picture hasn't been quite as rosy for another Milne creation, this one launched by the writer's son Christopher Robin Milne. The same week that Pooh celebrated his birthday, The Harbour Bookshop in Dartmouth announced it was closing after 60 years in business. It was opened in 1951 by Christopher Robin and after his death in 1996 it was purchased by Rowland and Caroline Abram. The only independent bookstore in the English town, The Harbour Bookshop was hit hard by the economy and by chain bookstores, including the local grocery.
Rowland Abram also blames the publishing industry, accusing them of selling books at much lower margins to bigger retail groups.
I am, obviously, a huge consumer of books. I purchase them for gifts, for my own reading, and for local charities. I do have an original Barnes & Noble member card, and I have shopped in Borders (R.I.P.) and Books-A-Million. But I will always, without fail, search out an independent bookstore before I spend my cash. When I travel, I research what local bookstores are available before I even leave.
Independent stores are usually staffed with very knowledgeable and passionate readers, ready to find your next favorite book. The stores also stock unusual or short-run books, hidden gems that bigger stores don't carry.
So the moral of this Pooh story is ― please support your local independent bookstores whenever possible. It should be as important as the local-food movement has been. If you need help finding a store near you, check out the list I've compiled on the right. Or click on the Indie Bound link here. That site has a terrific store locator that will help you find just what you need.

Psycho Thrillers

There is something about a good psychological thriller. If it's done right, it combines the best of mysteries with the most fascinating characters. Here are three of the spookiest that I guarantee you won't be able to put down.

The Hypnotist
by Lars Kepler
Some of the best thriller-mysteries are coming out of Scandinavia today. In the tradition of Stieg Larsson, the Swedish husband-and-wife team of Alexander and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril (writing as Lars Kepler) offers a compelling and fast-paced hunt for a killer ― or two. Dr. Erik Maria Bark has sworn never to practice hypnotism again after his last session goes horribly wrong. But he is coerced into one last try when Detective Joona Linna asks him to hypnotize the sole survivor of a horrible triple murder. The 15-year-old boy is gravely hurt, and is the only witness to the crime. When the victim later stumbles out of the hospital and disappears, and then Bark's own son is kidnapped, the chase is on to unravel the mystery. Word to the wise: Don't read this one before bed. (2011 - Farrar, Straus, and Giroux)

In the Woods
by Tana French
Tana French has an uncanny knack for writing such vivid characters that you miss them like old friends when you've finished reading about them. She also is an expert at writing beautiful and atmospheric words about ugly deeds. In the Woods is the story of a cold-case crime. In 1984, a young boy was found in the woods, bloodied and holding tightly to a tree. His two friends were found dead and he has no memory of what happened. Fast-forward 20 years and that boy is now Detective Rob Ryan, a man who has pushed that horrible day far out of his mind. But a new case that seems a little too close to comfort brings his own past rushing back. (2007 - Penguin Books)
Other Recommended Books by Tana French: The Likeness, Faithful Place

Bleeding Heart Square
by Andrew Taylor
In 1934 England, Lydia Langstone escapes her abusive and aristocratic husband to live with her father in a down-at-the-heels boarding house in Bleeding Heart Square. There she finds quirky and sinister characters, as well as an old legend that the devil once danced in the square itself. But it's her own family mysteries, and the disappearance of the boarding house's former owner, that really give Langstone the chills. Has evil danced back into the square, or is someone she is close to giving the devil a run for his money? (2010, Hyperion) 

