The Secret Life of Bees and Some Cake Too!

 

We at Cook the Books Club are currently reading The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, hosted this round by Debra of Eliot's Eats.  This is a novel I had totally missed out on, though it's been around for over 20 years now. Quite an original and fascinating tale. I especially loved the account of 14 year old Lily springing her nanny from the hospital lockdown, after she was beaten up for daring to attempt voting!  

Getting Into Jang! By Kang - A Whole New Cuisine

 

I just discovered, Jang, The Soul of Korean Cooking, by Mingoo Kang.  Well, it's a new trip for me anyway.  The Jang journey!  And a truly fascinating one.  How they're made, and how to apply to my usual (or should I say unusual) cooking.  I said discovered, but to give proper credit it was due to the Eater post: The 17 Best Cookbooks of Spring 2024, which I've totally enjoyed, checking out many of them from the library and sampling recipes!  In between finding out which type of galangal I'm growing and how to use our Blue Turmeric.  For the ever blooming road of growing and researching plants and their uses is never ending. Anyway, this book is now due at the library, and I need to decide whether to buy it Yikes!  There are so many more recipes I want to try.

The Publishers say:

"Like butter in French cooking or olive oil in Italian, jangs are the soul of Korean cuisine. These soy-based umami sauces—gochujang, doenjang, ganjang—are found in every meal, from soups and stews, to salads, marinades, and even desserts, adding depth and complexity to every dish.

Few chefs understand these ingredients better than Michelin star winner Mingoo Kang, who has dedicated his Seoul restaurant, Mingles, to the exploration of jangs. In his first cookbook, Kang expertly weaves jangs’ history and methods into 60 accessible recipes to bring the sauces to life. Through artisan profiles, sidebars, and step-by-step photographs, Kang uncovers one of the culinary world’s best-hidden secrets... while showing how they can be used to make both Korean and Western dishes more delicious."  

A Balti Curry for Major Pettigrew

I just finished this delightful novel set in a parochial English village, where everyone knows everyone else's business, and with many of the long held prejudices still in place.  Confrontations are in order.  And here, they happen with some surprise consequences!  I loved this book, and wanted to share the good news!  Here's the Publisher's Weekly review:

"In her charming debut novel, Simonson tells the tale of Maj. Ernest Pettigrew, an honor-bound Englishman and widower, and the very embodiment of duty and pride. As the novel opens, the major is mourning the loss of his younger brother, Bertie, and attempting to get his hands on Bertie's antique Churchill shotgun-part of a set that the boys' father split between them, but which Bertie's widow doesn't want to hand over. While the major is eager to reunite the pair for tradition's sake, his son, Roger, has plans to sell the heirloom set to a collector for a tidy sum. As he frets over the guns, the major's friendship with Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani widow of the local food shop owner, takes a turn unexpected by the major (but not by readers). The author's dense, descriptive prose wraps around the reader like a comforting cloak, eventually taking on true page-turner urgency as Simonson nudges the major and Jasmina further along and dangles possibilities about the fate of the major's beloved firearms. This is a vastly enjoyable traipse through the English countryside and the long-held traditions of the British aristocracy."

Frosted Maple Bars for Family Tree

 

Our Cook the Books group have been reading and posting about  our current June/July selection, Family Tree by Susan Wiggs, which event I'm also hosting.  I read the book several years ago, and just re-read it for this round.  Delightful both times.  The heroine, Annie Rush, goes through so much loss in her story!  Totally unique and devastating experiences, that would wipe out most of us!  

But, going through them, along with her gave me an insider's glimpse of something I had never thought about, of what it would be like waking from a year long coma, learning again who you are and what had happened.  An entire life lost! The whole recovery process, rehabilitation, then putting the past behind and beginning again!  Not your ordinary cliche story.  Also learning about the whole maple syrup business, how it's done, etc. was a fascinating discovery.  Susan Wiggs keeps it real!

From the Publishers:

"Annie Harlow knows how lucky she is. The producer of a popular television cooking show, she loves her handsome husband and the beautiful Los Angeles home they share. And now, she’s pregnant with their first child. But in an instant, her life is shattered. And when Annie awakes from a yearlong coma, she discovers that time isn’t the only thing she’s lost.

Cooking with Julia in Mastering the Art of French Murder

Our latest Cook the Books Club pick is the clever and very entertaining novel by Colleen Cambridge, Mastering the Art of French Murder. I loved this truly enjoyable read, both from the mystery perspective as well as the enticing food and wine discussions.  From the Washington Post:

"Set in midcentury Paris and starring Julia Child’s fictional best friend, this magnifique reimagining of the iconic chef’s years at Le Cordon Bleu blends a delicious murder mystery with a unique culinary twist.

