Reading “Comfort Food”

I really enjoy books by Kate Jacobs. She has written “The Friday Night Knitting Club” and its sequel “Knit Two.” Of course, stories about knitting and knitting shops and knitting friends always appeal to me.

Now she has crossed over into my other love interest – cooking – with her book “Comfort Food.”

Gus Simpson is a widow with two daughters, now grown. At the time her husband died, her girls were still young and Gus felt the only way she could hold it all together was by being strong, hiding her grief and working, working, working. She has no formal culinary training, but enjoys cooking and opens a sandwich shop that receives interest from the head of the CookingChannel. After ending up with her own TV show, she feels like she has everything under control.

kate jacobs

Then the show’s ratings go down and she is unwillingly paired up with spicy hot former Miss Spain, Carmen Vega, to bring new viewers and regenerate interest with her existing audience. Through this painful process, she ends up learning a lot about herself and the disservice she has done to her daughters and their relationship.

It’s a fluffy, light story, but still lots of fun and all the more enjoyable with food talk throughout.

http://www.katejacobs.com/

Teaser Tuesdays – “American Wife”

I’m trying something new today that I’ve seen while visiting other blogs. Teaser Tuesdays is for readers who want to share a few sentences of what they’re currently reading …

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My two “Teaser” sentences for today:

That morning, when he’d come to Itty-Bitty to find me for breakfast, I’d been awake and dressed, waiting for him, and as he’d entered through the screen door, he’d called, “Where’s my favorite lush?” and I’d said, “Charlie, I’m so sorry for my behavior last night,” and he’d said, “Only part you have to apologize for is getting me all horned up and then passing out, but I’ll take a rain check.” He’d leaned in to kiss me, and I’d felt the great relief of dating a man who does not hold a grudge, or at least not toward you (Simon had been the other way).

This excerpt is from page 239 of “American Wife,” written by Curtis Sittenfeld (who is, by the way, a woman) – 555 total pages, published in 2008.

Reading “Change of Heart”

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors. I’ve read all of her books and enjoyed every one of them immensely. A few have even been made into movies — “The Pact,” “Plain Truth,” “My Sister’s Keeper.”

I just finished reading “Change of Heart,” published in 2008. This book kept me hooked from page one and right through to the end … 449 pages of pure enjoyment.

It’s about a man on death row in New Hampshire for killing two people — a police officer and his young stepdaughter. The wife/mother of the victims is pregnant at the time of the murders and gives birth to a daughter with an unfortunate, life-threatening medical condition.

Without giving too much away, I can tell you that strange happenings on death row brings frenzied public attention to the prisoner and he is believed to be the Messiah.

There are many moral issues in this story such as where do religion and state meet, what constitutes a religion and as the quote says on the front jacket of the book, “Would you grant your enemy’s dying wish to save your child’s life?”

Very well-written. Jodi Picoult is so thorough in her research. Her characters feel like people you know. There are twists and turns in this story right to the very satisfying ending.

Visit her website at http://www.jodipicoult.com.

Reading “The Lost Symbol”

Dan Brown has done it again. “The Lost Symbol” is a fascinating story set in Washington, D.C. The idea that there are so many tunnels and hidden rooms and artifacts in and among the buildings in our nation’s capital really intrigues me. These are things that have been in place for hundreds of years, put there by our forefathers.

One of the things I enjoy most about his books is the fact that they open my mind to new possibilities and ideas. There are so many ways to look at things if we just allow ourselves the leeway. We tend to become so sure that we are right about something when there are many other ways to view it that may lead to new revelations. I am a very black and white thinker so this type of  thought process is frustrating, but exhilarating as well.

I love puzzles. Sudoku, crosswords, jigsaws, even Wheel of Fortune! As each one is revealed, the puzzles of Masonic symbolism that run through this book are amazing to watch unfold with the plot. The whole thing takes place in one night, which is a lot of fast-paced action in 509 pages. He does an excellent job of weaving short chapters together, moving you back and forth between several settings, all happening at once.

Author Dan Brown

Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbologist and professor we met in “The Da Vinci Code,” is invited to D.C. to speak at the U.S. Capitol Building by Peter Solomon, his long-time friend and mentor. When he arrives, he receives a different kind of invitation in the form of a horrifying object, the first symbol to be decoded and understood.

I felt that the villain in this novel was such a sad, misguided person. He did horribly cruel things all the way through, but I just couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. Which is so unlike me! I’m usually of the hang ’em high mentality when it comes to criminals and evil.

All in all, I thought “The Lost Symbol” was well done and very enjoyable!

Reading “The Last Time I Was Me”

I have been thoroughly taken by author Cathy Lamb. I read her first book, “Julia’s Chocolates,” a few months ago. The characters could not be quirkier, yet once I got into the rhythm of the story, I have to admit I was turning the pages just to see what strange thing they’d do next.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I liked it enough to go out and buy her second book, “The Last Time I Was Me.” It’s about a woman with several tragedies in her past that culminate in a major meltdown that not only blows her successful career out of the water, but puts her in court for revenge on a jerk boyfriend. (The court scene is simply delicious!) After hitting bottom so hard, she bounces back and builds a new life, making great new friends along the way. The bulk of the story is set in Oregon and Cathy Lamb really brings it all to life with a refreshing voice and perspective.

I would definitely recommend these books. Cathy Lamb is a master at creating weird, wonderful characters that I’d like to meet in person. Visit her website at www.cathylamb.net.

And it looks like I need to run to the book store and buy “Henry’s Sisters” her latest book that came out at the end of July.

Reading the “Twilight” Series

I love nothing more than reading a series of books, one after another. It enhances my enjoyment and escapism so much longer. It’s like taking a mini-vacation or having an extended visit with someone delightful.