Review and Recipe

Review: Around the World on Two Wheels
by Peter Zheutlin
The late 1800s were heady years, with discoveries and inventions making headlines practically every day. With their usual enthusiasm for new things, Americans embraced each discovery with gusto, determined to be the first to speed on a motorcycle or the first to ride a train across the country.
Most of the early adopters and explorers during that time were, of course, men. But a few intrepid women, usually in the company of husbands or fathers, took adventurous turns in epic car tours or hiked up previously unattainable peaks.
In late 1894, Annie Londonderry joined the ranks of early extreme sports enthusiasts with an around-the-world trip on a bicycle. She wasn't the first woman to journey long distances on the new-fangled bikes, but she was the first to go solo, making her both a heroine and a pariah.
Annie was an unlikely candidate to take on such a difficult task - she was an immigrant, she was poor, and she was a married mother to three children. The last fact was something she knew would not endear her to many on her journey, so she presented herself as an intrepid single "new woman."
She was different in one other way as well. Unlike the other women before her, Annie wasn't just riding for the adventure of it. She was on a search for money, fame, and freedom.
Annie Londonderry was an unusually savvy marketer and PR pro. There is still some dispute about whether she invented the story of a wager between two men that prompted her trip, or whether there was perhaps a bet at some point, but she did tell all of the newspapers who began to follow her story that two rich men had a stake riding on her. If she made it back to her hometown of Boston in 15 months, so her story went, Annie would receive a large sum of money. But she was not allowed to take any money with her, and was required to earn her way around the world.
To accomplish that, Annie designed an early sports endorsement program, adorning her bicycle and clothing with signs, ribbons, and cards, all touting corporate sponsors and products. She also sold autographed photos of herself and gave lectures as she traveled, cannily alerting the press of her arrival before every stop. And she proved to be fashion-forward, putting aside the cumbersome dresses and layers of the day for a split skirt, and later for scandalous bloomer pants.
Along her journey, Annie claimed to break speed records and win races, and that she was attacked by natives or "bad men." True or not, they made great press reports and she soon had readers and reporters clamoring for her adventurous tales.
Traveling around the world required some trips by ship or train, of course, when roads were unavailable. And though there were some grumblings about how often Annie actually rode her bicycle, no one could deny that she was a brave woman to set out on her own without money or a chaperone.
As compelling as her global trip, however, is what happened to Annie when she returned. Once she transformed into an adventurous "new woman" who had seen China and Africa, how Annie readjusted to her tenement home with her family in Boston is, as they say, the rest of the story. (2008 - Kensington Publishing Company)

Recipe: Ginger Crinkles
This recipe has been handed down by the unforgettable women in my family, and it is one of my favorite treats. Spicy and sweet, the cookies have an old-fashioned flavor and a nice round shape that just happens to look like a bicycle's wheel.
2/3 cup vegetable oil                    1 cup sugar
1 egg                                            4 Tbs. molasses
2 cups all-purpose flour                2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt                                  1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar for dipping              1 tsp. ginger
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oil and sugar thoroughly. Add egg and beat well. Stir in molasses, then add dry ingredients. Drop teaspoons of dough into sugar and form into balls coated with sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart (cookies will flatten and crinkle). Bake for 10-15 minutes. (Recipe from my mother's collection)

Popcorn and Candy

Are there any books you would be embarrassed to be caught reading? I thought about that when I realized that last week I didn't list the book I was actually reading (see listing on the right column).

I read three books at a time. The selection usually includes a non-fiction, a fiction or mystery, and a big ol' piece of candy. That's what I call books that entertain and engage my over-stimulated brain, but don't require thought or memory afterward. Often these for me will be historical fiction, Peanuts collections (big fan), some "young adult" titles, etc. And just like a candy bar, you sometimes don't want to be seen scarfing it down.
Then there are popcorn books - those are the books that you go through quickly, the type of books that won't let you stop with just one. Usually for me these include series, like Dick Francis mysteries (ask me how long it took to collect them all) or the Harry Potter books. Don't get me wrong, popcorn books are not lightweight - I just can't stop once I get started, and I'll read through three or four before I stop for a breath.
So here is the audience participation part. What candy or popcorn books do you indulge in? Click on the "comment" section below and let me know. And what was my candy book last week? Before Versailles. Sigh.

Wednesday's Cookbook: A Perfect Fit

One Big Table 

by Molly O'Neill

"Recipes are family stories." Although that could be the tagline for this blog, it's part of the introduction to One Big Table, a massive new cookbook that is as much fun to read as it is to use for recipes.

Molly O'Neill, a former food columnist for The New York Times, was concerned that super-sized convenience foods and fast-paced living were creating a country of non-cooks. She decided to set out on the road to discover if anyone in this country still makes their own meals. In 10 years, she traveled 300,000 miles and gathered 20,000 family recipes from 25 geographic areas.

What she discovered along the way is that the recipes also represent a family narrative and the ties between us, and that they preserve our history in their ingredients. Those stories, and those connections through food and celebration, are also the entire genesis for this blog.

As O'Neill made her way across America, she discovered native foods and regional cooks, many of whom brought exotic ingredients from other lands. Each part of the country offered up its own heritage and culture in food, and each cook provided his or her own spice of life.