“It’s Child’s ebullient personality that is the heart of the book. Part historical fiction, part mystery, Mastering the Art of French Murder is totally delectable entertainment for fans of lighthearted detective fiction.” – The Washington Post

And from the Publishers' report: 

"From fine Bordeaux and freshly baked baguettes to the friendly chatter of the green market, postwar Paris is indulging its appetite for food, and life, once more, as Tabitha Knight, a young American woman, makes friends with chef-in-training Julia Child—and finds herself immersed in a murder most unsavory . . 

Between tutoring Americans in French, and sampling the results of Julia's studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha's sojourn is thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia's building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim from a party given by Julia's sister, Dort, the night before. The murder weapon is recognizable too—a knife from Julia's kitchen."  Of course, she must help to find the killer and protect her new friend.

An Old Classic Ngaio Marsh and Kedgeree

 

My problem is not a surfeit of books to read, but of Ngaio Marsh novels I haven't read.  I might be at the end, but now re-reading ones forgotten.  Like this latest, A Man Lay Dead.  The first in her 33 book Inspector Roderick Alleyn series.  From the Publishers:

"This classic from the Golden Age of British mystery opens during a country-house party between the two world wars—servants bustling, gin flowing, the gentlemen in dinner jackets, the ladies all slink and smolder. Even more delicious: The host, Sir Hubert Handesley, has invented a new and especially exciting version of that beloved parlor entertainment, The Murder Game . . ."

Crime comes to a country house: “Any Ngaio Marsh story is certain to be Grade A, and this one is no exception.” —The New York Times

I really don't think I've read a bad Marsh novel.  Anyway, to go with the Golden Age British theme, I made a dish from the era, Kedgeree.  And, as the guests in the story were under orders not to leave during the investigation, a lot of delicious country house food was consumed meanwhile.

Stacked or Unstacked Enchiladas for Relish

Our current book selection for Cook the Books Club is Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, a Graphic Memoir by Lucy Knisley.  Cartoon formatted books are not my usual go to read, or cookbook for that matter.  I found some of it entertaining and humorous, some recipes a bit questionable, and a few that made me want to give a try.  The pickle episode was funny, but in actuality, pretty bad.  I've never seen such a complicated and strange procedure for making pickled vegetables.  Cooking the cucumbers first?  1/2 gallon apple cider vinegar?? She says that her grandmother made incredible pickles, and further that both she and her mom were never able to duplicate the process.   It totally made me want to email her a good recipe for naturally fermented pickles, which is probably what her grandmother made.  Here it is for anyone interested: https://honeyfromrock.blogspot.com/2010/10/they-cant-be-that-easy-pickled.html

Undercooked - A Persian Lamb Stew

 

For this (December/January) round, we at Cook the Books Club have been featuring the collection of essays, memoir really, Undercooked by Dan Ahdoot, hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats.  It's a very personal, sometimes light-weight romp about his obsession with eating, frequently at high end restaurants, all over the world, to the detriment of any personal relationships, and how he got that way.  As the sub title of his books states "How I let Food Become My Life Navigator and How Maybe That's a Dumb Way to Live".  Well, duh.  It was at times funny, though often in a sad sort of way.  An enjoyable read for the most part.

I loved the description of Dan's first kitchen experiment as a kid.  A ten year old, and he wanted to make a Grand Marnier Souffle!  Then totally nailed it with the assistance and encouragement of his mom. 

From Kirkus Reviews: "A comic describes his lifelong love affair with food. "A good meal gives me more happiness than almost anything in life, including sex, money, and sex," Ahdoot writes in this collection of humorous essays. Later, he adds, "I'm probably the best comedian in the country with a deep obsession with food, so that's something, right?"  Much of the narrative describes how he got that way. Unfortunately, the book is like a restaurant that can't keep good chefs because the offerings vary wildly in quality. As the middle of three boys, Ahdoot was the only child in their Iranian Jewish household who shared his father's love of fine cuisine, a passion his father maintained until the oldest son died of cancer. Ahdoot's parents then turned to religion and frequented "subpar kosher immigrant eateries…". 

It's Fall with Savory Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

 

Our current Cook the Books Club read has been The City Baker's Guide to Country Living, by Louise Miller.  A fun, food filled and romantic light read.  Nothing too serious, but still an encouragement for anyone wanting to begin again, or starting a new project in a new place.  I enjoyed it and found lots of delicious cooking inspiration, for desserts especially.  

Miller weaves some quirky characters in with lots of good country music, I felt like I could hear it all, as the lead, Olivia joins in with the musicians. She has escaped life in the big city, working in a fancy Club/Restaurant, after accidentally setting the place afire with a flambeed dessert.   Leaving behind a dead end relationship as well, she joins an old friend in a small country town.  When she is offered a job at the Sugar Maple Inn, the getaway becomes something more lasting.  Of course, there are various hurdles in the way, mostly from the cantankerous owner.