Our December/January 2015 Cook the Book Pick: A Place at the Table by Susan Rebecca White

Do you like a good traditional pound cake recipe and inspired Southern cuisine?   

Do you like a novel with Southern charm (and that Southern Gothic element as well)? 

What about a good quirky character ensemble?

Susan Rebecca White's novel, A Place at the Table, combines all of these elements.   The novel's prologue describes a disturbing scene in Emancipation, North Carolina during the late 20s, but the bulk of the novel takes place during the 80s and 90s in Georgia, Connecticut and New York City.  How does a character from an era of lynchings and fear intertwine with more modern characters trying to make their way in NYC?

You will enjoy  finding out the answer and following the three main characters of Alice, Bobby, and Amelia as they all make their way to find peace with themselves and the world around them.

I, however, will be waiting for a "replacement" copy of this novel.  I originally bought this novel on a bargain rack somewhere, read the majority of it and decided that I had to choose it for a CTB selection.  Then, guests were coming for Thanksgiving, we decided to recarpet a guest bedroom, and I had to move all my books from one room to another.   I promptly lost my copy in the black hole that is my "library."  I ordered a replacement used copy that should be arriving any day so I can finish A Place at the Table and find out the answers to the above questions as well.

Anyone is welcome to join in.   Simply create a dish inspired by the book and post about it.   Then, email me (eliotseats@gmail.com) on or before January 31, 2016.   Please include your name, your blog's name, the name of your dish and a photo (or allow me to pull a photo from your website). 

Happy Holidays!

---Debra, Eliot's Eats 

"The Hundred-Foot Journey" Round-Up

What do you get when you take the exotic spices of India and combine them with classic French cooking and a whole lotta drama and cultural clashing? You get The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais. For our October/November read, Cook the Books joined forces with Food 'N Flix for an optional crossover event, hosted by me (Deb of Kahakai Kitchen) on the CTB side and Camilla of Culinary Adventures With Camilla, the host for December's Food 'N Flix.  

Participants could read the book as usual, or read the book and watch the film inspired by it, and then make a dish inspired by either or both. There were mixed feelings about the book, some loved it, some didn't. Many of our book and movie combo participants liked the movie more than the book. But, one thing everyone agreed on is that it inspired some really delicious dishes.

For our CTB roundup, I am breaking down the entries into the ones inspired by just the book and then those who took the optional book and film challenge. The lovely Camilla will be rounding up both the movie-only and the movie and book combo entries for Food 'N Flix on her site. Besides viewing the entries and visiting everyone's posts here, please go check out Camilla's round-up (find it here) as well--to see what dishes the film inspired.
 

Book-Inspired Entries:

Crossover-event co-host Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla was first in with her book-inspired dish. Camilla re-read the book on a beach "staycation" and found that "reading it again, with a focus on the food instead of the story, it was quite enjoyable. His prose is rich and luscious. Just ignore the potholes in the plot." Camilla and her son made Sungta ani Bende Kodi (a 'slightly nontraditional' Prawn with Okra Curry). She says, "We wanted to use seafood and I had okra and eggplant. So, this is blended recipe based on something traditional and some pantry-based additions. We thoroughly enjoyed the tang of tamarind mixed with the sweet creaminess of coconut." 

My fellow Hawaiian Islands blogger, Claudia of Honey From Rock took inspiration from Hassan's "first sensation of life ... the smell of machli ka salan, a spicy fish curry, rising through the floorboards to the cot in my parents' room above the restaurant." For her Machli Ka Salan adaptation, Claudia says, "I used Hawaiian opah or moonfish, but you can use any firm white fleshed fish for the curry that is locally available. I added the fish head to my curry for more depth of flavor and richness. You can omit it or remove it before serving. ... I served the stew with a side of cucumber salad in kefir dressing, some salted lemon preserve and guava chutney.  The flavors of India come through so enticingly in this dish, it's just incredible. Love a good spicy curry."
 

Next up is CTb co-host Deborah from Eliot's Eats who thought the movie version more enjoyable, finding the book "a bit dark and depressing." Having made an Indian-inspired dish for the film, Deborah decided to make a classic French dish, saying "I am celebrating the other cuisine featured in both the film and the novel with Boeuf Bourginon. Boeuf Bourginon is mentioned in the final pages of the novel as it is being compared to a similar Indian dish. ... This dish has become a recent holiday tradition for us. We were first served this recipe at an extend family Christmas party last December. It was so good, we decided to beg for the recipe and we made it for our more immediate family on Christmas Eve."

