Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain

I'm not a dog person, although I don't dislike them, and we had a dog for years, they just don't fit my lifestyle right now.  However..........after reading this one, I can see that I could easily become one again.  This is the book chosen by our local  book discussion group for November's read.  Everyone has already let me know they loved it, can't wait to meet to discuss it, and couldn't put it down once they started.

The premise is quite unusual.  The story is told by a dog, Enzo, who gives us his perspective on life without opposable thumbs, his anticipated reincarnation as a human, his thoughts on human weakness, child-rearing, and most of all car racing.  You see, Enzo belongs to a professional race car driver, so he and his owner spend hours in front of the video screen reviewing races, practicing moves, and devising race strategies.  Let it be said that I am NOT a race car fan at all, but I didn't find the setting off-putting.

Throughout the book, as Enzo watches his mistress dying of a brain tumor, as he observes the power struggle for a child's heart and custody, as he ruminates on various strange human behaviors, he dispenses pearls of wisdom in race car terms.  Denny, Enzo's owner, is one of those hapless individuals who never catches a break, who tries very hard to do right, but whom life seems to want to dump on, no matter what he does or does not do.  Through it all, Enzo remains the one constant in his life.

Set in the lustrous and often rainy area of coastal Washington State (in the Puget sound area), the story follows Enzo as he ages, goes through all the angst of getting older, slower, and having bodily functions less responsive than they were in youth.  It's a marvelous soliloquoy on life, and on life after death. Some of our readers say they found it to be a real tear-jerker.  I simply found it to be a lovely and loving tale of a family, a dog, and how they helped each other cope with everything that life could throw at them.

Author: Garth Stein
Publisher: Harper
Year of  publication: 2008
Subject: life, death, car racing, child custody
Setting: Pacific Northwest - Puget Sound area
Number of pages: 321
Why did I read this book now? My book club chose it.

Mailbox Monday - November 19

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house recently. Created by Marcia at The Printed Page, Mailbox Monday, now has its own blog. Hosting duties are rotated every month. Kathy at Bermuda Onion's Weblog is our host for November. Be sure to drop by to see what everyone else got this week.

Last time I did a mailbox post, I promised you a catch-up on my Barnes and Noble virtual mailbox to see what goodies I've snagged for my personal library on my NOOK. My "buying" mouse clicker has been a busy little rodent!

Purchased from Barnes and Noble for my Nook:



Impulse by Frederick Ramsay
World War One: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley
Dog On It (the first of the Chet and Bernie series) by Spencer Quinn
Lincoln by David Herbert Donald
President Truman by Thomas Fleming
Plum Island by Nelson DeMille
Boone by Robert Morgan

An eclectic assortment, but who can resist those bargain books when Barnes and Noble or Amazon dangle them before my buying eyes? We have two NOOKs.  Hubby "owns" one, but we maintain one account at B&N because we have very similar reading tastes.  He's a retired history teacher and aspiring mystery writer. I'm addicted to mysteries and am trying to complete the challenge to read Presidential biographies (at least one of each) before I die, so these were all no-brainers for both of us.

Stay tuned for reviews. The Presidents I've been reading are concurrent with Boone, and I'm anxious to see how his escapades fill in some of that history-it's a long book, so it may take awhile.  I've already posted the WW I review, so I'm not doing too badly on that challenge, but I still have about 5 more I want to read in that era.  In fact, I'm probably going to spend another year reading WWI and the years leading up to WW II.

Be sure if you're here to let us know what's been landing in your mailbox.

Review: The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall Page

This series has become a favorite over the past few years, although I've read it in a rather piece-meal fashion. This prequel to the series was published this year, and I was fortunate to win a copy in a blog giveaway sponsored by Karen at Bookin' with Bingo back in July.  I'm just sorry I didn't get to it sooner.

As Faith Fairchild, the preacher's wife with her own catering business, settles down for a long overseas flight to Europe where she and hubby Tom will celebrate their 10th anniversary, she daydreams about how they met, about their courtship, and about (of course) the mysterious murder, i.e., the Body in the Boudoir discovered just before the wedding.  It's a well-written tale, and fills in a lot of gaps in the background of this relationship we've enjoyed throughout the series.  For fans of the series, it will be a welcome addition.  For newcomers, it's an excellent introduction to an amateur sleuth who provides us with not just good mystery solving, but excellent and yummy ideas and recipes she serves up in her catering business "Have Faith."

There were a few plot elements that seemed a bit contrived, and it seemed to take forever for the body (and mystery) to appear, but all in all, it's a good read and has me hungry to find some more in the series (there are now 20 of them!).  After all, the holidays are coming, and who couldn't use some good party ideas?

Many thanks to Karen for hosting the giveaway, and to the publisher for making the prizes available.

Title: The Body in the Boudoir
Author:  Katherine Hall Page
Year of publication: 2012
Genre: mystery - amateur sleuth
Subject: murder, food,
Setting: New York city
Series: Faith Fairchild mystery
Number of pages: 272
Source:  contest win
Why did I read this book now? It's been sitting on the bedside table too long.

