So, Baking has been working out pretty well. I have the makings for 8 gingerbread houses (3 more to go), made Christmas tree cookies with the kids' names and a whole bunch more cookies for the kids to decorate themselves. I was up late (not a thing for me) but, since I'm bucking for "mama of the year" (at least with my kid) I didn't mind and felt VERY accomplished. But I'd rather talk about books.
So what have I been reading. Well. You do often get what you pay for. I paid very little for a new title called Loose Ends by Terri Reid and got what I got was adequate. I'm actually trying to decide whether or not to give another of these novels a chance. This is a Mary O'Reilly mystery. I really hate that they have to tell you that so that you can rush out and buy more of the "fabulous series." Here's a clue. If the author and characters are good, we don't need to have it written on the front of the book. We can read (the point of a book) and can figure it out for ourselves.
Mary O'Reilly, not to be stereotyped, is a nice Irish girl with a close family, and all of her parents, grandparents, and siblings are Chicago cops. Gee, there's a stretch. Now Mary died and was brought back to life and, here's our fun, she can now see and talk to ghosts. Nice. So she uses ghosts to help her be a detective in a small town where she has to live so that she's not inundated by her new paranormal friends. There's a chief of police who is also new to this small town and he, amazingly, has a missing wife and baby who've been gone for 8 years. Never found. Oh, well, the baby was still in-utero so we don't know that he actually has a kid. Now he tells people he's married and seems to think that he is. Nice in a way, creepy in another to NOT ACKNOWLEDGE after 8 years that your wife is gone. All Mary knows about our chief is that he's a stud (of course) and tells her that he's married (doesn't mention the disappearance--I'm not really sure that these two are friends.)
Overall this book was a decent read. It was a bit stilted and seemed a bit amateurish (like I should talk.) The story also kind of just happened. There was no rhyme nor reason: it happens because the author said it did. Just like the relationships are because the author has told us that they are. She tells us that Mary is a loner. A loner who depends upon her 2 best friends, the geriatric gruesome-twosome. She is also a loner who is close to her big, Irish, cop family. Not getting the loner part, but Reid says she is....
Reid takes two mysteries and, of course, in the end, they are related. Big surprise. This was telegraphed in the initial pages of the book so I dont' think that it's a SPOILER but maybe. I was amazed after all of the "telling" that Reid does we never find out WHY the serial killer changed from killing small dark haired girls to blonds. The point was made over and over that the final child killed was different from the others and our ghost talker just "felt" that it was the same killer BUT we never get any resolution why such an anomaly.
I wanted to like this book more and am tempted to try another. At least for the price it's not breaking the bank.
Happy reading, Happy Holidays!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 27
Thanksgiving created an opportunity to test my skills in creativity and artistry as well as timing (can one have skills creativity or is one merely creative--or am I neither...[sigh]) It was fun. Ruth and I worked together and made two turkey cakes. For those of you grossed out by the thought of a meat-cake, never fear--they were turkey-shaped cakes. And not even really turkey shaped. However, no one complained....
It was relatively simple and given more time I think it could have looked better. I took a layer cake, cut it in half and put it up on the flat side created by the cut. So, I realized this is how I can make a rainbow cake the next time Ruth wants one as well. So, now that I have the turkey 'fan' (for this is what it will be when decorated) I frost the cake in chocolate. Then I take a cupcake and use the frosting to 'glue' it on as a head (it has to be on the tray, it will NOT stick 1/2 way up (did I NEED to say this, SERIOUSLY?!!!!)
The decorating is what makes it: Using pasty bags put red, orange, and yellow hershey kiss shaped dots on the top of the crescent. On the head portion you need eyes on each side, a yellow beak, and of course, a waddle--red! Let's be real. It doesn't look exactly like a turkey, but really turkeys are ugly. The kids really enjoyed the turkey. A big thanks to Safeway bakery that inspired this cake.
The fun is really that Thanksgiving and my husband's birthday generally fall during the same week. I, of course, needed to make a birthday cake for him as well as a fantastic dinner. Well, do you remember my begging for a great pie crust recipe: I got one. It was from Tasty Kitchen. It came recommended from a friend on facebook. It was great. Easy to make and easy handle.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/sylviae28099s-perfect-pie-crust/
My husband pointed out that it tasted similar to my mother's recipe (which I like but is often difficult to handle.) I thought so too. Let me tell you, I was highly skeptical about anything with vinegar in it. Don't like the stuff. But you really couldn't taste it. Although the recipe did say to freeze it, but I just put it into the 'fridge. It kept for a number of days.
So I used the pie crust to make empanadas. Shrimp, spinach, goat cheese, tomatoes, and pine nuts. Soooooo wonderful and now, easy to make with my new crust.
The cake was a whole different matter. Having decorated two cakes and made empanadas and mashed sweet potato I really needed a simple cake solution. Luckily my husband doesn't mind experiments. Better Homes & Gardens cookbook had a great pound cake recipe. It called for lemon yogurt which I didn't have and lemon zest. I used vanilla yogurt and added chocolate chips. It was moist and tastey! Hurray!!!!
Next stop: gingerbread houses....six of them.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 26
Crush: The Final Moments
I have to say that I wrote my last blog believing that Jacobson's Crush really had no further hilarity to be shared. I wrote the blog without the true badness that the ending brought to me. How bad? Bad bad.
I don't think that there can be a spoiler. We have some real fun as the book winds down. A character introduced about 1/2 to 2/3 through the book ends up being our killer. Of course he was hitting on (successfully) our local hottie cop. What's amazing is that the FBI agent had the entire department chasing a number of others, jumping from one theory to the next with wild abandon. Two of these suspects were police themselves. She totally ignores the one cop who is acting suspiciously which is telegraphed in a heavy handed way. Can I say again that I hope that the FBI are not quite so arrogant or ineffective as Agent Vail. And how embarrassing for the FBI mentioned in the acknowledgements. Really, did you LIKE the character? Seriously?
So, Vail gets a number of people killed, only finds the killer because he tries to kill the cop that he's hitting on when she gets the call with his name given to her by a microsoft tech! (Thumbs up to Microsoft--the true hero of this tale.) Vail follows up her fiasco of a manhunt with an embarrassingly amateurish interview. Was it supposed to seem like she even knew what she was doing? AND since when do you really just send one very tired cop in to question such an important suspect. It's also funny that Napa Valley still has no idea that there was a serial killer in their midst.
So, to end this the suspect just tells our "heroine" that she just doesn't get and probably never will and he knows that this will make her crazy (which she acknowledges to herself is the truth--why not just walk away from this nut-job?), her boyfriend has disappeared, and our actual suspicious cop has been somehow secretly working with the killer because his wife and son were threatened. THE END.
So, no ACTUAL payoff at all. Except hours wasted. I wish I read faster.
I have to say that I wrote my last blog believing that Jacobson's Crush really had no further hilarity to be shared. I wrote the blog without the true badness that the ending brought to me. How bad? Bad bad.
I don't think that there can be a spoiler. We have some real fun as the book winds down. A character introduced about 1/2 to 2/3 through the book ends up being our killer. Of course he was hitting on (successfully) our local hottie cop. What's amazing is that the FBI agent had the entire department chasing a number of others, jumping from one theory to the next with wild abandon. Two of these suspects were police themselves. She totally ignores the one cop who is acting suspiciously which is telegraphed in a heavy handed way. Can I say again that I hope that the FBI are not quite so arrogant or ineffective as Agent Vail. And how embarrassing for the FBI mentioned in the acknowledgements. Really, did you LIKE the character? Seriously?
So, Vail gets a number of people killed, only finds the killer because he tries to kill the cop that he's hitting on when she gets the call with his name given to her by a microsoft tech! (Thumbs up to Microsoft--the true hero of this tale.) Vail follows up her fiasco of a manhunt with an embarrassingly amateurish interview. Was it supposed to seem like she even knew what she was doing? AND since when do you really just send one very tired cop in to question such an important suspect. It's also funny that Napa Valley still has no idea that there was a serial killer in their midst.
So, to end this the suspect just tells our "heroine" that she just doesn't get and probably never will and he knows that this will make her crazy (which she acknowledges to herself is the truth--why not just walk away from this nut-job?), her boyfriend has disappeared, and our actual suspicious cop has been somehow secretly working with the killer because his wife and son were threatened. THE END.
So, no ACTUAL payoff at all. Except hours wasted. I wish I read faster.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 25
I'm sure that there's a spoiler in here somewhere!
Well, Thanksgiving is coming up. Today and tomorrow I am scheduled to bake & decorate 2 cakes and bake a pie. It should be good. However, I want to return to books. Books so bad that you HAVE to keep reading. Books so bad that you can't believe that someone actually wasted time writing them. Books that are so bad that they have more entertainment value than Danielle Steele (potentially the most over-paid human ever in the history of mankind.) Steele is merely trite, banal, etc etc etc.
Crush by Alan Jacobson: I couldn't conceive of a heroine as heartily unlikeable as Karen Vail. She is pretentious, uptight, a bad mom, a crappy significant other, supercilious, and an all-around know-it-all. It's clear to me that Jacobson hates the FBI. Otherwise why create such an unlikable heroine. The only understandable thing about this book is why is cost 0.00$. Yes, for those about to mock me for actually buying such a lousy read please note: it was free. Well, OK, it costs me a few hours of my life. I just thought that if I kept reading something good would happen, alas and alack, no.
So, first, Jacobson gives us this snobbish FBI creature as our heroine. Her boyfriend couldn't be any more lackluster. She is surrounded by people who are one dimensional at best. The murderer, I am sure that I will discover, is merely a mcguffin to write this bizarre travelogue about Napa Valley.
Seriously, are we supposed to believe that 3 Napa Valley government agencies (sheriff, police, and district attorney's office, not to mention the FBI) would give out a false cause of death on 4 murder victims to hide that there had been murders in "the valley". It was a nice touch that there was a reporter on the scene of one of the victims dump spots but HE DIDN'T TELL ANYONE or report it. Clearly an all-around nice guy. Seriously?! So as I read on what's interesting is that the lawyer of 2 of the victims didn't know that they had died when at least 3 other people thought that they had had strokes...consistency would help.
It's also interesting to read a book that will take a break from "the plot" to give a bizarre travelogue. A fascinating description of how wine is made, the beauty of the scenery, etc etc. It is not a good travelogue. I would use the word abysmal. I have to admit, having been to Vallejo, which seems little better than some of the skankier parts of Detroit, I was amused by the clever description is this burg as a delightful place. Clearly Jacobson has seen something of Vallejo that I haven't. His description of the Napa and Carneros wineries is banal and uninspired. And some weird choices. I can't believe he has much experience up there. It's like he spent a couple of months, picked out some random wineries and areas and then wrote about them without understanding the culture. I really hope that he's not native to the area. That would add an entire level of insult to the writings.
So, back to Karen Vail, intrepid heroine. If you've seen So I Married an Ax Murderer you'll understand when I say that clearly Jacobson believes, or thinks the reader believes (which is kind of insulting) that cops/feds are heroic rogues who have gruff but ultimately kind bosses who "go to bat" with the "commissioner" when they go rogue. If I were Karen Vail's boss I'd fire her. She's ineffective, has a superiority complex, and drinks on the job. She pushes her way into the investigation, brutally and aggressively, and then whines that since her vacation was interrupted it's OK that she does some wine tasting while on the job. Her boss tells her distinctly not to question a suspect and yet she does it anyways and blames it on the local cops (nice sense of responsibility.)
