What I am Reading Wednesday

 What I am currently reading:

Land, by Maggie O'Ferrell.  I am STILL not into this.  My mother loved this book, NovelVisits loved this book, it has a high GoodReads score. What is there not to love?  I will again sit down with it and give it another go. 

Moby Dick:  Yet another week without cracking this opus.

Recently Finished: 

The Rest of Our Lives, Benjamin Markovits. 4.25*.  Loved the prose, loved the first person character. Are men really like this?  Does the main character really not think any deeper? 

So Old, So Young, Grant Tinder, 3*.  This is Four Weddings and a Funeral in book form, in the United States, but not as good. The locations are not as glamorous, and there are too many drugs. For me, there was a familiarity of the crowd I wished to avoid while living in NYC.  

What I am reading next:

 In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man, by Tom Juno. Written by a magazine writer and a memoir. Highly rated. Not sure where I learned about it.  

Lady Tremaine, by Rachel Hochhauser:  High recommended by a trusted source (the Bossy Bookworm).  Started The Rest of Our Lives to avoid reading it, and still unsure as to why I can't crack it.

What I am Reading - 7/21/26

 It has been over a month since I sat down and wrote this "column", and it's not like I have had no time. The girls went to camp - all of them. And, then one returned. The "easy" child - the one who doesn't complain. But, I missed her. And it has been hot outside.  Excuses, excuses.  

Currently Reading

Pride and Prejudice.  My fourteen year old daughter read this and now wants me to read the book and watch the movie with her.  Well, I accept!!  It is great, and I can't believe I never read it before.  

Ghost Town, Tom Perotta.  Easy prose, comfort reading.  Know what to expect.  

Recently Finished 

(this will be a long list, because it has been a month)

Land, Maggie O'Farrell.  I am the only one who was not blown away by this book, and it depresses me. My mom loved it, Kate Baer loved it. All those screaming about great literature LOVED it. I slogged through it, and I don't know why.  Maybe it was the deep description of the Irish Landscape and the spirituality of the old Irish religion, or maybe the pace. Anyway, I was more dissippointed in myself rather than the book.  

The Things We Never Say, Elizabeth Strout.  Her new book. It was great. But, I did not like it as much as Tell Me Everything.  

Lady Tremaine, Rachel Hochhouser.  I did pick up this book again (Kindle, actually) and truly enjoyed this book.  A bit far fetched, but fun to read.

Whistler, Ann Patchett.  Another great author and another new book.  This was a great story.

The Gulf of Lions, Caitlin Shertterly.  This is the sequel to the author's previous book, Pete and Alice in Maine.  I enjoyed the scenery descriptions of southern France, and the mother daughter relationships.  I didn't love the main character, which made this book a bit of a slog.  

Under Water, Tara Menon. The author's debut novel. This is about a woman who grew up in Thailand, survived the 2004 Tsunami, and lost her best friend.  I would have liked more details of the Tsunami and less of the main character's inner thoughts.  

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Volumes 3-8.  I could not stop reading these. These are going to be the books of the year, I believe.  Can't wait for Vol. 9 to return to Emma's world.  

What will I read next:  

I will probably read Jenny Jackson's new book, Shampoo. Or a Madeline L'Engle I found on my parents bookshelf in Cohasset.     

What I Am Reading - June, What I Finished - April and May 2026

 I failed to write this "column" in April and May.  If you have kids in K-12, you know why. 

Currently Reading 

So Old, So Young, by Grant Grinder: I am about halfway through this book on my Kindle.  Elin Hilderbrand blurbed this book, "I will never forget these characters."  Well, I will probably forget them, because Grinder describes every Ivy League graduate's friend group in the early 2000's.  Personally, I would rather forget them. While I never attended an Ivy League school, these characters were all over the city, in droves, and all of them making the same bad decisions. Wedding season is particularly well described - not that I wanted to re-live it.  But, it will be interesting to see where Grinder takes these characters as they reach 42.  

Moby Dick, by Herman Melville: Will try and make some head way this summer. I got stuck on the whale descriptions. I might skim (is that heresy?). 

Land, by Maggie O'Farrell:  Try as I might, I cannot get into this book. O'Farrell's Must be the Place, and I Am, I Am, I Am are two of my favorites. I was truly looking forward to this one, and I find myself skimming through descriptions of maps, wells, and the landscaping of early Ireland.  There is little character development.  Will I put it down?  

Loved

This is Not About Us, by Allegra Goodman:  This is a contender for the Best Books list.  Exquisite short stories based on family and faith.  Not a word out of place. 

London Falling, Patrick Madden Keefe: This will be on the Best Books list. Keefe writes nonfiction like no other. This story will stay with you.

Boomerang, Robert Bailey:  Unusual for me to read a "mainstream thriller" type book, but it was phenomenal.  Finished it over spring break and then my husband read it and enjoyed it.  Plot driven books are great on planes.

Life & Death & Giants, by Ron Riondo: Family Saga.  Fleshed out characters and setting.  

Lake Effect, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney: Love this author. About as good as Good Company.  

More Than Enough, Anna Quindlen: Always love a NYC, family based, female-driven novel, especially when written by Anna Quindlen. 

Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke: The hot book of the summer. Hot for a reason!

Thoroughly Enjoyed

American Fantasy, Emma Straub:  Emma delivers again.  I probably won't book a celebrity cruise anytime soon, but I felt like I was on one.    

The Marriage Bed, Tommy Hays:  Asheville author delivers with a family tragedy with multiple points of view.  

What Keeps Us, Jeanine Boulay: My former colleague and friend wrote these short stories about Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn.  Learned history I should have known.  

Enjoyed too

The Connelly's of County Down, Tracey Lange: Lange's best. Always enjoy her Westchester County settings.

Saoirse, Charleen Hurtubise: Irish artist, family drama, International incident. 

The Nest, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney: Was not sure if this was a re-read for me. I was trying to read all of Sweeney's books after finishing Lake Effect. 

The Land in Winter, Andrew Miller:  Finalist for this year's Booker Prize (says it all, really).  

A Family Matter, Claire Lynch: Wish the characters had been fleshed out more.

This Book Made Me Think of You, Libby Page: Delivers on quaint.