Review: Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal

Move over Maisie Dobbs and Bess Crawford. Maggie Hope is here! As many of you know, I'm a great fan of Jacqueline Winspear's "Maisie Dobbs" mysteries, and Charles Todd's "Bess Crawford" series. They both begin in World War I, and segue into the years between the First and Second World Wars.

This new series is set firmly in World War II London with a smart, sassy, gutsy protagonist Maggie Hope. Although she was raised in America, she is British by birth and so is eligible to serve England during the war in a very sensitive and secret undertaking. A graduate of Wellesley, with a degree in advanced mathematics, she abandons her chance to get a Ph.D. in math at MIT in favor of working for the Brits. She presumes her consummate math and code breaking skills will land her a job in that department with ease.

Instead, she finds herself consigned to a seemingly menial job taking dictation and typing for Winston Churchill. The adventures in which she becomes involved are James Bondish in their plausibility, but believable enough to make for a ripping good read.

I have the second book in this series as an ARC from the publisher, but since my sister graciously gifted me with her copy of this one, I decided to read them in order.  Look for a review of #2 before the end of the year.  They're well done, and there's enough meat here for at least 2 or 3 more books in a great new series.

Title: Mr. Churchill's Secretary
Author: Susan Elia MacNeal
Copyright/Year of publication: 2012
Subject: espionage, code breaking
Setting: London during World War II
Series: Maggie Hope
Number of pages: 384
Source: my own shelves (gift from my sister)

She's Making a List, Checking it twice....A letter to my loyal followers

Dear Readers,

I have not forgotten you. I've simply been reading, organizing my books, discarding lots of "also-rans", and (dare I whisper it?) getting us organized for the upcoming holidays. We're going to be heading to the Baltimore-DC area in mid December, so I have to do my baking/shopping/shipping before then.  I'm determined to support small businesses as much as possible, and to do my annual and traditional cookie baskets so I've got to get busy.

In the next week, I hope to be back up to posting on a more regular basis. I've got several books finished and waiting for reviews, and several more at least 1/2 way finished, but I've also got many that keep screaming "pick me, pick me" so I'm trying to come to terms with my nasty habit of putting more on my plate than I can possibly eat or read.  NetGalley is wonderful, but it also can enable my horrible habit of stacking books to be read onto an ever growing Mt. Toobie (as in to be read).

And.............to top it off, I've accepted a challenge from my high school classmates to assemble and produce a "reunion" pamphlet with bios and pictures from the 68 of us who are still alive. The reunion (our 50th) will be in Baltimore in April, so I've got to get going on that.  At least I've re-connected with another classmate with a computer background who lives here in Maine, and she has agreed to help.  WOO HOO!

Bottom line......I think posting to  Tutu's Two Cents is going to become more sporadic for the next 6-8 months. I love you all, and hope you'll stop by periodically. If it's easier, you can subscribe to post by email (scroll to the bottom) and then you'll get notified when I post.

Many thanks to all of you who stop by occasionally or often. We love having you visit, and I hope to have some warm, cozy, and sometimes even thought-provoking posts to continue to entice you to drop by.

Virtual hugs to all of you,

Tutu

More Halloween Treats

I stopped by the library a little while ago to be sure our wonderful children's librarian was all set for the book giveaway for Trick or Treat.  Wow, was she ready!  Not only will the children get free books, they're getting a goodie bag of pencils, erasers, stickers, marbles, and a spider ring!  And they get greeted with this fantastic display.  Our librarian did the pumpkin and the goodie bags, and a local hair stylist made the witch!

Happy Halloween!!!

Pumpkins are nice, but gargoyles are infinitely more fun. May your treat gathering bring you baskets of your favorite goodies. We're giving free books to kids who stop by the library this afternoon and evening. Brain candy....

Review: World War One: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley

Another NOOK Bargain. As most of you know, I've been reading books about and/or set in World War I all year. When this one popped up for $1, I had to grab it and see if it lived up to it's billing. IT DID.

I wish I had had this one when I began my reading back in January. Colley sets out to give us a bare bones, just the facts timeline of who did what when, and what the consequences (albeit very spartan) were. By leaving out footnotes and esoteric discussions of various battle theories, by omitting chapters and books full of historical background, he manages to give us a clear and naked version of THE WAR and the players. The text itself can probably be read in an hour as advertised. It took me almost two hours, mainly because I kept consulting my trusty historical atlas so I could see exactly where and what he was discussing. I also added some minutes to my read by making several electronic notes (I LOVE E-readers for this very capability) of items I wanted to delve more deeply into.

It is a great little volume, well worth the limited expense. If it had contained one or two maps, it would have been even better.  There are several others in the series that would make good basic introductory reading and fill a need in any library.

Title: World War One: History in an Hour
Author: Rupert Colley
Publisher/Format: Harper Collins, UK  e-book
Copyright/Year of original publication:  2012
Subject: World War One
Number of pages: 80
Source:  Barnes and Noble (my own books)

Review: The Joy of X, a Guided Tour Of Math by Steven Strogatz

I was a math major in college. I chose it for a major because the concepts of numbers and the relationships in the study of number theory fascinated me. Strictly speaking, I never had a job where I had to do any higher math, solve a quadratic equation, discuss or teach functions, trig, geometry, etc. But it did strengthen my ability to reason, look at ideas in the abstract and conceptualize a problem in real terms. It certainly helped me a lot in working with software development in one of my previous careers.