This is a woman who leaves her teen aged son behind and then is "frantic" when the killer is supposedly after him. Where does this stupid tangent come from. And "show, don't tell" to quote a favorite English teacher of mine. So we don't really hear/know anything about the son to begin with and then there is a frantic few pages of worrying and getting the entire Fairfax county police out (including the cop who is now guarding her son that she had a "run in" with--cause she's a bad-ass who runs roughshod over other humans because they're just not as smart as her.) Then, bye-bye son. I'm sure we'll get a vague reference to him again.
Jacobson isn't a storyteller, he's a drunk trying to spin a tale with details that are totally irrelevant. Why do we need to know about the wineries? Does it move the story forward? Why the information on Vallejo? Why go there at all? Why do we need to know that she doesn't like this cop guarding her son (who ironically doesn't seem to remember her.) There is so much "stuff" that doesn't move the story forward at all. Did the ready really care that Karen enjoyed her Opus One more than whatever else? And WHY would the killer drink a Cakebread Cabernet when they are known for their fabulous whites. At least get it right.
So, recommend it? If you don't want to spend any money and are desperate, sure, why not. if you have to pay even $1.98, I don't think so.
Happy reading. Hopefully my apple pie (put together while our electric was out) will be fabulous. A friend just had a baby and I thought, hey, why not add another baking chore to the weekend. Naw....a gift of love.
Well, Thanksgiving is coming up. Today and tomorrow I am scheduled to bake & decorate 2 cakes and bake a pie. It should be good. However, I want to return to books. Books so bad that you HAVE to keep reading. Books so bad that you can't believe that someone actually wasted time writing them. Books that are so bad that they have more entertainment value than Danielle Steele (potentially the most over-paid human ever in the history of mankind.) Steele is merely trite, banal, etc etc etc.
Crush by Alan Jacobson: I couldn't conceive of a heroine as heartily unlikeable as Karen Vail. She is pretentious, uptight, a bad mom, a crappy significant other, supercilious, and an all-around know-it-all. It's clear to me that Jacobson hates the FBI. Otherwise why create such an unlikable heroine. The only understandable thing about this book is why is cost 0.00$. Yes, for those about to mock me for actually buying such a lousy read please note: it was free. Well, OK, it costs me a few hours of my life. I just thought that if I kept reading something good would happen, alas and alack, no.
So, first, Jacobson gives us this snobbish FBI creature as our heroine. Her boyfriend couldn't be any more lackluster. She is surrounded by people who are one dimensional at best. The murderer, I am sure that I will discover, is merely a mcguffin to write this bizarre travelogue about Napa Valley.
Seriously, are we supposed to believe that 3 Napa Valley government agencies (sheriff, police, and district attorney's office, not to mention the FBI) would give out a false cause of death on 4 murder victims to hide that there had been murders in "the valley". It was a nice touch that there was a reporter on the scene of one of the victims dump spots but HE DIDN'T TELL ANYONE or report it. Clearly an all-around nice guy. Seriously?! So as I read on what's interesting is that the lawyer of 2 of the victims didn't know that they had died when at least 3 other people thought that they had had strokes...consistency would help.
It's also interesting to read a book that will take a break from "the plot" to give a bizarre travelogue. A fascinating description of how wine is made, the beauty of the scenery, etc etc. It is not a good travelogue. I would use the word abysmal. I have to admit, having been to Vallejo, which seems little better than some of the skankier parts of Detroit, I was amused by the clever description is this burg as a delightful place. Clearly Jacobson has seen something of Vallejo that I haven't. His description of the Napa and Carneros wineries is banal and uninspired. And some weird choices. I can't believe he has much experience up there. It's like he spent a couple of months, picked out some random wineries and areas and then wrote about them without understanding the culture. I really hope that he's not native to the area. That would add an entire level of insult to the writings.
So, back to Karen Vail, intrepid heroine. If you've seen So I Married an Ax Murderer you'll understand when I say that clearly Jacobson believes, or thinks the reader believes (which is kind of insulting) that cops/feds are heroic rogues who have gruff but ultimately kind bosses who "go to bat" with the "commissioner" when they go rogue. If I were Karen Vail's boss I'd fire her. She's ineffective, has a superiority complex, and drinks on the job. She pushes her way into the investigation, brutally and aggressively, and then whines that since her vacation was interrupted it's OK that she does some wine tasting while on the job. Her boss tells her distinctly not to question a suspect and yet she does it anyways and blames it on the local cops (nice sense of responsibility.)
This is a woman who leaves her teen aged son behind and then is "frantic" when the killer is supposedly after him. Where does this stupid tangent come from. And "show, don't tell" to quote a favorite English teacher of mine. So we don't really hear/know anything about the son to begin with and then there is a frantic few pages of worrying and getting the entire Fairfax county police out (including the cop who is now guarding her son that she had a "run in" with--cause she's a bad-ass who runs roughshod over other humans because they're just not as smart as her.) Then, bye-bye son. I'm sure we'll get a vague reference to him again.
Jacobson isn't a storyteller, he's a drunk trying to spin a tale with details that are totally irrelevant. Why do we need to know about the wineries? Does it move the story forward? Why the information on Vallejo? Why go there at all? Why do we need to know that she doesn't like this cop guarding her son (who ironically doesn't seem to remember her.) There is so much "stuff" that doesn't move the story forward at all. Did the ready really care that Karen enjoyed her Opus One more than whatever else? And WHY would the killer drink a Cakebread Cabernet when they are known for their fabulous whites. At least get it right.
So, recommend it? If you don't want to spend any money and are desperate, sure, why not. if you have to pay even $1.98, I don't think so.
Happy reading. Hopefully my apple pie (put together while our electric was out) will be fabulous. A friend just had a baby and I thought, hey, why not add another baking chore to the weekend. Naw....a gift of love.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 24
I just finished reading The Last Apprentice: Rise of the Huntress. Actually, I didn't read it, I listened to it. It's one of the series that I've only listened to.
Side note: If you are used to listening to an author and switch to an acutual book you may be surprised at how different the narrative seems. I listened to all of the Harry Potter series (yes, loved 'em) prior to actually reading one of the books. Wow, what a difference. The narrator, Jim Dale, is so extraordinary and talented at giving the characters a true voice I couldn't compete with that in my own head. And I've always read JD Robb but had the chance to listen to one of her books from audible and almost hated it. Again, the narrator made the difference. She had this horrible, faux Irish accent for the heroines hottie of a super-wealthy and smart husband. Made him sound stupid. Certainly not foreign and sexy...Oh well, you lose a few.
Back to Rise of the Huntress:
The Last Apprentice series is by Joseph Delaney. It was a recommendation from audible.com when I typed in Harry Potter. The books are a bit dark and gruesome and clearly written for a tween/teen audience. That wouldn't stop me from reading it and overall I've enjoyed the series.
The series is about a boy of about 11 who is the 7th son of a 7th son. His mother's "gift to the county." As one might surmise he is apprenticed to a Spook, Mr. Gregory (also the 7th son of a 7th son.) A spook, in Delaney's world, is a man who keeps the county safe from boggarts, and witches, and other things that go bump in the night. A spook can sense evil and see ghosts and other paranormal stuff. It is considered the norm in Tom's world that these things exist.
This is Delaney's 7th(?) outing with Tom, the Spook, and Alice (the former witch-in-training who didn't really want to be a witch at all.) I enjoyed it even more than some of the earlier books and may go back to rereead them. Tom, Mr. Gregory, and Alice are forced to flee the county with other refugees due to a war "they" are losing. Homes & fields have been burned and things are so bad that even the witches have fled. Including several witches that Gregory had penned up in his garden. As this is a later outing you need to read earlier books to understand WHY it's ok to have witches in pits in your garden. So they end up on an island and the inevitable fight between good and evil ensues.
Despite my flippant choice of words I do like this sereies. I'm not sure why. But what's really funny is that Alice isn't our heroine. SPOILER ALERT. Alice, as per usual, has to rescue Tom, Mr Gregory, and everyone else and then gets referred to as "girl" and despised as a witch. OK, maybe not despised as a witch, we are clear that she is NOT a witch. Still What is Gregory's problem?! Seriously, this chick has done his bidding and helped save his and Tom's lives through any number of adventures and what thanks does she get? Zip. Nothing. He even wants to leave her behind in the final push to rid the island of its monster. Tom always acknowledges Alice's help and support and he does always stand up for her to Gregory.
I guess I'm kind of curious as to the motivation of the author in not having ANY relenting of the initial hard-feelings that he had against Alice in book 1. I mean, seriously, what does this kid have to do. Kill her own mother?
Anyway, a fun outing. It is a book for younger readers, but still a bit of fun for adults. I wish someone else would read this series so that I could find out if I'm just over thinking it.
Happy Reading!
PS: heading into baking season. YIPPEE! I spent the afternoon with a friend and 2 3-year-olds cutting out pumpkin & ghost cookies. It's the best mess ever.
Side note: If you are used to listening to an author and switch to an acutual book you may be surprised at how different the narrative seems. I listened to all of the Harry Potter series (yes, loved 'em) prior to actually reading one of the books. Wow, what a difference. The narrator, Jim Dale, is so extraordinary and talented at giving the characters a true voice I couldn't compete with that in my own head. And I've always read JD Robb but had the chance to listen to one of her books from audible and almost hated it. Again, the narrator made the difference. She had this horrible, faux Irish accent for the heroines hottie of a super-wealthy and smart husband. Made him sound stupid. Certainly not foreign and sexy...Oh well, you lose a few.
Back to Rise of the Huntress:
The Last Apprentice series is by Joseph Delaney. It was a recommendation from audible.com when I typed in Harry Potter. The books are a bit dark and gruesome and clearly written for a tween/teen audience. That wouldn't stop me from reading it and overall I've enjoyed the series.
The series is about a boy of about 11 who is the 7th son of a 7th son. His mother's "gift to the county." As one might surmise he is apprenticed to a Spook, Mr. Gregory (also the 7th son of a 7th son.) A spook, in Delaney's world, is a man who keeps the county safe from boggarts, and witches, and other things that go bump in the night. A spook can sense evil and see ghosts and other paranormal stuff. It is considered the norm in Tom's world that these things exist.
This is Delaney's 7th(?) outing with Tom, the Spook, and Alice (the former witch-in-training who didn't really want to be a witch at all.) I enjoyed it even more than some of the earlier books and may go back to rereead them. Tom, Mr. Gregory, and Alice are forced to flee the county with other refugees due to a war "they" are losing. Homes & fields have been burned and things are so bad that even the witches have fled. Including several witches that Gregory had penned up in his garden. As this is a later outing you need to read earlier books to understand WHY it's ok to have witches in pits in your garden. So they end up on an island and the inevitable fight between good and evil ensues.
Despite my flippant choice of words I do like this sereies. I'm not sure why. But what's really funny is that Alice isn't our heroine. SPOILER ALERT. Alice, as per usual, has to rescue Tom, Mr Gregory, and everyone else and then gets referred to as "girl" and despised as a witch. OK, maybe not despised as a witch, we are clear that she is NOT a witch. Still What is Gregory's problem?! Seriously, this chick has done his bidding and helped save his and Tom's lives through any number of adventures and what thanks does she get? Zip. Nothing. He even wants to leave her behind in the final push to rid the island of its monster. Tom always acknowledges Alice's help and support and he does always stand up for her to Gregory.
I guess I'm kind of curious as to the motivation of the author in not having ANY relenting of the initial hard-feelings that he had against Alice in book 1. I mean, seriously, what does this kid have to do. Kill her own mother?
Anyway, a fun outing. It is a book for younger readers, but still a bit of fun for adults. I wish someone else would read this series so that I could find out if I'm just over thinking it.
Happy Reading!
PS: heading into baking season. YIPPEE! I spent the afternoon with a friend and 2 3-year-olds cutting out pumpkin & ghost cookies. It's the best mess ever.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 23
I love to bake. My daughter asked me the other day if we could bake cookies, "it's been a long time." I think that it's time. However, I haven't baked any lately. What I have been baking is pies. I'd like a better pie crust. It's time to experiment again. I made an apple pie the other day. It's great now that I have the concept of the thinly sliced apples down to a science. Who knew that following directions was all it took.