The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt: Long-winded, and correctly described as "Dickinsonion". Read it to say I did.

Meh

Meet the Newmans, Jennifer Niven: Spent most of the book trying to decide whether or not to put it down. A few surprises at the end, otherwise, the plot derails.   

The Heart of Winter, Jonathan Evison:  The description of a long marriage between members of the Silent Generation.  It is set in present day, so the couple is in their nineties, and have lived all of their lives in Washington state.  Long winded, but accurate. 

Put Down - DNF

Into the Blue, Emma Brodie: Could not get into a voice. 

The Shock of Light, Lori Inglis Hall:  Too glaringly feminist for this feminist.   

 

  

What I am Reading - March

 Currently Reading

Kin - Tayari Jones.  Oprah Club selection.  One chapter in, and enjoying immensely. Already like the characters.  Jones' first book, American Marriage, was a skim for me.  Hopefully this one will be different.

We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver.  This is quite an old one - published in 2000.  Shriver recently published another book, and I heard her (yes, "her") interviewed, and was intrigued.  I am going to watch the movie when I am finished. So far, the narrator is very long winded.  I wonder if this was more common in books circa 2000.  

Moby Dick, Herman Melville.  Truckin' along.  Probably on chapter 22.  Extremely good observations. 

What Keeps Us: a novel in stories. Jeanine Boulay.  This is written by more former co-worker, and a friend.  The stories take place in NYC, and all touch upon Greenwood Cemetery, in Brooklyn, which center all the stories.  The book spans 150 years.  Boulay writes historical details proficiently, and I have learned many new facts about NYC history.  

Completed in March

Enjoyed

It's a Love Story, Annabel Monaghan, 4* Monaghan seems to complete a new romance for middle-age women every year.  This is her best since Nora Goes off Script.  But, I can't remember what it is about.

The Color of Water, James MacBride, 5*. Read this (re-read, but from 25 years ago) to help a friend select books for her students.  I remembered why it is a classic, and it is how MacBride made his name as a "major author".   

Meh

The Infamous Gilberts, Angela Tomaski, 3.5*.  Once I settled into the second person POV, I ended up enjoying this.  It would be hard to recommend to a non-Anglophile.  It was compared in many reviews to The Royal Tennenbaums.  The only similarity seems to be the quirkiness of the sibling groups, otherwise, everyone is completely difference.  

Isola, Allegra Goodman, 3*. This was an interesting story told in a very long winded fashion.  Having just completed a book about a solitary life (The Autobiography of Sven ....), I know that plot can be mored along, even in a sparse setting.  This did not achieve that.  

What am I Reading - February

My Friends - Fredrik Backman:  Readers raved over this book in 2025. It made many "Best of" lists.  There are still around 400 readers ahead of me in the library hold line, which is one of the highest hold lines I have ever seen.  Yet, YET, I could not sit down and pay attention to this book.  I knew nothing about the book's premise, yet I was familiar with Backman's style through Anxious People.  Anxious People was a social commentary told through the comedy and tragedy of real estate.  So, I expected SOME social commentary in My Friends. Well, readers get heavy social commentary.  Starting in the first chapter, broad statements about class are made. I dislike social statements in books, even if I agree with them.  That is one of the reasons I crawled through the first 30% of this book, and subsequently had to read other books as this one sat on my Kindle App.  So, when I finally started getting into My Friends, the library snatched it back. Now, I am back to being 400th on the list. But, each time I go to the bookstore, I have squeezed in another chapter. I only have about 50 pages to go. The plot is quick, unpredictable, and tragic.  It took awhile for me to become fond of the characters, and that is probably because I didn't relate to them at all (immigrant teens in Sweden).  That was another reason I could not finish this book in time.  BUT, I will finish it.    

Moby Dick - Hermand Melville.  It has always been a dream of mine to complete this book. I bought a copy three years ago, and my husband read it. I am finally doing a year-long guided read through the Church Blogmatics Substack, and I am not on Chapter 10.  Around 175 more chapters to go!  I am currently enjoying the description of old New Bedford.  

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania - Erik Larson.  My first Erik Larson book. This is surprising to me. This book has also been on our shelves for over five years. I asked my husband if he enjoyed the book, and he said he had not read it. Now I truly don't know how we got it. Anyway,I read it on a trip to Colorado. It is interesting, and riveting enough to have kept me reading the entire flight home.  I look forward to picking it back up for next month's trip to Utah. 

Recently Completed 

Books I Loved

Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage - Belle Burden.  I read this in one day. Unputdownable.   

The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven-  Nathaniel Ian.  This book has the "Molly Trifecta of Good Reads"  Likable characters, fabulous (to me) location, and realistic plot.  It is truly fascinating how people create community in the middle of no where, and Sven truly creates a home in the Arctic Circle.  

Books I Enjoyed

The World Below - Sue Miller.  Love Miller's New England settings. Trying to "compete" the works of this author. Loved Monogomy and that still is the epitome for me. Her prose is addictive. 

Unscripted - Cheryl Hines.   Very quick, very fun read.  

Family of Spies - Christine Keuhn.  Interesting history from a descendant of German spies about her formerly unknown family origins.   

The Ten Year Affair - Erin Somers. Fiction that explores modern marriage and parenting. Made me a bit afraid for our future.  

Dominion - Addie E. Citchens.  This was dark, but still thinking about it weeks after finishing.  Unpredictable and moving plot.  

Books I Didn't Love

The Bright Years, Sarah Damoff. Short plot: Alcoholism destroys a family. The title and cover had me expecting another plot. Disappointed and skim city.   

What Happened to the McCrays, by Tracey Lange.  This is probably the weak book in Lange's work.  Predictable.  I dislike books that start at the end and give a back story, especially when they are predictable.  Skim city.  

Spectacular Things - another unsuccessful Reese Book.  Can't even remember what it was about. 

What Kind of Paradise, Janelle Brown. Easy read. Social commentary is high school level. Plot is good. The main character is likable and you pull for her. Skim City.  

Penitence, Kristin Kovel.  Can't remember what this was about. 

What I am Reading.