I was absolutely thrilled when I got a copy of Strogatz' book. He explains math to the non-math mind in easy to understand tidbits. I often wished I could explain things as easily. This is a book that progresses from simple number theory, e.g., what do we mean when we say we have six of something? to basic arithmetical operations (adding, subtracting, multiplication, division) to discussions of fractions, and percentages. There are chapters explaining basic algebra, and how often we use the theory of solving for X without even realizing it. Next up is Geometry, the theory of infinity, negative numbers--Strogatz covers them all and then marches through integral calculus (here it started to get a bit more difficult ----just like college!!), differential equations, and vector analysis.

The later chapters are definitely more advanced, but if you manage to stick it out that far, you'll be rewarded with an esoteric but lilting discussion of number theory.

While the author would like to think this is not rocket science, it is still deep and requires attention and interest. It should help many motivated adults in understanding what children are now being taught in school, but I'm not sure it will make math aficionados of those who don't want to get it. It's worth a look for anyone who wants to get a better grasp of what the glorious world of numbers is really all about.

Title:The Joy of X, a Guided Tour of Math
Author: Steven Strogatz
Publisher/Format: Houghton Mifflin, egalley
Copyright/Year of original publication: October 2012
Subject: The story of numbers, mathematical concepts
Number of pages: 326
Source?: Net galley electronic ARC

NOTE:  This is NOT a book to be read in the e= format.  Unless the actual book is formatted better in the final E-pub format ( I had an "advance" copy) it is almost unreadable in sections.  Anytime there is a line drawing, a table, an equation that includes fractions, it can only be seen as it is designed when the text is reduced to the smallest available, thus making it absolutely impossible to read.  The constant need to reduce the page so I could see the illustrations really turned me off. 

The book itself is fabulous, and I have no doubt that in paper, or with proper e-formatting it will be a hit.

Monday Mailbox - October 29th

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house recently. Created by Marcia at The Printed Page, Mailbox Monday, now has its own blog. Hosting duties are rotated every month. Gina at Book Dragon's Lair is our host for October. Be sure to drop by to see what everyone else got this week.

I haven't done a Mailbox post for over a month.  Being on the road, and then trying to catch up, has put me way behind on this one.  Fortunately, the advent of the e-format has kept huge physical piles of books from accumlulating in my PO box or in bags from USP hanging on my doorknob.  This month my arriving books were all of the virtual variety: I got some great ARCs via Net Galley.  Next week, I'll fill you in on the books I've been loading onto my Nook from Barnes and Noble.

From Net Galley for possible reviews:

Here are some words from the wonderful publishers who made these ARC available through Net Galley:

Widow of Port Seaton - by Susan Gibbs, published by Hawkshadow Publishing Co, Inc.

Upon leaving Boston in disgrace Gael Somerled, a young widow, finds employment as a lighthouse keeper in Port Seaton, Massachusetts. However, the unwanted romantic attentions of her minister, Andrew Zabel, a lonely and troubled man, begin to unravel her sense of independence......Her efforts to use law enforcement to end Andrew's harassment meet with failure when she discovers that no laws exist to protect her. Ultimately, Gael and Andrew become locked in battle of wills with dreadful results.

The Forgotten Presidents by Michael Gerhardt, published by Oxford University Press.
I had to nab this one for my US Presidents Biography Reading Challenge.

Gerhardt, one of our leading legal experts, tells the story of The Forgotten Presidents. He surveys thirteen administrations in chronological order, from Martin Van Buren to Franklin Pierce to Jimmy Carter, distinguishing political failures from their constitutional impact. Again and again, he writes, they defied popular opinion to take strong stands.

Blue Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee by Carolyn Brown, published by Sourcebooks.
This one just sounds like plain pure fun.

Bestelling author Carolyn Brown makes her first foray into women's fiction with this poignant and hilarious novel about four friends in Cadillac, Texas—where the best jalapenos in the world are grown...Everything is calm ... until Aunt Agnes declares war on Violet Prescott, the president of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society, just in time for the annual jubilee.

A Thousand Pardons by Jonathan Dee, to be published in March 2013 by Random House.

For readers of Jonathan Franzen and Richard Russo, Jonathan Dee’s novels are masterful works of literary fiction. In this sharply observed tale of self-invention and public scandal, Dee raises a trenchant question: what do we really want when we ask for forgiveness?

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers, published by Little, Brown and Company.
I've been avoiding asking for this one because I'm afraid of the subject matter, but from the reviews I've seen so far, this one is too good and too important to ignore.

 A major literary debut by a veteran of the war in Iraq: a haunting novel about two young soldiers trying to stay alive...With profound emotional insight, especially into the effects of a hidden war on mothers and families at home, THE YELLOW BIRDS is a groundbreaking novel about the costs of war that is destined to become a classic.

Margaret from Maine by Joseph Monninger, published by Penguin Group.