The 600 recipes she eventually chose for the book were often handed down from generation to generation. When she asked cooks to submit a recipe, she told them to provide the one that would embody who they are, the one recipe that they would want to pass down to their children or grandchildren. And in a nod to that recipe telling a story, One Big Table includes a biographies of the chefs, family anecdotes, and family photos.

Chapter titles offer clever twists on the usual fare, from "Nibbles, Noshes, and Tasty Little Plates" to "The Sweet Life." My fave is "Everything But the Squeal: Beef, Buffalo, Game, Lamb, Pork."
Added into the mix are quick sidebars like "A History of Bread" and "A Social History of American Stoves," along with historical factory photos, old agricultural posters, and timelines like "Significant Events in Popcorn."
I never thought I'd want to curl up with a good cookbook in the evening, much less one this hefty, but One Good Table makes it worth your while. (2010 - Simon & Schuster) 

The Business of Tpyos

Hope you noticed the typo in the headline. Being a journalism major, typos are one of my favorite things and one of my pet peeves. You'll understand that if you're a "word person." You are gleeful when you find one as you're proofreading (makes you feel worth your salary), but frustrated when you run across one in something you're reading for your own pleasure. You will probably find plenty in this blog if you read it regularly, and I am okay with that. I'm just one person. But if you, like me, hate finding typos in magazines, newspapers and (shudder) books, blame it on business.
In the publishing world, copy editors are not necessarily seen as compulsory employees. In fact, I was once told by a publishing VP that editors and writers were like the lights in the ceiling - just overhead. You can imagine the feelings that generated in the newsroom. And then there was another exec that told me that anyone could write, they just needed a computer and the rest was easy. Sigh.
I admit that some typos are entertaining. One of my all-time favorites was when an writer meant to use the term "chock full of..." and forgot a crucial letter. I also will still snicker like a 10-year-old boy whenever I see the word "public" misspelled.
I've taken to collecting my favorites, including a sign that pleaded with the world to "Avoid Being a Brut." Love that. But I find it less funny to see mistakes in a major magazine or in my favorite book, and it's happening more often.
Back in the salad days of publishing, typos were inexcusable when there were hundreds of editors on staff. Today, we're seeing an increase in errors for a sadder reason. With more and more layoffs in the newsroom, and with more business-side execs believing that editors can be replaced with computers, plan to see more rather than fewer mistakes.
Computers are seen as the panacea. After all, you can use one to check your spelling and your grammar. However, very few computer programs see the mistake when you use "he" rather than "she." Perhaps that's why so many e-books have typos in them. When I first purchased my Nook, I found unbelievable errors and typos in almost every book I purchased for it. Know why? Because the book sellers and publishers wanted to save money by just scanning in printed books and galleys from classic books. They took the easy way out, relying on the computer programs to catch the errors.
So the next time you see a typo, mourn the copywriters who've lost their jobs, rant at the publishing companies that won't hire, tell the computer how stupid it is...and then laugh if it's a "good" one.

A Soupçon of Science

Don't laugh, but my original major in college was going to be either biology or chemistry. Journalism eventually won out, but I have always loved books and shows about science. On TV, I'm currently crazy about Curiosity and Through the Wormhole. These three books also fit the bill, presenting their topics in an engaging and, most importantly for me, easy-to-understand format.

How I Killed Pluto,
and Why It Had It Coming
by Mike Brown
The author, a professor at the California Institute of Technology, has always had one dream. Despite the idea that an astronomer always stares at the stars, Mike Brown spent his career searching the skies for planets. The ability to discover, and name, a planet is the pinnacle of many a scientist's career. Little did Brown know that his success would make him famous, and infamous. In 2005, he discovered a 10th planet and named it Eris. But the fact that Eris was bigger than the then-9th planet, caused a huge controversy that ended with Pluto getting a demotion. With a very wry sense of humor, Brown describes the craziness that ensues as he finds himself one of the most hated men in 3rd-grade classes across the country. (2010 - Random House)

The Disappearing Spoon
by Sam Kean
Think chemistry can't be fun? This book will prove you wrong. Science magazine writer Sam Kean divides the very familiar periodic table into new and interesting groupings, with the common theme offering a surprise each time. There's intrigue, adventure, poisonings (of course), and a few Nobel prizes along the way. Learn why the metal gallium dissolves in hot water (a.k.a. the disappearing spoon), find out just how far someone will go to win a Noble prize, and count how many of our most famous scientists were poisoned by their own studies. The book goes through 118 elements and 150 years with a fast pace and sharp wit. (2011 - Little Brown & Company)