Cook the Books co-host Simona of briciole liked the book up through the midpoint and found the setting in the French Alps most interesting, inspiring her to make homemade Crozets--a style of pasta from the region. Simona says, "The book has a lot of dishes in it, but what intrigued me was the location of the French village where the protagonist's family moves, the Jura, so I did some research on French mountain cuisine and read about crozets, a type of pasta typical of Savoie (which is south of Jura) traditionally made "from wheat flour, buckwheat or a mixture of both." ... Traditionally this pasta is used to make gratins and I was planning to do something along those lines, but an unwelcome cold requiring chicken soup therapy for my husband sent the crozets into hot chicken broth."

Combination Book and Movie-Inspired Entries:

Our first joint book and movie entry came from Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures. Amy was not a fan of either the book or film--giving up on the book partway into the story (a rarity for her) and then enjoying the movie up until about halfway through, as the focus began to shift from the family opening the restaurant in Lumière. Still, she says, "Happily enough for me, I was able to find food inspirations in both the book and the movie.  In both, there is the opportunity to focus on French, Indian, or fusion cuisine. ...I decided to push myself way out of my comfort zone and try my hand at (probably not very authentic) Indian food." Wendy made Chicken Tikka Masala, which she served with rice and homemade Chapati and found that "the recipe was a huge success! The entire family loved it and since it was a crockpot recipe, it was super easy, too!"

 

Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoyed both the book and the movie saying about the book, "...there was certainly tons of food inspiration from Indian to English to France to Fusion when Hassan starts connecting the two cultures. Hassan also decides to start cooking cleaner and locally, earning him the coveted 3rd Michelin star. All of this, of course, comes at a price but you will have to read the book if you want to know what that cost was." For her dish she chose a variation of "...Beef Bourguinon a la Hassan created for the movie by Chef Floyd Cardoz. This is the first French dish that Hassan gives to his father in the film after leaving their restaurant to work for Madame Malory.  It was a very touching scene with some humor included when he tried to have his younger siblings try it."

It is a pleasure to have one of my favorite Food 'N Flix peeps, Evelyne of Cheap Ethnic Eatz, join us for the first time at Cook The Books for this special crossover event. Evelyne says, "I have mixed feelings on both the book and the film. The first half of the book – when in India and in small town France – is such a wonderful read. The second half in Paris I though was terrible. I know I am not alone as I read this with a book club and everyone agreed. The movie makers thankfully felt the same way and basically skipped most of the Paris story. The movie also took a lot (and I mean a lot) of creative license when compared to the book. In the end I think I preferred the movie for its entertainment value and to see the gorgeous food I read about. There was no lack of inspiration for sure when picking a dish to make. But my Carrot Curry Canelés recipe is not featured in any way, I also took a lot of creative license for my inspiration."

 
Liking the book, the film and the combination event, Terri of Our Good Life says, "This month Food 'N Flix and Cook the Books combined forces to do one book/movie pick. The one they picked, The Hundred Foot Journey, was such a great combination. For me, the book and movie were vitally different, which makes for interesting conversation at your book club!" For her book and film inspiration Terri chose Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus and says, "I chose to do a simple but classic French vegetable preparation, which is asparagus and bacon. ... The asparagus retains a nice crunch and is seasoned with the salt in the bacon. No added fat is needed. If you want to impress, try this dish!."

 
Finally at Kahakai Kitchen, the movie appealed to me more than the book as it brought the story and the food to life so well (and I adore Helen Mirren!) ;-) My plan to do two separate dishes and posts got lost in the mire of work deadlines and the holiday shuffle, so in the spirit of both the book and movie, I took a classic French soup and added some touches inspired by some of my favorite Indian cuisine ingredients--This fusion Potage Parmentier with Cilantro Pistou and Curried Naan Croutons. The tangy and sightly spicy cilantro pesto and the (totally addicting) crispy-fried curry croutons really livened up a simple potato and leek soup.  