 Margaret Kennedy lives on a dairy farm in rural Maine. Her husband Thomas—injured in a war overseas—will never be the man he was. When the President signs a bill in support of wounded veterans, Margaret is invited to the nation’s capital. Charlie King, a handsome Foreign Service officer, volunteers to escort her... Joseph Monninger’s Margaret from Maine is a page-turning romance that poignantly explores the dilemmas faced by those who serve our country—and the men and women who love them.

As you can see, I have plenty to keep me busy if the big storm hits here tonite and we lose power.  I'm charging up the Nook, the smart phone, the computer, and the MP3 tonite.  Be sure to let us know what you got in your mailbox.

Mini-Reviews - More New Series for Tutu

I had so much fun last month reading series and sequels, that I continued on with some I didn't finish in September.  I never got into the first Debbie Macomber series (Cedar Cove), but she's a very popular author at our library and has just started a new series.

The Inn at Rose Harbor, the first in a new series, was available via the audio download, so I grabbed it, loaded it on my MP3 and headed to the pool.  This is a very cozy cozy.  There are some interesting characters presented and a delightful sense of place. The writing and dialogue border on the banal. The plot is not brain-taxing, and since I haven't read any of the previous series, I can't tell if any of the story or inhabitants are carry-overs.

Basically, this one is chick-lit without the steamy romance.  Jo Marie Rose, a recent widow uses her inheritance to buy an old but well-managed inn in Cedar Cove Washington.  In this first of what the author promises us are many stories set at the Inn, we are introduced to two troubled people, we meet the town librarian, the resident dog, and a potential romance - although I suspect that won't bloom for at least 4-5 books.  It was a pleasant read.  It won't win any Pulitzers.  It may give some people a sugar sweet overdose, but it will certainly be enjoyed by those who followed the first series.  I'm at least willing to read the next two or three to see how the lives of these characters evolve.

Cleo Coyle has a wonderful series set in a coffeehouse in Manhattan.  In this latest one in the series, Murder by Mocha, Clare Cosi, the owner finds that her wonderful custom blend of coffee is being used in a rather irregular (and perhaps illegal) recipe to promote a powder to be used as an aphrodisiac.  There's a wonderful cast of characters and a well-plotted mystery (is there a murder or isn't there?)  I read the first two in the series but so long ago that this was really like reading a new series for me. I got this one in a BOGOF offer through Audible.  These cozies are terrific to listen to when you don't have the energy for intense concentration.  The coffee and food discussions provide enough verbal caffeine to keep me interested, and I'll certainly be on the lookout for another.

Now so many of my LibraryThing reading buddies, and my library patrons, love this series so much, I decided I'd read ONE to see what all the fuss was about.  I don't usually like a lot of hot steamy chick-lit romance, and I gave up reading Nora Roberts several years ago, but I gotta tell you, this one has a hook in me.  I've already started book #2, although I'm not sure I'd be able to take all 44 of these in a concentrated dose.  Maybe one or two a year.

I was surprised at how much I liked the characters- they are strong, well-developed, believable.  Eve Dallas, a NYC police homicide detective is a seriously emotionally crippled woman and the first book gives us just enough background to see that handicap and what caused it.  Her main love interest and antagonist is a stunning stud called Roark.  The on again, off again relationship is one that is going to give rise to lots of sparks in the future I'm sure.  The plot was intense, at times scary, and with many possible suspects, it kept me guessing for quite awhile.

The setting, a rather futuristic sci-fi  arena, is fascinating, and one I wouldn't have thought I'd like.  The year is 2058, and science, food prep, space age weapons, legal acceptance of prostitution, and other exotic methods of travel and communication make the story just bizarre enough to be believable.  Not what I expected at all, but I'm definitely going to be reading more.

Weekend Cooking: Santa's North Pole Cookbook

Title: Santa's North Pole Cookbook
Author: Jeff Guinn
Copyright/Year of original publication: 2007
Publisher/Format: Penguin Group/E-book
Subject: Holiday Recipes
Number of pages: 218


Santa!  Am I kidding you?  Halloween is just coming up this week.  But...........for those of us who are Christmas baking/cooking junkies, you can never get enough ideas about goodies for the holiday.  For several years, my Christmas giving has been centered on homemade delectables.  I have a binder (move over Mitt) full of recipes that work for me - copied from cookbooks and clipped from magazines.  Each recipe has notes about adjustments I made, who I gave them to, and where I may have found exotic ingredients. They are all then put into protective sleeves so I can open the binder, slap it up on the counter, and splash and splatter to my heart's content.

When my daily NOOK Bargain popped up in the email offering this one at a good price, I first downloaded the sample to see the table of contents.  I immediately decided this one was a "BUY" and hit the button.  It works equally well on both my NOOK Tablet, and on the Nook Simple Touch.  I will say up front, that the single drawback is the lack of photos.  There's a well defined assortment of Santa's favorites from around the world: Breakfast, Appetizers, Main Courses, Side Dishes, Drinks, and Dessert (including cookies).  Santa assures us that he has sampled these goodies as he tours around the world, and gives us a unique panoply of recipes from every continent. Santa even gives us phonetic pronunciation for words we're not familiar with, hints on where to find unfamiliar ingredients, and suitable substitutes if we can't find for example baker's cheese to make Palacsinta (pancakes) from Hungary.  Hint: use cottage cheese.
A particularly intriguing recipe caught my eye, although I'll admit I've not yet tried it.  Every year I make at least 20-25 dozen biscotti using several different recipes, so I was drawn to Karringmelkbeskuit (Buttermilk Biscotti) from South Africa.  I'm used to a double baking for biscotti, but the FOUR HOUR second bake (at 200°) is rather daunting.  They are also baked in "golf ball sized" rolled balls, not in the long dipping shape I'm used to.  I'm determined to try a batch of these.  That long bake time will certainly allow me time to read while I'm waiting.

