Beneath a Scarlet Sky

Synopsis : Pino Lella is a normal Italian teenager, obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are soon gone. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, he is sent to the Italian Alps where he joins in the Resistance, helping Jews escape to Switzerland by hiking through the Dolomites. He returns to Milan, and through a few twists, becomes the driver for General Hans Leyers, one of the top Nazi officials in Italy. He becomes “The Observer,” passing back information to the Italian resistance movement, while simultaneously falling in love and trying to survive.

Nicholette’s review: It was only a matter of time before Corey and I returned to World War II. This is ostensibly based on a true story, though described as historical fiction, so presumably some elements are not factual. It was a little slow to start, but built up the momentum to become a good story. I have to admit, the story strains credulity a bit. I think if Pino Lella did half the things described, he would likely be a lot better known! Just taking it as fiction makes it easier for me to like it. I think the first part of the book needed more editing. One aspect that I did appreciate is that the characters were multi-dimensional. Our hero is not just brave, but also scared and doesn’t always do the heroic thing. Our evil Nazi General Leyers also has some surprising qualities, even while he does absolutely horrific things. Perhaps my favorite part was the epilogue, hearing what ultimately happened to some of the characters in real life.

Rating: 3/5

Corey’s review: It’s no surprise that we like WW2 historical fiction and when I saw the reviews on Amazon for Beneath a Scarlet Sky, I knew we had to read it. I would agree with my mom’s review in the sense that this book starts off extremely slow. I would recommend you skip this book if you’re someone that needs a story to grab you from the get go. It probably wasn’t until halfway through the book that I became invested in the story. Overall, the story was enjoyable but there are many other World War II books that I like better than this one. Rating: 3/5

Menu : Who doesn’t love Italian food? This recipe for risotto Milanese is classic Northern Italian goodness.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced

2 cups arborio rice

2 large pinches saffron

3-4 cups chicken stock, kept HOT

1 1/2 to 2 cups dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1) Coat a large saucepan generously with olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt and sweat them until translucent.

2) Bring the pan to medium-high heat and add the rice, cook for 2-3 minutes. It should start to sound crackly.

3) Add the saffron to the hot chicken stock

4). Add the wine to the pan until in covers the surface of the rice. Season with salt and cook over a medium high heat, stirring continuously until the wine has absorbed into the rice.

5) Add the saffron chicken stock to the pan until it covers the rice. Cook over medium high heat stirring continuously until the stock has absorbed into the rice.

6) Repeat this process two more times until the rice is very creamy and cooked to your liking.

7) Add the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano and stir vigorously.

The Woman in the Window

Synopsis : Anna Fox lives alone in her New York City home. She suffers from agoraphobia, literally unable to even venture outside of her home. She is separated from her husband and young daughter, and really struggling. She spends her time drinking Merlot (too much), watching classic film noir of the 1940s and 1950s, and observing, or some might even say spying on, her neighbors. One night as she watches the windows of the her neighbors the Russells, she sees something shocking. Has she been drinking too much? Is someone in danger? Will Anna ever be well enough to leave her house?

Nicholette’s review: It’s a sign of the times, we can’t get enough of our unreliable female narrators. This psychological suspense thriller is very much in the vein of Gone Girl, or The Girl on the Train. At least now she has graduated to being called a Woman! This was not groundbreaking in any way, nor great literature, but I’m not ashamed to say it was a lot of page turning goodness. We’re not told the circumstances of Anna’s separation from her family (at least not immediately), but clearly she’s in the throes of some serious issues, and drinking way too much. She can’t even figure out if she should trust herself! The classic film component provided interesting parallels to her own reality and made me want to check some of those classics out myself. This moved along at a crisp pace and was a fun diversion.

Rating: 4/5

Menu : OK, a bottle of Merlot MUST figure into the menu somehow right? So while just drinking it might be Anna’s style, we decided to use it in cooking some delicious braised short ribs. This is a very easy recipe, mainly just taking the time needed, and not a lot of ingredients.

Ingredients

4 English cut beef short ribs, roughly 8 oz each

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 bottle of full bodied red wine

4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

2) Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on all sides.

3) Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Add the garlic to the pot and stir until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Pour in the bottle of wine, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to about 1 cup.

4) Add the ribs and any juices to the pot, along with the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and put in the oven.

5) Cook about 3 hours, until meat is tender and falling off the bone. Transfer the ribs to a plate, tenting with foil to keep warm. Strain the sauce and remove the grease. Simmer 10 minutes or so to reduce, the whisk in the last tablespoon of butter.

6) Serve the ribs and sauce, I like to serve it over grits, or polenta, or even mashed potatoes would work!

Rating: 5/5

Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail

Synopsis: In 1955, Emma Gatewood set out to take a walk. She left her small Ohio hometown with a change of clothes and less than two hundred dollars. She had no tent or sleeping bag, and hiked in a pair of canvas sneakers. Yet somehow, this 67 year old great grandmother became the first woman to thru hike the Appalachian Trail alone. She became a bit of a celebrity, called Grandma Gatewood by the media, and appeared on TV and in the pages of Sports Illustrated. She brought attention to the lack of maintenance of the trail, and may have saved it from extinction. Not content to hike it once, she hiked the entire stretch two more times in her life.

Nicholette’s Review: Wow! As someone who enjoys a walk in the woods myself, this book was completely inspiring. Emma had a bit of a rough life early on, born to a family of very modest means and married early to a volatile and violent man. By the time she got to be 67, I think she decided she just wanted to do something for herself for a change. I cannot imagine accomplishing what she did with so little. No equipment, no money, not even a decent pair of shoes. But she wants to take a stroll so off she went! In addition to Emma’s story, the author includes some history about the development of the trail, as well as some history of the times. If I ever start to think I can’t do it, I’m going to think of Grandma Gatewood and keep going!

Rating 4/5

Menu : Emma was not shy about asking strangers to help provide shelter or a meal along the route. She carried little with her, and definitely relied on the kindness of strangers along the way. I imagine pot roast as the kind of dinner a family might have in 1955 that allowed them to offer a stranger another seat at the table. Ina Garten is my usual reference for good comfort food, and this pot roast is delicious.

4-5 pound boneless beef chuck roast, tied

all purpose flour

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped yellow onions

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups chopped leeks

5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy

2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy

28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes in puree

1 cup chicken stock

1 chicken bouillon cube

3 branches fresh thyme

2 branches fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2) Pat beef dry, season all over with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Dredge in flour

3) In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil and brown the roast on all sides. Remove to a plate.

