Dinner with Edward: A Story of an Unexpected Friendship: The Roundup

 It's that time -  the Roundup for our Selection of Dinner with Edward.  All in all, everyone seems to have loved the book, though a few were not really enthused about Isabel's own part in the story.  I'll share a short clip from the entries and the dishes we were inspired to create, along with links so that you can visit for the full story.

First up was Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures, who said: "It was so easy to love Edward.  Through the book, I felt like I was really able to get to know Edward.  Edward was worldly, yet old fashioned, and utterly charming...  There was plenty of food inspiration throughout the novel" 

Amy prepared a scrumptious sounding  Creamy Basil Chicken with Pasta. 

Next in was Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, who loved Edward, but not the author so much, she commented:, "Despite the fabulous food in Vincent's book, I had a difficult time liking her or even relating to her.  It was, however, easy to adore Edward. His devotion to his wife, his old-fashioned views, and his culinary acumen made him absolutely charming."  

Inspired by Edward's love affair with his wife, Camilla came up with her own cocktail creation, which she calls Manhattan Honeymoon with Candied Bacon. 

Then, Terri of Our Good Life who said: "Even though the book was a memoir of the author and the strife she was going through when she met Edward, it was truly about the remarkable Edward, with whom I fell in love.  He's a gentleman, a foodie, a purveyor of all that is lovely and wonderful in life, including a good bourbon and roast chicken."

Terri prepared a dish from the book, Chicken Roasted in a Paper Bag, which sounds like a fun idea, as well as being delicious.

Next up Debra of Eliot's Eats commented:  "Since Edward is the host-with-the-most and never lets his guests linger long without a cocktail, I had to make this guest-pleasing, well-chilled drink." 

A Special Cocktail created by Edward, which incorporates an anise-flavored liquor.  She also compiled a list of tips for entertaining, courtesy of Edward, of course.

Simona of Briciole, thought the book was a "delightful memoir" and says: "I immediately took to the story, in part because Edward reminded me of my beloved Uncle Domenico. Though he was not a cook in Edward's way, our friendship developed over shared food and meals."

She was also inspired by Edward's herb-roasted chicken in a paper bag to make Chicken Meatballs. 

Tina of Novel Meals, really enjoyed the book.  She comments:  "It’s about love, friendship, understanding with a bonus of fantastic menus.    I’m sorry I didn’t read it sooner when bookish friends were writing about it."

As a great addition to our feast, Tina made us some yummy Crab Cakes with a side of grits!

Ali of Fix Me a Little Lunch, thought the book was: "...a charmer.  It’s a quick read, filled to the brim with amazing food stories, menus, and inspiration...  It’s a book about friendship and food, both of which cut across generations. 

Inspired by Edward's Apple Galette, Ali brought -  Mini Strawberry-Chocolate Galettes to our Round-up feast.

Cathy of Delaware Girl Eats says: "Unexpected and often good things happen when you do something for someone else. Often true in life, this axiom is also the premise of Isabel Vincent’s book “Dinner with Edward”. 

She posted a tasty looking Cream of Roasted Carrot Soup.   

And my fellow Hawaiian, Deb of Kahakai Kitchen said: " I enjoyed spending time with Edward as much as Isabel did and was sorry to have the book end so quickly (it's only 224 pages). Of course any book that describes food so well and so lovingly gets extra points in my book--I wanted to eat and make so many of the dishes mentioned..."

Deb also bought a soup to our feast, one I was hoping someone would make - Edward's  Shrimp and Corn Chowder.   

Finally, my post - Claudia at Honey from Rock, I totally enjoyed this memoir about the friendship of two disparate individuals, who both bring something to their relationship which helps the other at a time of need, and encourages growth in the process. 

I posted a Meal in Memory of Edward - the dinner he prepared for Isabel on his wedding anniversary, which included Cod alla Franchese, on steamed spinach, and grilled sweet potatoes. 

 

Finally, a last, last addition, that had slipped through the cracks, from Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm, who said, "Isabel does not come across as a very likeable character however Edward makes up for it in spades. Edward is a loveable, caring, concerned father figure for Isabel.  He comforts her with food, drink, hugs and fatherly advice. 
...  I think Isabel wrote this story solely as an homage to Edward and she portrayed him perfectly."
Wendy posted Cocquilles St. Jacques.  A very elegant, Edwardish sort of dish, despite it not being mentioned in the book.

If you missed out on this round, and like books, especially Foodie books and food, do consider participating in the next one, which is our April/May selection, Life from Scratch by Sasha Martin, in which we read another memoir about the healing power of food, this round hosted by Debra at Eliot's Eats.  Submissions are due by end-of-the day on May 31, 2017. Anyone can join by reading the current selection, preparing a dish inspired by its contents and writing about it. 
 

August/September Round-Up: The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo

Welcome Frida-philes!   Cook the Books partnered with  Food 'n Flix this month for a Fridafest!  