 Currently, I am reading Precipice, a novel by Robert Harris.  It is a true story that takes place on the eve of World War I, and it highlights the romance between the Prime Minister, H.H. Asquith, and his much younger love interest, Venetia.  The letters and telegrams from the PM to Venetia, contain the actual text communication between them, and Harris uses those to create a story about the beginning of WWI from Asquith's and Venetia's POVs.  The minutia of the PM's daily days, and how Britain landed itself at war, seems to be never ending. But, Venetia's side of the story has kept me reading.  

What Kind of Paradise, by Janelle Brown.  I am reading this on my Kindle.  This was on many "Best of 2025" lists last year. I don't know what kept me away, but I am enjoying it so far.  I am enjoying the pace and the Montana setting.  

Books I have finished this month - January 2026 -  that I have enjoyed:

Show Don't Tell, by Curtis Sittenfeld.  I always enjoy her books. I pushed this off for awhile until it became available at the library.  4*

Some Bright Nowhere, Ann Packer. 4.25*. Amazing writing.  Elin Hilderbrand described her as a "writer's writer." Every sentence works.  But, it is depressing and nothing much happens.  It describes a marriage in its final days, as the wife succumbs to cancer. 

Here After, Amy Lin, 4.25* More death, this time a young widow writes about her grief in the aftermath of losing her young husband very suddenly.  I compulsively read this, yet it was incredibly depressing. 

Lion, Sonya Walger, 5*. First 5* read of the year.  Almost flawless.  Can't believe most of it is true. It is classified as fiction because the author did not trust her memory and wanted to create stories.  The author and her father have lives mesmerizing lives, and every sentence displays them. 

Books Read - February 2025

The Time of the Child, Niall Williams, 4.25* Beautiful prose about people living in a rural Irish village in the early 1960s.  Social atmosphere and attitudes weaved through the villagers observations.  Quiet plot.

The Wedding People, Allison Espoch, 4.5* Jenna Book Club pick that I read quickly and and enjoyed.  Lost points for being somewhat unrealistic, but won points for overcoming that obstacle for me.

In France Profound, TD Allman, 4* First completed non-fiction of the year.  War correspondent Allman describes the history of his house and its surrounding French village, which he owned for thirty-four years until his death.  Great descriptions of history, LOTS of minute detail.  

The Frozen River, Ariel Lawson, 5* Best book of the year, so far.  Checked off many of my boxes: Realistic history, plot-driven, interesting, acknowledged back stories. Thank you to sister Sarah for recommending!

Three Days in June, Anne Tyler, 4.5* Read in one day. Love reading her prose. 

Beautyland, Marie-Helene Berlin, 4* Getting a lot of press.  I still enjoyed this, despite the main character being an alien.  The main character was exactly my age and lived in NYC.  Still didn't "get it".  

The Most, Jessica Anthony, 5* Devoured it. @elinhilderbrand recommendation. A novella, I read it in an afternoon.  Marriage drama.  

January 2025 Reading

 A Spool of Blue Thread, Anne Tyler, 4* - Kindle

This started as a 5, and ended on a 3. Thus, my 4 star rating. Tyler writes perfect prose and dialogue.  Her description of memory loss in the main character was stunning, in my unexperienced opinion. The end was depressing and maybe too realistic.   

From Here Til the Great Unknown, Riley Keogh, 4.25*

Bestseller. Interesting insight into a topic (Elvis) that I know nothing about. Lisa Marie Presley still seems like an enigma.  

The End of the Hour, A Therapist's Memoir, Meghan Riordon Jarvis, 3.5*

Well written. More description of her family might have given me a better perspective of the situation.  There seemed to be some added trauma she didn't touch on. She should have gone there. 

Peggy, Rebecca Godfrey, 4.25* - Kindle

Really interesting piece of fiction and history. Rebecca Godfrey sadly passed away before she finished this fictional take on Peggy Guggenheim's life.  It was finished by her friend and fellow author Leslie Jamison. I enjoyed the second author's prose better. Though Jamison buttoned up Peggy's life, she also left out some years I would have been interested in hearing about.  

All the Broken Places, John Boyne, 4.5* 

Exceptional Holocaust book from a different point of view.  I have read so many Holocaust books, that I thought I had had my fill.  Glad I took a chance on this one. Adding Boyne to my "Authors to Read" list.  

Wine Review: Spring in a Bottle - Wolffer Estate

 The boyfriend and I drove from vineyard to vineyard one hot August Saturday in our friend's cigarette reeking car.  It was 2009, and Long Island's North Shore wineries had jumpstarted as the Hamptons continued to grow, and the internet spread the word.  While all of these wineries had beauty and tasting rooms, one of the wineries we pulled into that afternoon seemed organized, clean, and smelled tobacco-free. It also had good wine. It was Wolffer Estates.  We left with two bottles of their signature $30 sauvignon blanc, which was no small sum in your twenties.  

Wolffer Estates hit the national scene in 2013 with their "Summer in a Bottle" Rose.  Now living in North Carolina with the husband, it was warming to see Wolffer Estate bottles on shelves, remembering our stop there years before.  

Now, moving with the times, Wolffer Estate is offering a non-alcoholic "Spring in a Bottle" Rose. While not partaking in Dry January myself, I decided to "spring" for the bottle and review. And $20 for non-alcoholic wine is quite a spring!   

The wine proved to be a lively pairing with meatball subs.  While it had lower acidity than wine with alcohol, it was more than made up for with the perfect bubbles.  "Spring" suggests floral notes, but there were none to be found, merely perfectly balanced slight red berry with grass.  It elicited the notes of the warm February Carolina day we were experiencing, and allowed our children to taste with us.  And at 36 calories a glass, allowed me to treat myself to dessert.  

While we had initially thought we would have to open another bottle, the husband and I declared this wine a "buy again," and declared the wine fully satisfying.  Wolffer Estate has given us another way to make memories.  

The Aldi Wine Advent Calendar - December 2024

 I arrived at the local Aldi right after tennis, November 6, 2024, the day after the US election, and the day that Aldi's Wine Advent Calendar landed on its floors.  The truck bed had lowered the giant cube of  advent cartons probably two hours before, and there were only about ten left.  I convinced two other women to buy them as I lifted mine in my cart. "I told myself that today would be a disappointing day no matter how the election turned out, so I decided to buy this today - the day it comes out," I told my fellow shoppers, "It will sell out fast." 