I like pecan pie but am too cheap to buy pecans. Why not use walnuts. So I guess it's walnut pie. Maybe I'll find a new pie crust recipe and try it.
Just as a follow-up. The apple pie was very well received AND I found some pecans in the freezer, so don't worry the south will not fall again in shame of my walnut pie.
I like my mother's recipe, but it's not rich enough. I like the butter recipe that I have but it generally falls apart and I find myself patching it (and, frankly, I often get a bit sick it's sooooo rich--who knew butter could be a negative?!!!!)
Well, I ended up buying refrigerator pie crust and everyone loved it. My grandmother may have had a point about not making home made anything. My mother tells this story of how my grandmother (her mother-in-law) would make home made noodles every Sunday for the family. I forget what she made them to go with, but my mother would rave about these noodles. One Sunday my grandmother didn't have the time and used a bag of store bought noodles. Mom said that you could tell right away that they were just from the store but no one else noticed. As a matter-of-fact all of grandma's kids went on and on about how fantastic the noodles were that week. She never made home made noodles again.
Of course, I cook for myself. If you don't like it I care, in the sense that I would like to be a good hostess, but I'm not losing sleep over it. Really. I know what I like and I know it's good. And all the more for me. Can I find any other cliché? So I will continue my quest for the perfect pie crust.
So, if you have a pie crust recipe that you're willing to share, please drop it into the comments. I could really use some help.
Happy Baking! Time for more cookies.
I like pecan pie but am too cheap to buy pecans. Why not use walnuts. So I guess it's walnut pie. Maybe I'll find a new pie crust recipe and try it.
Just as a follow-up. The apple pie was very well received AND I found some pecans in the freezer, so don't worry the south will not fall again in shame of my walnut pie.
I like my mother's recipe, but it's not rich enough. I like the butter recipe that I have but it generally falls apart and I find myself patching it (and, frankly, I often get a bit sick it's sooooo rich--who knew butter could be a negative?!!!!)
Well, I ended up buying refrigerator pie crust and everyone loved it. My grandmother may have had a point about not making home made anything. My mother tells this story of how my grandmother (her mother-in-law) would make home made noodles every Sunday for the family. I forget what she made them to go with, but my mother would rave about these noodles. One Sunday my grandmother didn't have the time and used a bag of store bought noodles. Mom said that you could tell right away that they were just from the store but no one else noticed. As a matter-of-fact all of grandma's kids went on and on about how fantastic the noodles were that week. She never made home made noodles again.
Of course, I cook for myself. If you don't like it I care, in the sense that I would like to be a good hostess, but I'm not losing sleep over it. Really. I know what I like and I know it's good. And all the more for me. Can I find any other cliché? So I will continue my quest for the perfect pie crust.
So, if you have a pie crust recipe that you're willing to share, please drop it into the comments. I could really use some help.
Happy Baking! Time for more cookies.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 22
I have a friend who is very well-read. She reads literature with an occasional foray into pop-fiction (I still can't believe that she read and enjoyed The DaVinci Code.) I will say in all honesty that our book tastes are not similar. For example, I read almost exclusively pop-fiction but wouldn't be caught dead reading The DaVinci Code. OK, I read the beginning, but how many times does the author have to explain that the curator is renowned. Clearly he has nothing but contempt for the unwashed masses that he believes will buy his novel. Enough about that. So, on my friend's recommendation I picked up Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.
I love a novel where you really don't like anyone. I think it's fun to have a novel where everyone is a stereo-type. However, it is novel. I, for the most part, did enjoy this novel. I would recommend it for those who enjoy literature and want something a bit different. I think for mystery fans it might be a tougher sell.
The non-formulaic format was both refreshing and confounding. It's nice that Atkinson writes in a different style. I have no idea if she regularly begins chapters in the middle of a thought. The desire to surprise her reader can be befuddling and annoying at times. I like a good surprise. I like a good mystery. In general I don't want to try to have to figure out where, when, and why I am in a novel. Atkinson consistently works to surprise and really, she doesn't.
As I said I did enjoy the novel over-all. I did think that it got bogged down in too many stories and the attempt to bring them all together. And yet, leaving us hanging with some. I like my mysteries wrapped up and with an ending. I don't mind one story trailing into another. But there were a lot of stories that had, really, nothing to do with each other trailing around randomly, working to find each other. Seriously. And, yes, we can all guess who we're supposed to think that Lily Ann is. And we can guess what happens to Michelle. The rest of the stories were wrapped up with a bow. Why not those?
So, here's the kicker. I am SURE that I've read this before. Yet, I can't lay my hands on it, nor did I remember it prior to opening the book. But it was so familiar. How stupid is that?! Seriously. So through the entirety of the book my tiny brain worked hard to remember where and when I had read this. Yet, I had no recollection of specific parts. Namely, our hero and his daughter. Except the scene where he (OOOOOHHHH, SPOILER) finds out that his ex-wife is taking the brat to Australia with her new husband. Wow, could the ex-wife have been much more of a caricature? Gee, she left him for no reason, forced him to give up his child, took all the money and the good stuff and left nothing but his one treasure from his murdered sister...
Ooops. Yes, I did like it. Did it drag in places, most definitely. Would I read it again? I'd say no, except clearly I've read it twice already so who knows how many more times that I can forget it. Oddly, I would say that it is unique enough in premise that it should be unforgettable. Oh well. Never say never.
Happy Reading.
Now, if only I had a lovely Copenhagen pastry...yum.
I love a novel where you really don't like anyone. I think it's fun to have a novel where everyone is a stereo-type. However, it is novel. I, for the most part, did enjoy this novel. I would recommend it for those who enjoy literature and want something a bit different. I think for mystery fans it might be a tougher sell.
The non-formulaic format was both refreshing and confounding. It's nice that Atkinson writes in a different style. I have no idea if she regularly begins chapters in the middle of a thought. The desire to surprise her reader can be befuddling and annoying at times. I like a good surprise. I like a good mystery. In general I don't want to try to have to figure out where, when, and why I am in a novel. Atkinson consistently works to surprise and really, she doesn't.
As I said I did enjoy the novel over-all. I did think that it got bogged down in too many stories and the attempt to bring them all together. And yet, leaving us hanging with some. I like my mysteries wrapped up and with an ending. I don't mind one story trailing into another. But there were a lot of stories that had, really, nothing to do with each other trailing around randomly, working to find each other. Seriously. And, yes, we can all guess who we're supposed to think that Lily Ann is. And we can guess what happens to Michelle. The rest of the stories were wrapped up with a bow. Why not those?
So, here's the kicker. I am SURE that I've read this before. Yet, I can't lay my hands on it, nor did I remember it prior to opening the book. But it was so familiar. How stupid is that?! Seriously. So through the entirety of the book my tiny brain worked hard to remember where and when I had read this. Yet, I had no recollection of specific parts. Namely, our hero and his daughter. Except the scene where he (OOOOOHHHH, SPOILER) finds out that his ex-wife is taking the brat to Australia with her new husband. Wow, could the ex-wife have been much more of a caricature? Gee, she left him for no reason, forced him to give up his child, took all the money and the good stuff and left nothing but his one treasure from his murdered sister...
Ooops. Yes, I did like it. Did it drag in places, most definitely. Would I read it again? I'd say no, except clearly I've read it twice already so who knows how many more times that I can forget it. Oddly, I would say that it is unique enough in premise that it should be unforgettable. Oh well. Never say never.
Happy Reading.
Now, if only I had a lovely Copenhagen pastry...yum.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 21
Well, it's been a while since I covered baking. So, just for fun I'm trying a new recipe that I found on Allrecipes.com. I also filled out a profile and joined. It's free. I just hope that I don't get a bunch of stupid emails (yes, I used the word stupid. It's not a four-letter word. Count.)
So, in honor of October (OktoberFest) I'm going to make soft pretzels for our Mommies & Mojitos drop in for drinks on Friday. Usually I'm a cookie woman, so it will be interesting to see how this recipe turns out. So far, I'm a little skeptical because you don't boil the bread prior to baking (a traditional method for bagels and pretzels.)
So the pretzels are made. Ruth and I spent a short period of time putting them together. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com. Interesting site.
The recipe itself was very quick and easy to put together. Flour, sugar, yeast, water, and salt. Let it rise and cut it into pieces. Shaping was fun. Ruth decided that she wanted to help. She also decided she wanted to eat the dough. She really liked it. So we worked together to create "snakes" and then fold them into pretzels. Then we dipped them into hot water with baking soda dissolved in it (please, someone explain this to me--or maybe I'll look it up on the Internet) and sprinkled them with kosher salt.
The recipe called for baking at 450 for 8 minutes. WAY too long in my oven (which is kind of a small, not so reliable oven.)
So the result is mixed. They tasted pretty good, although my husband pointed out that they a little sweet. I have to agree, but once you were into it, it wasn't so sweet as the initial bite. I would prefer a traditional texture. I like the, hmmmmm, how do you describe the traditional outside of a soft pretzel--leathery? outside. Oh, for heaven's sake. You know what I mean. And the inside wasn't as moist and chewy. The trade off is that these were REALLY fast and easy and you don't stand over a pot of boiling water.
Here was the bonus: My husband, not liking my water boiling skills, bought me a hot water maker. Maybe that's not what it's called. I actually thought that it was a bit silly. However, today, for the water and baking soda wash I needed hot water and had the 4 cups right at my fingertips! YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!! Thank you technology. I really should be more open to new technology than I am...:)
I'm going to make another batch of these for Mommies & Mojitos. It should go well with the beer.
Happy Baking.
AND for those who are more interested in books: I just started Case Histories (an awesome friend highly recommended it to me about 2 years ago.) So far it's making me cringe BUT it is somewhat riveting. I just wonder how someone who can't watch Pieces could read this book. A bit gruesome. S
So bon appetite and happy reading.
So, in honor of October (OktoberFest) I'm going to make soft pretzels for our Mommies & Mojitos drop in for drinks on Friday. Usually I'm a cookie woman, so it will be interesting to see how this recipe turns out. So far, I'm a little skeptical because you don't boil the bread prior to baking (a traditional method for bagels and pretzels.)
So the pretzels are made. Ruth and I spent a short period of time putting them together. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com. Interesting site.
The recipe itself was very quick and easy to put together. Flour, sugar, yeast, water, and salt. Let it rise and cut it into pieces. Shaping was fun. Ruth decided that she wanted to help. She also decided she wanted to eat the dough. She really liked it. So we worked together to create "snakes" and then fold them into pretzels. Then we dipped them into hot water with baking soda dissolved in it (please, someone explain this to me--or maybe I'll look it up on the Internet) and sprinkled them with kosher salt.
The recipe called for baking at 450 for 8 minutes. WAY too long in my oven (which is kind of a small, not so reliable oven.)
So the result is mixed. They tasted pretty good, although my husband pointed out that they a little sweet. I have to agree, but once you were into it, it wasn't so sweet as the initial bite. I would prefer a traditional texture. I like the, hmmmmm, how do you describe the traditional outside of a soft pretzel--leathery? outside. Oh, for heaven's sake. You know what I mean. And the inside wasn't as moist and chewy. The trade off is that these were REALLY fast and easy and you don't stand over a pot of boiling water.
Here was the bonus: My husband, not liking my water boiling skills, bought me a hot water maker. Maybe that's not what it's called. I actually thought that it was a bit silly. However, today, for the water and baking soda wash I needed hot water and had the 4 cups right at my fingertips! YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!! Thank you technology. I really should be more open to new technology than I am...:)
I'm going to make another batch of these for Mommies & Mojitos. It should go well with the beer.