I've made rolls similar to the Galinha de Portugal - chicken "wraps" stuffed with sheep's cheese, peppers, onions, and a variety of spices - a sort of Portuguese cordon bleu.   One we'll definitely try.  There's a variety of turkey, goose and other fowl recipes from around the world, and some seafood recipes from Italy and other areas that are well known to our family from the traditional Christmas Eve festival of the seven fishes.

The lamb stew recipe is fabulous.  I had roasted a leg of lamb on Sunday, but there was quite a bit leftover.  So I used Layla's Festive Lamb Stew from Ancient Lycia (modern Turkey).  It was scrumptious!!  The combination of the lamb, some wine and broth, potatoes and mushrooms, chopped  tomato, onion and celery, all combined with the rosemary to waft gorgeous flavors through the air as it simmered on the stove.

I've decided to make the Ensalada Navideña (Nativity Salad) to contribute to our family get together for the big day.  It's very colorful and combines several of our favorite fruits and vegetables into a beautiful celebration of produce. Here's what goes into this attractive dish:

The Salad:  

2 large beets (cook, peeled, and cut in 1" chunks)

2 whole oranges (peeled, cut into chunks)

3 bananas (peeled, cut into 1" chunks)

1/2 jicama (peeled, cut into 1" chunks)

1 (16oz ) can pineapple chunks, drained

1 pomegranate (cut in 1/2 -to extract seeds

1 head iceberg lettuce - shredded.

1 (12 oz) package almonds

 The Dressing:

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

9 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

dash salt

All these chunks should be tossed together with the dressing and refrigerated until ready to serve.

In addition to the traditional holiday puddings and fruitcakes, there is a fantastic assortment of sweets from around the world...many I've never tasted or heard of.  Cookies, cakes and the traditional Buche de Noel  from France round out the repetoire.

It's a wonderful, inspiring group of recipes at a decent price.  I just wish it had some pictures - I'd be much more motivated to make some of them.


Beth Fish Reads sponsors this weekly meme where we foodies can chat about cookbooks, cooking gadgets, recipes, or anything else gustatory. Be sure to stop over there to find other terrific weekend cooking posts. 

And then there's Louise....

You may have noticed that Tutu hasn't been posting too much lately.  I've been spending my time reading, and re-reading, and listening.  I've reached a point in my life where I want to re-visit old favorites.  In some cases, I want to see if they're as good as I remember, in other cases, I don't remember enough to decide whether they'd be good choices for our book discussion group.

 At any rate,  I've been listening through the entire Three Pines Series by Louise Penny, and I've been struck by how much more I'm enjoying them the second time around. These books have SO MUCH in them that I think it's almost impossible to take everything in at once. At the end of the audio for Bury your Dead, there is a 10 minute interview with the delightful Louise, in which she shares her vision of living in a French Canadian village, her love for all the people who live in that magical site, and her philosophy of writing mystery stories.

When asked why she doesn't put a map of Three Pines or pictures of the village in the books, she said

"I think reading is at least as creative as writing, that I do half the work and.. I trust the readers or the listeners to do the rest of it....to see it in their heads. I think (for me) to take it that next step would be a mistake."

I have to love an author who has so much respect for the intelligence of her readers.

When she was asked if she had ideas for other stories that did not feature Gamache and/or Three Pines, she sighed, and admitted that she doesn't think she'll ever be able to walk away from them. They're so real to her now that she just wants to retreat to Three Pines, all her friends there, and keep writing. Here's hoping she NEVER changes her mind. I think I could read and re-read these forever.

I'm now listening to the last (and current) one in the series - so far- A Beautiful Mystery.  I read and reviewed this last May, so I'm surprised at how much more I'm picking up this time around.  Her writing is so intense and I get so wrapped up that I often forget "who dunnit"......thus making a re-read just as much fun as the original.  If you're not familiar with the series, please do take a look.  If you love good characters, a great sense of place, and a wonderful mystery, these are for you.

Weekend Cooking - Review : Consider the Fork

This is a delightful traipse through the story of how we prepare, cook and eat our food. Pots and pans : with rice cooker -- Knife : with mezzaluna -- Fire : with toaster -- Measure : with egg timer -- Grind : with nutmeg grater -- Eat : with tongs -- Ice : with moulds -- Kitchen : with coffee.  These are the Chapters in this elegant and very readable journey through the history of our gathering, preparing and consumption of food.  A perfect Weekend Cooking subject.

