Wordless Wednesday 499

Daisy, 2018

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: Reading across the Genres

Happy long weekend to those who have one. So far I haven't been doing a lot of reading. Instead I've been getting the house and deck ready for summer, preparing for our cookout, visiting with neighbors and friends, and generally goofing off.

If it doesn't rain today, I do plan to spend some time on the deck, enjoying the day and reading Burning Brightly by Alexa Donne, a really fun Jane Eyre retelling that takes place in space.

On the screen, we watched The Post (starring Meryl Streep), which we liked but didn't love. Last night we started the Showtime series Fourth Estate, which is  about the New York Times and its reporting on the current White House. I highly recommend it.

What I've Read Recently

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit, 2015, paperback): The initial entry in the epic fantasy First Law Trilogy started out a little slow, introducing the characters and setting up the action, but I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. We have ancient magicians (not the kind with wands and pointy hats), a rustic fighter from the north, a young nobleman swordsman from the south, a rebel woman who's an expert archer, a master navigator, and the head of the inquisition all of whom end up together on a undetailed mission led by the magician. Each has a hidden past, few of them like each other, and it's not yet clear if they're on the same side. There seem to be several factions: ruling family, conquering army, downtrodden commoners, foreign traders, and powers behind the throne, leaving us to wonder who is good, who is bad, is there a conspiracy, and do legends really do come true? If you like epic fantasy, you'll like The Blade Itself. I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Hachette Audio; 22 hr, 16 min) read by Steven Pacy while driving to Ohio and back to visit my mom. It took me a little while to get used to the style of Pacy's delivery, but I ended up liking his good pacing and distinct characterizations. Recommended in either medium. (personal collection)

Hard Country by Michael McGarrity (Dutton, 2013, paperback). This is the start of a family saga that begins after the Civil War and takes place is the largely unsettled American Southwest, mostly in New Mexico. John Kerney and his friend Cal Doran start a cattle ranch together, each escaping their past and hoping for a better future. After his wife's death in childbirth, Kerney gives his newborn son to his widowed sister-in-law to raise until Kerney's new spread is up and running. Thus starts the story of several generations of Kerney men, their loves and losses, their friendships, and their relationship with the land itself in a rapidly changing America. I should have loved this book: I like the time period and setting, and I really like family sagas. Unfortunately, McGarrity is a teller, not a shower and many of the deaths and other setbacks were heavily foreshadowed. A few historic characters make their way into the Kerneys' lives (Billy the Kid, for example), which was fun. The descriptions of the end days of the Old West, the impact of new technology (trains, telegraph, cars, electricity), and the beautiful scenery kept my attention enough to finish the book. I'm not sure though that I'll continue the series. There are (I think) two more books. Maybe I'll try the next one on audio, read by the wonderful George Guidall. (copy provided by the publisher)

The Royal Wulff Murders by Keith McCafferty (Penguin, 2013, paperback): I love a good mystery series, and the Sean Stranahan books, set in Montana, have been on my list for a long time. Stranahan, a back-East private investigator, left his job at his uncle's law firm and moved west to start a new life after his divorce. His office door says artist / P.I., and that space serves as his studio and home. When not painting, Stranahan fly-fishes the big waters of Monatana's best rivers and streams. Stranahan gets caught up in a murder investigation when a professional fishing guide chances across a dead body. I really enjoyed the setup of the mystery. Besides the good character development (Stranahan, a female sheriff, local fishermen, neighbors, friends) and great descriptions of Montana and fly-fishing, the murder investigation itself was well done and not at all cutesy / cozy. Environmental issues and local politics also come into play. The solution to the murder wasn't obvious (at least not to me), and I was caught up in the relationships among what I assume will be the ongoing characters as well as Stranahan's complex life (artist, P.I., fisherman, friend, lover). I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Recorded Books, 10 hr, 30 min), read by Rick Holmes, who was engaging enough that I'll stick with the audiobooks for this series. Holmes is easy to understand and distinguishes among the characters. His cadence is steady, but not monotonous, and he does an okay job with women's voices. I'm hooked (ha, ha) and will continue with the series. (personal collection)

Tin Man by Sarah Winman (Putnam, 2018): I have mixed feelings about this short novel of two troubled boys who meet as tweens and remain friends throughout their lives. Set in the non-university part of Oxford in the late decades of the last century, the story explores sexuality, fathers and sons, marriage, friendship, and life choices. It's beautifully written, and the arc of Ellis and Michael's relationship from youth to adulthood is a powerful emotional journey. Michael embraces life, accepts himself and others as they are, and is the light of Ellis's life. Ellis puts his own dreams aside, obeying his father by dropping out of school as a teen to become a factory worker with a lifetime job and set future. Winman's writing is exquisite, and the emotional impact is strong. I was left with a lot to think about: social and family expectations and personal identity; loneliness, loss, and new beginnings. Why the mixed feelings? I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Penguin Audio; 4 hr, 33 min) read by the author. While Winman didn't do a bad job, I think the novel would have benefited from a professional narrator. She created a buffer between me and the characters, whereas a different narrator would have deepened my engagement. It's a shame. I recommend this in print. My full audiobook review will be available through AudioFile magazine. (review copies; print and audio)

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Weekend Cooking: Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix

It's a holiday weekend here in America and I've had a crazy week of appointments, deadlines, and general busyness. Thus, I have a short and savory Weekend Cooking post today.