 

A big mahalo (thank you) to Camilla for co-hosting the crossover and to everyone who joined in either reading the book, watching the film, or doing both! 

If you missed out on this round of Cook the Books and you love food, books, and foodie books, consider joining us for our December/January selection: A Place at the Table, by Susan Rebecca White--hosted by Debra, of Eliot's Eats.

 
And, side note--if you like your films to be inspired by foodie fiction, join our friends over at Food 'N Flix where the December film pick is The Jane Austen Book Club, hosted by Kimberly at Coffee and Casseroles and inspired by the 2004 novel by Karen Joy Fowler. As with Cook the Books, Food 'N Flix is open to everyone!

Aloha and have a safe and joyful holiday season!

Deb

Our October/November 2015 Cook the Books Pick: "The Hundred-Foot Journey" by Richard C. Morais (+ Optional November Food 'N Flix Movie Tie-In)

I read all manner and genre of books but my favorites are the ones that sweep me away to different places, cultures, and foods. The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais doubly takes me away, combining the curries and spices of Mumbai with traditional French cooking in a small village in the French Alps. It took several recommendations and a viewing of the movie to push me to read this book--and to choose it for our Cook the Books: October/November selection--as nothing is more fun than having some wonderful friends along on a culinary reading journey. 

The Hundred-Foot Journey is the story of Hassan Haji and his family, who leave India after a family tragedy and end up settling in the small village of Lumière, France. They open a noisy family-style Indian restaurant just 100-feet across the road from the fancy and renowned restaurant of Madame Mallory. The 100-feet is at first a huge cultural divide between the Haji family and the prickly Mme. Mallory, but it inspires Hassan to learn French cooking before making his way to Paris to seek his success as a chef.

Another reason I chose The Hundred-Foot Journey was finding out that long-time CTB participant Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is hosting November's round of the monthly foodie movie event Food 'N Flix, and she selected the movie version of The Hundred-Foot Journey. (You can find her invite here.) We thought it would be a fun opportunity to pair up book and film for those of you interested in combining your book and movie worlds. 

Of course, it's strictly optional to do both events and how you do it (a combined post or two separate posts) is up to you!

If you want to join in the crossover fun:

• Read the book and watch the film, make a dish inspired by both, and post it by our joint event deadline of Monday, November 30th. 

• If you have one post for both the movie and book, email both Deb & Camilla (debinhawaii@gmail.com & constantmotioncamilla@gmail.com) with your entry and let us know that you are doing the combined event.

• Or, if you prefer to make two separate dishes and have a post for each event--one inspired by the book and one inspired by the movie, send each of your entries to the event's respective host. (Send your Cook the Books posts to debinhawaii@gmail.com & your Food 'N Flix posts to constantmotioncamilla@gmail.com) by Monday, November 30th. 

• I will be rounding up crossover posts and Cook the Books only posts here on the CTB site & Camilla will be rounding up crossover posts and Food 'N Flix only posts on her blog shortly after the joint deadline.

Again, watching the film and joining in Food 'N Flix is optional, so if you just want to read the book, that's perfectly OK--just send your CTB entry to me by Monday, November 30th.

Makes sense?! If not, feel free to email me or leave a comment on this post with your questions. 

We look forward to seeing what The Hundred-Foot Journey inspires you to create!

Aloha,

Deb
Kahakai Kitchen

Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson Roundup

Welcome to the roundup of posts for the latest Cook the Books selection, Marcus Samuelsson's memoir, "Yes, Chef". It was a book about the extraordinary life that the restaurateur and chef has led so far and which has taken him to many countries around the world. I thought I would arrange the roundup of contributors' posts according to the different stages of Samuelsson's life that he described in this memoir.

I - Ethiopia

Our author began life in a small Ethiopian village. Sadly, his mother died from tuberculosis after trekking with him and his older sister to a hospital in the capital city of Adis Ababa.

Foodycat's Injera, Doro Wat and Lentil Salad made one Yes, Chef-inspired meal and then later she used some injera batter to make little injeras topped with creme fraiche and salmon roe with a nod to Samuelsson's Swedish heritage.

Deb at Eliot Eats, one of the four Cook the Books cohosts in the rotation, made several dishes for an Ethiopian Feast based on a restaurant meal they enjoyed on a recent trip to Denver.