I had been given a heads up about its arrival from X, my addiction to the platform finally giving me a benefit.  Very few in my social circle shop at Aldi.  Aldi shoppers tend to be true bargain hunters, either because of necessity or a desire for value.  Aldi stores tend to be under overpasses, across train tracks, and have sketchy birds lingering in their parking lots.  Needless to say, I have more time, and live closer than others to occasionally scout Aldi for organic produce, dairy, meat, and other products. 

I am also a "value" wine seeker.  I have a wine certification.  Aldi has a reputation in the "discount wine community" (such as it is), as a purveyor of good value wines.  On its shelves, it carries basic wines made in a basic manner, that are self-explicit. Examples are:  Century Road Chardonnay and Elementalist Pinot Grigio, California Heritage Pinot Noir, and Adventure Series Chianti.  

In 2024, Aldi bucked national trends by having its sales of adult beverages double as shoppers sought out  bargains at $4 less than average.  I hadn't bought wine at Aldi in ten years.  

My exploration into value wines began during my official wine tasting classes.  Our instructor bought her sample wines from the grocery store.  They were reasonably priced, traditional examples of wines from every region. And they were good.  She was a Master Som who was buying inexpensive wine at the grocery store. This sung music to my bargain hunter ears. With two babies under two, in a new house, in a new city, learning and writing about wine bargains seemed to be a lifestyle fit, and I could start with my instructor's picks. 

Since starting over 10 years ago, my research of "value" wine has been a mishmash of intermittent wine reviews on social media, searching online for quality wine recommendations (shout out to the now retired Wine Curmudgeon and his $10 Hall of Fame), and using discernment when trying to buy wines at the Harris Teeter ("Does the goat on the label mean it's worth buying?").  My few forays into Aldi wines did not suit my taste, or the Wine Curmudgeon's, or my picky husband.  I didn't even try to pawn an Aldi bottle on a friend.  Thus, why the Aldi Wine Advent Calendar?!  

I felt like I had been let in on a secret when I heard its drop date.  I needed hope for a good holiday season, and 24, 150 oz bottles of wine from around the world for $69.99 demonstrated that hope.  It would also put my taste buds as a certified wine educator to the test. Knowing Aldi wine's reputation for simple bottles of plain grape, I knew the daily tastings would give my palate the vindication it deserved.  

Instead of choosing each wine in Advent order, reading the label, and tasting the wine, we decided to guess each wine blindly. My husband would randomly chose a wine each evening, red, or white, depending on the the dinner menu, and he would hide the label with a paper cover as he pulled the wine from the box. We would then taste and discuss.  

Our first night of Advent, we had salmon, so my husband pulled a white wine from crate. We confidently guessed California chardonnay, and smugly sipped it down.  This was going to be easy! We had years of expertise in value wines! Our second night, we had meatballs, so my husband pulled out a red. We sniffed, swirled, tasted, and sniffed some more.  "It's a Chianti," I said. "It's a cabernet sauvignon," he said.  The grand reveal showed us, "Spanish blend." BLENDS! This was a glitch in the exercise. How do you guess a human grape creation?  But, we thought, that's okay.  How many blends could there be in the advent calendar? The wine stores have only one small section titled "red blends".  There are 24 days of Advent.   

The third night we misidentified an Australian shiraz ("Well, that's okay, we never drink those. Ever").  The fourth night the calendar put forth an Italian merlot ("There are merlots in Italy?). The fifth night we got a Portuguese blend ("It did have a darker red than others."). We continued surprising our tastebuds (misidentifying) with South African blends, Chilean blends, Austrian blends, Zinfandel from France, and a Hungarian blend. Not one Chianti in 24 wines from around the world.  When we did finally pull a generic California Cabernet Sauvignon, it was promptly misidentified and poured down the drain.  We popped open a quality bottle of Cabernet to soothe our scorned egos. Wasn't Lent the period in the church calendar for learning experiences?  

By Christmas Eve, our tongues were confused, our noses were bereft, and our children were mocking us.  We had guessed two out of 24 wines - thank you Rose for being pink.  We acknowledged Christ's birth by opening a bottle of Chateaneuf-du-Pape that paired beautifully with our gourmet burgers.  We toasted to our good fortune of tasting exquisite wine.  We toasted that we had made it to Christmas, that the presents were wrapped, the table was set, and we were ready to relax into the holidays. 

We were hopeful about the future, and we were going to buy better wine.    

Reflecting on Cooking - 2024

 This is perhaps the first year that I cooked with no exact goals in mind.  But, I did try some new ways to ramp up the daily cooking schedule.  

For many years, I have pretty faithfully followed this meal schedule

Monday: Chicken

Tuesday: Justyn Sports/Kids, Mac and Cheese, me: grazing

Wednesday: Fish/Vegetable

Thursday: Pork (Lamb was also on the schedule - but I have maybe made it twice in 10 years).

Friday: Ground meat 

Saturday: Steak

Sunday: Pizza - mostly homemade.  

This year, I tried to be more flexible and:

1) Continued to cook in ways that leave as little food waste as possible.  

2) Changed pizza to pasta night. Years of making pizza from scratch has not made it better. I could not stomach it anymore. As a result, kids ate more, ate the leftovers, and the pasta could be made vegetarian for veg night.  I am the only person who wants to avoid pasta in my family, so too bad for me it is such a hit.  

3) Incorporated more ground meat - because the kids eat it.  Meatballs.  

4) Tried freezing some food/meals, and it never really took.  I don't like eating reheated/previously frozen items, and neither do my children.  

5) Made bread from King Arthur recipes.  I was inspired by my trip to Britain to make better bread, and I did. It was good! No one ate it/appreciated it. I don't need to eat more bread.  I guess I will continue to buy Killer Dave's White Bread Done Right for the kids, and not eat bread. 

Cookbooks I cooked from:  

What to Cook when You Don't Feel Like Cooking - Caro Chambers.  My sister Sarah introduced me to her  (in person!) this year and treated me to the cookbook.  Favorites have been the Chicken Chili, and the Ground Meat/Peanut recipe.  Have made about 15 from the book, and have repeated 2, which is always a good sign.  