In 2008, I finally read the original “Twilight” book by Stephenie Meyer. It came out in 2005, but I waited a few years to buy it for several reasons. The granddaughter just turned 12 last year and I knew she was *sigh* leaving her Junie B. Jones series behind for more grownup reading. She, of course, loves “Twilight” and loved the movie when it came out. And while I am pretty fond of the supernatural genre, vampires have never been at the top of my list. But we’re talking about a beloved local author — Ms. Meyer lives in Arizona — and I’m all for supporting local talent. (Visit her website at www.stepheniemeyer.com.)

So the granddaughter asked me recently to buy her the second book, “New Moon,” which will be out in theaters on November 20th. I think she’s already standing in line to see it. 🙂  Then all of a sudden, and very surprisingly because she hates anything supernatural, my youngest daughter decided she wanted to read the series. She sends me an urgent text about how she is nearing the end of the second book and will I run out and buy her the third — “Eclipse” — so she can just keep reading. Being the absolutely awesome mother that I am, of course I did. Then she decided to finish the series and bought the fourth book, “Breaking Dawn.” She really enjoyed them all.

So here I am, with all of the books in my house, a total of 2,444 pages of reading bliss! I picked up “New Moon” and just got lost in it. I read in bed at night and a lot on the weekends (all knitting screeched to a halt). I managed to blast through “New Moon” and “Eclipse” in one week. My eyeballs were literally burning. Had to slow down some on the last one because of our house painting project, but finished “Breaking Dawn” in a week.

They were so great! I enjoyed every second. Escaping to their diverse world of humans and vampires and werewolves was like being on a supernatural vacation for several weeks. Even when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about the books and the characters and wondering what was going to happen next. I swear there were moments when I could smell the woods and hear the crunching of leaves underfoot in Forks, Washington.

So thank you, Stephenie Meyer, for the entertainment and for sharing your wonderful imagination with the world! And, please, keep on doing the amazing thing that you do …

What’s Cookin’ – Boeuf Bourguignon

After reading the book, “Julie & Julia,” and then seeing the movie recently, I was determined to attempt at least one of Julia Child’s famous recipes. So I warbled my way through a good 4 hours in the kitchen yesterday making Julia’s Boeuf Bourguignon from “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” (page 315 in my copy).

Assembling the Ingredients

It is truly delicious, although I used nearly every pot and pan in the kitchen — and some of them twice.

Sautéing the bacon and beef

It’s not a difficult recipe, just time intensive. Everything is cooked in a different skillet or sauce pan before all coming together in one dutch kettle at the end.

Sautéing the carrot and onion

I chopped and sautéed and braised.

Braising the pearl onions

I had a glass of the burgundy while I cooked. Peeling all those little pearl onions took some time.

Sautéing the mushrooms

We served it over long grain wild rice with dinner rolls and a glass of wine and, yes, it was absolutely wonderful! I loved, loved, loved the mushrooms sautéed in butter, of course. And the sauce is amazing.

Boeuf Bourguignon over Rice

After all is said and done … and eaten … and cleaned up, here are some thoughts:

• This is a dish to make when you have lots and lots of time.
• This is a dish to make for people you love more than anything or very, very special company.
• According to Julia, “…you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it only gains in flavor when reheated.” I would definitely make this the day before company is being served.
• It is rich and satisfying — I would classify it as comfort food.
• For being a home-cooked meal, it is not inexpensive to make. I think the ingredients ran around $25.

I know this will probably sound weird, but I love going outside and coming back into the house after a meal like this — the fragrance is fantastic and the house continues to smell like heaven for hours and hours!!!

Movie Review: Julie & Julia

Julie & Julia

Went to see “Julie & Julia” starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. I read the book about a year ago and had heard they were making a movie. So often when I have read the book and then eagerly await seeing the movie, I am sadly disappointed. This was not the case.

They did a beautiful job! Meryl Streep was absolutely wonderful playing Julia Child. She really had her warbling voice and mannerisms down. Stanley Tucci was so terrific as Paul Child. I remember watching Julia Child cooking on TV years ago and it never once crossed my mind that she had this beautiful romance and sex life going on. They were truly made for each other.

684 pages of Recipes PLUS 32 pages of Index

Amy Adams as Julie Powell and Chris Messina as her husband, Eric Powell, were so endearing. What a supportive husband he was through this project. The way he dived into her dishes as she cooked her way through “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” was adorable. It is so great to cook for someone who appreciates it — and will try anything!!! And, oh, we women can be so dramatic. The scene where she ends up laying on the kitchen floor in despair looked like something that may have happened in our house a time or two. Totally believable.

I loved the way they moved back and forth between 1960s Paris and 2002-03 New York. The scenery in Paris was beautiful and the quaint little apartments. How the hell did they turn out such amazing meals in these miniscule kitchens with such tiny, tiny ovens? I am so going to make the Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew in red wine with bacon, onions and mushrooms) and I’d like to try the Pate de Canard en Croute (boned stuffed duck baked in a pastry crust). I don’t think I’ve ever even had duck — I wonder if you can substitute chicken for the duck … is this culinary blasphemy?

When we got home from the movie theater, I grabbed my copy of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” off the shelf. I bought it on October 2, 1995. I know this because I try to always stamp my keeper books with a book plate stamp for my name and I record the date. I guess I hope that my daughters and grandchildren and so on and so forth will someday look inside the cover of an old cookbook and think Nana bought this so long ago … it’s an antique!

All I can say is I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and can’t wait to have it on DVD so I can watch it over and over. It really made me want to cook something! Bon Appetit!!!