Terri joins us for the first time here at Cook the Books, writing from her blog Our Good Life. Terri contributed an Omelet with Berbere seasoning, an Ethiopian seasoning blend that she used for the first time.

Vicki blogs at I'd Rather Be Reading at the Beach and also joins Cook the Books for the first time. She made one of Samuelsson's recipes, a West African Chicken and Peanut Stew.

Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm made a tasty dinner of Injera and Msriat.

II - Sweden

Marcus and his older sister were adopted by a Swedish couple and grew up in a much different culture, playing soccer, helping Mormor cook the weekly family meals and helping his Dad catch fish.

Simona of Briciole, a Cook the Books cohost, liked the passages about catching fish and made a batch of  Kokoda, an eye-catching marinated raw fish salad.

Blogging from Hawai'i at Kahakai Kitchen, another of my wonderful Cook the Books cohosts, Deb, drew on her own Swedish heritage to produce a luscious looking That's A Good Life Smorga - a smoked fish sandwich with homemade pickled cucumbers.

III - European Hotels and Restaurants

After studying food preparation in high school and at a local restaurant in Sweden, Samuelsson struck out for Austria and Switzerland and apprenticed in several fine dining establishments.

Amy's Cooking Adventures was inspired to tackle these lovely Classic French Croissants.

Cathy at Delaware Girl Eats paid homage to Chef Samuelsson's achievements in these highly demanding hotel and restaurant kitchens by making a Peach Nectarine Tart.

IV - Chasing the Flavors in New York City

Samuelsson moved to New York City and rose to be head chef at Aquavit, before setting out on his own with his Red Rooster Cafe.

Claudia of Honey in the Rock was inspired by Chef's description of exploring Puerto Rican cuisine, and whipped up a savory Pork Mofongo.

Over at my blog, The Crispy Cook, I layered on some more flavors to the Grilled Whole Chicken recipe that my husband and I have been tinkering with all barbeque season.

Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla was inspired to chase some flavors around with her Bourbon-Pecan Pralines.

Please consider joining us as we read and cook from our next book selection, The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard Morais. This next round will be hosted by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen and entries are due November 30th. There is also a tie-in with Food n' Flix, to watch and cook from the film version of this book, starring the divine Ms. Helen Mirren.

Join us for our August/September Book Pick: Yes, Chef, by Marcus Samuelsson

I am pleased to officially announce our August/September Cook the Books reading selection: 

Yes, Chef, by Marcus Samuelsson. 

You may know Chef Marcus Samuelsson from hearing about his New York restaurant Red Rooster or his time as head chef at Aquavit or from appearances on Top Chef and Iron Chef, but I found the story of his youth tremendously interesting in his memoir, Yes, Chef. Marcus was born in rural Ethiopia and when he and his mother and older sister contracted tuberculosis in a 1973 epidemic, his mother walked 75 miles with her children to a hospital in the capital city of Addis Ababa, where she unfortunately succumbed to the disease. Marcus and his sister were adopted by a Swedish family, where he squeezed in Saturday cooking lessons with his grandmother, Helga, when he wasn't on the soccer field. A sports career didn't pan out, so he poured his extensive energies into cooking school and various apprenticeships at world-class hotels and restaurants around Europe.
Samuelsson is passionate about "chasing flavors", and experimenting with ingredients and cuisines from around the globe, and I learned a lot about layering taste and texture in dishes from this book. I hope you all will enjoy it as much as I did.

As always, we welcome anyone to join our band of regulars in reading this great foodie book, blogging about it and cooking up something inspired from its pages. Just let me know that you have posted by our deadline below either by leaving a comment here or by sending me an email at: info@oldsaratogabooks dot coM. 
 
Submissions due: Wednesday, September 30, 2015

-Rachel, The Crispy Cook

The Wedding Bees: the roundup

It's time for the roundup of Cook the Books' Club June-July 2015 edition for which we read The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch.

For each contribution (given in order of publication), I will give you the official information (author, blog name and post title) and a brief quote from it — a teaser that will entice you to follow the link and read the details of the dish prepared and of how the reading inspired the activity in the  kitchen.

Now, please, make yourself comfortable, then follow me on a little literary / culinary journey to the queendom of bees.