I purchased Jenny Rosenstrach's Weekday Vegetarian 2: Everyday (I think).  Haven't cooked anything from it, and haven't tried. I do continue to receive (paid) and use her sub stack newsletter. 

Modern Proper is also a cookbook I have not written about in the past, and have utilized a ton.  Probably bought it in 2022 - and thus not mentioned.  The meatball chapter is phenomenal, and I need to cook more from.  Hopefully these ladies come out with another book this year! 

Cooking Goals for 2025 

1) Only buy what I need in order to lower food waste.  

2) End buying greens and that I will just throw away 2 weeks later - I see you arugula, cilantro, parsley.  

3) Make meals that the girls can pack in their new thermoses the next day: Pasta, Chile, and will think of something else.  New thermoses are a hit! Make more soups they will eat

4) Eat less dairy and gluten - preferably not together.  Drink less.  I might incorporate me some of these in my all over goals of 2025 - which I will write tomorrow.  

Reading Round-up 2022

 This year I read 63 books - the same amount as last year. My goal had been to read 65. But, if Anna Karinina counted as three books, I would have met that goal.  Is this an excuse? 

 My Favorites for 2022:

Matrix, Lauren Groff

Sea of Tranquility, Emily St. John Mandel

Fresh Water for Flowers, Valerie Perrin

In the Country of Women, Susan Straight

Honorable Mention: Ordinary Grace, William Kruger Kent, Hotel Nantucket, Elin Hilderbrand

What makes a favorite?  I want to pick it up, I don't want to put it down, and I REMEMBER IT.  With the exception of Lauren Groff (and Elin, of course), all the authors were new to me. 

 My takeaways from this reading year:

1) I read a considerable amount of memoirs. Is that because the new memoir section is downstairs in the library, and not as perused as the new fiction section?  Do other people like memoirs as much as me?  

2) I did not enjoy my reading content as much as last year. Still trying to discover why this happened. Was it because I didn't do enough background research? trusted the wrong critics?   

3) I could have read more. Doom scrolling is still my number one time-killer. There are not many book ideas found on twitter.  Yet, a "not great" book prevents me from returning to reading.  How to end the time-wasting cycle??? 

Classics read this year:  Anna Karinina, and The Supper of the Lamb

Non-Fiction (not memoir): The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Capon, All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days, by Rebecca Donner, Untangled, by Lisa D'Amour, and We Don't Know Ourselves, by Fintan O'Toole. 

Reading goals for 2023:

1) Read three of the books I already own.

2) This year's classic selection: Crime and Punishment 

3) Try reading 63 books (again), but with a better selection process.  

4) Try to read some better non-fiction, non-memoir books.  

   

Reflecting on Cooking - 2021

 While many people still feel like we are in the pit of despair, my year went from despair to hope.  This is because my children are back in school.  I still don't quite have the words to describe how having my children home for a year affected me, and I believe that it will take many years for words to come through. Nevertheless, my cooking life has expanded.  

This year - and mostly the second half of 2021 (again, "school") I accomplished:

* Cooked from and reviewed the following cookbooks: 

Simply Julia, Julia Turshen  

Eat better, Feel better, Giada De Laurentiis 

The New York Times Cooking - No-Recipe Recipes, Sam Sifton

Come on Over: 111 Recipes for the Family that Cooks, Laughs, and Eats Together, Jeff Mauro 

* Continued to cook from the following cookbooks that I own. The ones I reach for the most were:  

Keepers and The Dinner Plan by Kathy Brennon and Caroline Campion 

SkinnyTaste, One and Done by Gina Homolka 

Dinner: A Love Story and Dinner: The Playbook, by Jenny Rosenstratch.  Still have not completed these books, and will work on it this year!  

* Purchased the following cookbooks:  I try to only purchase books I REALLY want, and I usually will take them out of the library before I buy.  

    1. The Weekday Vegetarian, Jenny Rosenstrach - Cannot wait to dig in. Have already cooked through her Dinner: A Love Story and about half of Celebrations and Dinner: The Playbook.  

    2. Ready, Set, Cook, Dawn Perry - Maybe not worth the purchase. TBD in depth after a few more recipes. I was lured in by the fact that Perry was a recipe developer for Real Simple.  GREAT for a beginner cook.  I have only cooked her slow roasted chicken and coffee cake.  The coffee cake will be made again and again.  

    3. 365 Days of Soup - encouraged to by this one by Paula Forbes in her Stained Page News.  Which soup matches your birthday? Hope to make more soups as the years go by!  

    4. The New Basics (used) - Always wanted to own this classic and found it last week at a furniture consignment store.

* Subscribed to the following cooking e-"newsletters":

Dinner a Love Story, Jenny Rosenstrach, Cookbook Author

Stained Page News, Paula Forbes, Professional Cookbook Editor

The Department of Salad (unpaid still), Emily Nunn, Food Journalist and Author 

The Wine Curmudgeon - great, inexpensive wine recommendations. Love Jeff!    

          Southern Living Magazine - Not electronic, but still love their recipes! 

          The New York Times Cooking website 

* Continued to try different recipe of the following meals in order to find my family's "favorite" recipe.  

Chicken Pot Pie:  SkinnyTaste's is still the front runner (though this link is not the exact one in her book)

Sloppy Joe's:  Sam Sifton's is still the front runner. But this pork sloppy joe from Real Simple was great too:  Pork Sloppy Joes. 

Breaded Chicken Cutlets:  Practice makes perfect!  But I found Giada's Chicken Breast with Gluten-Free breadcrumbs and Rice Flour to really shine!  Also, the Ritz Cracker Chicken from the NYTimes was stunning!  

Turkey Burgers - always ready to a healthy alternative to our favorite Reid's.  My favorite is the New York Times Turkey Burger.  

Pork Tenderloin - Siri Daly's Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Cider was made more than twice this year to much acclaim.  

Pizza Dough - This is not really working for me. I still have not found a clear winner.  

Turkey Chili:  Smitten Kitchen's one the taste test. Kids devoured it.  Dinner: A Love Story's still a top choice though.   

   * Other observations from 2021:

1.  Leftovers appear more than in previous years. Continuing goals of less waste and better ingredients have made leftovers easier to swallow. 