Happy Baking.
AND for those who are more interested in books: I just started Case Histories (an awesome friend highly recommended it to me about 2 years ago.) So far it's making me cringe BUT it is somewhat riveting. I just wonder how someone who can't watch Pieces could read this book. A bit gruesome. S
So bon appetite and happy reading.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 20
BIG SPOILER ALERT on GHOST SHADOW.
Well, you never know what you're going to like and what you're not going to like. That's abundantly clear when sifting through the books on my iPod and kindle. The beauty of the kindle, as noted again and again, is that Amazon does offer books for free. You can try authors, usually not good, for free and then they hope that you'll purchase more.
Audible is a great service. I've had it for at least 5 years and I love it. I love having audio books when driving, riding my bike, and doing housework (really if anything can make housework better...) My difficulty is that, since I have a subscription I will purchase books that I may or may not like. Sometimes it's a little like roulette (Russian style.) Sometimes it's the narrator--authors, by the way, should NEVER narrate their own books. Sometimes it's the story. And sometimes it's both.
I've learned to listen to samples so that I don't get the narrator from hell any longer. The stories are a bit more difficult to predict. I j ust finished Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham. Now Graham is known for trite romances, at lea st that's how I know her. She has had a few (and far between) mysteries. And so I spent my monthly credit on Ghost Shadow.
Ghost Shadow was not the worst book that I ever read/listened to. There are books that I have just given up on. This had a basic plot where the heroine is gorgeous, brilliant, and incredible business woman, and the friendliest little chikadee in Key West. She sees ghosts. She never mentions this to anyone because her brother warned her, when she was 6, that people would think that she was crazy. We hear this story at least 3 times in the course of the story. So, of course, she never mentioned it again and just went on with her life. OK. It sounds a little incredible to me. If she can see ghosts can't someone else? Anyone else? PUHLEEZE.
The killer killed 10 years prior to our current story and completely and ineffectually tried to frame the trampy dead girl's ex-fiancee. Well, now, the ex-fiancee has returned and he and our heroine fall in love (lust, have sex--but we're supposed to believe love.) So the killer decides he has to kill the heroine. But first, a couple of practices this time.
Oh, and the MacGuffin is that, initially our heroine, our karaoke business woman, wants to purchase the hero's family's museum where the ex-fiance had been posed after her murder.
The entire plot is so contrived that the mystery is why bother with the faux attempt at original prose.
REALLY SUPER SPOILER ALERT
Why did they start with a focus on reopening the museum?
Why really did the killer kill the extra people?
Frankly, why would a killer really try to murdera bunch of people to frame a guy just because the guy's great great great great great grandfather made certain that the killer's great great great great grandfather was hanged for a crime that he committed? Seriously, this was our denoument!
THIS was why this guy randomly decides to kill. And why choose that ONE guy out of all the huge number of family that our hero purportedly has. Why not kill our hero directly.
And you'd think that the chief of police could provide a better frame.
Oh yeah.
Despite the flaws, I listened to the entire book. And as I've said before, it's probably better than anything that I could write.
Happy Reading!
Well, you never know what you're going to like and what you're not going to like. That's abundantly clear when sifting through the books on my iPod and kindle. The beauty of the kindle, as noted again and again, is that Amazon does offer books for free. You can try authors, usually not good, for free and then they hope that you'll purchase more.
Audible is a great service. I've had it for at least 5 years and I love it. I love having audio books when driving, riding my bike, and doing housework (really if anything can make housework better...) My difficulty is that, since I have a subscription I will purchase books that I may or may not like. Sometimes it's a little like roulette (Russian style.) Sometimes it's the narrator--authors, by the way, should NEVER narrate their own books. Sometimes it's the story. And sometimes it's both.
I've learned to listen to samples so that I don't get the narrator from hell any longer. The stories are a bit more difficult to predict. I j ust finished Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham. Now Graham is known for trite romances, at lea st that's how I know her. She has had a few (and far between) mysteries. And so I spent my monthly credit on Ghost Shadow.
Ghost Shadow was not the worst book that I ever read/listened to. There are books that I have just given up on. This had a basic plot where the heroine is gorgeous, brilliant, and incredible business woman, and the friendliest little chikadee in Key West. She sees ghosts. She never mentions this to anyone because her brother warned her, when she was 6, that people would think that she was crazy. We hear this story at least 3 times in the course of the story. So, of course, she never mentioned it again and just went on with her life. OK. It sounds a little incredible to me. If she can see ghosts can't someone else? Anyone else? PUHLEEZE.
The killer killed 10 years prior to our current story and completely and ineffectually tried to frame the trampy dead girl's ex-fiancee. Well, now, the ex-fiancee has returned and he and our heroine fall in love (lust, have sex--but we're supposed to believe love.) So the killer decides he has to kill the heroine. But first, a couple of practices this time.
Oh, and the MacGuffin is that, initially our heroine, our karaoke business woman, wants to purchase the hero's family's museum where the ex-fiance had been posed after her murder.
The entire plot is so contrived that the mystery is why bother with the faux attempt at original prose.
REALLY SUPER SPOILER ALERT
Why did they start with a focus on reopening the museum?
Why really did the killer kill the extra people?
Frankly, why would a killer really try to murdera bunch of people to frame a guy just because the guy's great great great great great grandfather made certain that the killer's great great great great grandfather was hanged for a crime that he committed? Seriously, this was our denoument!
THIS was why this guy randomly decides to kill. And why choose that ONE guy out of all the huge number of family that our hero purportedly has. Why not kill our hero directly.
And you'd think that the chief of police could provide a better frame.
Oh yeah.
Despite the flaws, I listened to the entire book. And as I've said before, it's probably better than anything that I could write.
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 19
Wow, I should really tell a little bit more about my recent baking experiences, but other than some cookies for a bake sale the pastries have been few and far between. I think I'm putting on weight. Gosh, I really love cookies.
So, it's back to books.
As I like to go on about, ad nauseum, the kindle has some great benefits including free books. The free books do tend to be either "you get what you pay for" or "beyond copyright" books. I wrote about A Woman Named Smith. This was a classic, Gothic novel. It was fun and seemed a bit out of the ordinary for the genre.
This week I read a modern mystery that was free (hmmmm....or was it 0.99?) Divorced, Desperate and Dating is truly a book that I got what I paid for. I did manage to read the entire book, which puts it above a number of other books that I have received from Amazon.
The plot of the book was pretty basic: Wildly successful woman has thing for cop that she kissed once and he (normally a promiscuous jerk) is of course really in love with her. Someone is trying to kill her and comedy ensues. Only, I don't think it's supposed to be comedy. And it's not comedy in any sense that Christie Craig (the author) intended.
At least it was entertaining and I didn't feel that I had to delete it or to have a hot shower to wipe the smut off of me.
Criticism 1: I would say that referring to a penis as a Jimmy Dean is, at best, sophomoric and at worst, crude and kind of gross. Especially when following it up with a meat grinder comment. There were a lot of junior high moments comparable to this one.
Criticism 2: The sex scenes were more gross than erotic as well. In fairness, I do not like to read sex scenes. I think that if I want to know about the gymnastics that happen in ANYONE else's bedroom, real or fiction, I'll pick up some soft-core porn magazine and really focus on it. I don't need to know all of the body fluids swapped by our main characters.
Criticism 3: In a mystery, once it's solved please head for the exit. Do not dally amongst more sex, counting condoms, and crappy emotional scenes that the heroine has alone and/or with her "best" friends.
While not horrific, I don't think that I'd pay for this one. You can get better sex and better mysteries elsewhere.
In fairness, Craig writes better than I do, and she's a published author. There are worse books.
Happy Reading!
So, it's back to books.
As I like to go on about, ad nauseum, the kindle has some great benefits including free books. The free books do tend to be either "you get what you pay for" or "beyond copyright" books. I wrote about A Woman Named Smith. This was a classic, Gothic novel. It was fun and seemed a bit out of the ordinary for the genre.
This week I read a modern mystery that was free (hmmmm....or was it 0.99?) Divorced, Desperate and Dating is truly a book that I got what I paid for. I did manage to read the entire book, which puts it above a number of other books that I have received from Amazon.
The plot of the book was pretty basic: Wildly successful woman has thing for cop that she kissed once and he (normally a promiscuous jerk) is of course really in love with her. Someone is trying to kill her and comedy ensues. Only, I don't think it's supposed to be comedy. And it's not comedy in any sense that Christie Craig (the author) intended.
At least it was entertaining and I didn't feel that I had to delete it or to have a hot shower to wipe the smut off of me.
Criticism 1: I would say that referring to a penis as a Jimmy Dean is, at best, sophomoric and at worst, crude and kind of gross. Especially when following it up with a meat grinder comment. There were a lot of junior high moments comparable to this one.
Criticism 2: The sex scenes were more gross than erotic as well. In fairness, I do not like to read sex scenes. I think that if I want to know about the gymnastics that happen in ANYONE else's bedroom, real or fiction, I'll pick up some soft-core porn magazine and really focus on it. I don't need to know all of the body fluids swapped by our main characters.
Criticism 3: In a mystery, once it's solved please head for the exit. Do not dally amongst more sex, counting condoms, and crappy emotional scenes that the heroine has alone and/or with her "best" friends.
While not horrific, I don't think that I'd pay for this one. You can get better sex and better mysteries elsewhere.
In fairness, Craig writes better than I do, and she's a published author. There are worse books.
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 18
So, the school year has begun. This works out OK, because it means that I still have a job and can afford to buy baking materials and buy reading materials. HURRAY!!!!
I read an interesting novel, A Woman Named Smith, by Marie Conway Oemler. It was free on my kindle. I LOVE my kindle as you all know. And free was good. I've had a number of free books that stank. Really, imagine that. Some things should not even be given away.
A Woman Named Smith was indeed about a woman named Smith. Because it's a kindle book the publication date was given as 2006 as does the hardcover edition. I will have to find the original publication date because this is no modern mystery/romance novel.
This is a novel for fans of the true Gothic. Heroines fighting the supernatural and the more native evils on earth. The mystery is not really pursued as a plot point, but merely floats in the background enjoying being brought up by our heroine, her best friend, and their bizarre southern entourage. So it's a lot of fun when the mystery's solution is handed over at the end, all tied up in a neat package.
The romance portion of this novel is also part of the background. As courting goes, it's definitely 19th century and enjoyable for it's unintentional hilarity. I enjoyed the author's belief that she was telegraphing one romance while surprising us with an entirely different couple! Perhaps in it's day it was a surprise ending, however, with 21st century sensibilities I think that most could figure this one out.
Having made fun of this novel a bit, I have to say that I really did enjoy it. Mostly FOR the reasons above. I have since looked up the original publication date (1919.) The book has charm as do the characters. The women are remarkably modern and the cast of southern characters rings true to those who have spent time in the south.
Good reading to all. Maybe I'll tell you about my friend's cake made with pudding...or I could cover more cookies. I'm baking up a storm this week. Happy reading and enjoy your pastries.
I read an interesting novel, A Woman Named Smith, by Marie Conway Oemler. It was free on my kindle. I LOVE my kindle as you all know. And free was good. I've had a number of free books that stank. Really, imagine that. Some things should not even be given away.
A Woman Named Smith was indeed about a woman named Smith. Because it's a kindle book the publication date was given as 2006 as does the hardcover edition. I will have to find the original publication date because this is no modern mystery/romance novel.
This is a novel for fans of the true Gothic. Heroines fighting the supernatural and the more native evils on earth. The mystery is not really pursued as a plot point, but merely floats in the background enjoying being brought up by our heroine, her best friend, and their bizarre southern entourage. So it's a lot of fun when the mystery's solution is handed over at the end, all tied up in a neat package.