The author has done quite a thorough job of research and presents us with fun anecdotes about our ancestors and the evolution of cooking vessels, implements, and eating habits. It's full of interesting, little known, and fascinating tidbits.  I mean really!  I never knew that those gigantic medieval roasts on the spits were often turned by a dog running on a treadmill.  I wonder if the poor doggies at least got to gnaw on one of the bones from those juicy roasts?  And I wonder if my dentist knows that up until the mid 1800's almost none of us had teeth aligned in the classic "overbite" formation?

As I read this, I realized what a mix of time frames we enjoy in our "modern" kitchens. It was such a fun read that really got me to thinking about how I approach food prep and eating. I love eating with chopsticks but I also own several sets of more traditional Western cutlery and tableware from sterling silver to stainless steel.

I still rely almost exclusively on my good steel knives for cutting and chopping (although I wield a wicked mezzaluna).  My mandolin sits unused in its box.  I gave away my Cuisinart - it took up way too much room on my kitchen counter.  My little stick blender does a perfect job for my blending needs almost every day.  I measure liquids in a pyrex measuring cup, and solids in stainless steel.  I eyeball at least 50% of the dashes, pinches, tidbits and "to taste" ingredients I use and never realized until I read this that there are exact measurements certified for each of these, but who pays attention to mg or ml?  Except for cake baking, I'm not a scientific "by the book" cook.

I don't own a rice cooker or a pressure cooker, I gave away my breadmaker, but I use an electric coffee bean grinder, an electric ice- cream maker and a big Kitchen Aid mixer to knead dough. My 45 year old electric Farberware rotisserie does just fine on days when I can't grill outside.

I own 5 different coffeemakers from the ubiquitous Mr. Coffee, to an elegant espresso machine.  When the power goes, I still can boil water on the gas or wood burning stoves, so we can use our French press (but I'd better remember to grind an store some beans before the power goes!)  I still squeeze lemons and oranges on a glass squeezie thingie by hand.  I press my garlic with the side of a knife; grate my cheese, zest my lemons, and grind my nutmeg on a series of microplanes;  and prep my apples for pies on a 1854 Green Mountain cast iron apple peeler-corer-slicer.  My Revere copper bottomed pans are all 45 years old. I let my refrigerator make the ice cubes, and my slo-cooker do the boeuf bourginon, pulled pork, and Irish oatmeal.

When we lived in Japan, I was too pregnant to lean over the short little gas stove in our little house, so I bought my first microwave and for 9 months, until we moved onbase and got an American stove again, I cooked EVERYTHING in the microwave.  My daughter and I even baked christmas cookies in "the wave."  We did a Thanksgiving turkey, cupcakes, coffee, baby bottles, popcorn, hot chocolate, meatloaf, noodles, mac and cheese, oatmeal, veggies, and applesauce. To this day, I still soften butter and icecream in it, with hardly an "oopsie." I did use an electric wok for stir frying and tempura.  Now I cook with gas, my electric toaster oven, the slo-cooker, the waffle iron, the Farberware, and my trusty microwave (we're on the third one in 32 years).  When the weather's good, we cook on a gas grill outside, but it took us thirty years to make the switch from charcoal to bottled gas on that one.  Considering some of the evolutionary events described in this book that took centuries to complete, I guess I'm pretty modern.

Here are some more interesting tid-bits from the publishers press release:

THE TURNSPIT DOG: In Renaissance Britain there was a special breed of dog, the ‘turnspit’, whose job was to turn meat as it roasted. Bred to have short legs and long bodies, they were well suited to trundling round and round in a wheel attached to the spit. But there were signs that dogs were too intelligent for the job. One eyewitness recalled that the dogs used to run away or hide when they observed the cooks getting ready to make a roast for dinner. Many households switched to using geese instead, who could be forced to trundle the wheel for up to twelve hours at a time without rebelling.

THE PESTLE AND MORTAR: For most cooks today, the pestle and mortar is a pleasurable utensil, with which we might pound up a green basil pesto for fun.  It’s one of the more desirable and decorative items in any cookware store. But we forget that for most of history, the pestle was associated not with leisure but with servitude, the endless daily grind of producing enough edible nourishment. Female skeletons dating from the Stone Age in the Middle East reveal the strain that the pestle and mortar placed on the human body, with knees, hips and ankles all severely worn down from the pressure of hours of crushing grain against stone.

KNIVES, CHOPSTICKS, AND TEETH: Our choice of eating utensils may not seem a question of great consequence, but the tools we choose to eat with have actually had a dramatic impact on our bodies. The alignment of our teeth in an overbite is very recent: only about two hundred years old in the West. It likely came about because of the adoption of the knife and fork, which meant that for the first time people were chopping food into tiny morsels before chewing, instead of clamping larger pieces between their teeth. In China, the overbite developed much earlier – around 900 years ago – which corresponds to the time when chopsticks were first used.

MRS MARSHALL’S AMAZING ICE CREAM MAKER: In 1885 a great female entrepreneur and cook called Mrs. Marshall invented a hand-cranked ice cream maker capable of producing delicious smooth gelato in just three minutes – much faster than any electrical machine on the homewares market today. Instead of the paddle moving round while the bucket stays still, Mrs. Marshall invented a container that turns round while the paddle stays still. There are a handful of Marshall ice cream makers still in existence and they really do work. It goes to show that not everything in a modern kitchen is better than what came before. Why didn’t Mrs. Marshall’s machine take off? It has one big drawback: the inner container was made of zinc, a poisonous metal, so the ice cream it produces is mildly toxic.