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Rachel of The Crispy Cook was inspired to make Stuffed Cabbage

Rachel was flat out not prepared to like the book, "but then, this book snuck up on me... I had to make a Hungarian-inspired meal. One of the things I've always wanted to make was stuffed cabbage. Despite threads of Eastern European heritage that I carry in my DNA and have married into, no one in my family ever made galumpkes, though the word was thrown around now and then in relation to someone making a dumb decision; as in, 'Don't be such a galumpke!'."

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Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures  prepared Rich Chocolate Ice Cream

Amy loved this month’s book: "It is an absolutely perfect summer read! It’s a light, happy romance (without the smut) that leaves the reader happy and hopeful!... And as much as I wanted to choose a recipe with honey, I ended up making ice cream! It’s been on my bucket list for ages plus there’s a lovely ice cream scene in the book, full of quirky characters that had me laughing out loud!"

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Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm made Baklava

Wendy read this book in one sitting, which tells you know just how much she loved it: "It is a love story with absolutely no smut included... The Wedding Bees is filled with tons of delicious food all described in mouthwatering detail.  The dish I decided to make was Baklava, a dish that showed up a few times in the story."

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Alicia of Foodycat made Honey Peanut Brittle

Alicia would not have cared for the novel under normal circumstances, but "reading it with the back-drop of a white supremacist trying to instigate a race war by murdering African Americans in Charleston meant that it was not the best of times... I think the shootings at Emanuel AME church have opened up so many conversations about race, heritage and different experiences of the deep South that I felt obliged to post. And I felt compelled to look for a recipe from African American food traditions."

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Claudia of Honey from Rock prepared Pineapple Honey Pavlova with Fresh Mint and Dark Chocolate

Claudia "loved how a little thoughtfulness, love and attention were so effective in working changes in those around [Sugar]. Actually, we could all benefit from application of the Sugar Wallace technique on those we encounter day to day... I love pavlovas, but had never made one with pineapple, or with mint and chocolate... They are also called Angel Pies, for good reason."

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Debra of Eliot's Eats prepared Honey Cookies

Although "about a little over halfway through the book" Debra "wanted to slap Sugar," she still "admired her sweet (pun intended) demeanor and eagerness to help all around her... I would classify The Wedding Bees as the perfect summer beach read. Of course I was inspired to make something sugary sweet and I thought these cookies fit the bill. Despite all the honey in these cookies, they are not as sweet as I imagined."

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Deb of Kahakai Kitchen prepared a Burnt Honey Bourbon Sour

Deb is "a fan of Sarah-Kate Lynch and her books--she has a talent for writing books that are filled with quirky, fun characters, a little bit of magic, and usually some pretty mouthwatering food mixed in, The Wedding Bees was no exception... I decided to make the drink and use some of the leftover burnt honey to make some Spicy-Sweet Honey-Glazed Pecans to nibble on while imbibing."

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Cathy of Delaware Girl Eats prepared Grilled Green Beans with Honey Vinaigrette 

When Cathy enjoys a book "it’s fun to read all the way to the end because you often find interesting post-scripts." The dish she shares "is not sweet really but made with a honey dressing. Folks don’t think about grilling green beans. But that charred flavor is really something, especially when you pair it with the dressing."

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Simona of briciole (your host) baked Cuchaule: Swiss saffron bread

Among the characters, Simona was particularly taken by "Ruby, a young woman robbed of their smile by anorexia. The few 1/8 of a rice cracker portions she doles out to herself daily made me want to bake bread for her, the quintessential nourishing food of the culinary tradition in which I grew up, and sweeten it lightly with honey. Its yellow color is a way of bringing a ray of light in Ruby's life."

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A great Thank you! to everyone who joined in this edition of Cook the Books.

I believe all the submissions I have received are presented in the roundup. However, mishaps are part of life, so if you find anything missing or in need of amendment anywhere in the roundup, please do let me know.

And now, I’ll turn things over to Rachel of The Crispy Cook for the August-September 2015 selection: Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson.

Arrivederci a presto!