The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F. G. Haghenbeck for Cook the Books

AND

Frida for Food 'n Flix

I hosted The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by F.G. Haghenbeck, a book which takes Frida's life and weaves it into a magical, mystical and surrealistic work of fiction.  Some loved the book and some not so much.  I think the same is true for Frida's works of art---they either speak to you or not.

Here's the round up for the August/September edition of Cook the Books with lots of Mexican inspired dishes.

Amy from Amy's Cooking Adventures was first to post up with a delicious and practical Slow Cooker Chcken Mole.  

I loved the story and found Frida incredibly fascinating.  It also got me curious about Frida Kahlo and sent me fact searching all over the internet and library (I watched the movie (recipe coming up next month), grabbed a recipe book (I made Squash Blossom Quesadillas), and picked up a copy of her biography).  Fact of fiction, Frida Kahlo lead a very interesting life.

Congratulations, Amy, on now being a Frida-phile.

Camilla from Culinary Adventures was next up with Mole Poblano.  

While Camilla didn't love the book itself, she "immensely enjoyed the recipes in the book. Whether they were her actual recipes, or not, they sounded delicious."   She was able to make this a family affair.  "And out of pure serendipity, during the month when this book was assigned for Cook the Books, I attended a mole cooking class with several of our friends. This is the recipe we learned and not one of the ones included in the book. But I thought it was still timely and wanted to share it."

I concur with some other readers that was too much food to keep track of in the novel but I was star-struck by all the famous people Frida and Diego interacted with in the novel (and in real life). Nelson Rockefeller, Georgia O'Keeffe, Leon Trotsky, Dali, Picasso, Breton, and Nickolas Muray all make appearances (just to name a few).   I was taken with Frida's meeting with Picasso as depicted in the novel:

Picasso’s singing was pleasant.  

Frida loved his serenade.

‘If you teach that to me, I’ll sing you Mexican songs.  The kind in which pain bubbles up from the soul. And if we’re still up at dawn, I’ll prepare you a Mexican breakfast.  I’ll make enchiladas and yellow beans,’ Frida said, and Picasso agreed with a nod of the head.

Actually, the recipe that went along with this chapter was not enchiladas and yellow beans but Huevo Rancheros.  I decided to use the base recipe and made Huevo Rancheros with Chorizo.  

Wendy and  Claudia both posted on September 8 so I am listing you two in alphabetical order.  

Claudia, from Honey From Rock, thought the book was a bit odd.

In spite of the awkwardness of  the writing (due partly to translation?) and fictionalized bits, dream sequences, etc., it seems to be a true enough rendering, at least in spirit, of Frida's life, according to her more accurate biography, Frida by Hayden Herrera, upon which the movie was based.

I totally agree that Herrera's biography is a must read if you are interested in a more realistic view of her life.    That being said, Frida inspired Claudia to revisit a mole recipe from Frida's Fiestas.  Here's her recipe for Pork Medallions in Dark Chocolate Sauce.

Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm did a combined post for CTB and FnF.   She confessed she did not know a lot about Kahlo before these two events.   The book left her wanting to know more about the "true Frida."    

She was inspired by a scene early in the book from Frida's childhood:

I had chosen the recipe I was going to make early in the reading of the novel.  The novel did contain recipes in the body of the story as well as recipes recreated to be user friendly at the back of the book. This recipe was not one of those reproduced by the author, however it spoke to me as it was Frida's childhood favorite....before the accident, before her marriage, before life turned south on her.

Wendy contributed Polyvorones de naranja (Orange Shortbreads), treats left for Frida by her older sister, Matilde.  

Great minds thing alike and Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen was also inspired by polyvorones and used her post for both this round and the Food 'n Flix round.   Heather found it hard to connect with the book, possibly because of the translation or possibly because of the point of view of the male author.  The depiction of food in the novel was a saving grace for her.

There were really too many things mentioned for me to even list them all, but they include mole, tamales, horchata,pan de muerto, chiles en nogada, salsa, quesadillas, huevos rancheros, tequila pork loin, snapper with cilantro, mole de olla, cotton candy, apple pie, ribs, and mango ice cream to name a handful.

Here is Heather's version of Povorones de Naranja.

Welcome to Ali from Fix Me a Little Lunch for being the newest member to Cook the Books.   Ali was excited for this Frida adventure and reminisced about her first encounter with Kahlo's works on a solo road trip when she was twenty-something.   

I was transported by Kahlo’s paintings – in life, they are even more stunning than in photos.  After spending hours wandering through the exhibit, I went across the street and stumbled into a Vietnamese restaurant and ate Pho for the first time.  Different cultures, different foods, different times, but for me, soup and Kahlo are inexorably linked in my memory because of that trip.

I could relate to Ali's experience.   I can also relate to the delicious Crockpot Posole that Ali whipped up for this event.