The romance portion of this novel is also part of the background. As courting goes, it's definitely 19th century and enjoyable for it's unintentional hilarity. I enjoyed the author's belief that she was telegraphing one romance while surprising us with an entirely different couple! Perhaps in it's day it was a surprise ending, however, with 21st century sensibilities I think that most could figure this one out.
Having made fun of this novel a bit, I have to say that I really did enjoy it. Mostly FOR the reasons above. I have since looked up the original publication date (1919.) The book has charm as do the characters. The women are remarkably modern and the cast of southern characters rings true to those who have spent time in the south.
Good reading to all. Maybe I'll tell you about my friend's cake made with pudding...or I could cover more cookies. I'm baking up a storm this week. Happy reading and enjoy your pastries.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 17
Well! Back in the USA. I already miss the Danish and German pastries. I HAVE to find a good baking book and try some real Danish pastries.
NOTE: Do NOT look up "Danish Pastries" on Amazon. It turns out that there is a pornographic movie with that title and you get some interesting hits...One of the movie posters was quite interesting...
So, while I plan on doing some baking in the near future and have ordered some almond meal so that I can try my hand at homemade marzipan I thought that I would do another post on a fantastic novel.
I found a Jane Haddam novel, Glass Houses, that I hadn't read yet. It is a Gregor Demarkian (with Bennis, of course.) I enjoyed the novel. Haddam spent a little more time on the Gregor/Bennis relationship than I cared for. It did interrupt the flow of the story, but overall a great read.
Rather than go into the finer points of Haddam's work I wanted to go back to a prior rant regarding publishers, kindle pricing, and electronic books. Haddam's publisher, Minotaur Books, sets the price for the books. This was fallout for amazon from Steve Jobs playing god again. But I digress. At least this publisher did not charge MORE for the e-book than for the paperback. However, I was appalled at the editing in the kindle edition. There were a fantastic number of words that were wrong words. Clearly they used a spell checker and not a human to detect errors. Thankfully I am able to understand words in context, but really, if I am supposed to pay as much if not more for an e-book PLEASE pay some humans to edit the copy. There were also a large number of extraneous symbols that were left in the text.
If you read my earlier post regarding this I go on at great length about understanding that there are a large number of people to be paid as part of the publishing of a book. I get it. People need jobs and have to be paid. BUT who wasn't doing his/her job in this case?
I believe that it goes back to the lack of respect that publishers have for the e-book format. If the hard copy went out with as many errors they would have to pull it and reprint. Maybe the American public is just to lazy to complain.
Well, I really enjoyed Haddam's effort but am disappointed that she, her publisher, her editor, and whoever else was involved would allow such a poor copy to be distributed.
NOTE: Do NOT look up "Danish Pastries" on Amazon. It turns out that there is a pornographic movie with that title and you get some interesting hits...One of the movie posters was quite interesting...
So, while I plan on doing some baking in the near future and have ordered some almond meal so that I can try my hand at homemade marzipan I thought that I would do another post on a fantastic novel.
I found a Jane Haddam novel, Glass Houses, that I hadn't read yet. It is a Gregor Demarkian (with Bennis, of course.) I enjoyed the novel. Haddam spent a little more time on the Gregor/Bennis relationship than I cared for. It did interrupt the flow of the story, but overall a great read.
Rather than go into the finer points of Haddam's work I wanted to go back to a prior rant regarding publishers, kindle pricing, and electronic books. Haddam's publisher, Minotaur Books, sets the price for the books. This was fallout for amazon from Steve Jobs playing god again. But I digress. At least this publisher did not charge MORE for the e-book than for the paperback. However, I was appalled at the editing in the kindle edition. There were a fantastic number of words that were wrong words. Clearly they used a spell checker and not a human to detect errors. Thankfully I am able to understand words in context, but really, if I am supposed to pay as much if not more for an e-book PLEASE pay some humans to edit the copy. There were also a large number of extraneous symbols that were left in the text.
If you read my earlier post regarding this I go on at great length about understanding that there are a large number of people to be paid as part of the publishing of a book. I get it. People need jobs and have to be paid. BUT who wasn't doing his/her job in this case?
I believe that it goes back to the lack of respect that publishers have for the e-book format. If the hard copy went out with as many errors they would have to pull it and reprint. Maybe the American public is just to lazy to complain.
Well, I really enjoyed Haddam's effort but am disappointed that she, her publisher, her editor, and whoever else was involved would allow such a poor copy to be distributed.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 16
We've had an awesome time in Denmark. As, I'm sure that you've already noticed, I have loved the pastries of Denmark. My husband's brother-in-law took him to the local bakery a few times. They bought items called Copenhagens. They also bought snails (with chocolate and plain icing.) They also bought "bread."
It turns out that if you want to eat your sweet pastries it is imperative that you eat your "bread." Now, "bread" is absolultely delicious so as the "healthy" portion of the meal I highly recommend it. There are a variety of "breads," which are actually individual rolls, some sweet and some salty, and you put either nutella or some other "spread" or cheese on them respectively. The "bread" could be eaten plain it is so tastey. So, after you have gorged yourself on "bread" you then get other sweet pastries (wait isn't nutella sweet? or the other chocolate spread? or the jams etc?)
Yep, now onto the dessert. So, the copenhagen is a pastry that is many folded layers of light dough (think puff pastry but richer and less delicate) folded into a huge rectangle. It has a top covered in poppy seeds. You split it and then you are supposed to add butter and/or honey. I don't even remember if this was a "bread" or a "sweet.." There is disapproval if you do not add butter or honey. Believe me, I generally LOVE to add butter, but I could eat this all day long and not need the butter. It's amazing.
The cinnamon rolls/snails were just as tastey. I like that they felt that they had to add icing to a very rich pastry with butter and cinnamon and sugar already in it. It was great!
So after we left my sister-in-law's house we went to Copenhagen. My husband decided to try to reenact our bakery days except, to limit the calorie intake, he only bought sweet pastries (and only one for each of us--well, one plus..) WELL, clearly this is not done in Copenhagen (maybe even all of Denmark.) You must first EARN your sweet by eating your bread. Clearly we had committed a faux pas not to be ignored. Valiently my husband withstood the glare of the baker looking from my husband to the bread and back again. Bread. Husband. Sweet. Bread. Husband. Glare.
Finally my husband gave in and went to a different bakery. It turns out that all bakeries in Copenhagen have this strict belief.
Oh well, at least it tastes good.
Now we are back in Germany for a week. Will the brotchen still taste as good? Can the kuchen stand up to the fabulous almond cake that I got at the castle? It will be difficult, but I'm up for the challenge of trying to find an even better pastry in Germany. We have Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen on the list. Can one hold the key to the greatest pastry on earth?
Good eating.
It turns out that if you want to eat your sweet pastries it is imperative that you eat your "bread." Now, "bread" is absolultely delicious so as the "healthy" portion of the meal I highly recommend it. There are a variety of "breads," which are actually individual rolls, some sweet and some salty, and you put either nutella or some other "spread" or cheese on them respectively. The "bread" could be eaten plain it is so tastey. So, after you have gorged yourself on "bread" you then get other sweet pastries (wait isn't nutella sweet? or the other chocolate spread? or the jams etc?)
Yep, now onto the dessert. So, the copenhagen is a pastry that is many folded layers of light dough (think puff pastry but richer and less delicate) folded into a huge rectangle. It has a top covered in poppy seeds. You split it and then you are supposed to add butter and/or honey. I don't even remember if this was a "bread" or a "sweet.." There is disapproval if you do not add butter or honey. Believe me, I generally LOVE to add butter, but I could eat this all day long and not need the butter. It's amazing.
The cinnamon rolls/snails were just as tastey. I like that they felt that they had to add icing to a very rich pastry with butter and cinnamon and sugar already in it. It was great!
So after we left my sister-in-law's house we went to Copenhagen. My husband decided to try to reenact our bakery days except, to limit the calorie intake, he only bought sweet pastries (and only one for each of us--well, one plus..) WELL, clearly this is not done in Copenhagen (maybe even all of Denmark.) You must first EARN your sweet by eating your bread. Clearly we had committed a faux pas not to be ignored. Valiently my husband withstood the glare of the baker looking from my husband to the bread and back again. Bread. Husband. Sweet. Bread. Husband. Glare.
Finally my husband gave in and went to a different bakery. It turns out that all bakeries in Copenhagen have this strict belief.
Oh well, at least it tastes good.
Now we are back in Germany for a week. Will the brotchen still taste as good? Can the kuchen stand up to the fabulous almond cake that I got at the castle? It will be difficult, but I'm up for the challenge of trying to find an even better pastry in Germany. We have Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen on the list. Can one hold the key to the greatest pastry on earth?
Good eating.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 15
The beauty of travel....and murder.
So we're in Denmark staying with family. Late nights and eating and drinking stuff that I normally wouldn't. For me, this is no more harmful than a carafe of coffee at 4pm. Unfortunately, for a woman who doesn't usually drink more than one cup of tea per morning, this was slightly detrimental to my sleep. Or maybe I just wasn't sleepy. I didn't feel jittery. I just was enthused by my novel.
I was, I thought, about 2/3 of the way through Jane Haddam's Wanting Sheila Dead. It's a Gregor Demarkian novel for those who know and love our old, cuddly, Armenian detective with the hot, younger, wife. Well. I had to finish it. I know that when I bought it I blogged about how I HATE the publishers who set exorbitantly high prices on ebooks. I think that they are sharks. However, I couldn't resist Haddam. I only wish she got a higher percentage from the sale of the ebook. That would make it worth it to me.
Wow! What a read. Haddam never fails to entertain and in a big way. She doens't generally give away the killer, although if you think about it, it always makes sense.
SPOILER ALERT (maybe, I'll try not to, but no promises.)
Wanting Sheila Dead has 2 mysteries involved. One brought to Gregor by 'the very old ladies' and the other by a shrewish reality tv star host (or rather, her PA.) Gregor realizes that there are similarities in the cases and works them Miss Marple-like to a fun conclusion.
I did get a little irritated at the drawn out ending without explanation. There are some key pieces of information missing to make this a true 'whodunit' for the reader. But, in the end it satisfies and makes sense. Haddam, rightly, doesn't get into big relationship crap with Gregor and Bennis.
So, happy reading. I highly recommend the new Haddam.
In the cakes department, wow! I had some excellent Kringle at Gammel Estrup. The coffee was mediocre but the cake was incredible. It was a wedge that had a huge warm dollop of filling that included cinnamon and almond paste. Yummy. And worth waiting to have it warmed up. I love this country!
So we're in Denmark staying with family. Late nights and eating and drinking stuff that I normally wouldn't. For me, this is no more harmful than a carafe of coffee at 4pm. Unfortunately, for a woman who doesn't usually drink more than one cup of tea per morning, this was slightly detrimental to my sleep. Or maybe I just wasn't sleepy. I didn't feel jittery. I just was enthused by my novel.
I was, I thought, about 2/3 of the way through Jane Haddam's Wanting Sheila Dead. It's a Gregor Demarkian novel for those who know and love our old, cuddly, Armenian detective with the hot, younger, wife. Well. I had to finish it. I know that when I bought it I blogged about how I HATE the publishers who set exorbitantly high prices on ebooks. I think that they are sharks. However, I couldn't resist Haddam. I only wish she got a higher percentage from the sale of the ebook. That would make it worth it to me.
Wow! What a read. Haddam never fails to entertain and in a big way. She doens't generally give away the killer, although if you think about it, it always makes sense.
SPOILER ALERT (maybe, I'll try not to, but no promises.)
