Elisa's Eye on the World

Blueberry and Cherry Bread

Oh boy the house smells great, as the blueberry and cherry bread is minutes from doneness.

The berries were frozen in the summer and pulled out this morning. Perfect on a grey, wet and cold January morning.

Here it is cooling on the rack...unlike a deep loaf pan I'm going to let it cool "as is" as cut small cubes and put them in an air tight container. That way all the topping won't fall off!

This is one of my adaptations of the  Lemon Blueberry Bread in the well regarded "New Basics Cookbook."

Two New to Me Cookbooks

This year two cookbooks became primary sources in my ongoing pursuit for reliable recipes.

• Joy of Cooking 75th Annivesary Edition A great "how to" book and source of good recipes.  A huge, clumsy book that would be fabulous to own electronically in the future.

• The Barefoot Contessa Parties! The inspirng photos of the buffets and spreads are fabulous and her ingredients are not so much fussy and well selected.

Bookstore for Gardeners

The Flora and Fauna bookstore is a great source for specialty reading and browsing. Their website allows garden buffs shop from afar, and is a welcome alternative to you know who.

This independent bookstore used to be located near my office in Pioneer Square, where it provided a welcome oasis from demanding clients and deadlines. I hope to get to their new location near Seattle's Discovery Park soon so I can review the shop as well. Photo from their website.

Girl With a Pearl Earring

After seeing the film adaptation a few times, I finally got around to reading the novel it was based upon.  Tracy Chevalier's "Girl with a Pearl Earring"  brings the reader into the world of one who has accepted her fate working as maid in a household of unusual circumstances.

Although reviews and previews of the book and movie imply an inappropriate relationship between a 17 year old girl and her married employer, they get it all wrong. "Things are not as they seem" is a more fitting theme. Our girl knows when trouble is afoot and acts quickly and wisely to both "keep her place" and her integrity.

Griet's  situation is really not different from the struggles of many women who work for a creative, mostly silent boss. What really complicates things is the nasty disposition of the benefactor who disgraced a previous portrait model. 

Her employer's household drama clashes with the struggle of her poverty torn family in this story of conviction, strength and the power of artistic collaboration.

In the end, rules are broken, compromises made and rewards reaped. Excellent.

Tuscan Tales and an English Countryside Escape

Two well written light hearted novels I recently enjoyed were Phil Doran's "The Reluctant Tuscan"  and Sophia Kinsella's "Undomestic Goddess."

Mr. Doran, a veteran sit-com writer, captures the details of the region's beauty and exquisite cooking . The story itself is one many dream of:  buying and fixing up a rustic house while toying with idea of leaving life in the big city.

Ms. Kinsella, author of the hysterical "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and subsequent books has done it again. This time we meet successful lawyer, who through a turn of events finds herself in preposterous situations. It's all fluff, but so well written and entertaining I failed to notice.

Jane Eyre.

Published in 1847 Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" is a timeless novel about asserting  independence while maintaining integrity and honor.

To explain further would spoil the story.

One quote, near the beginning of the novel (643 pages in paperback)  seemed especially relevant in the context of our complicated modern world:

"Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs." (Chapter 6)

There are numerous film adaptations, but I heard from a trusted source the BBC version with Timothy Dalton is the best.

A brief history of the 21st Century.

Released earlier this year The World Is Flat  drew much attention and press. I have to admit it seemed like hype to me, until a friend pointed out a few of his findings. Such as: if you don't keep your skills and education up to date, someone more motivated than you will take your job or livelihood.

Reading the book, I found myself constantly bobbing my head, finally understanding the relationship of evolving technology, failed business ventures and captured opportunities. For example,  I learned why Mexico is losing jobs to China and how a freeware program called Apache had I.B.M. at its knees.

One passage that really captured my attention is on page 252:

“Lucky for us, we were the only economy standing after World War II, and we had no serious competition for forty years. That gave us a huge head of steam, but also a huge sense of entitlement and complacency- not to mention a certain tendency in recent years to extol consumption over hard work, investment and long-term thinking. When we got hit with 9/11, it was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to summon the nation to sacrifice, to address some of its pressing fiscal, energy, science and education shortfalls- all the things that we had let slide. But our president did not summon us to sacrifice. He summoned us to go shopping."

While some may dismiss Mr. Friedman's reasoning, even if you don't read every page (and there are many) his presentation is crisp and non-technical- bringing meaning to a sequence of event that changed our economy and way of life.

The Dharma Bums

Jack Kerourac's '"The Dharma Bums" (1958) is a beautiful story of awakening, enlightenment and rising to challenges. Its hero, Japhy Ryder is an enduring character who loves mountain climbing, ancient cultures and foreign language. But what he looks like, is best described by Ray, the central character based on Jack himself:

"He was wiry, suntanned, vigorous, open, all howdies and glad talk and even yelling hello to bums on the street and when asked a question answered right off the bat from the top or bottom of his mind I don't know which and always in a sprightly sparkling way." (Chapter 2)

Dr. Frankenstein Has A Secret

Mary Shelley's 1818 classic Frankenstein was a first time read for me last month. An astounding story that requires the reader to think beyond the page at the possibilities of man and science. Imagine having a terrible secret, then not telling anyone and making yourself quite ill. As time goes by the outcome of the secret is worse and worse. Meanwhile, imagine feeling unwelcome and misunderstood by everyone because of your looks. Gripping without the need for gore.

Blink And See More.

Blink - The Power of Thinking Without Thinking is the kind of book that pulls me in - I read the introduction walking home from the library. Once seated, I could not put it down until the last page. There's a reason why people make decisions and they don't always fit into a neat box. It's about time someone documented the studies behind the outcomes. Bravo Mr. Gladwell.

Four Reliable Cookbooks

Two writer impacted my interest and competency in cooking - Mollie Katzen and Jane Brody. They are both brilliant in their ability to explain the how what and when of preparing wholesome foods. Both have published numerous books, but my hand's down favorites four cookbooks of all time are:

Still Life with Menu  by Mollie Katzen
All the lovely dishes assembled in special occasion menu format are present with prepare ahead instructions. The Veggie-Thanksgiving selections are wonderful, especially the Sweet Potato Surprise. We serve up leftovers in a wrap along with fresh spinach. Roll up and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes and you have a portable meal. Tips on vegetable roasting and home made pizza are especially helpful.

Sunlight Cafe by Mollie Katzen
Published in 2002, this book is a primer on breakfast foods. Personal favorites in my household include the Very Crunchy Granola and Pumpkin Bread.

Good Food Book  by Jane Brody
Originally published in 1985 there are a few variations and printings available of this classic . The Favorite Lentil Soup and Meatless Tamale Pie are both simple to prepare- and freeze beautifully.

Good Food Gourmet  by Jane Brody
This companion volume dresses up dishes for company or special occasions, without going overboard. The Broccoli Tomato Quiche is splendid. Save time with a prepared, yet wholesome  crust from the freezer section of the health food store.

Where does that comma go?

 Eats, Shoots and Leaves.   If textbook explanations don't help your understanding of punctuation rules, check out this book, published in 2004.  Bottom line: the incorrect placement of punctuation can often change the meaning (and comprehension) of a statement.  At minimum, it should clarify once and for all the difference between "it" and "it's" for everyone.

Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier. This novel presents unique points of view during the final stages of the American Civil war. 

Tales of self-sufficiency and endurance of unbearable odds will draw you into the story.