4) Add a tablespoon olive oil to the Dutch oven and cook carrots, onions, celery, leeks, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until tender but not browned.

5) Add the wine and cognac and bring to a boil.

6) Add tomatoes, chicken stock, chicken bouillon cube, 1 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

7) Tie the time and rosemary together and add to the pot.

8) Put the roast back in the pot, and bring to a boil, and cover.

9) Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, turning the heat down to 250 degrees after abut an hour to keep the sauce at a simmer.

10) when done, remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and skim off as much fat as possible.

11) With an immersion blender, puree the sauce partially, leaving some chunks of vegetables.

12) Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash together with a fork.

13) Add to the sauce, simmering a few minutes until thickened.

14) Slice the meat, and serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

There will be quite a bit of sauce left. I like to use it on egg noodles for a second low effort meal.

The Thursday Murder Club

Synopsis : Four unlikely friends in a senior retirement village meet every Thursday to discuss cold-case murders and try to solve them. It’s just a hobby , mind you. When a real life murder occurs at the retirement village, the Thursday Murder Club set about trying to solve the crime. They become friendly with members of the local police force. Utilizing intelligence and intuition, the septuagenarians assist the police in solving the crime.

Nicholette’s Review: A light, sweet, charming book. A quick read, with great entertainment value (though maybe less literary merit!). There’s no blood and guts, no profanity, but plenty of red herrings. The characters were delightful, and actually a fair amount of humor was found as well. In some ways I found it similar to The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall. In addition to the mystery to be solved, there is a certain amount of poignant reflection on the challenges of aging. This is a book you could finish in a weekend and provide a nice distraction from the crazy world if one is needed.

Rating: 3/5

Corey’s review: I recommended we read this book because it seemed fitting and appropriate for the season. I’ll admit, when I chose this book I had no idea what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised! It’s just a light hearted read with a touch of mystery. It’s a feel good read that I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick and enjoyable read

Rating 3/5

Menu: One of the club, Joyce, likes to frequent a vegan restaurant in the local town called Anything With A Pulse. Personally, I think that’s an odd name for a vegan restaurant—should it not be Nothing with a Pulse? Perhaps this is British humor that I’m not quite getting. BUT….. if I were to go to a vegan restaurant, I would expect to find something like Melissa Clark’s delicious red lentil soup on the menu. One of my favorites, and it’s quick and delicious.

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon grund cumin

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

pinch of ground chili powder

1 quart vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 cup red lentils

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1) In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medim-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauce until soft.

2) Stir in tomato paste, cumin, slat, pepper and chili powder and saute 2 more minutes.

3) Add broth, water, lentils, and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.

4) Using an immersion or regular blender, puree half the soup. It should remain somewhat chunky.

5) Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

The Orphan Master's Son

Synopsis:  This novel is told from the perspective of two young men living in the world’s most mysterious dictatorship, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or as Americans call it, North Korea.  In Part One, Pak Jun Do begins life in an orphanage.  Jun Do gets his first taste of power, and is assigned the job of distributing the meager food rations and assigning the sometimes dangerous work assignments.  Along the way, he is forced to make a few questionable moral choices.  When he turns 14 he becomes a tunnel soldier, then a kidnapper for the state, and in return for his loyal service is rewarded with language school where he learns English.  He then is assigned to “work” on a fishing boat where his real assignment is to intercept and translate foreign radio transmissions.  More things happen, some things go wrong, and ultimately he winds up in a prison mining camp.  Part Two is told from the perspective of an unnamed interrogator.  He has been assigned the job of extracting a confession from Commander Ga, a national war hero.  It becomes apparent pretty quickly (to the reader, not the interrogator) that Commander Ga is actually….Jun Do!  And so we spend Part Two ultimately unraveling a mystery in which The Dear Leader himself plays not a small part.

Nicholette’s  review : I became interested in learning more about North Korea a few years ago and selected two books to begin my education. The first, Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader: North Korea and the Kim Dynasty, is a fascinating, dense, 900+ page masterwork, though I am not reviewing that here.  (But if you too want to become a student of North Korea, this is an excellent overview!)  The second was this work of fiction.  It was well reviewed and won the Pulitzer Prize so I had high expectations and my expectations were actually surpassed.  I think it’s rare to find a novel that is equally driven by plot and characters.  The story started slow, but became quite a page turner as Jun Do (yep, John Doe, a man in search of his true identity) becomes a more vivid character.  It is both a thriller, as well as clever social satire.  There were many themes of the novel, but perhaps the one that resonated with me the most is simply that love is being totally honest and transparent with another person.  In the context of a society where people are constantly  in fear of being turned in to the secret police, where people have to constantly guard their true thoughts and emotions, the gift of total honesty and transparency is a magnificent thing.

Rating:  5/5

Corey review: once again did not read this week’s book. Part of me is intrigued because of the 5/5 rating my mom gave, but the other part of me knows this is not a book I will get into. Any book that starts slow is a no go for me. One thing I can get behind is the burger. Speaking from experience, these are awesome.

Menu : A recurring theme in the book is how important the myth of North Korean superiority is in their culture. At one point in the book, the Dear Leader wants to try and replicate a Texas ranch, but it will be “improved” to his standards.  So what could be more American than a burger?  This recipe from Rachel Ray is a bit more complicated than your average American burger, but it is without question my favorite burger of all time! 

Korean BBQ Burgers

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2-3 tablespoons gochujang

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

3 teaspoons sugar

1 clove garlic, grated

2 cups shredded cabbage (red, green or savoy)

1 cup kimchi, thinly sliced, plus a splash of brine

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 red onion, very thinly sliced

1 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon canola oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 1 inch pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 pound ground beef

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 brioche buns, split

toasted sesame seeds

FOR SLAW: in a medium bowl, mix the may, 1 tablespoon each gochujang and sesame oil, the 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon sugar and the grated garlic.  Mix in the cabbage, kimchi and brine, and scallions.  Cover and chill.

FOR ONION:  in a small saucepan, heat the cider vinegar, the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and the salt over medium, stirring until dissolved, about 2 minutes.  Mis in the onion. Remove from heat.  Let stand until cool then drain.