2. Ground pork appeared on our table more. Loved the pork meatballs, and pork with tofu in Keepers.

3. Kids ate tofu - they especially liked Julia Turshen's Sesame Rice with Tofu and Quickles and Peanut Sauce and the pork with tofu (see above).  

4. Consistency is hard.  I wanted to make Chicken and Rice every other week (so as to find the BEST Chicken and Rice recipe), but life gets in the way, and I have too many self-imposed requirements and recipe goals.    

*How I did on my 2121 cooking resolutions?

1) Continue the search for good dairy free recipes.:  Actually, I returned to eating a bit too much dairy, and will make this another resolution for 2022.

2) Continue to try different recipes for meatloaf/meatballs and chicken pot pie.  CHECK!

3)  My husband wants me to make gazpacho.  CHECK!

4) Make this NY Times pizza dough.  First, I have to buy the flour.    CHECK!

 * Cooking Resolutions for 2022:

1) Continue to research dairy-free recipes and food choices.  Perhaps try nutritional yeast.

2) Incorporate more greens in dinner. Aim for 3 nights a week.

3) Try and limit food waste.  

4) Finish cooking through Keepers/Dinner Plan/Dinner: A Love Story/Dinner: The Playbook (only recipes that appeal, of course).  

Cookbook review: Come on Over: 111 Recipes for the Family that Cooks, Laughs, and Eats Together, Jeff Mauro

 Come on Over: 111 Recipes for the Family that Cooks, Laughs, and Eats Together, Jeff Mauro 

I had never heard of Jeff Mauro, aka, "The Sandwich King" of Chicago. I don't watch television.  I picked up his cookbook in the library, and now I might even want to watch his show on the Food Network.  He is witty and loves his family. And he has great recipes that he has clearly made for his family over and over.  

Mauro has made popular and tested food choices. I cooked Mauro's sloppy joes (The Sloppy Lo, named after his son), meatloaf (United States of Meat Loaf, because meatloaf is wholly American), and turkey burger (The Juiciest Turkey Burgers Ever).  His recipes are created for his large family, so my family of three little girls and two "normal" eating parents always had leftovers, even though all portions were devoured.  His "Sausage, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandos" changed our family's schedule because these were the best breakfast my husband had ever frozen and warmed up.  These are permanently on our family's menu now - the biggest compliment I can pay any cookbook author.  

Mauro is also hilarious. His instructions make you want to read every word of the recipe. Example, "Close and cut to admire the colorful and inspiring cross section. Take a bite and quickly forget about cows in general." Also, "Serve with 14 napkins, preferably need a bathtub or garden hose."  I read almost every word of this book as it sat on my worktable for nearly two months, picking it up just to get a quick laugh.  

I want to hang out with Jeff and his family and share a meal, and the book really helps you picture what it would be like. While it might never happen, you can use his great recipes to have your own friends over. They always work!  

Cook Book Review: Eat Better, Feel Better by Giada De Laurentiis

 Eat Better, Feel Better  Giada De Laurentiis 

Maybe I liked this because I have been trying to eat better (just "trying", tbc) by staying gluten and dairy-free, like Giada started to do as a reset from her poorer diet of yore (i.e., the healthyish yet mouthwatering meat/ cheese/pasta dishes we expected from her).  And while her weight was "not the problem", as she tells her readers repeatedly, she "just felt bad," and eating made her feel better -  much much better.   Now, I relate, because I did eat gluten and dairy-free for about nine solid months. But, chose to eat that way explicitly to lose weight, and I did, BUT, I felt GREAT.  Eating well really does make you feel better.  And while Giada is gaggingly beautiful no matter what she puts in her mouth, I totally know she is right.  I just hope she cheats a bit more then she lets on.   

So, the recipes I tasted are great.  They are flavorful, healthy, and tested so they work.  She made a great effort to create different sides made from the same old ingredients, for example: Herbes de Provence Roasted Potatoes, and Roasted Cauliflower with Grapes and Pistachios.  I appreciated her addition of protein in White Bean and Broccoli Rabe Sauté, and the beans and greens combination she adds to her Steak Salad and Broiled Salmon.  The Milanese Chicken using rice flour and gluten-free panko bread crumbs was the best I ever had, and I will continue to use that recipe exclusively when I "Milanese" chicken.  

On the baking front, I made her gluten-free Spiced Apple Muffins, which the kids liked and ate.  Her Chocolate and Orange Brown Rice Treats were good, but nobody craved them, and they ended up in the trash after being in the back of the fridge for a week.  

While I look forward to cooking a few more of Giada's healthy recipes, I will admit that many of the once I didn't try were because they were plain recipes for "Rice" and "Brown Rice", and "Roasted Vegetables."  While it is always useful to see what temperatures and methods a trained chef uses, I would have been more interested to hear about more flavorful recipes.  I hope she writes some more!  

Cookbook Review - The New York Times Cooking - No-Recipe Recipes, Sam Sifton

 The New York Times Cooking - No-Recipe Recipes, Sam Sifton

Sam Sifton writes extremely good recipes.  His See You on Sunday recipes always come out like a dream. I make his potato salad five times a summer.  So, why did he write No-Recipe Recipes ?  Because they truly are still recipes, no matter how Mr. Sifton seems to deny it.  And, they also have amazing finished product.  Each recipe has an ingredient list, a description of how to make the meal, small commentary you have come to expect from Sifton's newsletter, and a beautiful picture of the food.  

The "no-recipes" have worked.  The Sloppy Joes were perfection.  The Salmon with Barbecue Sauce and Hot Peppers not only brightened up our weekly salmon intake, but also used up the half cup of BBQ sauce I had in the fridge for a year.  The Fried Halloumi Salad was genius, and Roasted Shrimp Tacos will be made over and over. Sifton's tips and modifications for each recipe make this "no-recipe" book an actual resource, rather than a quick cooking jaunt.  

About half of the recipes from this book are available on the NYTimes.com/cooking website/app.  (If you have not downloaded the app, it is truly the only reason I sustain my NY Times subscription) If I see this book at a used book store, I will snap it up for my collection. 