The Poisoner's Handbook
by Deborah Blum
Welcome to the Jazz Age - a time filled with music, bullets, alcohol, and poison. And sometimes it was the alcohol doing the poisoning, intentionally or not. To determine the difference between a murder and an accident, the city of New York required new experts. Stepping into the fray was the city's first chief medical officer, Dr. Charles Norris, and the first toxicologist, Andrew Gettler. Together, the two men made a formidable team, devising new methods to determine the presence of poisons such as cyanide, carbon monoxide, and arsenic. Along the way, they also discovered why bootleg alcohol had such a high death count during Prohibition. (2011 - Penguin Books)

Review and Recipe

Review: The Plot Against America

By Philip Roth

What if one thing in history didn’t turn out quite the same way? It's an interesting parlor game.

What if the Normans had failed in their invasion? What if the Czar and his family had not been shot? How would things be different if Hitler had died in jail? 

Philip Roth takes the twist-of-fate question one step further. In The Plot Against America, he asks: What if Charles Lindbergh had stepped into the fray in 1940 when the Republicans were searching for a candidate to beat Franklin D. Roosevelt?

Lindbergh was a hero to America in those days, with a dash of melancholy thrown in after the kidnapping and death of his son. Hero worship and some good PR can go along way in politics, as we all know. In Roth’s 1940, Lindy not only wins his party’s nomination, but the excitement of his celebrity and the nervousness over a looming World War carry him through to a huge presidential victory.

In the book, Lindbergh runs on the no-war ticket, promising America that he will keep the country out of “Europe’s problems.” In reality, America’s hero related to Adolf Hitler’s ideology and actually visited the German leader several times.

Roth plays on that bit of true history, expanding on it with Lindbergh’s eventual siding with Hitler on the “Jewish question.” But Lindbergh’s fictional Presidential administration makes the shift quietly and slowly, so slowly that most of the country doesn’t realize it’s happening. Unless they’re Jewish.

In a disquieting move (and by disquieting I mean effective and disturbing), Roth inserts this story into his own childhood, his own family. He plays out the Lindbergh scenario with his relatives as central players. They are Jewish and in the book they are also divided over Lindbergh’s intentions and decisions.

Philip’s brother, Sandy, participates in a Just Folks program that sends city kids to country farms to teach them about the land, but it might be a cover to convert Jewish children to Christianity. Their cousin Alvin sees the truth before most and joins the Canadian army to fight Hitler, only to return without a limb and without hope. Philip's aunt teams with a charismatic rabbi who assures the Jews that nothing sinister is afoot, and then finds himself arrested in the middle of the night.

Friends and family are caught up in a cultural and political shift that they can’t quite believe could happen in America. To speak against the government is considered “unpatriotic.” And small shifts in the political landscape create huge potholes for those on the wrong side of the ideological tracks.

Yes, that’s a shiver you feel. (2005 - Random House)

Other Recommended Books by Philip Roth - American Pastoral, Nemesis, Indignation

Recipe: Sour Cherry Pork Roast

Before you think I am entirely tasteless (pun intended) for partnering this pork recipe with a novel that is so focused on the Jewish faith, let me point out that pork is a very central plot point for the book. That and family. Years ago, I had an amazing pork roast that was similar to this. I played with the recipe and made it my own and now it is a dish I serve often for family occasions. That is why I chose this recipe to accompany The Plot Against America.

1 3-pound pork loin roast                                  1/4 tsp. salt

1 10-oz jar cherry preserves or jam                  1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup red wine vinegar                                   1/4 tsp. nutmeg

2 Tbs. corn syrup                                               1/4 tsp. cloves

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper the roast and then place on a shallow roasting pan rack. Roast for about 2 hours, uncovered. 

Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. The sauce should start to thicken. Remove roast from oven and brush about 1/3 of the sauce over the roast. Keep the rest of the sauce warm, but don't let it burn. Then continue cooking the roast for about 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer hits 170 degrees when inserted in the roast. Remove roast and let rest for 10 minutes. Then slice and serve, with the rest of the sauce served in a bowl on the side. (Recipe my own)

Thursday's Rant: Cut the Cornpone, Ya'll

When the book The Help first hit bookshelves, it received both praise and condemnation for its "Southern voice," something that I have a strong opinion about (surprise, surprise).