THE GIANT EGGBEATER BUBBLE: Between 1856 and 1920, no fewer than 692 separate patents were granted for eggbeaters in the United States, including the iconic Dover design. Yet not one of these supposedly labor-saving beaters did a better job than the French balloon whisk, which had been around since the sixteenth century. Almost all of these eggbeaters were swept away by the electrical revolution of KitchenAid and Cuisinart in the twentieth century.

Many thanks to Basic Books, and their publicist Caitlin Grof for letting my read this one for review. I received no compensation, nor did I promise them a favorable review. 

Author: Bee Wilson
Publisher: Basic Books

Copyright/Year of original publication: 2012
Subject: Food preparation
Dates Read: October 4-15, 2012
Number of pages: 352 in hardcover edition
Source:  e-book review copy from publisher via Net Galley

Beth Fish Reads sponsors this weekly meme where we foodies can chat about cookbooks, cooking gadgets, recipes, or anything else gustatory. Be sure to stop over there to find other terrific weekend cooking posts.  

Autumn leaves - they're not all red and gold!

I rounded a curve in the road earlier this week and was blasted with this view. I had to pull over because it occurred to me that one of the reasons our autumns are so celebrated is the range of color. At this time, the sun had gone behind fast gathering storm clouds, so the silver leaves of the quaking, quivering Aspen on the left side of the rode looked almost white, and stood out in stark contrast to the brilliant red of the shrub on the right.

Who needs to go to the Louvre when nature paints scenes like this for us to see at home?

Review: MISS DREAMSVILLE & the Collier County Women's Literary Society by Amy Hill Hearth

For fans of "southern fiction", and all readers who enjoy stories with strong characters, a bit of history, and a sense of place, this one is a sure bet. This is one of my favorite genres, and debut novelist Amy Hill Hearth, a former journalist and the author or coauthor of seven nonfiction books, including Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters’ First 100 Years, has done a bang-up job of painting us a picture of life as it surely could have been.

The story relates the formation and bonding of an unlikely group of characters in a Naples Florida in the early days of the civil rights movement (1963).  While I wouldn't describe them as "the good ole days", others might. Jackie Hart, a transplanted Bostonian, has landed in Florida with her husband and three children.  This deeply southern, sleepy little town seems like another planet to her sophisticated "Yankee" way of thinking.  She is BORED.  With the help of the local librarian, she forms the Collier County Women's Literary Society to meet weekly at the library to discuss books and ideas.

Members of the group include Dora, a thirty-something divorcee who rescues snapping turtles; Plain Jane, a woman nobody seems to know much about; Robbie Lee, the town's resident homosexual who works at the Sears distribution center helping local housewives pick out curtains; Mrs. Bailey White, recently released from prison having served 11 years for killing her husband; and Priscilla a black maid who has been volunteering at the library.  Together these five, along with Miss Lansbury the librarian, embark on a journey through modern reading, eschewing the old classics in favor of newer, more edgy material.

In the meantime, Jackie is still somewhat stifled by the southern lifestyle and gets herself hired at the local newspaper and as the midnite to 2AM disc jockey on the local radio station.  Not wanting anyone to know he's hired a Yankee, the station manager and Jackie decide to keep her identity a secret and name her MISS DREAMSVILLE.  The town immediately goes into sleep deprivation staying up at night trying to figure out who she is.  The group continues reading and bonding, even through some terrifying moments.

The real story is not the identity of the dreamy voice, but rather the growth of the friendships and relationships formed by the group as they gradually begin to trust, to accept and to open their minds to new ideas, new friends, and new situations.  It's a tear-jerker, a knee-slapper, and a fantastic read.  Be sure to set aside a few hours, because you won't put it down once you begin.  It's bound to be a book-club top discussion pick in the year to come.

My thanks to Simon and Schuster for making the review copy available.

Author: Amy Hill Hearth
Publisher-Format: Simon and Schuster, e-galley
Date of publication:  October 2, 2012
Subject: women's roles, racial tension, southern living
Setting: Naples Florida, 1963
Genre: contemporary "southern" fiction
Source: Net galley from publisher

Review: The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

This is a new series for me, recommended by several fellow readers on LibraryThing. I really didn't need another series to follow, but since there are only four, and the first one was available in front of my face at the local library, I thought I'd give it a try. I had planned to read it in September for the series and sequels bash, but just because I didn't make that deadline wasn't a reason to abandon it.
The publisher tells us

When she's not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants--not quite earth, not quite sea.
When a child's bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice. The bones actually turn out to be two thousand years old, but Ruth is soon drawn into the Lucy Downey case and into the mind of the letter writer, who seems to have both archaeological knowledge and eerie psychic powers. Then another child goes missing and the hunt is on to find her. As the letter writer moves closer and the windswept Norfolk landscape exerts its power, Ruth finds herself in completely new territory--and in serious danger. The Crossing Places marks the beginning of a captivating new crime series featuring an irresistible heroine.