Top Books and Such for 2021

 My Top Five Books of the Year - not rereads:

Between Two Kingdoms - Suleika Jaouad

Monogamy - Sue Miller

The Paper Palace - Miranda Cowley Heller

Good Company - Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeny

This Must be the Place - Maggie O'Ferrell 

Honorable Mention:  Seating Arrangements, Maggie Shipstead and Dear Edward, Ann Neopolitina 

Top Podcasts

The Mockingcast

The Deep Dive with Jessica St. Claire and June Diane Raphael

Typology with Ian Cron

The Bible in a Year Podcast with Father Mike Schmitz  

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, from Christianity Today

Honorable Mention:  Armchair Expert, Femsplainers, Everything Happens, the Popcast.  

Top Television (i.e. only television we watch, so no comparisons)

Shetland on Britbox

Ted Lasso on Apple TV

Death in Paradise on Britbox

Narcos:Mexico on Netflix

Book Reviews - 2021

 Quick Review of Books I read this year:  2021 - only books I finished.  

East of Eden:  What a way to start the year!!  A reread, but I had forgotten everything from 20+ years ago. The problem with starting with the best, is that you only go down in quality.  But, it also saves you from plowing though some doozies.  

Olive Again, Elizabeth Stroud:  Another master class in beautiful writing.  I liked this better than Oliver Kitterage, the prequal, perhaps because I was mentally prepared for the book to be sad. But, I found hope instead!   

Actress, Anne Enright:  First book I read by this prolific Irish author.  It is written from the POV of a famous actress' daughter. Loved the descriptions of Dublin in the twentieth century.  I will read more from this author.  

Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid:  Didn't like the characters.  Already forgot most of the book.  

To Be a Man, Nicole Kraus:  Love the writing of this author, and remember that this collection of short stories is well written.  I don't remember any of them, except that many of them take place in Israel. 

 

Trouble in Paradise, Elin Hilderbrand:  The last of Hilderbrand's Winter in Paradise trilogy.  I read it in one day. It was the best of the bunch, and made me want to go to St. John the VI more than ever.  I am a huge fan of Hilderbrand. 

Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger, Lisa Donavon:  A truly hard worker writes a great memoir. She writes about her journey to becoming a chef and writer with vulnerability and care.  I hope the pandemic gave Donavon some time to rest.    

 

Beach Read, by Emily Henry:  I liked this more than The People You Meet on Vacation, which is her second book, published this year (I could not even skim it...).  This was fun mostly because of its setting on the Upper Peninsula, which I have never been to, but might want to visit someday.  I could not get over the outrageous premise.

Searching for Sylvie Lee, Jean Kwok: The author's prose and dialogue were well crafted.  The Dutch setting was the highlight, and the mystery was just the amount of mysterious I like.   

The Island of Sea Women, Lisa See:  A deep and gory dive into Korean history based around the story of the sea women on a Korean island.  Beautifully executed, thought-provoking, and long.  

A Children's Bible, Lydia Millet: While I was probably ready for something a bit lighter after Island of Sea Women, this popped up on my library holds. Thankfully, it was short.  I am sure there is some analytical essay published about this allegorical end-of-the-world tale, but I didn't search for it.  This was interesting, but truly for literary nerds. 

   

Bravey, Alex I Pappas:  Another memoir.  This Olympic runner and screenwriter did have a powerful story to tell of her childhood, and the challenges she overcame to become a competitive runner.  She is fifteen years younger than me (maybe more...) so it was interesting hearing about her high school/college years and how they differed from mine, and made me wonder how those years will be for my daughters.   

Big Summer, Jennifer Weiner:  I have never steered towards Weiner, only catching her books when they appear in the "New Fiction" section of our library.  I really enjoyed this escape, that I read in a dark time. Always love books on Cape Cod!  

Seating Arrangements, Maggie Shipstead:  Downloaded during sleeplessness.  Read it in two days and loved it. WASPy lit at its finest!  Four months later, I was sorting through the basement bookshelf and found the hardcover I already had....  

The Dutch House, Anne Patchett:  Patchett is flawless as usual, and I loved it.  Loved the male narrator, of which I never read enough.

The Huntress, Kate Quinn:  My first Quinn book. It focuses on Nazi war crimes and the Soviet Women's Air Corp.  Enjoyed the European and Boston setting.  Stereotypical characters abound, but I was still interested in where this story was going.  

Eliza Starts a Rumor, Jane Rosen:  Discovered that Elin Hilderbrand recommended books on Instagram, and saw she recommended this newer "chick lit" book.  An extremely fun read with social commentary on Westchester and Manhattan mothers. 

Kitchens of the Great Midwest, J. Ryan Stradel:  Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy did this book for her online book club, and while I didn't participate, I read the book.  It was such a different book, and ends up somewhere  you will never guess.  I think about it way more than I thought I would after I finished it.

Dear Edward, Ann Neopolitina:  Declined this book from the new fiction Library section multiple times, before it finally called to me, and I loved it.  The premise seems so stupid (ie: the life of an only surviving boy on an airplane), but Neopolitina makes the story realistic and authentic. 

The Push, Ashley Audrain:  Recommended by someone who I thought liked happy books. This is not good.  Children are hurt, commentary is made. I would skip.  

An Onion in my Pocket, Deborah Madison:  Madison's new memoir about how she began her life in food is interesting, especially to a cookbook lover like me.  It would be super interesting to hear about her Buddhist monastery days, though, and she holds back from what could have been a great book. 

Between Two Kingdoms, Suleika Jaoud:  Now Jaoud did not hold back, and she did write a great book. Probably the best memoir I have read in a few years.  Definitely the best "surviving sickness" memoir.  If you think she won't go there, she does.

Rules of Civility, Amore Towle:  From the same author as A Gentlemen from Moscow, which I loved.  I loved this book too, the 1920s NYC setting, the stories, the surprises, but I didn't love it as much as A Gentlemen. 

Wintering, Katherine May:  A description of an autistic British woman's coping mechanisms through a difficult period and her ponderings on these mechanisms. As a Christian, I want to send her the gospel, but instead I settled for hearing about her cold water plunges and trips to see the Northern Lights. She did inspire me to attempt more cold water swims on Martha's Vineyard this summer.

Vanishing Half, Britt Bennett:  A book club pick and best seller. Really enjoyed this fast read about sisters. Bennett writes a good story, but felt a tinge unrealistic to me.    