FOR SAUCE:  in a medium skillet, heat the 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil over medium.  Add 2 cloves of the minced garlic and one 1 inch piece of grated ginger.  Stir until aromatic, about one minute. Add the brown sugar, 1/2 cup of soy sauce and the rice vinegar, dissolved cornstarch, honey, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.  cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add the remaining 1-2 tablespoons gochujang.  Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

FOR BURGERS: place the beef in a medium bowl. Season with pepper.  Mix in the remaining 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 inch piece of grated ginger, 1 teaspoon soycause, one teaspoon sesame oil, and the Worcestershire sauce.  Form into 4 patties.  Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil.

Heat a large griddle or grill pain over medium high heat and cook the patties for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, for medium.  build the burgers by layering bun bottoms, onion, burgers, sauce, sesame seeds, slaw and bun tops.

The Secret Keeper

Synopsis: During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen year old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is daydreaming about the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm, and watches as her mother speaks to him. Laurel then witnesses a shocking crime that remains a family mystery for decades. Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful actress in London. She gathers at the family farm with her siblings to celebrate her mother Dorothy’s 90th birthday. She decides it’s her last chance to gain answers to the questions she has harbored for all those years. Dorothy and Laurel’s story take the reader from pre-WWII England, through the blitz, to the 60’s and beyond. It’s a story about hopes and dreams and secrets, and the consequences of our choices.

Nicholette’s Review: This was an absorbing family drama/mystery told from the points of view of multiple characters. Lots of twists and turns, and I was sure I had it figured out multiple times (nope), until the ending which left me stunned and surprised! What a happy turn of events for a reader! The characters are vivid, and more complicated than first glance would suggest. Kate Morton is gifted at making the transitions between time/place/narrator seamless. The WWII backdrop provided some atmosphere, but this is not really a historical novel. It’s a long book, and a little slow to start, but stay with it and you’ll have a great reading experience.

Rating: 4/5

Corey’s Review: This was one book I wanted to start, but when I heard it was long I knew now was not that time! Too much going on. This book does sound right up my ally and like the prefect fall read. Something about the English countryside and mystery make me think of a cold fall night. It’s no secret that my mom is dominating the review game… I need to pull my weight.

Menu: At one point in the novel, Laurel is reminiscing about the chickens on her family farm and how her mother would use them to make “Coronation Chicken.” Of course, I was curious about what Coronation Chicken was, so trusty Google informed me. Coronation Chicken was created to be served at the banquet celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. I expected something more elaborate, but chicken salad it is. The original recipe is a bit more complicated than it needs to be (in my opinion), but the results are tasty. Converting grams of mayonnaise to English measurements were tricky, so hopefully I got it pretty close to the right proportions!

Coronation Chicken

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon tomato paste

4 tablespoons red wine

4 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/3-1/2 cup creme fraiche (or unsweetened whipped cream)

finely chopped dried apricots

2 large skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cut into chunks.

Instructions:

1) Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan

2) Add in the onion, bay leaf and curry powder and gently cook for 2 minutes

3) Add in the tomato paste, red wine and water and bring to a gentle boil.

4) Add in the lemon juice and pinch of sugar, then season with salt and pepper.

5) Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat, strain, and cool completely.

6) In a large bowl mix together the prepared sauce with the mayonnaise, creme fraiche, and apricots.

7) Add in the chicken, and mix gently.

Atomic Habits: An Easy Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones

Synopsis: Atomic Habits is a self help book that aims to help readers shake bad habits and learn how to build their good habits. The author is a firm believer that good habits can be learned and that if you have failed in the past it is because your system didn’t work, not you. The author walks through different strategies on how to strengthen your good habits to maximize your results. There is a blend of research from both biology and psychology to help readers create a system that works for them.

Nicholette’s review: I love the idea of self improvement. Who doesn’t want to be the best version of themselves that they can be? There were some good ideas in this book (albeit a bit obvious), and it could make for a great blog or a 20 minute TED talk. But…….to stretch this into a book required so much repetition and rehashing that it got annoying. I also didn’t care for the author’s habit (yes, I went there) of constantly referring the reader back to his web site. Underwhelming.

Rating: 2/5

Corey’s review: Wow! I was not expecting such a low review from my mom! Maybe she has already mastered the good habit trait. I actually really enjoyed this book. My general consensus is that most self help books could be shortened into a TED talk, but that didn’t change my overall feelings of this book. The strategies are practical and easy to implement in your life. This would be a great book to read before you set your New Year’s resolutions.
Rating: 3/5

Menu: This was tough to pair an actual meal to so we went with one of the most important habits….eating breakfast! Although, these muffins could also double as a dessert- we don’t see anything wrong with that.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)

1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)

1 cup small-diced walnuts

1 cup granola

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix.

Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve. ~

An American Marriage

Synopsis: Celestial and Roy are young newlyweds, educated, middle class with upwardly mobile ambitions, and happily married. After only 18 months of marriage, Roy is accused and convicted of rape, a crime that he did not commit. Celestial knows that he is innocent, but the years pass, wreaking havoc on their marital bond. Celestial begins to spend more time with her childhood friend (and Roy’s best man) Andre. After five years, the wrongful conviction is overturned, and Roy returns to Atlanta to try and reclaim his life.

Nicholette’s Review: This was such a moving, powerful examination of love and marriage. The brief plot synopsis might make you expect a courtroom drama or examination of the prison-industrial complex. In fact, there is surprisingly little time devoted to the criminal proceedings. Instead, this is an examination of the slow devastation of a man/woman/couple. We read about the hopes of romantic love, some realized and some failed. We read about disapproving in-laws, flawed families, questions of whether to have children. This novel was beautifully written, honest and heart breaking, but ultimately hopeful. It is told from alternating POV-Roy, Celestial, and Andre, and partially epistolary in the letters Roy and Celestial exchange while he is incarcerated, and the letters were probably my favorite part. The letters make you realize how little you actually know someone when you marry, and the process of truly “knowing” takes so long. I thought it was one of my favorite books of the year.

Rating: 4/5

Corey’s Review: Oh this book!! It was a roller coaster of emotions. I was also expecting this to be a book about our criminal justice system and the fight for racial justice, but it ended up being that and so much more. The heart wrenching love story of Roy and Celestial took front and center stage in this book. It’s funny because at first I hated the letters, but then they grew on me. They opened and peeled back another layer to our characters and it made the story! This is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
Rating: 4/5

Menu Early in the novel, Roy and Celestial visit Roy’s parents. He describes having “Sock It To Me” cake for dessert which he declares his favorite. I’ve never made the Sock It To Me cake, but decided that a cake with cinnamon swirl couldn’t be a bad bet. This recipe dates from the late 60’s/early 70’s as you can tell from it’s name. Those of us of a certain vintage will certainly remember Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In which popularized the phrase. It was one of the early “doctored up” cake mix recipes meant to make life easy!