Wanting Sheila Dead has 2 mysteries involved. One brought to Gregor by 'the very old ladies' and the other by a shrewish reality tv star host (or rather, her PA.) Gregor realizes that there are similarities in the cases and works them Miss Marple-like to a fun conclusion.
I did get a little irritated at the drawn out ending without explanation. There are some key pieces of information missing to make this a true 'whodunit' for the reader. But, in the end it satisfies and makes sense. Haddam, rightly, doesn't get into big relationship crap with Gregor and Bennis.
So, happy reading. I highly recommend the new Haddam.
In the cakes department, wow! I had some excellent Kringle at Gammel Estrup. The coffee was mediocre but the cake was incredible. It was a wedge that had a huge warm dollop of filling that included cinnamon and almond paste. Yummy. And worth waiting to have it warmed up. I love this country!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 14
Again, you never know if I'm going to give something away, so read at your own risk.
So here I am, on the road. We're in Denmark now. Since we're at a private home there hasn't been as much pastry eating. More on that when we go to Copenhagen or return to Denmark (although my brother-in-law it turns out makes a fantastic cherry pie...who knew the Danes had it in them?!) I love vacation. It's great.
So I just finished listening to/reading Embrace the Grim Reaper (book 1) by Judy Clemens. It was pretty good. A little too much on the "hidden" backstory. Too many hints about too many things in our heroine Casey's past. I do like the Grim Reaper. It's a good character and mostly keeps the story lighter than it might be. The weird sex scene could have been, or more to the point, should have been avoided.
Why do all authors (or editors or publishers) believe that there should be an obligatory sex scene in a murder mystery. I know that there is a desire for cross-over from romance, but really, a good story doesn't need weird abortive sex where everyone feels guilty.
:
HERE's my latest rant regarding all of the books that I've been reading lately: all these heroines have a dead child. I'm really tired of the false pathos of the dead child. I would like a warning label on these books because the authors never really get to it OR they spend too much time lingering on it.
By the way, I broke down and spent money on the latest Jane Haddam book. It grinds me to give money to a publisher that clearly holds me in contempt, but I will say that Haddam is, as always, worth it. I'll look forward to my review.
Good reading. Pop Tarts for breakfast!
So here I am, on the road. We're in Denmark now. Since we're at a private home there hasn't been as much pastry eating. More on that when we go to Copenhagen or return to Denmark (although my brother-in-law it turns out makes a fantastic cherry pie...who knew the Danes had it in them?!) I love vacation. It's great.
So I just finished listening to/reading Embrace the Grim Reaper (book 1) by Judy Clemens. It was pretty good. A little too much on the "hidden" backstory. Too many hints about too many things in our heroine Casey's past. I do like the Grim Reaper. It's a good character and mostly keeps the story lighter than it might be. The weird sex scene could have been, or more to the point, should have been avoided.
Why do all authors (or editors or publishers) believe that there should be an obligatory sex scene in a murder mystery. I know that there is a desire for cross-over from romance, but really, a good story doesn't need weird abortive sex where everyone feels guilty.
:
HERE's my latest rant regarding all of the books that I've been reading lately: all these heroines have a dead child. I'm really tired of the false pathos of the dead child. I would like a warning label on these books because the authors never really get to it OR they spend too much time lingering on it.
By the way, I broke down and spent money on the latest Jane Haddam book. It grinds me to give money to a publisher that clearly holds me in contempt, but I will say that Haddam is, as always, worth it. I'll look forward to my review.
Good reading. Pop Tarts for breakfast!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 13
Pastries I have known and loved.
My favorite city is Rome. It's beautiful. There is culture. The food is excellent. If you know where to go the wine is good.
But if you want the best pastries on earth go to Germany. Yes, the beer is good. Go for the beer stay for the bread. We arrived last night at 9 pm. It is 24 hours later. So far I have eaten brotchen to die for, a strawberry pastrie with a touch of custard, and a poppyseed swirl that was good as well.
For a snack we had a Warm melt-in your-mouth cinnamon pastry that was so good my 3-year-old cried when she didn't get the last bite.
Did I mention the bread service at meals? They served these excellent rolls-not Some faux sourdough. crusty on the outside-chewy on the inside! And some kind of bizarre yet tasty onion spread.
Yum! Happy eats from Hamburg: pictures later.
My favorite city is Rome. It's beautiful. There is culture. The food is excellent. If you know where to go the wine is good.
But if you want the best pastries on earth go to Germany. Yes, the beer is good. Go for the beer stay for the bread. We arrived last night at 9 pm. It is 24 hours later. So far I have eaten brotchen to die for, a strawberry pastrie with a touch of custard, and a poppyseed swirl that was good as well.
For a snack we had a Warm melt-in your-mouth cinnamon pastry that was so good my 3-year-old cried when she didn't get the last bite.
Did I mention the bread service at meals? They served these excellent rolls-not Some faux sourdough. crusty on the outside-chewy on the inside! And some kind of bizarre yet tasty onion spread.
Yum! Happy eats from Hamburg: pictures later.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 12
DOWNER ALERT: not a fun read. or maybe it is.
So I spent an hour trying to write my blog yesterday and then deleted it I was so tired. And annoyed. So here's why I am annoyed.
I love my kindle. I love my audiobooks. I am appalled that I went to buy a book for my kindle and realized that the publisher, who set the price, was charging more for my electronic edition than for the mass market paperback. I can't begin to tell you how mad I was (am.) This is ludicrous. So I did what any right-minded person would do, I sent the company an email. I posted on my facebook and twitter accounts and now, I'm adding it to my blog.
I buy a lot of books. Frankly, since owning the kindle I've probably bought a much wider variety of authors simply because I can sample the goods. I love being able to read a chapter or 2 and realize that yes, I like this (although that doesn't always work out) or gee, no, not for me. I probably doubled the number of books that I've bought. Kindle has probably created more business for more authors than any single factor in the last 100 years.
I realize that people need to be paid for books. I do not advocate selling books at a loss to anyone. I believe in capitalism. I believe that authors should be paid good money for their ability to entertain.
I realize that there are a lot more people, other than authors, that go into a book. There is the agent, the editor, and people who make the actual paper and binding materials. Oh yeah, but with an ebook you don't have to pay them. Hmmmm. And doesn't the author pay the agent? OK. So who desperately needs this e-money?! The author is getting a bigger percentage even though there are no materials to buy.
This is simple greed. I will be listing, as I discover, publishers who do this. My intent is to do my best not to buy books from these publishers. They have shown me nothing but contempt. Eventually Steve Jobs will put them out of business and until then, I will eschew them.
For those interested yesterdays capitalist pig (by the way, not ALL capitalists are pigs!):
Hachette Book Group distributes books for the following:
Chronicle Books
Filipacchi Publishing
Guinness World Records
Hachette UK
Harry N. Abrams Inc. ...
Innovative Kids
Octopus Publishing
Oxmoor House
Phaidon Press
Time Inc. Home Entertainment.
This is per the Publishing house website of Little, Brown and Company that had the book on Kindle that cost MORE than the print edition in mass market paperback. I'll be only getting these books at the library.
Happy reading. Watch out for sharks....:)
So I spent an hour trying to write my blog yesterday and then deleted it I was so tired. And annoyed. So here's why I am annoyed.
I love my kindle. I love my audiobooks. I am appalled that I went to buy a book for my kindle and realized that the publisher, who set the price, was charging more for my electronic edition than for the mass market paperback. I can't begin to tell you how mad I was (am.) This is ludicrous. So I did what any right-minded person would do, I sent the company an email. I posted on my facebook and twitter accounts and now, I'm adding it to my blog.
I buy a lot of books. Frankly, since owning the kindle I've probably bought a much wider variety of authors simply because I can sample the goods. I love being able to read a chapter or 2 and realize that yes, I like this (although that doesn't always work out) or gee, no, not for me. I probably doubled the number of books that I've bought. Kindle has probably created more business for more authors than any single factor in the last 100 years.
I realize that people need to be paid for books. I do not advocate selling books at a loss to anyone. I believe in capitalism. I believe that authors should be paid good money for their ability to entertain.
I realize that there are a lot more people, other than authors, that go into a book. There is the agent, the editor, and people who make the actual paper and binding materials. Oh yeah, but with an ebook you don't have to pay them. Hmmmm. And doesn't the author pay the agent? OK. So who desperately needs this e-money?! The author is getting a bigger percentage even though there are no materials to buy.
This is simple greed. I will be listing, as I discover, publishers who do this. My intent is to do my best not to buy books from these publishers. They have shown me nothing but contempt. Eventually Steve Jobs will put them out of business and until then, I will eschew them.
For those interested yesterdays capitalist pig (by the way, not ALL capitalists are pigs!):
Hachette Book Group distributes books for the following:
Chronicle Books
Filipacchi Publishing
Guinness World Records
Hachette UK
Harry N. Abrams Inc. ...
Innovative Kids
Octopus Publishing
Oxmoor House
Phaidon Press
Time Inc. Home Entertainment.
This is per the Publishing house website of Little, Brown and Company that had the book on Kindle that cost MORE than the print edition in mass market paperback. I'll be only getting these books at the library.
Happy reading. Watch out for sharks....:)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 11
Back to murder.
REMINDER: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS (especially since I'm discussing the first 6 of a series...)
First, have I mentioned my love of the audiobook? I am an audiobook fan from the time we called them "books on tape." I had my first in the early '90s. Yes. I'm old and I prefer books to music, scandalous. I used to spend a lot of time traveling for work. I love listening to a book and driving. Now that I have an iPod I use audible. I can't recommend it enough. You can buy books a la carte or you can buy a subscription. I have "read" 228 books via my iPods (I had to replace a broken one) since 2005. I am dedicated.
I've been reading a series of British murder mysteries by Deborah Crombie. I really like them. They are great if you don't want a lot of gore and enjoy a bit of personal story without it being all about the relationship. Duncan Kincaid and Jemma James are our hero/heroine cops. They begin as colleagues and end up as a couple. This is not a love/hate fight fight fight relationship. I like that it develops naturally with some angst over professional concerns but not too much. There is a nice blend of the actual murder plot with the relatioship. These are nice people, with normal relatioships, normal issues working together.
Another plus with this book is that there aren't sex scenes. At least none that come to mind, and I probably would remember. I don't care to listen to sex scenes. When actually reading I skip those pages. Yes. I do. And listening is even worse. It's a bit creepy and voyeuristic.
I've read:
Necessary as Blood
Kissed a Sad Goodbye
Dreaming of the Bones
A Finer End
Leave the Grave Green
Mourn Not Your Dead
For those who really like to read a series in order, I didn't. It didn't make a huge difference to me as any good writer can give you the information you need about the past relationship without spoiling earlier books.
My biggest criticism of Crombie is that the story does sometimes lag a bit. Not so much that I didn't read 6 of her novels, but this might be a better read in print for that reason.
Maybe next blog I'll discuss when I buy an audiobook vs a print (Kindle) edition. It's quite important. Also coming: my next cake!
Happy Murder & Good reading.
REMINDER: THERE MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL SPOILERS (especially since I'm discussing the first 6 of a series...)
First, have I mentioned my love of the audiobook? I am an audiobook fan from the time we called them "books on tape." I had my first in the early '90s. Yes. I'm old and I prefer books to music, scandalous. I used to spend a lot of time traveling for work. I love listening to a book and driving. Now that I have an iPod I use audible. I can't recommend it enough. You can buy books a la carte or you can buy a subscription. I have "read" 228 books via my iPods (I had to replace a broken one) since 2005. I am dedicated.
I've been reading a series of British murder mysteries by Deborah Crombie. I really like them. They are great if you don't want a lot of gore and enjoy a bit of personal story without it being all about the relationship. Duncan Kincaid and Jemma James are our hero/heroine cops. They begin as colleagues and end up as a couple. This is not a love/hate fight fight fight relationship. I like that it develops naturally with some angst over professional concerns but not too much. There is a nice blend of the actual murder plot with the relatioship. These are nice people, with normal relatioships, normal issues working together.