A Feast of Four New Cook the Books Selections

Greetings Everyone! I hope you are all snuggling in with our current book selection, Sarah-Kate Lynch's The Wedding Bees and dreaming up something fun to cook and blog about. In the interim, I and my Cook the Books co-hosts have been rustling up some new book selections for us to read and cook from and I am pleased to announce the literary line up that will take us through the next year:

August/September 2015 Book Pick:

Yes, Chef, by Marcus Samuelsson (2012)
Hosted by Rachel, The Crispy Cook

You may know Chef Marcus Samuelsson from hearing about his New York restaurant Red Rooster or his time as head chef at Aquavit or from appearances on Top Chef and Iron Chef, but I found the story of his youth tremendously interesting in his memoir, Yes, Chef. Marcus was born in rural Ethiopia and when he and his mother and older sister contracted tuberculosis in a 1973 epidemic, his mother walked 75 miles with her children to a hospital in the capital city of Addis Ababa, where she unfortunately succumbed to the disease. Marcus and his sister were adopted by a Swedish family, where he squeezed in Saturday cooking lessons with his grandmother, Helga, when he wasn't on the soccer field. A sports career didn't pan out, so he poured his extensive energies into cooking school and various apprenticeships at world-class hotels and restaurants around Europe.

Samuelsson is passionate about "chasing flavors", and experimenting with ingredients and cuisines from around the globe, and I learned a lot about layering taste and texture in dishes from this book. I hope you all will enjoy it as much as I did.

Submissions due: Wednesday, September 30, 2015

-Rachel

October/November 2015 Book Pick:

The Hundred-Foot Journey, by Richard C. Morais (2011)
Hosted by Deb, of Kahakai Kitchen

"People have recommended The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais as a great foodie read to me over the past few years but I just have not gotten around to reading it. I did see the film adaptation, and it made me want to delve into the book, so what better way to get it onto my reading list than to choose it as my October/November 2015 pick? From Bombay to Paris, this novel traces the culinary journey of Hassan Haji from his childhood above the humble family restaurant in India, to discovering French cooking in a small French village, and then finding celebrity as a chef in Paris. I think there will be plenty of delicious food to inspire us in this book.  

Special Note: The fabulous Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is hosting November's round of the monthly foodie movie event Food 'N Flix and has selected the movie version of The Hundred-Foot Journey. We will be pairing up and doing an optional tie-in of this book with Food ‘N Flix for those of you interested in both reading and viewing this charming story. Details to come!

Submissions due: Monday, Nov. 30, 2015

December 2015/January 2016 Book Pick:

A Place at the Table, by Susan Rebecca White
Hosted by Debra, of Eliot's Eats 

Do you like a good traditional pound cake recipe and inspired Southern cuisine?   Do you like a novel with Southern charm (and that Southern Gothic element as well)? What about a good quirky character ensemble?

Suzan Rebecca White's novel, A Place at the Table, combines all of these elements.   The novel's prologue describes a disturbing scene in Emancipation, North Carolina during the late 20s, but the bulk of the novel takes place during the 80s and 90s in Georgia, Connecticut and New York City.  How does a character from an era of lynchings and fear intertwine with more modern characters trying to make their way in NYC?  

I hope you enjoy finding out the answer and following the three main characters of Alice, Bobby, and Amelia as they all make their way to find peace with themselves and the world around them.

-Debra

Submissions due: Sunday, January 31, 2016

February/March 2015 Book Pick:

The Unprejudiced Palate: Classic Thoughts on Food and the Good Life, by Angelo Pellegrini (1948)
Hosted by Simona, of Briciole

What did America look like to an immigrant Italian child? How did this child applied his philosophy of life, rooted in Italy, to his new home in Seattle? In this book, the first he published, Pellegrini tells his story but also the way he sees life and in particular the way he approaches growing, making and eating food (and wine too).

Pellegrini’s prose is pleasant and precise (in his “day job” he was an English professor), with the affectionate intensity typical of Italians when they talk about things that are dear to them.

He was not part of any school of thought nor did he follow any fashion: with grace and kindness, he told things as he saw them and as he did them.

I hope you will enjoy this food writing classic.

Note: As this book was originally published decades ago, it exists in various editions, the most recent of which is part of Random House's Modern Library Food series(the ebook is also available). I have the 1984 edition, which has an afterword by MFK Fisher, describing the rather inauspicious beginning of her acquaintance, and later friendship, with Pellegrini. 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Unprejudiced-Palate-Classic-Thoughts/dp/0812971558

-Simona

So there you have four mouthwatering books that we hope will tempt you to read, cook from and blog about in the months to come. Please join us at our virtual table with your submissions for the roundup every other month. New bloggers are always welcome. 