Ingredients:

1 package plain yellow cake mix

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 cup sour cream

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons milk

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a bundt pan with vegetable oil spray and dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set pan aside.

2) for the filling, place 2 tablespoons flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.

3) Place the cake mix, sour cream, oil, water, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix until thick and smooth.

4) Pour half the batter in the pan. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the batter in the pan. Pour the remaining batter evenly over the filling, smoothing it out with a rubber spatula. Place the pan in the oven.

5) Bake 50-55 minutes until golden brown and the cake wirings back when lightly pressed.. Cool on a wire rack, then invert the cake onto another rack and let cool completely, 30 minutes more.

6) Mix the confectioner’s sugar and milk to make a glaze, then spoon over the cooled caked.

7) Slice and serve.

White Fragility

Synopsis: This book is about the reactions that white people have when their racial assumptions are challenged, and how these reactions help to maintain racial inequality. When challenged racially, white people frequently respond with defensiveness, anger, arguments, or silence. For author Robin DiAngelo, this is “White Fragility.” These behaviors tend to inhibit meaningful conversation and, in turn, reinforce the current racial disequilibrium.

Nicholette’s review: This book was selected as the summer read for my book club. Given all our current events, it seemed timely and important. While I was not familiar with the book, I approached it with interest. I assumed that this would help me understand our nation’s struggle with race relations a little better. I assumed that it would really be about other people, but not me, because “I’m not a racist.” Yes, I was that predictable person reassuring myself that I had nothing to learn about this topic. It did not take long for me to have those notions challenged, and this book unequivocally altered my whole way of thinking about myself. While the book could be a bit repetitive at times, any book that can fundamentally change your perspective on any serious topic is a success for me. I think this will stay with me for a long time.

Rating: 4/5

Menu: I struggled with the menu concept. This is a serious topic, not one to try and make clever. Ultimately I decided on the no-recipe-required cup of coffee. Wake up America.

The Guest List

Synopsis: On a windswept island off the Irish coast, guests gather for the wedding of the year. Jules Keegan is a stylish, ambitious publisher of a digital life-style magazine, betrothed to Will Slater, an up and coming TV star of an outdoor adventure show in the mold of Bear Grylls. The wedding will be featured in the magazine of course, so every detail is perfect, of course. 150 guests arrive, and ultimately, one person dies a distinctly unnatural death. Everyone has a secret and many have a motive, so let’s see if you can figure it out.

Nicholette’s review : A dark, atmospheric murder mystery full of dislikeable characters, but a fun summer read. I enjoyed it, but it probably won’t be one that I remember for long. This has a Big Little Lies vibe, teasing the upcoming murder at the beginning, then spending most of the book setting up the characters, their flaws and foibles, before very late in the game getting to the actual murder. It’s told in alternating points of view between multiple characters, and this made the first half of the book a bit slow. Once the action really gets going, it did have some interesting twists that caught me by surprise. I also found it a bit intriguing that I had to spend most of the book speculating about who the culprit AND the victim would be! I do like a classic “closed room” mystery, and I liked it, but I can’t rave about it.

Rating: 3/5

Corey’s review: This was a great quick read. It wasn’t earth shattering, but it was entertaining. I loved the eerie setting of the island and the double mystery of who was killed and who was the murderer. There were some unpredictable twists that kept it entertaining. At first, all of the characters are hard to keep track of and I was unsure how they would all become connected, but sure enough they do! If you like mystery books and are a seasonal reader I think think this would be a good early fall read. There is something about the setting and the murder that makes the perfect October read.

Rating: 3/5

Menu: Weddings always have great food, and certainly these guests had fine cuisine and craft whiskey to boot. The wedding was in Ireland, but I felt like it was a good excuse to make one of my favorite Ina Garten recipes for Italian Wedding Soup. I know, they weren’t in Italy….. but the soup is delicious with spicy chicken meatballs, spinach, pasta and lots of vegetables. You can’t go wrong with Ina, or Italian!

FOR THE MEATBALLS

3/4 pound ground chicken

1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed

2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese

3 Tablespoons milk

1 extra large egg, lightly beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

FOR THE SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup minced yellow onion

1 cup diced carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

10 cups chicken Stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars

1/4 cup minced dill

12 ounces baby spinach

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, chicken sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Romano, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4 inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. You should have about 40 meatballs. Bake for 30 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium to low heat in a large soup pot. Saute the onion, carrots and celery until softened, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering liquid and cook for 6-8 minutes until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for one minute. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for one minute until just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family

“One of the consequences of surviving schizophrenia for fifty years is that sooner or later, the cure becomes as damaging as the disease.”

Synopsis: The sad, true story of the Galvin family of Colorado. Don and Mimi Galvin decided to have a large family, and they certainly went all out. They had 12 children between 1945 and 1965, perfectly spanning the baby boom. They lived a typical American middle class life, or as typical as it can be with that many children. To an outside viewer, it probably looked like a certain version of domestic harmony and upward mobility. Behind the scenes, though, things weren’t so perfect. By the mid-1970’s, six of the ten Galvin boys, one after the other, were diagnosed with schizophrenia. This book by Robert Kolker tells the heartbreaking story of this family as well as an interesting history of the study of schizophrenia. The Galvlns became one of the first families studied by the National Institute of Mental Health, and samples of their DNA informed genetic research into the disease for decades.

Nicholette’s review: Frightening, fascinating, and nearly unfathomable. First of all, TWELVE KIDS. The first ten were all boys, and of those, six were ultimately diagnosed with schizophrenia in adolescence or early adulthood. Needless to say, this was a horrible situation for all. The stigma attached to mental illness in the 1960s and 1970s led to a lot of denial on the part of the parents. Dad basically checked out, leaving management of the household to his wife Mimi. The well children got ignored and honestly, how could they not? Mental health services are terrible now, and even worse back then (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest anyone?). Add family secrets of violence and abuse, and it’s just a family disaster. The story of the family is only part of the book though, and it’s an absorbing story of how science has tried to figure out this most mysterious of diseases. This was an emotional read, and the story was told in an intimate and compassionate way. I would recommend it to anyone interested in family relationships, or the study of mental health.