Cathy of Delaware Girl Eats was intrigued by the focus of exotic dishes mentioned and the life of Kahlo.

It was enticing to follow the main character through several reincarnations, any number of amorous encounters and a text laced with mystic sentiments. For me the most memorable phrase in the book was “have the courage to live because anyone can die." This seemed to me to emphasize that death is incidental to life itself and shouldn’t be feared.

That quote spoke to me as well, Cathy.  Although she points out there were many, many mole dishes mentioned in the novel, she decided it was just too hot to create a mole dish.  Instead she created these delectable Mexican Chocolate Brownies.

Simona of briciole wasn't a hug fan of the book either.  She was familiar with both Kahlo and Rivera but states:

The novel didn't add to my appreciation of Kahlo or Rivera and it goes into some areas of their life where I was not eager to go. In reading what is described as "a fictional account" of Kahlo's life, it was tricky to suspend my disbelief. I found that I prefer to be either in fiction land or in biography land, not some place in between. Once again, I am thankful to be a member of our special reading club, because I would not have chosen this book on my own, and reading it stimulated some interesting thoughts and pushed me to be clear with myself about the reasons why it didn't resonate with me. 

Simona also wrote, "While I was reading the book, I thought about how in the kitchen I use ingredients a bit like a painter chooses his/her colors."  This realization inspired her to create Eggs Nested in Leafy Green Vegetables.  

Deb from Kahakai Kitchen found the book "at times sad, at times humorous, at times a bit magical."   Although she found she didn't love the writing (which as she and others point out might have been a translation issue), she did think it was a good companion piece to the film, Frida.   It was the food descriptions and recipes that kept her interest.

The recipes and food descriptions were my favorite part of the book and I will probably go back and make some of the recipes like the pico de gallo (if I ever find nopales), the pumpkin tamales, and the Mango Tepozteco Ice Cream which intrigued me with the addition of the sour cream and egg white.

Deb whipped up an entire meal.  Here are her Shrimp Tacos with an accompanying salad beans, radish and cheese.   She served this along side a Jamaica (Red Hibiscus) Vanilla-Lime Agua Fresca.  A perfect Frida Feista, Deb.

As mentioned before, along with The Secret Book for CTB I also hosted the film Frida for Food 'n Flix. The Food 'n Flix round up for all the Frida-inspired fare can be found here at Eliot's Eats.  

Please join CTB for the October/November round hosted by Simona of briciole.  Her pick is Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots by Jessica Soffer.   Simona introduces this novel in the following way:  

Lorca, the troubled teenage girl who is one of the novel’s protagonists, sets out to find a recipe for Masgouf, an Iraqi dish that her mother, a chef, once said was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted. Lorca’s quest leads her to Victoria, a widowed Iraqi-Jewish immigrant who can teach her how to make the dish. The two bond over the simple act of cooking together.

 I, along with Simona, want to find out what Masgouf is, what Lorca and Victoria cook together and how it all unfolds?   

And, isn't the cover beautiful?!

Please plan on reading, cooking, and posting!  The deadline for posting is November 30, 2016.

Italian Mystery on the Menu: The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

For our next round of Cook the Books, I have selected the first novel in author Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano mystery series, The Shape of Water. I have read so many lovely reviews of the novels in this series by my CTB co-host, Simona, of Briciole, that I knew I had to dive into this book.

A few years ago, I was really smitten with the Inspector Brunetti mysteries by Donna Leon and the clever Aurelio Zen mysteries (each set in a different Italian region) by Michael Dibdin and I voraciously read my way through them. I needed a break from my Year of the Italian Police Procedural, but after a hiatus of reading an assortment of other wonderful books I took up Simona's recommendation and read The Shape of Water.

And now I am hooked again on an engrossing mystery series. Perfetto!

Here's my introduction to this great book:

Our very first Cook the Books pick focused on Sicily (we read Lily Prior's novel "La Cucina" and I propose we return to the "scene of the crime" by reading the first book in Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano mysteryseries by author Andrea Camilleri. "The Shape of Water" is the book and in it, the scrupulously honest Inspector searches to uncover the facts behind the death of an engineer that local bigwigs, including Montalbano's police chief, don't want investigated. However as the rear cover blurb on my copy of the book notes, "Picking his way through a labyrinth of high-comedy corruption, delicious meals, vendetta firepower, and carefully planted false clues, Montalbano can be relied on, whatever the cost, to get to the heart of the matter.

We will have not one but two delightful guest judges for this round of Cook the Books: husband and wife Lavonne and David Neff, who blog about "books and films on religion, politics, murder, and other congenial topics for polite dinner-table conversation" over at The Neff Review. You can read Lavonne's excellent review of The Shape of Water there.

Submissions to this round of Cook the Books are due Monday, March 25th.

And now, hie thee to the bookstore or library, grab this luscious book and enjoy!

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