I suppose there’s a reason that the South is the only geographic area of the U.S. to have its own major genre of literature (well, if you don’t count Westerns). After all, there are enough quirky characters, class tensions, long-rooted melancholies, traditions, religions, accents, and storytellers in the region to fill millions of volumes.

When it’s done right, Southern lit is sublime. Think William Faulkner, Harper Lee, Tennessee Williams, Carson McCullers, Pat Conroy, Fannie Flagg, Clyde Edgerton, Jill Conner Browne, Kay Gibbons, Doris Betts…and the list goes on. In their deft hands, the Southern voice and the Southern character ring clear and genuine.

But then there are writers, Southern and not, who insist on moving from character to caricature. It irritates me when a non-Southern writer does it. It astounds me when a Southern writer does. If the writing is bad, the characters usually fall into one of two categories: mint juleps or moonshiners.

The mint juleps drape themselves decoratively on the veranda (there's always a veranda), fan themselves slowly while looking out over their expansive lawns, and remark on how "Ah wish ah still had momma's pearls for the debutante ball, Muffy."
Then there are the moonshiners, the hillbillies who don't wear shoes, who marry their first cousins, and who holler "Pa! Where's them hawgs at?" Thanks to the bad writers, there are a lot of people in other parts of the country who still believe that all Southerners fall into one of those two categories.
I just had someone from Chicago ask me yesterday how we refer to the Civil War - do we prefer "The War Between the States" or "The Northern Aggression." Seriously? First of all, I can't remember the last time I even talked about the Civil War. It doesn't come up in daily conversation. Sheesh.

I just read a book by a writer from North Carolina who had a clever idea – Southern girl makes good in the big city – but she ruined it with cliché and cornpone. Her book was most definitely of the mint julep variety, with a breezy Bridget-Jones-from-down-South flavor. I was prepared to love it. I’m from the South, I've worked in the big city, and the book was full of recipes. Who doesn’t love recipes in a novel? I just wish the author had steered away from the over-the-top grits-and-gravy routine.

And no, I won’t name her. Maybe it’s my own Southern roots showing, but I feel that if someone took that much time and effort to write a book, she deserves a little slack in the criticism.

Let’s just end here with a plea: If you’re a writer and you are not Southern, please don’t try to use the accent. It’s almost always obvious. It can be done, but just tread lightly. Use any of the Southern writers above as your guide.

And if you are Southern, don’t slather it on like butter on cornbread (see? perfect example of what not to do). It’s almost as painful as listening to Julia Roberts (from Georgia, let’s all remember) with a really bad Southern accent in Steel Magnolias. Ya'll know what I mean.
And for the record, The Help came pretty close to getting it just right.

Plant-Eating Dinosaurs

Quick Vegetarian Pleasures

by Jeanne Lemlin
When my daughter was 5, she infamously came into the kitchen where I was cooking dinner and informed that she was now a plant-eating dinosaur, not a meat-eating dinosaur. This was in her dinosaur-crazed era, obviously, and I took that to mean that we were role-playing.
I didn't realize that she had made a decision, right then and there, to be a complete vegetarian for four years. But that is exactly what she meant.
She stuck to it until she was 9. Imagine the fun in our house as I cooked for a cave-man-like carnivore husband and a meat-snubbing kid. And imagine the further fun as I searched for options to get protein into my growing child.
Now remember, this was before the all-cooking TV channels and the more mainstream discussions about being a vegetarian. As I do in times of crisis (okay...mini-crisis), I turned to the bookstore, where I discovered Quick Vegetarian Meals.
What made me choose this book above others? I'll be honest, it was the word "quick" and the word "vegetarian." The James Beard Award sticker on the front didn't hurt. I may not have had the Food Network, but I knew who he was.
I perhaps made a snap decision in the purchase, but over the years I have used this cookbook more than almost any other in my collection. I even scanned the battered and stained cover in all its glory so you could see just how much I love it.
The wonderful Jeanne Lemlin soothed my fears and introduced me to tempeh and tofu. She made me love to bake fresh loaves of quick bread and to use chickpeas in pasta and stews. Her eggless Best Chocolate Cake recipe is still the one I pull out for big events and the Fruit Juice Muffins will always remind me of Saturday mornings with my daughter.
I was worried before I wrote this item that perhaps this cookbook would no longer be in print. I should have known better. Far from being a dinosaur, it's still for sale and, in fact, if you Google the book's name you'll find many legions of fans. (1992 - Random House Publishing)