Another plus with this book is that there aren't sex scenes. At least none that come to mind, and I probably would remember. I don't care to listen to sex scenes. When actually reading I skip those pages. Yes. I do. And listening is even worse. It's a bit creepy and voyeuristic.
I've read:
Necessary as Blood
Kissed a Sad Goodbye
Dreaming of the Bones
A Finer End
Leave the Grave Green
Mourn Not Your Dead
For those who really like to read a series in order, I didn't. It didn't make a huge difference to me as any good writer can give you the information you need about the past relationship without spoiling earlier books.
My biggest criticism of Crombie is that the story does sometimes lag a bit. Not so much that I didn't read 6 of her novels, but this might be a better read in print for that reason.
Maybe next blog I'll discuss when I buy an audiobook vs a print (Kindle) edition. It's quite important. Also coming: my next cake!
Happy Murder & Good reading.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 10
Apple pie is AWESOME! Since I bake regularly to reduce stress (by baking AND eating but I pretend it's the baking that does it) I rarely get really stoked by something that I've baked. Did Picasso really feel like he was a genius for Guernica? It was just another painting to him (maybe this is not a good metaphor.) NOT the point.
For the 4th of July my family went to BBQ with some friends. I offered to bring an apple pie. I don't know what came over me since I have not ever in my life baked a great apple pie, but it seemed very American and appropriate given the holiday and the fact that our hosts were from Australia.
Choosing a recipe is important. I looked on the Internet, Paula Dean has a recipe that looks great on the FoodTV network. There were a lot of recipes available. I decided to go with the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. Maybe I should have chosen Betty Crocker. I'll never know...not to digress.
I realized that in the past I had, through sheer inertia, not THINLY sliced my apples. Well. I decided that following the recipe scrupulously was imperative. Halleluia! Thinly sliced apples were the key to fixing all of the problems that I've had with apple pie in the past. Who knew that following the directions would help?!!!
I do not have a picture. We ate the pie and it was delicious. Thank you Better Homes & Gardens.
Murder in the next post....:)
Good Baking!
For the 4th of July my family went to BBQ with some friends. I offered to bring an apple pie. I don't know what came over me since I have not ever in my life baked a great apple pie, but it seemed very American and appropriate given the holiday and the fact that our hosts were from Australia.
Choosing a recipe is important. I looked on the Internet, Paula Dean has a recipe that looks great on the FoodTV network. There were a lot of recipes available. I decided to go with the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. Maybe I should have chosen Betty Crocker. I'll never know...not to digress.
I realized that in the past I had, through sheer inertia, not THINLY sliced my apples. Well. I decided that following the recipe scrupulously was imperative. Halleluia! Thinly sliced apples were the key to fixing all of the problems that I've had with apple pie in the past. Who knew that following the directions would help?!!!
I do not have a picture. We ate the pie and it was delicious. Thank you Better Homes & Gardens.
Murder in the next post....:)
Good Baking!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 9
So, I am lookingto make apple pie. We are headed out to dinner tomorrow with some friends and I thought, 4th of July--let's make an apple pie. Well, pie is not my forte. I do a good lemon merangue (which I can't even spell) and I really like my pecan, but apple has always eluded me because it seems that the apples never cook. They are always hard and I really don't want that from my pie. Maybe others like it. I don't know.
Well, I'm going with better homes & gardens recipe. Maybe I'll precook the apples and see if that makes it any better. Of course my crust will be my new stand by of 3/4 c. crisco, 3/4 c. butter and 3 c flour. Then 2 tblsp on cold water. Works like a charm for a 2 crust pie.
Also, I baked some brownies the other day. I used Martha Stewart's recipe from her baking book. Really tasty but for some reason not as fudgy as usual. I used a new pan. It's plastic in the shape of a 3. I could only put 1/2 the recipe it. It was fun and the brownies taste great anyways. Yum...I love brownies. Probably more than a girl should....
Well, I'm going with better homes & gardens recipe. Maybe I'll precook the apples and see if that makes it any better. Of course my crust will be my new stand by of 3/4 c. crisco, 3/4 c. butter and 3 c flour. Then 2 tblsp on cold water. Works like a charm for a 2 crust pie.
Also, I baked some brownies the other day. I used Martha Stewart's recipe from her baking book. Really tasty but for some reason not as fudgy as usual. I used a new pan. It's plastic in the shape of a 3. I could only put 1/2 the recipe it. It was fun and the brownies taste great anyways. Yum...I love brownies. Probably more than a girl should....
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 8
I just finished rereading (or actually listening on my ipod) In the Woods. I like her storytelling. It's all about the characters. I recently read The Likeness and decided to go back and reread/listen to this one.
French does a great job with a story and bringing deeply flawed characters from one novel to another. I do think that she lingers a little long in parts, but perhaps if I weren't too lazy to actually read rather than listen it wouldn't seem so drawn out. I liked In the Woods better than The Likeness. The Likeness went a little too far outside its world.
I would highly recommend both of these books. Not too graphic, in general and some good funky characters.
NOTE: I am a firm believer that an author/writer can create his/her own world where things happen that would not happen in the "real" world. I respect that it's a story and I'm paying for the fun of someone else's imagination so I don't have to do it myself.
I will often refer to this in terms of Angel World. A favorite metaphor of my husband where Charlie's Angels have perfect hair & makeup, no mud after fights in the dirt and can strip out of evening gowns that are hiding neck to toe wet suits--it's Angel World and that's the way it rolls.
This isn't a free-for-all for authors to make up anything that they want. There must be internal logic. I will point out when I believe that an author is just writing crap to write it and not really working within their own world.
Good reading.
French does a great job with a story and bringing deeply flawed characters from one novel to another. I do think that she lingers a little long in parts, but perhaps if I weren't too lazy to actually read rather than listen it wouldn't seem so drawn out. I liked In the Woods better than The Likeness. The Likeness went a little too far outside its world.
I would highly recommend both of these books. Not too graphic, in general and some good funky characters.
NOTE: I am a firm believer that an author/writer can create his/her own world where things happen that would not happen in the "real" world. I respect that it's a story and I'm paying for the fun of someone else's imagination so I don't have to do it myself.
I will often refer to this in terms of Angel World. A favorite metaphor of my husband where Charlie's Angels have perfect hair & makeup, no mud after fights in the dirt and can strip out of evening gowns that are hiding neck to toe wet suits--it's Angel World and that's the way it rolls.
This isn't a free-for-all for authors to make up anything that they want. There must be internal logic. I will point out when I believe that an author is just writing crap to write it and not really working within their own world.
Good reading.
P.S. the bear cake is the 2nd that I created for my daughter's birthday parties. She chose the eye color. In the last week--4 cake recipes and 2 sugar cookies batches. Tune in to find out how the great personalized cookie caper goes....
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 7
Birthday Cake: another year another bear
Birthday Cake is the best. While my reading lately has not been inspired, well except for the latest Alex Delaware novel by Kellerman, my baking has truly been over the top.
My daughter turned 3 on Thursday and we invited 20-some kids and their parents to a little get together. Bouncehouse, goody bags, the works. And cake. The cake, to me, is important. It is important that I make the cake myself. It's a vanity and I hardly had the time for it this week BUT I was not to be denied.
For the sake of background let it be known that I live in an area where bakery cakes are the norm. Grocery store cakes are generally not used, but real bakery cakes.
I took a cake decorating class earlier this year, but I wasn't good and there wasn't a lot that it could help me with making my teddy bear cake. The teddy bear cake is easy. I found the idea online (or course) and modified it to my own desires (of course.)
So, the fun. I had to bake the cakes at night because at work, where it's usually pretty low-key, this week, ONLY this week out of the entire year, I have to work longer hours. Yep. The week that I need to bake 2 cakes and throw 2 parties. Did I mention 2 parties? Yeah, one for family after the bachanal for toddlers.
For those interested I baked 2 cakes. 1 yellow cake-8"round, 2 layers (Better Homes & Gardens) and 1 devil's food cake-9" round 2 layers (same book.) those who bake regularly will see the flaw in the cake, especially if you read the recipe. Yep. The yellow cake recipe actually makes more in volume. If I had been thinking I would have made it the 9". Oh well. There is a drastic chin on my bear. Luckily, children don't care and adults are too polite to notice.
Ears and paws are made of cupcakes. For those keeping track, I've now baked 3 batches of cake. I cheat on the frosting. I used canned. Yes, I know for purists it's like I spat on the cake, but I've really never made frosting any better than the can. Send your recipe I'll give it a try.
I'm at work right now (it's Saturday and I'm installing software), and tonight I go home to make another batch of cupcakes (count is up to 4) and get ready to prepare 1 more bear for eating.
The last bear was a pink panda. My daughter likes pink. While not original, I don't care. It's what she likes. Maybe I'll just do a brown bear for this one...
AND just so that you know, it was yummy. The kids loved the cake and thought it was spectacular. The adults pretended that they wished they were so talented. It's very nice of them.
Maybe, just maybe next year I won't manipulate my daughter into asking for a teddy bear cake...or not.
Birthday Cake is the best. While my reading lately has not been inspired, well except for the latest Alex Delaware novel by Kellerman, my baking has truly been over the top.
My daughter turned 3 on Thursday and we invited 20-some kids and their parents to a little get together. Bouncehouse, goody bags, the works. And cake. The cake, to me, is important. It is important that I make the cake myself. It's a vanity and I hardly had the time for it this week BUT I was not to be denied.
For the sake of background let it be known that I live in an area where bakery cakes are the norm. Grocery store cakes are generally not used, but real bakery cakes.
I took a cake decorating class earlier this year, but I wasn't good and there wasn't a lot that it could help me with making my teddy bear cake. The teddy bear cake is easy. I found the idea online (or course) and modified it to my own desires (of course.)
So, the fun. I had to bake the cakes at night because at work, where it's usually pretty low-key, this week, ONLY this week out of the entire year, I have to work longer hours. Yep. The week that I need to bake 2 cakes and throw 2 parties. Did I mention 2 parties? Yeah, one for family after the bachanal for toddlers.
For those interested I baked 2 cakes. 1 yellow cake-8"round, 2 layers (Better Homes & Gardens) and 1 devil's food cake-9" round 2 layers (same book.) those who bake regularly will see the flaw in the cake, especially if you read the recipe. Yep. The yellow cake recipe actually makes more in volume. If I had been thinking I would have made it the 9". Oh well. There is a drastic chin on my bear. Luckily, children don't care and adults are too polite to notice.
Ears and paws are made of cupcakes. For those keeping track, I've now baked 3 batches of cake. I cheat on the frosting. I used canned. Yes, I know for purists it's like I spat on the cake, but I've really never made frosting any better than the can. Send your recipe I'll give it a try.
I'm at work right now (it's Saturday and I'm installing software), and tonight I go home to make another batch of cupcakes (count is up to 4) and get ready to prepare 1 more bear for eating.
The last bear was a pink panda. My daughter likes pink. While not original, I don't care. It's what she likes. Maybe I'll just do a brown bear for this one...
AND just so that you know, it was yummy. The kids loved the cake and thought it was spectacular. The adults pretended that they wished they were so talented. It's very nice of them.
Maybe, just maybe next year I won't manipulate my daughter into asking for a teddy bear cake...or not.
Book & Baking Blog Entry 6
Creepy: not a bad read but not worth the emotional manipulation.
Please be aware that there may be spoilers and read at your own risk. I'll try not to give away details, but I never know what people consider a spoiler vs just reviewing. Also, please be aware that this is all my opinion. It is for fun and entertainment. Feel free to leave me your opinion.
