Nowhere but Home

This month we read the delighful (if a bit fluffy) Nowhere but Home by Liza Palmer.  For those of you who didn't get a chance to read it, it is about a woman from a small town in Texas who has been moving from city to city to avoid coming home, but finally runs out of options and must face her past.  A fairly good chef, she takes a job cooking last meals for a nearby prison.

Overall, folks seemed to enjoy the book.  Vernetta could really relate to the experience of the main character, as she grew up in a very small town, and had a mother who had married five times.  Katie also grew up in a small town, and found parts of the book a little unbelievable...particularly that they would all have attended only one church.  She also had trouble believing that the main character could be so isolated much of her life, then connect so well again once arriving home.  But Madeline thought this was just a good example of compartmentalization, if a bit unbelievable.   Laura thought this was a sweet book, with a nice light feel and zipped through it in two days. 

Dawn was particularly fascinated with the idea of last meals, and we had a discussion about who could cook (or eat) one.  Was reminded of the No Seconds photographs of Henry Hargreaves.  (While looking for that link, I found an even more chilling one about a series of Amnesty International photos depicting the last meals of wrongly executed people!)  We were a little surprised there wasn't more exploration of the death penalty as a topic in this book. The main character just seemed to accept it, and was more troubled that she was cooking for a serial killer than that she was cooking for people who were about to die. 

Overall, a nice read with wonderful food descriptions, but alas, no recipes!


We had a very tasty Southern style feast (in large part thanks to Katie's new smoker!), which Madeline had to miss out on, as she was phoning in from the hospital. 

Barbara W. – lemonade and coleslaw


 Katie S. – smoked brisket & BBQ sauce

 

Heather McN – baked potatoes with toppings and chocolate cake with strawberry compote

Laura H. – homemade dill pickles, pickled asparagus, biscuits, and Starburst (which nobody ate)

Vernetta S. – taco soup





Dawn – strawberries and champagne



Next month we will be reading Salt : a World History by Mark Kurlansky. Be sure to bring lots of water!

The $64 Tomato

This month we read The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden by William Alexander.

Those of us with yards, gardens, or parents who had some of these found this book especially hilarious.  Many of us had some memories of our parents putting us to work, and could relate to Williams's poor kids!  This book really made you remember that yards are hard work, it kicks your butt...so why do I do this?  Somehow it remains rewarding, still.

Our favorite parts had to do with the descriptions.  Particularly delightful were the kids reactions to their crazy dad's projects;  the Christopher Walken gardener; and all the great stories Madeline was reminded of her dad doing.   Katie pointed out that the decorated apple have already been done...there was a business in the 80s called Apple Attactions that used to do this right here in Washington!  We also liked that this book had recipes, although it ended up that none of us made them for the meeting.  (Note, I later made his Leek Potato Soup and it was tasty!)  We thought it was funny that her garden became the flower garden, and his became all the work.  And those of us who had canned could totally relate to how that project can become too much.

Our main complains were that he was a little too obsessive and out of touch at times.  Maybe unknowingly a bit elitist.  His problems were all the problems of someone who doesn't have to raise food, but just does it because they want to, and can keep throwing money at all the problems that arise.  But still made for a fun read.

Our potluck was very tasty this month:

 

Barbara W. – apple salad

 

Dawn – Costco chicken

 

Katie S. – Balaboosta - asparagus with Wild West dressing. Home made bread made into BLTs.

 

 

Madeline - gazpacho, garlic cumin garbonzos, bbq sauce, Girl Scout cookies (lemon and peanut butter).

On a few sidenotes, Katie recommends checking out  Fizz (a fermented limeade carried by Safeway).  And Paul (Madeline's sweetie who joined us for dinner) recommends Girls Scout CoffeeMate - Carmel and Coconut!  Makes your coffee taste just like a Samoa!




Next month we will be meeting back at our usual place to discuss Nowhere but Home by Liza Palmer.  Copies are now available at the Mountlake Terrace Library.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

This month we discussed The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, and feasted on Japanese food for dinner and indulged in French deserts.

The reactions to the book were mixed. A few of us loved it and the Paris environment. Others couldn't stand the character and had trouble finishing it. The biggest split seemed to be between people who had suffered through very rough childhoods and had no sympathy for the spoiled little rich girl who toyed with the idea of suicide, and those who felt her isolation was a genuine part of adolescent development and both believable and sympathetic. Some questioned what sort of parents would let a young teen hang out with a strange man.

What we seemed to like best about the book was its messages about art and experience, and how perception changes everything, and you really don't know what impact you have on others until you are told. We suspect it is probably better in the original French, but the audiobook performance was quite good.

Our dinner was quite tasty.