Archaeologist Ruth Galloway's smart-aleck attitude is the perfect foil for curmudgeonly detective Harry Nelson.  The wide and rich span of attitudes, life experiences and motives of all the players in this mystery. along with well-sketched descriptions of the Saltmarshes where Ruth lives, give the reader a host of suspects and allows for some spectacular plot twists.  There's something for everyone in this story, and I'm ready for the next one in the series.  Ruth and Harry both have lots of room to grow and Griffiths appears to have the skills to take these stories forward to the next adventure.

Author: Elly Griffiths
Publisher-Format: Mariner Books (2010), Paperback, 320 pages
Subject: missing children, archaeology
Setting: salt flats in Norfolk England
Series: Ruth Galloway #1
Genre: mystery- amateur detective
Source: public library

Review: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

This one has been sitting on my shelf for several years.  When our book club chose it for the October meeting, I decided to get an early start.  I've read several books about the Japanese internment camps.  All have been written from the point of view of the Japanese.  But I knew little if anything about the impact of the Japanese-Chinese enmity resulting from centuries of cultural rivalry and fueled by the Japanese invasion of Chinese territory before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Henry, a 1st generation Chinese boy, born in the US, is sent by his parents to an all-white school where he is constantly confused with "the Japs". As a scholarship student, he is given a job in the kitchen, where he meets Keiko, a Japanese girl who is 2nd generation American.

Their bittersweet friendship, which Henry must keep from his parents, blossoms in spite of the fact that Keiko's family is rounded up and taken to a camp, first in Washington State, and later in Idaho.  Throughout the story, Henry is mentored by a black jazz musician who befriends both of these youngsters, helping them visit and stay in touch through the long war years.

The story opens in the 1980's, as Henry is searching through property left by Japanese in the Panama Hotel looking for a jazz recording that had been his and Keiko's song.  Told in a back and forth story between the 1940's and the 1980's we see how Henry confronts racial prejudice, how the war feelings of the era influenced everything that happened to both these young people.

Ford writes the story objectively and sympathetically from both sides.  The reader is presented with a tale that is at once hopeful and full of tears.  Without making judgement, Ford leaves the reader to decide whether there was a right or wrong, and who if anyone was at fault.  I'm thinking this will generate a really good discussion in a few weeks.

Author: Jamie Ford
Publisher-Format: Ballantine Books (2009), Paperback, 301 pages
Subject: Japanese internment during World War II; Japanese-Chinese relations Setting: Seattle area
Genre: historical fiction
Source: my own shelves (also library audio download)

So how many points is this one?

As many of you may know, Tutu has been having a successful involvement with Weight Watchers online. I've lost almost 40 pounds in the past 18 months. I love not worrying about calories, and not feeling restricted to specific foods or having anything forbidden. I've also been trying to eat more locally and healthily. To that end, last spring I "purchased" a laying hen from our local CSA. My grand-daughter christened "our hen" Martha.  And boyo has Martha been doing a great job.  Yesterday, Mr. Tutu stopped at the farm, picked up a carton of fresh eggs and when he got home, handed me the heaviest carton of eggs I've ever felt.  I almost thought there were goose eggs mixed in.

When I cracked my morning egg into the pan to eat with my bagel thin, I was flabbergasted!!  I'd read about eggs with two yolks, but I'd never seen one.  So here is the proof....one egg, two yolks. So if Weight Watchers says each egg=2 points, how many  points do we count for two yolks?

Stay tuned and I'll let you know if any of those other behemoths have more than one yolk!

Beth Fish Reads sponsors this weekly meme where we foodies can chat about cookbooks, cooking gadgets, recipes, or anything else gustatory. Be sure to stop over there to find other terrific weekend cooking posts.

Lazy days...jammy days

Today is one of those early autumn days where a heavy fog is keeping the sun away.  When I awoke, it was chilly, the rain was making a steady dripping sound outside the window, and I could smell the coffee Mr. Tutu had put on to brew. Even with the blinds open, I still needed a lamp to see. It was the first day this week when absolutely NOTHING was on the schedule. So I grabbed a cup of coffee, my glasses,  my Nook, threw on a bed jacket, and crawled back into bed  to read.

Notice....no smartphone, no computer, no alarm set.  And notice another old fashioned term?   A bed jacket.  It's not cold enough to turn on the furnace, but it's dreary and chilled enough that sitting up in bed without something around my shoulders wasn't cutting it.  My mother and grandmother always had "bed jackets" and recently they seem to be making a comeback.  Mr. Tutu has given me several over the past couple years, and they're just perfect for our chilly weather. Mine are fleece, cape-shaped but with sleeves and pockets.  Perfect.

True, I didn't grab a "real" book to read.  Early in the morning my arthritic hands just won't hold a book.  Wrapping them around a nice mug of coffee gets them going, and the light weight of the e-reader means I can gallop on through a book pain free. Who says you can't mix new technology with old-fashioned comfort?  I chose not to worry about projects, book reviews, or planning for an upcoming trip. It was wonderful just to have a day to myself.

So with my trusty kitty to keep me warm, a quiet house, and a good book, I really didn't have to get out of bed until my stomach yelled "FEED ME."

Every once in a while, we all need a jammy day.  I hope you get one too.