I've recently read 3 books by author, Linda Ladd: Die Smiling, Dark Places, and Enter Evil. This is the order in which I read them.
I found the first book to be interesting. I almost didn’t buy it (my great love of Kindle is steeped in my ability to sample books—FYI, I’ve probably bought more new authors in the last year that in the previous 10). The author has 2 distinct voices. Each book uses this method of operation to tell the story of our killer and our cop. I almost didn't buy it because of the intensity of abuse described in voice 1. Oddly enough, I foudn voice 2 (the cop) to be fairly light. A real contrast.
Voice 1 is creepy. It brings detail to a level and darkness that I don’t care for. The books that I’ve read have focused on violence towards and by children. I may simply be skittish because I’m a mother of a young daughter. I found the parenting in book 1 to be extremely uncomfortable to read about. Interestingly this voice is told through flashbacks. The problem is that what voice 1 is allowed to get away with is so unbelievable without any real substance for how young children can get away with serial killing for decades. Ladd gives background and reasons, but any adult can tell you they just won't hold up. It needs something else. As I said in my title--it also feels a bit manipulative. Don't need it. Let it be organic.
Voice2 is actually fairly light. I like a little humor (dark humor is fine and but creepy is not ok.) There is violence, anger, and suspense. This voice is more what I appreciate when reading.
The 3 books were good. They are just not all-consuming great. The characters seem a bit derivative. There is an element of unbelievability of our heroine (oh, she’s had a tough life, she has a super hot super rich guy who wants her, and super criminals go after her), her super studly partner (who has a stable of hot-chicks), and her assortment of suitors, who are all super hot and have money to burn.
These books do not carry the fantasy to the extent that you can live in "angel world" (yes, a reference to Charlie's Angels Movie--it works in angel world). Now JD Robb has a great formula in her In Death series. Many of the elements that I dislike in these novels are in the Robb series, but they've been around for many years. Her romance series also contain such elements. She, however, manages to create more believability in her novels through a liberal use of fantasy/Sci-Fi futurism.
I probably won't be reading any more books by Ladd. If you don't mind over the top creepy for the sake of creepy go for it.
Please be aware that there may be spoilers and read at your own risk. I'll try not to give away details, but I never know what people consider a spoiler vs just reviewing. Also, please be aware that this is all my opinion. It is for fun and entertainment. Feel free to leave me your opinion.
I've recently read 3 books by author, Linda Ladd: Die Smiling, Dark Places, and Enter Evil. This is the order in which I read them.
I found the first book to be interesting. I almost didn’t buy it (my great love of Kindle is steeped in my ability to sample books—FYI, I’ve probably bought more new authors in the last year that in the previous 10). The author has 2 distinct voices. Each book uses this method of operation to tell the story of our killer and our cop. I almost didn't buy it because of the intensity of abuse described in voice 1. Oddly enough, I foudn voice 2 (the cop) to be fairly light. A real contrast.
Voice 1 is creepy. It brings detail to a level and darkness that I don’t care for. The books that I’ve read have focused on violence towards and by children. I may simply be skittish because I’m a mother of a young daughter. I found the parenting in book 1 to be extremely uncomfortable to read about. Interestingly this voice is told through flashbacks. The problem is that what voice 1 is allowed to get away with is so unbelievable without any real substance for how young children can get away with serial killing for decades. Ladd gives background and reasons, but any adult can tell you they just won't hold up. It needs something else. As I said in my title--it also feels a bit manipulative. Don't need it. Let it be organic.
Voice2 is actually fairly light. I like a little humor (dark humor is fine and but creepy is not ok.) There is violence, anger, and suspense. This voice is more what I appreciate when reading.
The 3 books were good. They are just not all-consuming great. The characters seem a bit derivative. There is an element of unbelievability of our heroine (oh, she’s had a tough life, she has a super hot super rich guy who wants her, and super criminals go after her), her super studly partner (who has a stable of hot-chicks), and her assortment of suitors, who are all super hot and have money to burn.
These books do not carry the fantasy to the extent that you can live in "angel world" (yes, a reference to Charlie's Angels Movie--it works in angel world). Now JD Robb has a great formula in her In Death series. Many of the elements that I dislike in these novels are in the Robb series, but they've been around for many years. Her romance series also contain such elements. She, however, manages to create more believability in her novels through a liberal use of fantasy/Sci-Fi futurism.
I probably won't be reading any more books by Ladd. If you don't mind over the top creepy for the sake of creepy go for it.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 5
Tomorrow is a good friend's birthday. On a whim I decided to bake a cake for her. So here it is at 11:23 and I'm making chocolate sauce. Oh yeah! It's the only way to go with chiffon cake. Yep. I know, no one makes chiffon cakes any more. I had never heard of one until I found it in my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It's great. It's richer than angel food cake because it has the egg yolk in it. YUM.
My chocolate sauce is pretty easy too. Cocoa powder, sugar, hot water, and vanilla. Oh. Salt. Just a pinch. It's great. My favorite for ice cream and to top chiffon cake.
My chocolate sauce is pretty easy too. Cocoa powder, sugar, hot water, and vanilla. Oh. Salt. Just a pinch. It's great. My favorite for ice cream and to top chiffon cake.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 4
It was not my plan to blog constantly but I heard the best baking story ever. I have a friend who was not a baker but wanted to make a cake for her mother. We chatted about it. I offered some hints. She told me she was making a layer cake. Did she have to refridgerate it? What about other options?
I saw her today and she told me the cake was a disaster. She said (with humor) that I could have told her that you can make an 8 layer cake. Yes. She baked 8 full-sized layers (not sliced to make layers but FULL-SIZED) and tried to stack them! Physics tells us this probably will NOT work. I have to say that having been to the leaning tower of Pisa, I found this funny.
I had my own disaster last year the morning of my daughter's 2nd birthday because the Betty Crocker cookbook didn't list water as an ingredient in the cake. As many cakes as I've baked you'd think that I could have READ the entire recipe.
So, two pieces of advice: Do not try to pile a whole bunch of layers like they do in the movies (think Sleeping Beauty) AND read the entire recipe...
Good baking.
Book & Baking Blog Entry 3
A bit of my baking background. My mother baked. My memories of childhood include constant baking. It can’t have been that much, but I remember always having cookies in the house. Cookies and homemade bread. My mother was a woman who was very precise about her baking. You had to do certain things in certain way. While I respect that AND her baking was always spot on and very good, I myself prefer a bit of the slap-dash approach.
I have moments of genius and more importantly I love my own baking. I have never had anyone say to me that they thought that my cookies etc. were the best in the world. That’s the beauty. For all that I care about what others think of me personally and professionally I couldn’t care less what they think of my baking. I love it. Maybe that’s the secret to baking being my stress-reliever. It’s the one thing that I like that I do. You can give me other cookies and, yes, I love cookies (p.s. peanut butter and oatmeal raisin, not real cookies…) BUT, I prefer my own. My own self-inflicted happiness. Yup.
I am not focused on recipes here, by the way. I’ll probably give you the books that I get them from unless it’s an ancient family recipe. We have 2. I believe that they both came from my mother’s mother.
Interesting tid-bit: I don’t remember any of my grandmothers baking. No. Always had store bought cookies. Weird.
I have moments of genius and more importantly I love my own baking. I have never had anyone say to me that they thought that my cookies etc. were the best in the world. That’s the beauty. For all that I care about what others think of me personally and professionally I couldn’t care less what they think of my baking. I love it. Maybe that’s the secret to baking being my stress-reliever. It’s the one thing that I like that I do. You can give me other cookies and, yes, I love cookies (p.s. peanut butter and oatmeal raisin, not real cookies…) BUT, I prefer my own. My own self-inflicted happiness. Yup.
I am not focused on recipes here, by the way. I’ll probably give you the books that I get them from unless it’s an ancient family recipe. We have 2. I believe that they both came from my mother’s mother.
Interesting tid-bit: I don’t remember any of my grandmothers baking. No. Always had store bought cookies. Weird.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 2
Wow, I read a lot. I usually am reading a book on my Kindle as well as listening to one on my iPod. I also am reading to my toddler regularly.
Let’s talk about my reading style. I love my Kindle. It’s important that I be able to hold my book while riding an exercise bike. Stupid, maybe, but it works for me and I’ve managed to enter middle age with a certain amount of grace. And yes, I think of my reading style in physical terms.
Have I mentioned the murder? Yes. That’s what I read. Almost exclusively murder mysteries. I prefer them without sex, but try to find one that’s not going for the cross-over romance fan. In fairness, I LOVED romance novels as a teen/young adult. I am old now, understand how sex works, and am a bit perplexed at the need for romance novels to romanticize it...hmmmm. OK. I won’t be blogging about my own personal details and I won't be reliving sex scenes in books for you. Find your own.
If you love literature, I’m not the book reviewer for you. Stick to my baking comments. Have I mentioned how much I love a pastry while reading? YUM!
So. Now you’ve got the book introduction…
Let’s talk about my reading style. I love my Kindle. It’s important that I be able to hold my book while riding an exercise bike. Stupid, maybe, but it works for me and I’ve managed to enter middle age with a certain amount of grace. And yes, I think of my reading style in physical terms.
Have I mentioned the murder? Yes. That’s what I read. Almost exclusively murder mysteries. I prefer them without sex, but try to find one that’s not going for the cross-over romance fan. In fairness, I LOVED romance novels as a teen/young adult. I am old now, understand how sex works, and am a bit perplexed at the need for romance novels to romanticize it...hmmmm. OK. I won’t be blogging about my own personal details and I won't be reliving sex scenes in books for you. Find your own.
If you love literature, I’m not the book reviewer for you. Stick to my baking comments. Have I mentioned how much I love a pastry while reading? YUM!
So. Now you’ve got the book introduction…
Friday, May 21, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 1
Amazingly, I'm pretty sure that I don't have that much unique to say. Ironically, having said that, I'm copying this from another blog space that I wanted to start but didn't work out to my satisfaction.
So, here's my premise, I really like to read murder mysteries and I really like to bake. More importantly eating baked goods while eating is incredibly important to me. So I plan to include book reivews (possibly something uplifting once in a while but probably not), what I'm baking, baking adventures with my toddler (nope, not a mommy blog--but I have already lost a digital camera to flour while making Christmas cookies...), and baked goods that I'm enjoying.
Do I desire to make the world a better place? Yes. But probably my idea of a better place (somewhere that I can lie around in the sun, eat pastries, and read pop-fiction) might be different than yours. I might even care, but that's not what this blog is about.
Also, just so that you're completely clear, I have no intention to actually connect each book review to food or vice versa. Sorry, not who I am. And I will probably go beyond the mystery genre (rarely), and occassionally blog about other stuff.
This is supposed to be fun. Please, grind axes elsewhere.
FYI: I love dangling participles. It's the way of my people.
So, here's my premise, I really like to read murder mysteries and I really like to bake. More importantly eating baked goods while eating is incredibly important to me. So I plan to include book reivews (possibly something uplifting once in a while but probably not), what I'm baking, baking adventures with my toddler (nope, not a mommy blog--but I have already lost a digital camera to flour while making Christmas cookies...), and baked goods that I'm enjoying.
Do I desire to make the world a better place? Yes. But probably my idea of a better place (somewhere that I can lie around in the sun, eat pastries, and read pop-fiction) might be different than yours. I might even care, but that's not what this blog is about.
Also, just so that you're completely clear, I have no intention to actually connect each book review to food or vice versa. Sorry, not who I am. And I will probably go beyond the mystery genre (rarely), and occassionally blog about other stuff.
This is supposed to be fun. Please, grind axes elsewhere.
FYI: I love dangling participles. It's the way of my people.
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