Rating: 4/5

Corey’s review: This book was on my list to read and surprise, I never got to it. My mom is smoking my butt in total reads this year. I saw this was one of Oprah’s pick and instantly became interested in it. It sounds like an intense read and to be honest, I am not sure I am up for that right now. This will probably be saved for a later date.

Menu Food did not figure prominently in this book, but having grown up myself in a big family in the 1960s and 1970’s, I’m willing to bet a substantial sum that tuna noodle casserole was in regular rotation in the Galvin household. Cuisine of that era frequently emphasized convenience, and canned tuna was one of the earliest “convenience foods.” There is an interesting history regarding the American canned tuna industry well described in recent articles by Seth Stevenson in Slate. But I digress. Tuna noodle casserole is something I ate regularly as a kid, but I don’t think its popularity continues. If you don’t like tuna, you could easily substitute chicken.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

12 oz wide egg noodles

8 tablespoons salted butter

1 medium onion diced

6 oz mushrooms, diced

1/4 cup flour

3 cups warmed whole milk

1/2 cup sherry

2 large cans tuna, drained

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2) Bring a pot of water to boil, and cook the egg noodles to al dente, drain and set aside

3) Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Sauce the onion 3-4 minutes, add the mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the mixture and stir, cook another minute.

4) Add the milk and sherry and whisk to combine. cook until thick, 3-4 minutes.

5) Add the tuna, bell pepper and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Stir in the noodles until coated.

6) Butter a 9 x 13 inch dish and transfer the noodle mixture to the dish.

7) Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, and mix with the breadcrumbs and remaining parsley.

8) Top the casserole with the breadcrumbs and bake until golden, 25-30 minutes.

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

Synopsis: A novel in epistolary form, this is a letter by the narrator addressed to his mother. Little Dog is the 20 something year old son of a single mother, living with his mother and grandmother in Hartford Connecticut where they are now refugees from Vietnam. Little Dog was very small when they moved to the US, assimilated in language, so functions as the bridge between his grandmother and mother (both illiterate) and American life and culture. If this plot sounds a little like the author’s biography, well, that is probably not an accident.

Nicholette’s review: Is this a novel, a memoir, or a poem? Maybe the so called “auto-fiction.” This ostensibly fictional novel does have significant parallels to the author’s life story, so who knows. I was interested to learn more about Ocean Vuong, and his Wikipedia page led me to understand that he is also a poet. That makes sense as the writing is beautiful, and highly stylized. The coming of age story is pretty universal—we’ve all been teenagers! But the particular experience of a gay Vietnamese refugee took me a little out of my comfort zone. In the end, this seemed like a lot of style, but not a lot of substance. Reading almost any paragraph in the book is a delight, but the whole of it together was a tiny bit disappointing somehow. It made me think of how you might feel after going to a fancy restaurant and getting five wonderful desserts. Each of them completely delicious, but at the end, even though full, you’re not quite satisfied. I liked it, and am glad I read it, but it’s probably not for everyone.

Rating: 3/5

Corey’s review: I didn’t read this week’s book and based on the review I think I will skip it. The one thing I am not skipping is meal! This looks so delicious and perfect for summer.

Menu: This recipe from The Food Network is a favorite of mine. It is quick and easy, and of course, delicious.

Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Pulled Pork

8 ounces rice vermicelli

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

Chopped romaine lettuce

2 cups shredded carrots

1 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced

2-2 1/2 cups pulled pork

1/2 cup packed fresh mint and/or basil, torn if large

1/3 cup salted peanuts, chopped

Sriracha, for topping

1) Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the noodles, stir and remove from the heat. Lit sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, draining well. Cut into shorter lengths with kitchen shears.

2). combine the vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3). Divide the lettuce among bowls, and top with the noodles, carrots and cucumber

4). Cook the pork in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until hot and crisp, about 8 minutes. Divide among the salads. Drizzle with the dressing and top with the herbs and peanuts. Drizzle with sriracha.

Dept. of Speculation

“If I had to sum up what he did for me it would be this: he made me sing along to all the bad songs on the radio. Both when he loved me and when he didn’t”

Synopsis: Dept. of Speculation is the portrait of a marriage, at least from the perspective of one person. Our first person narrator, referred to simply as “the wife,” once exchanged love letters with her husband postmarked Dept of Speculation, their code name for all the uncertainty inherent in life and long relationships. They confront an array of common catastrophes: a colicky baby, a shaky marriage, a stalled career, and throughout, the wife ruminates about her predicament. It tells the story of a good marriage, the shock of adultery, and the terrible period afterward when everything hangs in the balance.

Nicholette’s review: To be sure, this is an “experimental novel.” While there is a clear plot, it’s told more as a series of musings, anecdotes, quotes or insights from our heroine. I might compare it to a literary scrapbook. As described, there are no names given. Be brave my friends, please don’t let this scare you off! There are so many many things that I enjoyed about this book. In spite of not having a name, the narrator is smart, funny and offbeat. The subtle transition from “I” at the beginning of the book, to “the wife” after her marriage is interesting and telling. Her reflections on motherhood exquisitely capture the exasperation, tedium and unbounded joy of being at home with a new baby. This is a slim, short novel that is absorbing, highly readable, often extremely funny, but also sometimes sad in the way that life is. The writing is beautiful and concise. I had this on my “To Read” list for a few years, and now wonder why it took me so long to dive in!

Rating: 4/5

Corey’s review: My mom has talked about this book for a long time so I am glad she finely read it. I did not read this one and the review is intriguing but also not sure I would get into it. Maybe I’ll take her advice and not be scared by the uniqueness of the book and read it.

I spent a lovely summer morning on the deck with Dept. of Speculation. Set in New York City, I suppose I could have chosen an iconic NYC food like a bagel for brunch, but I was too intimidated to try making my own bagels! I settled for a scone (see our February 12 blog post for the recipe) and a perfect watermelon salad. You probably think you don’t need a recipe for watermelon and blueberries, but a little glaze of mint infused simple syrup takes this to the next level.

Watermelon Salad

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup waterr

fresh mint

1 lemon

3 cups cubed watermelon

2 cups blueberries

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Add 3 sprigs of mint and let steep for 10 minutes. Discard the minute, add the zest and juice of one lemon, and a pinch of salt. Toss with the watermelon and blueberries and let stand for 15 minutes. Garnish with more lemon zest and chopped mint. My photo does not show the mint garnish because someone at my house says they don’t like mint, though I was able to sneak it into the simple syrup without notice. I think the mint garnish makes it even more colorful and fresh.

