Bring Up the Bodies

Synopsis: Thomas Cromwell Part 2. Henry VIII fought for years to marry Anne Boleyn, but it took little time for him to become disenchanted. She has not produced the son he desperately wants and needs, and she has alienated his old friends. He soon sets his sights on another young lady, demure Jane Seymour, but first has to dispose of Anne. Who is the man for the job? It must be Thomas Cromwell! Anne and the Boleyn family do not want to go down without a fight, and Thomas must find some unlikely allies to make it happen. Within a few terrifying weeks, Anne is standing trial, charged with treason, adultery and….. incest?!? Wow.

Review: We know how it ends, but what a terrific ride to get there. Volume two of a trilogy, this also won the Booker Prize and deservedly so. The characters are vivid, the dialogue crisp and intense. I enjoyed this even more than Wolf Hall, partly because the story is remarkable. Cromwell is getting used to his power and influence, and testing them to see how far he can reach. The Boleyn family was politically savvy, but outmatched by Cromwell. Hilary Mantel takes this amazing plot, and takes it to another level. She deftly sets the scene where Cromwell realizes his precarious position: all his power and wealth derive from his position as an indispensable “fixer” of things for Henry. However, he has no friends, no supporters or power base of his own. He knows he can be set aside (and destroyed) at any time. The novel ends with Anne’s execution, and Henry quickly moving on to wife #3. So far, Cromwell has made him happy and his place is secure.

Rating: 5/5

Recipe: In Wolf Hall, inspiration for the recipe came from Katherine’s royal emblem which included the pomegranate. Anne Boleyn’s badge was the falcon. Hmmmm. I don’t think falcons are really practical for recipe inspiration. Still, it’s Thanksgiving week, so instead of a white falcon, I suggest the obvious choice of turkey. I’ve tried making turkey in almost every way imaginable: brined, deep fried, dry brined, and more. After many experiments, I’ve settled on the dry brine as simpler and much less messy than a wet brine. You need plenty of salt, and then can use whatever herbs or spices you like. For a 12-14 pound turkey you will need 3 tablespoons of salt. I like the Ina Garten combo of adding the zest of one lemon and one tablespoon minced fresh rosemary. Combine, spread all over the inside and outside of the bird and let it sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, leaving it uncovered for the last 24 hours so the skin can dry out. Now I just need to convince Matt to let me try spatchcocking the bird before cooking!