Katie S. made steak a la rose (grilled Japanese steak with rose cut roasted potatoes), entertained as she was by the dog's enjoyment of the other's bottom in the hallway (yes, a bit gross, but the food was delicious).

Madeline made a very French salad (as instructed by her niece, and some chocolate Madelines!




 





Dawn made buckwheat soba noodles with dipping sauce, plus brought sake.









Katie W. brought marinated cucumbers & goyza.








Rachel created some delicious dark chocolate Florentines.


And Barbara brought dark chocolate macaroons!

For next month (back to the second Wednesday) on April 9th we will be discussing The $64 Tomato by William Alexander...just in time for gardening season!  There are currently copies of the book at the Mountlake Terrace Library waiting for you.

The church will still be doing it's Lent dinner series, so we will be back at Madeline's house once again!

Contact me if you need directions :)

The Cat's Table

This month we read The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje, which while not being the greatest in the food descriptions and totally lacked recipes, nevertheless was a interesting read.

 Only Rachel's had read many of Ondaatje's books, and she felt this may be one of his weakest.  While everyone in the group found the setting very interesting, and the trouble the kids got into pretty amusing. the plot was slow to develop, and generally unsatisfying.  It was unclear if he was leaving so many lose ends and unknowns in the story to illustrate how children know so little of what is going on around them and how memory and imagination fill in the rest, or if he is just actually piecing together his own childhood memories and doesn't have real answers to give.  While many folks were left with uncertainty about reading more by this author, most of us could agree that we would like to take a long journey by boat like this one.  One of the most disappointing passages was probably the secret dinner down in the hold.  While the setting and characters took on an air of magic in this scene, the food was sadly neglected.  Descriptive as this book could be in places, it simply was not drool worthy.

Happily, we still were able to piece together a lovely feast, loosely based on the regions featured in the book.

Heather McN.

 Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry to stimulate our appetites, 

 lovely green vegetables, and rice.

 
Dawn 
simple veggie curry



 

 

Jennifer T. 

naan bread

 


Julie D. 
couscous with chicken

 

Katie S. –  Bademiya's Justly Famous Bombay Chile + Cilantro Chicken with Cilantro Sauce

Katie W.
cucumber mint tea sandwiches 
and tea

 

Laura H. 

spinach, pear and walnut salad 

with raspberry vinaigrette

 
 

Madeline 

fruit sculpture

 
 
Rachel R
Sri Lankan Coconut Cake

Sonja K-G – Cherry Cordial Cupcakes with condensed milk

Much thanks to Katie S. for making a sign for us to put on the door, so Al-anon folks won't have to be embarrassed about going to the wrong location any more!

Next month, on Wednesday March 5th, we will be discussing The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.  (takes place in Paris, with some Japanese cooking!) at Madeline's house (due to our regular location celebrating Lent with community dinners).  If you need her address, please contact me, or someone else who was at the last meeting.  She does not wish to post it online.

The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat

This month we had a lively discussion and "funeral dinner" for The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore. 

Our gold star club (for finishing the book before the meeting) included: Jennifer, Julie, and Katie.  Heather gets a silver star for bringing pork chops.  ;)

First impressions of the book?

• Confused! Had to make chart of characters. 
• This book is going to be a lot of fun to read :) 
• Pleased that we are reading a book with all-you-can-eat in the title in January when everyone is on diet. 
• Thought there would be more dinner food. :( 

What did you like about it?

• Liked how you got to know everyone well. 
• Loved ghost of the mom, and Eleanor Roosevelt. 
• Liked the one liners. 
• Odette and James. 
• Personalities of churches 
• Ending is fantastic. 
• When Odette frees Barbara Jean from "stepdad" - boxing in underwear 

Favorite line: She opened the wedding book and said, “I went to Madame Minnie and told her about the problems I was having over at First Baptist about the wedding. Can you believe that after all I’ve done for them they refused to let me release doves inside the chapel? I explained to them that the doves were from Boston and were sophisticated and all, and that these doves would just as soon die of embarrassment as make a mess. But they wouldn’t listen.

Was there anything you disliked?

• A little formulaic in parts. 
• Richmond suddenly changing his ways. Would have preferred for Richmond to leave the picture entirely. 
• Wish Barbara Jean's story hadn't been so extreme, and it was too tidy. 

Which part of the book made you drool?  Ham and pork chops!

Our feast was worthy of a funeral (although it was only a one ham affair):


Dawn – Deviled Eggs



Heather McN – roasted potatoes and pork chops, jello salad








Jennifer T. - roasted chicken




 Julie D. – roasted Brussels sprouts




Katie S. – Sicilian Collard Greens with Pine Nuts and Raisins


Madeline - Ham




Barbara W. – donuts!




For Wednesday February 12, 2014 we are reading The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje, which takes place on a ocean liner!  I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with for this.