Long Bright River

“This was the secret I learned that day: none of them want to be saved. They all want to sink backward toward the earth again, to be swallowed by the ground, to keep sleeping. There is hatred on their faces when they are roused from the dead.”

Synopsis: Mickey and Kasey are two sisters living in Philadelphia, but walking two different paths. Mickey is police officer patrolling the streets at night and Kasey is a drug addict looking for her next fix. Kasey mysteriously disappears right around the time of a string of murders and Mickey becomes obsessed with finding the murderer and her sister. The story alternates between their childhood and present day and each parts are equally riveting and shocking. Yes, this is a thriller, but it’s also much deeper than that

Nicholette’s Review: I didn’t really think that this was going to be the book for me, but I was wrong! It is a well written mystery, but SPOILER ALERT, it’s not really a mystery story. I mean it is superficially a mystery story, but at it’s core it is a family drama about the the ripple effect that opioid addiction has on a family, and a community. Kasey and Mickey are believable, flawed characters with a heartbreaking history. Raised by their grandmother after the overdose death of their mother, they go from inseparable, to not speaking at all, but their bond remains. A tenuous bond at times, but love endures. The topic is timely given our opioid epidemic, and while sad at times, I found it ultimately hopeful. I liked the fact that the writing in this book was so good it could make me truly enjoy a genre type fiction that I normally wouldn’t go for.

Rating: 4/5

Corey’s Review: Wow! I don’t even know where to begin with this one. It really has so many layers. It starts off as a murder mystery, but it turns into so much more that that. It is about family, loss, addiction and coping with whatever life throws at you. There are so many twists and turns in this book it will keep you engaged all the way until the end. It has always been interesting to me that two people who grow up under similar circumstances could be so different and choose such opposite ways of life. We read this in our book club and everyone loved it. It really has something for everyone. One thing that stuck out to me was the lack of quotation marks. It was obviously done on purpose, I just couldn’t figure that piece out.

Rating: 4/5

Menu: Philly= Philly cheese steaks of course! We have one non beef eater in our book club so we had to improvise and use chicken. I know- that is a big no-no, so I have included an easy traditional recipe below. This recipe comes from a food blogger Natasha’s Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ribeye steak trimmed and thinly sliced*

• 1/2 tsp Sea salt or to taste

• 1/2 tsp Black pepper or to taste

• 1 sweet onion (large), diced

• 8 slices provolone cheese mild (not aged provolone)

• 4 Hoagie Rolls sliced 3/4 through

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter softened

• 1 garlic clove pressed

• 2-4 Tbsp mayonnaise or to taste

Method:

1. Slice hoagie rolls 3/4 of the way through with a serrated knife. Dice onions and thinly slice beef.*

2. In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp softened butter with 1 pressed garlic clove. Spread garlic butter onto the cut sides of 4 hoagie roll. Toast the buns on a large skillet, flat cooktop or griddle on medium heat until golden brown then set aside.

3. Add 1 Tbsp oil to your pan/cooktop and sautee diced onions until caramelized then transfer to a bowl.

4. Increase to high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Spread the super thinly sliced steak in an even layer. Let brown for a couple of minutes undisturbed then flip and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Sautee until steak is fully cooked through then stir in the caramelized onions.

5. Divide into 4 even portions and top each with 2 slices of cheese and turn off the heat so the cheese will melt without overcooking the meat.

6. Spread a thin layer of mayo on the toasted side of each roll. Working with one portion at a time, place a toasted bun over each portion and use a spatula to scrape the cheesy beef into your bun as you flip it over. Serve warm.

Summer of ‘69

Synopsis: The Foley/Levin family spends every summer on Nantucket. The summer of 1969 is no exception. However, this year things are a bit different. Eldest daughter Blair is expecting twins and having marital difficulties. Second daughter Kirby is living on Martha’s Vinyard (gasp!) and working as a desk clerk at a hotel. Son Tiger has been drafted to Vietnam and mom is drinking WAY too much to try and cope. Meanwhile, littlest sister Jessie is trying to enter her teen years when no one is really paying attention. Summer soap opera ensues.

Nicholette’s review Meh.

OK, I wanted to leave it at that, but its hard not to elaborate. This was a breezy fluffy, gossipy kind of novel. Nothing bad, just nothing really good either. Predictable characters doing predictable things. Supposedly serious topics are raised (sexism! racism! anti-Semitism!) but then nothing really meaningful happens with that. The endless repetitive references to music and history of the day were gratuitous and overdone. It seemed like a lazy shorthand way of trying to develop atmosphere. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t really like it that much either. Sorry. I have seen a few reviews describe this as historical fiction, but I would take exception to that. This adds nothing to our thinking about history, just a superficial soap opera that is set in a different decade. If you want some mindless reading, go for it, but I would argue you can get equal entertainment with better writing in other books.

Rating: 2.5/5. Corey says we can’t have half stars, but until she starts reading more of the books, I will give half stars if I want to.

Corey review: HARSH!!! I did read this book, so I can say I will give a full star rating. I tend to agree with a lot of the points my mom made. It is a fluffy gossip book. I think I enjoyed it because I grew up in New England and I read this book during the unbearable Arizona summer. It made me homesick. As far as the story line…it was mediocre at best. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and it seemed so predictable. This was the first book I have read by this author and I don’t think I will be running to pick up another one anytime soon. I think my mom should thank me because the bad books make the good ones that much better! Cheers to finding the next five star.

Rating:3/5

Menu Lobster rolls! Have to love that, because there is really no recipe needed. Only a few rules apply. Number one, use a top split hot dog roll, and grill it so you get the delightful buttery crunch of the roll. Two, mix cooked lobster meat with a bare minimum of mayonnaise, and nothing else. Just a trace! Just enough to barely hold it together! Ignore any suggestions to include celery or anything green. I know, in this novel, that is described, but a true Maine lobster roll has NO CELERY. Let the lobster shine through with the lovely grilled bun, and there you go. Taste of summer.

The Night Circus

“

Good and evil are a great deal more complex than a princess and a dragon . . . is not the dragon the hero of his own story?”

Synopsis: The Night Circus is a fantasy fairy tale set near an ahistorical Victorian London in a wandering magical circus that is open only from sunset to sunrise. Le Cirque des Reves (The Circus of Dreams) features a variety of wonders and enigmas, appearing without warning, and leaving without notice. The circus also serves as the domain of magician rivalry. Two powerful magicians, Prospero the Enchanter and Mr AH groom their proteges, Celia and Marco to continue the rivalry as proxies in magical one-upmanship…… to the death. Of course, they fall in love complicating the tale, as they struggle to understand the rules of the competition that they have been committed to.