The Great Circle, Maggie Shipstead:  Shipstead's newest novel.  It was good, but a bit long, even for the century long saga that it is. 

 

Monogomy, Sue Miller: Relationships, middle age, cities, bookstores. It seems to be a book formula that works for me. Loved this realistic novel with good dialogue.

 

  

Finding Freedom, Erin French:  Another food memoir.  French overcame single motherhood, a terrible marriage, and rehab to open a destination restaurant in Maine. This was good. I still won't pay for Magnolia Network though.  

Musical Chairs, Amy Poepple: Another fun chick lit read recommended by Elin Hilderbrand.  Rom com and classical music are well combined! (Poepple is also a Wellesley grad.)

The Great Believers, Rebecca Makkai: Beautifully written, historical documentation of the AIDS crisis in Chicago in the 1980s .  Depressing. 

Small Admissions, Amy Poepple:  After Musical Chairs, I read Poepple's previous work. Not as good, but relatable as a former twenty something in NYC myself. 

The Emerald Mile, Kevin Fedarko:  Took me months to finish because I never truly focused.  Great book about rafting in the Grand Canyon, the Canyon's history as a national park, and dam engineering.  Fascinating, and now trying to book Grand Canyon rafting trip before it dries up.  

Commonwealth, Ann Patchett: Always love Ann, and now sad I am running out of her other books to read.  Loved the plot twists in this.  

 

 

Golden Girl, Elin Hilderbrand: My favorite summer beach read author did not disappoint! I will be so mad when she stops writing.

The Meaning of Mariah Carey, Mariah Carey:  Written for her fans, and I am not a strong fan, but definitely interested in her life, as her music was in the background of my entire young adulthood.  I learned she wrote her own music, and I admired her more. 

 

Lorna Mott Comes Home, Diane Johnson: I didn't know that Johnson had a new book out - her first in many years.  The author of Le Divorce writes about a dysfunctional family circa 2008. Her usual "la-di-da" fare with social commentary and humor.  Cover could have been better designed:

The Wreckage of my Presence, Casey Wilson: I did not know who this was when I read this. Maybe that was better?  Essays about her life that are humorous and sentimental. It did lead me to her friend June Diane Raphael's podcast The Deep Dive, which is a favorite.  

The Bookshop on the Shore, Jenny Colgan:   First time reading on of the UK's most prolific chick lit authors.  Same predicable plot, but fun to read about it in the Scottish Highlands.

  

The Paper Palace, Miranda Cowley Heller:  A tragic family history written in sensual detail that takes place on Cape Cod.  Stunning.  Rated X.

That Summer, Jennifer Wiener:  Looking for a lighter read, like Big Summer, but got Me Too on Cape Cod.  Blah.

Olympus, Texas, Stacey Swann:  Again, I went looking for a fun read and was truly having fun reading this until a twist turns this into another tragic family history. Small town Texas lights up for those of us who are ignorant.  

 

Good Company, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney:  Similar to Monogamy - about a long-time marriage and its sudden turn.  Loved it and realizing that I have a "type" of book.  

The Midnight Library, Matt Haig:  I think the author wrote this too 1) show off his philosophical knowledge, and 2) to dream up as many scenarios of a life as a person can have.  I appreciated his effort and fun scenarios.  

The Empathy Diaries, Sherry Turkle:  I am a longtime fan of Turkle, and was interested in reading the autobiography of her first thirty years.  

Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage, Dani Shapiro: Well written reveries on the author's marriage and marriage in general. Don't remember more than that. 

 

Inheritance, Dani Shapiro: Her follow up book about the amazing discovery she made while writing the previous book. Her ruminations on family are addictive.  

White Fur, Jardine Libaire:  Another Elin Hilderbrand rec. 1980's WASP life clashes with Puerto Rican poverty that starts at Yale and ends unexpectedly.  Mesmerizing and cringy. Rated XX.

The Plot, Jean Hanff Konelitz: A hot book based around the publishing industry (hmmmmm?).  The plot did move along. Can you figure it out?  

The Last Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave:  I don't even remember what this is about.

Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid:  A quick pool read. And really only that.

The Invisible Husband of Frick Island, Colleen Oakley:  A pleasant surprise. A different plot for a rom/com that is somewhat realistic and cute to boot. 

 

Evvie Drake Starts Over, Linda Holmes:  The main character had no kids and lived in small town Maine. Didn't click with me, but it was fine.

A Place Like Home, Rosamunde Pilcher:  A Pilcher book I had not read, which was a miracle.  Anything she writes it heartwarming.  

Crossing to Safety, Wallace Stegner:  A reread that made all the books after it dreck.  The best of the best.  

The Other Black Girl, Dakota Dalila Harris:  Any book following Crossing to Safety is going to suffer.  This was good, but I am still not really sure what happened in the end.  

Haven Point, Virginia Hume:  A family story that is based in coastal Maine.  Of the five Maine based books I read this year, this one described the best climate. I will enjoy anything that takes place in a New England summer colony.  

Crying in H Mart, Michelle Zauner:  A women's memoir about the death of her Mother and their relationship. Bryn Mawr graduate.

The Mothers, Britt Bennett: By The Vanishing Half author. I thought this was a bit better because it was more realistic.  Wish there had been more of "the mothers".  

Animal, Lisa Taddeo:  A wounded woman on her worst behavior.  Readable. 

This Must Be the Place, Maggie O'Ferrell:  Magnificent. A story of love and betrayal that starts in Ireland and spreads everywhere.  

Food Saved Me, Danielle Walker:  Walker, who suffers from a chronic illness, tells her story of how her dietary choices saved her health, and her journey to becoming a cookbook author and inspiration for other sufferers of chronic illness.  

Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan:  A beautiful, small novella set in 1980's Ireland. Gave my reading life a needed jolt.

A Woman is No Man, Etaf Rum:  Takes place in my old work neighborhood of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Can picture the entire book!  Moving story as well.

Normal People, Sally Rooney:  Don't know what took me so long! I am almost ashamed I waited so long, but now I am sad I am done.  Can't wait to read her other books. And after so many books recently read that take place in Ireland, I am ready to book a trip!