Seuss on the Loose

I love Dr. Seuss books to this day - the cadence, the whimsy, the illustrations. It's the total package for children's literature. His books are my go-to gifts for any new parents.
This September, there will be a new book to add to the list - The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories. The collection of stories by Theodor Geisel - aka Dr. Seuss - was originally published in Redbook magazine in the 1950s. A Random House publishing director was searching for Dr. Seuss materials on eBay when she came across a collector who claimed to have old magazine covers drawn by Geisel, as well as stories that hadn't been seen since they were originally printed in Redbook.
The publisher, named Cathy Goldsmith, was intrigued and purchased the publications. Goldsmith was the art director on several of the last Dr. Seuss books, and she collaborated with the collector on this new book that includes stories such as "The Bear, the Rabbit, and the Zinniga-Zanniga," "Gustav the Goldfish," and "Tadd and Todd."
As the Random House website says, it's "the literary equivalent of finding buried treasure."
I'll add this to my usual baby shower gift list ... but I'll also get a copy for myself.

Short Stack

I had a busy weekend - B52s concert, Scrabble match, and I finally saw The Help. Just for the record, since I mentioned it in previous posts, The Help does live up to the hype. It's an amazing movie that does justice to Kathryn Stockett's book.
However, I had such a busy weekend that I didn't read as much as I thought I would. When I only have a little time, a novella comes in handy, so here are three short - but satisfying - reads:

The Uncommon Reader

by Alan Bennett

A quirky-fun tale that imagines what would happen if the Queen of England couldn't put her book down, something I sympathize with. It begins with Herself stumbling upon the bookmobile outside the palace kitchens and leads on to her growing interest in books - and her waning interest in government. Full of laughs and inside-the-castle glimpses, The Uncommon Reader manages to end with a twist you won't see coming, all in 128 pages. (2008 - Picador)

Blue Road to Atlantis

by Jay Nussbaum

As we grow older, we ask ourselves why we are here, what meaning life has for us, and what meaning we have for life. Blue Road is an allegorical tale that offers an unlikely hero, a huge marlin named Old Fish, who asks himself the same questions. He is outrunning a deadly red tide in a quest to save the sea, but he's also examining his long life in the process. With both an environmental message and an encouragement to swim against the current, this small book contains a powerful and thoughtful punch in 158 pages. (2002- Grand Central Publishing)

Grayson
by Lynne Cox
This is the true story of long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox and the most exciting workout of her life. As she started an early-morning swim in the dark California waters, Lynne felt something brush up against her. Her immediate fear was that it was a shark, but nervousness turned to shock when she realized it was a 50-foot baby gray whale following her. The baby (dubbed Grayson by Lynne) was searching for his mother and the pod that had been migrating north. The longest of my favorite short reads at 170 pages, Grayson will make you hold your breath as the baby whale and Lynne search for his mother in the big blue sea. (2008 - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Friday: Review and Recipe

Review: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

by Lisa See
I imagine it must be difficult to bring a book to life on screen. There are so many disparate readers with their own ideas of how characters should look, and what has to be included, or left out of, a story.
From what I've heard, The Help is an example of the best books on film (I'm seeing it this weekend). Unfortunately, another very good book didn't receive the same treatment. You may not want to see the new movie Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, but definitely read the novel.
Author Lisa See is a deft hand at weaving together themes of history, family, women, and friendship. I first discovered her through her earlier mystery series set in 1990s urban China (see recommended books below).
I was intrigued when she changed genres with this novel, set in 19th century rural China. No matter the time period, though, See remains true to her strengths, focusing on ties that bind women around the world and throughout history.
Despite the title, Lily is the central figure in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. She is a girl whose bound feet are a symbol of her life - bound by rules, by men, by the strictures of her culture. Women of Lily's time were confined to their homes, rarely able to venture outdoors due to their inability to walk normally, their world as narrow and small as their feet. See's description of the tortuous foot-binding process - and its aftermath - is horrifying, and ironic given that men of that time believed women were the weaker sex.
Lily's new "beautifully formed feet" give her an opportunity to rise in the world, to leave her middle-class family and move into a high-status marriage. She also is offered the chance to have a laotong, or "old-same" friendship, with Snow Flower in a ceremony that binds them to each other for eternity.
As Lily and Snow Flower enter their new marriages - with Snow Flower taking a different path and marrying beneath her status - the two old-sames must communicate through nu shu, a secret phonetic code that women have used for over 1,000 years in China. Messages were sent on embroidery, paintings, fan decorations, and carvings, which gave the women a way to communicate despite their confinement. However, the very fact that the messages were coded and hidden occasionally led to confusion and misunderstandings.
As Lily gains power in her family and community, she becomes prideful and bitterly protective of her rank and status. She and Snow Flower survive war, epidemic, and loss, but it is one of those misunderstood nu shu messages that divides the laotongs, in an event that Lily comes to regret. (2005 - Random House)
Other Recommended Books by Lisa See: Shanghai Girls, Peony in Love, Flower Net, Interior, Dragon Bones