Nicholette’s Review: This book felt like a dream, very visually evocative. A fantasy novel about a Victorian circus, it absolutely delivered on mood and atmosphere. It lacked a little in character development, but I enjoyed having my imagination stimulated in such a visual way. I want to go to this circus, and attend those dinner parties, and see the amazing ethereal sights! Plus, I love magic (see, Harry Potter). I hope there is a movie and that Tim Burton is involved.

Corey’s Review: I actually associate this book with reigniting my love for reading in my young adult life. It is like a grown up fairy tale and provided an escape from my everyday world. The love story and the magic were very well done. I wouldn’t recommend this book to someone that needs a page turner. I think this was a drawn out story, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You need to be in the right frame of mind to really enjoy it. It might be a good book around Halloween if you are a seasonal reader.

Menu: What do you want to get at the circus? I always like the sweet/salty combination of. kettle corn or other popcorn things, so this was the perfect time to try out Sunny Anderson’s Party Popcorn. It was a little messy, not sure I’d make it for a party unless you’re willing to have a lot of chocolate fingerprints all over the place, but it was very addictive! Next time I might add 1 tablespoon of crisco to the chocolate to help it set up.

Party Popcorn

1/3 cup popcorn kernels

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup toffee chips

1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a heavy pot on high heat, add oil and one kernel of popcorn. Cover. When the kernel pops, add the rest of the popcorn. Pop until you no longer hear the popping sound. Remove from the heat and spread on a baking sheet. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat and add toffee and peanuts. Stir until toffee melts, adding more butter if needed. Pour over the popcorn. Melt chocolate in a double boiler, (maybe adding 1 tablespoon of Crisco!) then drizzle over the popcorn. Let sit until chocolate is set.

Bonus menu!

Ina Garten elephant ears

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar, divided

Pinch kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

2. Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon and spread it evenly on the puff pastry. This is not about sprinkling, it's about an even covering of sugar. With a rolling pin, lightly roll the dough until it's a 13-inch square and the sugar is pressed into the puff pastry on top and bottom. Fold the sides of the square toward the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold one half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 3/8-inch slices and place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 

3. Bake for 6 minutes and then flip. Bake an additional 6 minutes

The Overstory

“There is no knowing for a fact. The only dependable things are humanity and looking.”

Synopsis: “It’s about trees.” Well, the person who gave me that synopsis didn’t exactly inspire me. But it was a Pulitzer Prize winner, and so many praised it, I figured there had to be just a little more to it than “it’s about trees.” What it’s really about is people, our relationship to nature and to each other. The novel starts with 9 separate character vignettes introducing the cast of protagonists. The plot then weaves them together, how they came to be connected (or not), but all defined by a love of the natural world. Much of the plot is centered around the eco-terrorism of the late 1990’s, set in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a difficult novel to summarize, but I’ll say that in a good way. It covers A LOT of ground!

Nicholette’s review: This is the type of book that I read and then I want to buy it for everyone that I know. I loved so much about it. First of all, there is just so much to learn from this book. It really makes you think about the world, and how much humans can underestimate the power of the planet. I think that there are some that have described it as a bit preachy, but this is the best rendering of science wrapped up in novel that I have encountered. The character development was tremendous, and the slow weaving together of the story threads was wonderful. This novel was brilliant, passionate, terrifying and painful. I truly cannot stop thinking about it. It deserves all the accolades and more. As a final note, there was also some sly, clever humor on display. Set in the Pacific Northwest of the late 1990’s, there had to be a few veiled Amazon references. My favorite? “Once you’ve bought a novel in your pajamas, there’s no turning back.”

Rating: 5/5

Corey’s review: This book has been on my TBR list for a while and I couldn’t get my life in order to read it in time for this week’s blog. My mom amazes me in many ways, her speed reading ability is just one of them. Everything about this book sounds like what I need right now. A walk in nature with an amazing story-line. I love our planet and have an immense amount of respect for her. I have this sitting my nightstand and just might need to hit pause on everything else to read this.

Menu : This was not a book that immediately called to mind any particular dish, so call it a wild card. I’ve been wanting to make Alison Roman’s Coconut braised chicken, and if we want to stretch it, coconuts come from trees, so that works, right?

Coconut-Braised Chicken with Chickpeas and Limes

3.5-4 pounds bone-in, skin on chicken pieces

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 large yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons gochujang or tomato paste

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

two 14 oz cans full fat coconut milk

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

two 15 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

2 limes, quartered

1) Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown 8-10 minutes a side and transfer chicken to a plate.

2) Add the garlic and 3/4 of the onion to the pot, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add gochujang, ginger, turmeric, fennel, and pepper flakes and cook about two more minutes.

3). Add the coconut milk and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot, add the chickpeas, and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

4). After 45 minutes, remove the lid and simmer uncovered 20-25 more minutes. Add the fish sauce if using.

5) Serve the stew with remaining onion, cilantro, peanuts and lime for squeezing over.

Writers & Lovers

“If we didn’t have fear, imagine the creativity in the world. Fear holds us back every step of the way.”

Synopsis: Casey Peabody is trying to figure it out. She is a 31 year old woman who has moved to Boston in the summer of 1997 with the chief goal of completing the novel she has been working on for the last six years. She’s struggling in a lot of ways: she recently lost her mother to an unexpected death, she is financially strapped with crushing student debt, and is barely getting by as a waitress. She is also fresh off a failed romance. Casey begins to date two very different men which only makes her life more confusing. This is an introspective, intimate story of a young woman trying to realize her dream of the creative life.

Nicholette’s Review: I really, really enjoyed this novel. I found it to be a refreshing and fairly realistic story of a young woman just trying to figure out what kind of life she wants to live. Casey is an imperfect heroine (aren’t we all), and has a few failures to contend with. This novel is a thoughtful exploration of what happens when life doesn’t turn out exactly the way you planned, and trying to make it work anyway. While it’s a novel about writing, ironically I most enjoyed the parts of the novel set in the restaurant, Iris. The social politics between wait staff, hostess and chef, the effort to look presentable when you have to ride a bike to work, dealing with customers of every stripe. I suspect the author must have worked as a waitress herself, it was so realistic. This is my first reading of Lily King, and now I’m inspired to visit her previous novel Euphoria.