Gotta buzz off back to The Wedding Bees.....

-Rachel

Our June/July Cook the Books Selection: The Wedding Bees

A few years ago, I read the novel Blessed Are the Cheesemakers by Sarah-Kate Lynch and quite enjoyed it. In fact, I featured it in a post on my blog. As a home cheesemaker, I particularly appreciated the descriptions of making cheese and also the musings on life by one of the characters. 

Therefore, when I read Betty's note on our suggested reading page mentioning another novel by Sarah-Kate Lynch, The Wedding Bees (2013) I took notice. My usual readings are fairly dark, as I have a passion for crime novels, but every now and then I enjoy reading a sunny, sweet story. 

Sugar Wallace did not believe in love at first sight, but her bees did. . . .
Every spring Sugar Wallace coaxes her sleepy honeybee queen—presently the sixth in a long line of Queen Elizabeths—out of the hive and lets her crawl around a treasured old map. Wherever the queen stops is their next destination, and this year it's New York City.
Sugar sets up her honeybees on the balcony of an East Village walk-up and then—as she's done everywhere since leaving South Carolina—she gets to know her neighbors.

I don't associate NYC with hives and honeybees, so this introduction got piqued my curiosity. Would you like to know what happens to Sugar, her queen and her motley crew of neighbors? Then get hold of a copy of the book and join the Club this month and the next as we read it. The novel does not include recipes but it mentions a number of dishes and celebrates a precious ingredient, honey, which can be used to make a variety of dishes. I am looking forward to seeing what Sugar's story inspires you to make.

Submissions for this round of Cook The Books are due by end-of-the-day Monday, August 3, 2015. Anyone can join by reading the current selection, preparing a dish inspired by its contents and writing about it. Let me know when your entry post is up by commenting on this post and/or sending me an email at: simosite AT mac DOT com. 

New to Cook the Books? Check out our About and Guidelines pages or leave a question in the comments on this post. 

Simona of briciole

April/May Round-Up: The Feast Nearby

Welcome all to the April/May round of Cook the Books.

This month’s Cook the Book round featured Robin Mather’s The Feast Nearby.   In this book of essays, Mather describes “How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on forty dollars a week).”

I found Mather to be plain spoken and although passionate about her lifestyle, she is not preachy or judgmental.  She is practical.   I learned a great deal from her such as trying to purchase cheese trims from a local cheese monger, drying cherries, and making mead.   I love that she also likes to have a meal of “nibbles” in the summer months.   And, I applaud that she not only advocates for local farmers, but also for local purveyors and businesses like grocers, millers, and meat packers.

I have a new idol in Mather so I appreciate you, the CTB membership, for allowing me to host this round.

Now, let's get to the round-up.

I have to feature Wendy, from A Day in the Life on the Farm, first.   Wendy posted her recipe and review way back in March.   

Wendy loved Robin and loved the book because it is not only  "about eating and shopping locally, which is near and dear to my heart and a lifestyle I try hard to emulate, but the author lived on only $40 per week for food right here in my home State of Michigan."  Wendy wondered why she had not heard of the book before CTB.

Since it was still 40 degrees in Michigan at the time of her posting, she chose to make Mather's Navy Bean Soup.

Navy Bean Soup

Wendy was the early bird this round so she deserves to go first.   The rest of the round-up is in no particular order.

Cathy of Delaware Girl Eats, baked up some delicious looking  oatmeal cookies .   She was taken by the "homey pleasures" in The Feast Nearby and Cathy reminisced about her own challenges of living on $20 a week after she bought her first home in the 80s.   She baked her mother's "simple, homey cookies.   The recipe is similar to the one in the book for oatmeal, maple syrup drop cookies.  It never fails to please." 

Oatmeal Crispie Cookies with Pecans

I agree.  Who can't pass up a warm oatmeal cookie, especially with those memories behind it?

Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures went with a warming soup like Wendy; however, Amy was less than enamored by the book.  Amy first attempt for CTB was a salt rise bread that failed to cooperate.  Being resourceful, she searched her freezer to find lots of veggies from the previous summer's farmers markets.  She created a delicious soup that was "sort of hybrid between Bacon Corn Chowder and Chicken Tortilla Soup."   

Chicken Tortilla Chowder

Sorry you didn't enjoy the book. Amy.  At least you were able to create a delicious new soup.  

Simona of briciole and a fellow CTB co-host created some delicious and delicate looking strawberry scones.  Simona was inspired by the seasons:  "The narrative starts in the spring (primavera), which since childhood for me is associated with strawberries. Strawberry season in California starts earlier and last longer than in Italy, but I don't think I will ever get used to it, which is good, because it means every year, the thrill of tasting the first strawberry carries the same intense sweetness as when I was a child."

Scone alle Fragole / Strawberry Scones

I love that Simona oven-roasted the fragole.

Claudia writes at Honey from the Rock.   She "especially enjoyed the moments with Pippin, Robins's very clever parrot, having no idea that some varieties of parrot were so intelligent.  He understands and answers her.  Amazing."   As far as the recipes in the book go, the Jambalaya was calling her name.

Jammin' Out Jambalaya

She also points out the difference in growing climates between Mather's Michigan and her own home of Hawaii:  "We have a year-round growing season here in Hawaii, though preserving what we grow is still an excellent thing.  Using fruit that is abundant beyond what can be eaten out of hand, to prevent waste and save money.  Just think of all the wine I don't have to buy, because I grow the fruit and make it."   

I love a frugal wine maker!  (Claudia, do you ship overseas?)

Rachel, another CTB co-host, writes at The Crispy Cook.   She concluded that The Feast Nearby was "stuffed with good information on raising chickens, bartering (she swapped homegrown vegetables from her neighbor for a snug, handknit hat), grocery shopping locally, preserving and canning, roasting and grinding your own coffee. I learned a lot and enjoyed her down-to-earth writing and recipes. There's a lot of richness in living and eating cheaply, seasonally and well."  

Peppery Cherry Spoon Bread

She decided to experiment with baking with dried cherries and tackling Mather's Peppery Cherry Spoon Bread.   Rachel does suggest that next time she will adapt the recipe a bit and simply make "a cheesy, dried cherry-studded polenta" instead. 

I was glad to see Deb (the third co-host) from Kahakai Kitchen post her "Ethel Dip.".  (Deb, good to see you posting again.)  This dip was named after a family friend of Mather's and promised to be a crowd-pleaser. 

"Ethel" Dip

Deb realized that she already owned and read the book a couple of years ago but set about rereading it for CTB.   As she revisited the book, she found that "Mather's words and the food she cooks are simple, homey and great to curl up with at night before bed. It made me want to get a tiny cabin complete with a poodle, a smart African Grey parrot, and maybe a kitten, and try to live on $40 a week too. Since that's tempting but not realistic, Mather's book is the next best thing."

Last but not least is Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.   A few of you have mentioned the long subtitled to the book (and one of our members refused to read it because of it). Camilla was also "completely put off by the subtitle: How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on $40 a week)"  and she "envisioned a self-absorbed memoir that was more focused on grocery receipts than the actual food."   Camilla was pleased to be wrong by her first impression.

You can't always judge a book by it's title!  :)

Mujadara

Camilla presented Mujadara, a recipe that was new to her.   Looks delicious, Camilla.

Finally (and I almost forgot to highlight my own recipe here), I also went into unfamiliar territory.  I had never cooked with lamb before and couldn't resist Mather's Marinated Grilled Lamb with lots of herbs, garlic and red wine.

Marinated Grilled Lamb 

We enjoyed this for our Easter dinner at Eliot's Eats.

Thanks to all who read The Feast Nearby and participated this round.   I hope we all found some tidbit of wisdom (or a new recipe) from Mather.   Since the books publication, Mather has vacated the cold climate of Michigan and currently resides near Topeka where she writes for Mother Earth News.   

Please join Simona for the next round of Cook the Books.  She has selected The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch.  You still have plenty of time to get your hands on a copy.  Posts will be due at the end of July.  Please look for an announcement post here soon.  (Simona, so far I am really enjoying the characters in The Wedding Bees.)