Recipe: Bok Choy Salad
Bok choy is a Chinese cabbage that was first used for medicinal purposes in ancient China, but quickly became a popular ingredient in stir-frys and salads. Like Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, this recipe is a good combination of complex and simple, sweet and salty.
1 pkg. ramen noodles                                  1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup slivered almonds                             1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil                                            1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbs. soy sauce                                          
6 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups bok choy (can substitute or supplement with spinach)
Remove flavor packet from ramen and set aside for something else. Crumble dry noodles onto baking pan, and combine with seeds and almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Set aside. Combine sugar, olive oil, vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cool thoroughly. Combine greens and onions, sprinkle with dressing and toss. Add noodle/nut mixture and toss. Serve immediately. (Recipe courtesy of Anne Taylor)

Thursday Thought: Books and Food

So why a blog about food and books? Well besides the fact that they are two of my favorite things, I do think that they have a similar effect on us.

A good book, like a good meal, elicits emotion and memory. Well-written characters remind us of people we love - or hate. Amazing meals can send us into euphoria, just as a bad meal can literally make us angry and resentful.
In an interesting take on the relationship between food and books, a New York Times illustrated column showcased the "brain fuel" that great authors use to keep them in the writing groove. Titled "Snacks of the Great Scribblers," the column pointed out that F. Scott Fitzgerald liked canned meat and apples (ugh), while Franz Kafka preferred a very cozy glass of milk. It's worth a clickthrough for the illustrations alone.
Characters in books are often associated with favorite meals and special dishes, like Sue Grafton's sleuth Kinsey Milhone who loves peanut butter and pickle sandwiches or Quarter Pounders. And the recent hit The Help features a pivotal (and very funny) twist with a pie - I won't give away what makes it "funny."
Good meals can be plot points, or inspiration. Good books can be inspiring, and engrossing.
See? Books and food - they go together like...well, you know.

Wednesday's Cookbook

Jamie's Food Revolution

by Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver made his fame in Britain, and later here in the U.S., as the Naked Chef, known for simple recipes and fresh ingredients. Since that early beginning, Jamie has become a revolutionary, determined to bring more attention to the obesity epidemic, and drawing a parallel between that issue and the over-reliance on pre-packaged foods.
My daughter gave me this cookbook last year for my birthday. It's a companion book to the popular TV show of the same name. The concept of bringing attention back to the basics of food, and of cooking, really resonated with me. A recent poll that shows we as a country spent more on fast food than on education in a single year - a very scary thought.
The recipes are simple and delicious, with familiar and nutritious ingredients. The usual veggie/meat/fish chapters are included, along with more fun groupings like Easy Curries, Homely Ground Beef, and Kick-Start Breakfasts. Hands-down faves in our family are Evolution Tomato Salad and Super-Quick Salmon Stir Fry.
We've become such fans that my daughter and I ate at Jamie's Italian in Liverpool this summer. We didn't see Jamie (naked or otherwise), but it solidified our fan status for the chef, and this cookbook. (2009, The Penguin Group) 
Late-Breaking Addition - Just read that Jamie's Italian in Birmingham was destroyed last night by the riots that have flared up across England. I'm thinking of all the amazing cities and towns across England that have been impacted by the violence. My thoughts are with everyone there.

Tuesday's Magazine

I'm still in love with print. No, I'm not a dinosaur - I have a Nook and I read Vanity Fair on an iPad. But I do still enjoy the feel of a nice glossy magazine and the smell of newsprint.

I especially like design publications of all types - interior design, art, graphic design. I recently saw a post on one of my favorite blogs about a new design magazine that is the most "green" magazine I've ever heard of.