Rating: 4/5

Corey’s Review: I didn’t read this book, but it sounds like it was a great read. I love books based in New England and the self discovery aspect of this novel sounds endearing. One thing I will not pass up is the meal we curated for this book!

Menu: Casey works at restaurant called Iris. It’s where a number of important plot points occur, including one where she waits on a widower out with his two young sons. The description of creme brûlée was perfect! The shellac of the caramelized sugar topping, “like ice but really just the opposite, made from heat not cold.” It’s one of my favorite desserts ever. You may be tempted to skip the step where you strain the egg and cream mixture, but I implore you not to cut that corner! It keeps it silky smooth.

Creme Brulee

8 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup sugar for topping

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2) In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until mixture is thick and pale yellow and sugar is dissolved. Add cream and vanilla and continue to whisk until well blended.

3) Strain the mixture to skim off any foam or bubbles.

4) Divide mixture among 6 ramekins and place in a water bath. I usually use a lasagne pan or roasting pan, and fill it with hot water until the level reaches about half way up the ramekins.

5) Bake until set around the edges but still loose in the center, about 40-50 minutes.

6) Remove from the oven and leave in the water bath until cooled.

7) Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least two hours.

8) When ready to serve, sprinkle the top with 2 teaspoons of sugar, and use a small hand held torch to melt the sugar.

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

“For scientific leadership give me Scott; for swift and efficient travel, Amundsen; but when you are in a hopeless situation, when there seems no way out, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.”

Synopsis: The golden age of polar exploration , in the early 1900’s was pretty exciting! The race to the pole ended in 1911 with the Norwegian Roald Amundsen claiming victory. Still, there was a lot of exploring left to do. Ernest Shackleton led a team of 27 men to the Antarctic in 1914 with the goal of crossing, and charting, the Antarctic continent. Unfortunately their vessel, Endurance, became ice bound before they even got there, and was finally crushed between two ice floes. Shackleton was faced with the daunting mission of saving his men by crossing 850 miles of the south Atlantic’s icy waters (in a couple of dinghies) to the closest outpost of civilization. I don’t think it’s a spoiler of a legendary voyage to say that he succeeded and not a single person died in the process. How in the hell did they do that? Well, that’s why you need to read the book!

Nicholette’s Review: I can’t tell a lie, I’m a sucker for history and heroics. I first read abut Shackleton’s voyage in Caroline Alexander’s book The Endurance, published in 1999. This was a lovely book, loaded with photographs which are ghostly, and beautiful, and harrowing. Shackleton had brought a photographer along to document the trip, as this was part of how it was funded…. the idea that he would travel and give lectures after the fact. I decided to revisit the story 20 years later by reading Alfred Lansing’s account. His book was first published in 1959, and I think is still considered the definitive account. I think the photographs of Alexander’s book were amazing, but the prose of Lansing was superior. Throughout the nightmare endured by these men, two things stood out: 1) the cheerfulness and camaraderie of the men, and 2) NO ONE DIED. What?!? How is that possible? A truly inspirational tale of men prevailing over seemingly impossible odds.

Rating: 5/5

Corey’s Review: I had every intention of starting and finishing this book in time for the review, but sadly I didn’t even start it! This is absolutely going on my list of books to read.

Menu: What could complement this story better than a recipe for a wedge salad featuring iceberg lettuce? They lived for months on an iceberg after all! I love the classic blue cheese, but for those who don’t (ahem, Corey), who’s to say you can’t use ranch, or thousand island, or whatever floats your boat? Just make sure the lettuce is crisp and cold. Just like the South Pole!

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup maonnaise

1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese

2-4 tablespoons buttermilk

2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley, or basil)

1 head iceberg lettuce, quartered, core removed

8 strips crispy bacon

grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1) Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, gorgonzola, buttermilk, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Place a wedge of lettuce on a plate. Coat with dressing, crumbled bacon, tomatoes

3) Garnish with blue cheese, and salt and pepper.

The Dutch House

Synopsis: A dysfunctional family story set in Philadelphia revolving around (of course) The Dutch House. Cyril Conroy makes a savvy investment and raises himself and family out of poverty. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate built by the Netherlands-born VanHoebeeks. His wife can’t deal with the ostentatious display, and ultimately leaves, leading to divorce. When Cyril remarries, well….. things would have been OK if he survived, but he had an early heart attack, so Evil Stepmom throws out Danny and Maeve. They spend quite a long time trying to come to grips with the life that was, and the life that is.

Nicholette’s Review: I consume a lot of books by audio, which is how I “read” this book. Narrated by Tom Hanks, it was wonderful! The book uses the Dutch House as a foil: to Cyril it represented achievement, to his wife Elna it represented everything wrong with the world, that some have so much and others so little. To Maeve and Danny it comes to represent not a place per se, but family, and belonging that they had once, then lost. Tom Hanks was superb as the narrator of this story, providing nuance and effortless emotion that’s not overdone. Would I have liked it as much in the written form? I think so, but I will say that Hanks telling of the story was impeccable! Rating 4/5

Corey’s Review: I also “read” this book via audio book and I have to admit, I don’t know if I would have liked it as much if I actually read it. Tom Hanks did such an amazing job narrating and portraying the characters in this story. It was a slow book for me which is why I don’t know if I would have enjoyed reading it. The family drama was so believable and the bond between Maeve and Danny made me think of my own brother and our relationship. While I enjoyed this book, I think it was mostly due to Tom Hanks and his ability to make the story come to life. Rating: 3/5

Menu: To complement The Dutch House, I tried my hand at a Dutch baby. This is something of a cross between a pancake, a crepe, or a popover. I’ve heard it described as a “fluffy pancake,” but mine definitely came out more like a crepe. Regardless, it was delicious, and an easy brunch for a family. Only after making it did I come to the discovery that the dish is probably of German origin, with someone doing a bad job of pronouncing “Deutsche.” Whoops! Well, it still was good, even if it’s not really Dutch.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup milk, heated ~ 30 seconds in the microwave

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Confecgtioner’s sugar for dusting

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven and a large nonstick ovenproof skillet to 400 degrees

2) When hot, melt the butter in the pan.

3) combine all ingredients in a blender and mix completely.

4) Add the excess melted butter and combine

5) Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Pour the batter in the hot pan

6) Return to the oven and cook 20-25 minutes.

7) Using a spatula, remove the dutch baby from the pan and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes (so the bottom doesn’t get soggy).

8) Dust with confectioner’s sugar, cut into wedges and sev e with topp[ings of choice.