My Paris Kitchen

This month we shared the cookbook, My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz. And what a delight it was!

The group was delighted to do a cookbook for a change of pace, and were super excited for our potluck.  The book itself was so beautiful...nobody wanted to return it to the library. Everyone loved the way he wrote...like he was in the room with you talking. "He makes everything sound easy." Folks were surprised how hilariously funny the book could be at times. We all wanted to go to the market with him, and be his friend. Loved the discussion about his sink, too. There was so much passion in this book, about food, people, and bringing folks together. And such great stories! Our favorites were about the rotisserie chickens ("I vowed to eat less chicken skin and skip the workouts. So far I've been good at keeping the later promise to myself, but not the other.") and the story about the onion tarts. And the photographs...everything in this book made us drool.

The only thing people didn't like about this book was that we couldn't make it all! (Ok, a few people found some of the beef photos unappealing, and some had trouble not splattering the library books, too).

I've said this before, but this was one of our best meals EVER.

Barbara - leeks with mustard bacon vinaigrette











Bobbi – Madeleines and Sorbet

 

Dawn – beet hummus

 


Jane (Laura’s neighbor) - lentil salad






 




Katie S. – cherry tomato crustini with homemade herbed goat cheese + chocolate dulce de Leche tart











 Katie W. – Grated carrot salad (Oh no...no photo!)

Laura – chicken with mustard and the mashed potatoes (check out that dripping sauce...sooo good!)

Susan - green beans and tapenade and crackers  

For March we are reading Tattoos on the Heart: the Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Gregory Boyle. (It is especially wonderful as an audiobook!) We will once again be meeting at Laura's house, and you are encouraged to bring some sort of Mexican food and/or baked goods!

Message me if you need directions,

Dawn

John Saturnall’s Feast

This month we read John Saturnall's Feast by Laurence Norfolk. People seemed to have pretty mixed feelings on this one.  This was a pretty heavy piece of literature, and many of us had trouble getting into it, and some had a hard time following it...especially during the war scenes. A family tree would have been helpful. Folks feel it picked up when it reached the castle, but it kept shifting gears, and sometimes felt like an altogether different story. That said, it would make a great HBO series.

There were many things we did like about the book. Once hooked, many people enjoyed it. The illustrations were much enjoyed. Loved the quote "A Recipe is but the Promise of a Dish but a Dish is the Measure of its Cook." And the historical events were very well received, such as the king's entrance with all the fanfare, the details about the scullery, and the fascinating descriptions of worship (such as proving devotion by kneeling on pebbles). But it didn't romanticize things, you still got a heartbreaking portrait of Medieval times, mobs and bullies, and the suffering of the poor and the mentally ill.

But there were also a lot of things people had trouble with, too. The descriptions could be interesting, but sometimes too much. The writing had abrupt transitions, and sometimes dropped int he middle of conversations. It was just to violent for some folks, and there was nothing drool-worthy in the food writing. And everyone was irritated by the jacket design. Having a cover flap on a paperback was really annoying...it kept getting in the way and wasn't suitable for a bookmark.

Unlike the book, we had some wonderful food!

Barbara - apple strudel


Bobbi – poultry, fruitcake








Dawn – boysenberry pie





Heather McN – ham and chicken pie (not sure where the photo of this went!)








Katie S. – stuffed artichokes with peas and dill. And a starfruit jello.












Katie W. – Maezzerine tart raspberry, bread

Laura – chocolate chip cookies, fruit and tea








Sunny S. – pineapple gingerbread and a green salad

Next meeting will be at Laura's house on February 3rd. February, when we will be discussing and eating from My Paris Kitchen.

Message me if you need directions!

Cinnamon and Gunpowder

This month we read Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown. The story is about a chef who is kidnapped by a pirate, who tells him she will keep him alive only as long as he can continue to surprise her with food.

Overall, folks liked the book but had trouble finishing it in time for the meeting. We think this was because it is rich with long sentences, full of descriptions that beg you to linger...which requires more focus than most of us have during the holidays!  But mostly we loved these description, the writing style, and how he talked about food ALL THE TIME. Some were reminded of The Princess Bride ("Good night, Westley. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."), but this isn't a bad thing. The boat setting was refreshing and fun, and folks were entranced by how they talked about the sky. Those of us who have been at sea (if cruise ships count) can totally relate.

Owen was a bit of a twit in the beginning, but he became more likable as the book went on, and he began to see things in a more nuanced manner. We were also won over by his creativity and resourcefulness, his passion for food, the way he made friends using food, how he was gleeful and excited to try new things (such as lemongrass and miso), and especially how he lovingly carried his little baby bread dough with him. An especially appreciated scene was when he talked about the monks who trained and raised him, particularly when he talks about the chickpea stew, which reminded us of our own comforting food memories.
       
The only dark spots for our group (aside from the pacing) was some surprise about how violent the book is (though it is pirates after all), and what a horrible life poor Mabbot suffered through.

There were so many droll worthy moments in this book (aside from her outfit on the cover), but the pheasant, ravioli, and savory griddle cakes with pounded onions and slices of pickled herring (which inspired Katie S. to make oniony Korean pancakes).

We had a lovely feast and cookie exchange, as always:
   
 o Barbara  - cheese, currant jelly, and bread
 
o Bobbi – "Rabbit Stew" and chocolate fudge

o Dawn –   smoked salmon and chocolate balls.

o Heather McN - black eye-pea ham soup, short bread balls, cherry chocolate coconut pecan cookies
 
o Katie S. - Homemade Girl Scout thin mints, turtle thumbprints and Korean pancakes
 
o Katie W. – saffron rice and chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies
 
o Laura  –   cheeses with crackers and fruit and Filbert Oat Millies
 
 o Sunny S. – scalloped potatoes and ham and pretzels

 I'm not sure whose cookies these are?

   

Next month we are reading John Saturnall’s Feast by Lawrence Norfolk. One member accidentally read it already, and said it is great! ;)

See you January 13, 2016!

Little Century

This month we shared Little Century by Anna Keesey, the story of an orphaned teen who moves out to Eastern Oregon to to live on her cousin's ranch.

Overall, we really liked this, finding it historically quite interesting, surprisingly evocative and occasionally sensual. We really liked the way she wrote, how she would give you a taste of a scene, but leave you hanging, wanting more. This could be a little frustrating at times, not all of us were happy with the ending, but overall it was used to good effect.

The setting may have been the start of the book, but the characters were very intriguing, too. We loved Joe, and how people got absorbed into him. How Esther writes letters to her dear departed mother, and how healing that must have been. And the love story between Esther and Ben had a nice pacing, and sweetness...and was a bit sexy, if barely exposed. We felt the real villain of the story was Violet...the nerve of that woman reading other people's mail...and even worst holding it back or sharing it with others.

There was so much room for escalation in the story, but it rarely reached the heights it could have...making it feel more realistic, and keeping an underlying intensity that moved the story forward most pleasantly.

Last but not least, we loved the term "buckaroos", which made us smile over and over again.

Our meal was, as usually, nicely balanced and delicious.


Katie S. - grilled lamb and zucchini.

Barbara - cornbread muffins

 
Dawn - chicken
 
Roberta - ham sandwiches



Katie W. - beef and dumplings

Sunny - salad and sauerkraut  

Laura - cranberry swirl coffee cake











And last but not least, we had potatoes from our guest!  We think her name was Susan?

Next month (week) we are discussing Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown.  There is only one copy left at Sno-Isle, but nearby library systems also own it!


See you soon...