It's called Wrap, a large-format illustration and design publication that combines a magazine to read with a product you can use - wrapping paper.

The magazine features interviews with artists from around the world, as well as examples of their work. Each issue is produced without staples or stitching so the pages can be used as wrapping paper once you've finished reading it. Currently, you can find Wrap in stores and museums throughout Europe. If your budget isn't up for an overseas trip, the magazine is sold in a store in L.A., or you can buy copies of current and former issues online.

Monday Bites

It's Monday, least favorite day of the week. Let's avoid the unpleasantness by talking about something much more fun - books. Here are some quick takes on books I read recently, and highly recommend:

Star Island

by Carl Hiaasen
It's a familiar tale - famous young singer is snorting and drinking her way through her fortune while her family looks the other way so they can continue to use her as an ATM. But with his usual satirical slant, Hiaasen adds a twist in the form of a smart body double hired as a stand-in for the singer when she's too tanked to be seen in public. Set in Hiassen's favorite Florida venue, the hilarious story includes a kidnapping, a former governor with a serious taste for roadkill, a bodyguard with a weed whacker for a hand, and the singer's own retinue of self-serving crazies. (2010 - Grand Central Publishing Edition)


The Imperfectionists
by Tom Rachman
Here is something you're going to learn about me in this blog: If a book is super-popular and/or has the critics buzzing, I will avoid it. I've been burned too many times. And yes, I am aware that I will occasionally miss a good book along the way, but so be it. I almost missed this one, as a matter of fact, because it had the book world all a-twitter (literally). I decided to read it for the simple fact that it was about a newsroom and I have a newspaper background. It is a unique type of person (now fast vanishing) that chooses to work in a newsroom for, let's face it, very little money. Rachman perfectly captures the quirky personalities, petty jealousies, and heady atmosphere of the news biz. Despite the fact that his English-language newspaper is based in Rome, anyone who has worked for an American newspaper will laugh out loud in recognition of the old-school print world, and will wince in empathy as the reporters and editors face the new digital era. (2010 - Random House)

The Bolter
by Frances Osborne
Idina Sackville was part of the very blue-bloods in England and could trace her family to William the Conquerer's day. She was also the inspiration for writers, artists, poets, and fashion houses, as she lived life to the fullest in an endless cycle of parties and champagne. Idina pushed against the restrictions of pre-War society in the early 1900s, driving fast cars, smoking cigars, and taking any lover she liked. She impulsively married anyone she loved (five total) and "bolted" from those she tired of. One of Idina's bolts took her to Africa, where she continued her upperclass parties against a more exotic backdrop. As the "gay world" spun out of control, Idina's own life turned darker and more chaotic, finally ending in addiction, betrayal, and murder. The story of this fascinating woman is told by her own great-granddaughter, Frances Osborne, who meticulously researched the story through her family's letters, diaries, and memories. (2010 - Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group)

Nourishing Reads

Many years ago, my friend Julie and I started a newsletter called Nourishing Reads ― a pre-blog blog. It combined our two favorite things ― books and food. The basic premise was that we would provide book reviews paired with recipes inspired by the book that was being reviewed.
The newsletter was an instant hit and, most importantly, was a lot of fun for both of us. We soon had readers all over the country who wanted the newsletter mailed to them. Yes, mailed. It was that long ago.
Recently I decided that a blog would be the perfect place to revive the concept of Nourishing Reads. That's the genesis for this blog. Julie will be in an advisory capacity for now ― but I will continue to pester her to be involved sooner or later. I'll wear her down.
Meanwhile, I've set up a general schedule that hits the highlights of what our readers really liked about NR:

• Mondays ―I'll serve up short bites of books with quick recommendations
• Tuesdays ―The business of words will be on tap, including items about newspapers, magazines, and blogs.
• Wednesdays ―A mid-week special that will focus only on cookbooks.
• Thursdays ―Thoughts (and maybe a couple of rants) about reading and books.
• Fridays ―The blue-plate special day with a full book review and a recipe inspired by the book.

I probably won't read a lot of romance novels or sci-fi, so if that's your genre, this won't be for you.
I may throw in a couple of interviews and inspirations, but that's the general gist of the blog. I hope you enjoy it ― feel free to let me know what you think. And pass the link to the blog along to anyone else who might like it. That's how Nourishing Reads grew so rapidly, by appealing to like-minded people. To me, that's the best thing about blogs and social media, too.