A few days ago I was going over my Memorial Day menu and came up with all the usual suspects: hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, fruit salad, a baked something or other. Wine and beer.

Then I started to think about what I wanted for snacking with drinks before and after dinner. Two things hit me: I didn't want to fuss and I didn't want to dump a bag of tortilla chips in a bowl and call it a day. What to do?

As I was musing out loud, Mr. BFR said, "You know what I have a craving for? That Chex party mix stuff." Hummm. Okay. Buuuuut, I don't make it anymore because I have developed a mild peanut allergy.

Still, I kind of liked the idea too. A little internet searching later, and I found a sweet and spicy mix with peanut-free ingredients (as long as I subbed cashews for the peanuts). Thank you, Real Simple magazine.

I was able to find peanut free everything and mixed up a batch of completely addictive Honey Mustard Snack Mix. This is so good that I almost had to hide it from Mr. BFR so we'd have some left for our cookout!

Here's the recipe from the Real Simple site, where you'll find the nutritional informational and tips on storage and recrisping. My changes are in red (and the photo is my own).

Honey Mustard Snack Mix
Makes 10 cups

• 3 cups crisp wheat cereal squares (such as Wheat Chex)
• 2 cups crisp corn snacks (such as Bugles)
• 2 cups mini pretzels
• 2 cups bagel chips, lightly crushed
• 2 cups honey-roasted peanuts [I used cashews]
• 2 cups wasabi peas [I forgot to buy these]
• 10 tablespoons (5 oz.) unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup honey
• 3 tablespoons dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• ½ teaspoons kosher salt [I omitted]
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) [I used this]

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cereal squares, corn snacks, pretzels, bagel chips, peanuts, and peas in a large bowl.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium. Remove from heat, then whisk in honey, dry mustard, Dijon mustard, chili powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne, if using, until combined.

Drizzle butter mixture over cereal mixture; gently stir together until well combined, then spread onto prepared baking pans. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Snack mix keeps, in airtight containers at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks. Recrisp if necessary.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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9 New Audiobooks for Memorial Day Listening

Hello holiday weekend! I'm looking forward to spending time with friends and family at a traditional Memorial Day cookout. But before Monday rolls around, I plan to spend some quality time with my current audiobook while I put the deck in order, finish the yard work, and busy myself in the kitchen. When I'm caught up in a good story performed by a good narrator, I'm almost sorry to see the end of my chores--almost!

The 9 audiobooks featured today are brand new this week, released just in time to help you get ready for your own holiday celebrations. Which audiobook is calling to you?

• Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer, and you can get in the mood by listening to Wendy Wax’s Best Beach Ever (Penguin Audio; 12 hr, 17 min), part of the Ten Beach Road series set in Florida. Amy Rubinate has narrated the entire series, capturing the personalities and strong friendships of five very different women, whom fans have come to love.
• Diversify your listening list with Sandhya Menon’s From Twinkle, with Love (Simon & Schuster; 9 hr, 32 min), a contemporary young adult rom-com about a teenage filmmaker who learns that dreams really do come true, especially when she opens her eyes (and heart) to all possibilities. Narrators Soneela Nankani and Vikas Adam are a listener’s dream team for this epistolary novel.
• Randall Klein’s Little Disasters (Penguin Audio; 13 hr, 20 min) is about two sets of first-time parents who form a strong friendship in the days after their children’s births. Superb narrators Kirby Heyborne and Mark Deakins share the performance of this story of love, secrets, marriage, and heartbreak told from the men’s points of view as they navigate their first year of fatherhood.

• It seems that everyone is talking about Claire Legrand’s Furyborn (Listening Library; 17 hr, 24 min), a young adult fantasy involving a female bounty hunter and heroic queen who are separated by a thousand years. Narrator Fiona Hardingham is an experienced speculative fiction narrator and should be an excellent match for this action-packed story.
• Caryl Phillips’s novel A View of the Empire at Sunset (Blackstone Audio; 7 hr, 32 min) is based on the life of author Jean Rhys, whose The Wide Saragossa Sea imagined the story of the first Mrs. Rochester from the classic Jane Eyre. (Phew! Did you follow that?) Justine Eyre, one of my go-to narrators, performs this audiobook, which explores Rhy’s life in the context of the changing British Empire during the early 20th century.
• Fans of classic horror / paranormal can rejoice! Will Patton was tapped to perform Stephen King’s latest, The Outsider (Simon & Schuster Audio, 18 hr, 39 min), about the investigation of the brutal murder of an 11-year-old boy. While I won’t be listening to this dark, disturbing mystery (*shudder*), I wholeheartedly recommend Patton as a master narrator.

• History buffs are familiar with Antonia Fraser’s well-researched, accessible biographies, and Mary Queen of Scots (Tantor Audio; 25 hr, 2 min) looks like another winner. Narrator Anne Flosnik is no stranger to nonfiction and is known for her ability to voice a variety of accents, a much needed skill for this true story of a woman who once thought she’d be queen of three countries.
• Everyone knows the story of Cinderella, but what do you know about her so-called evil stepmother? Danielle Teller’s All the Ever Afters (HarperAudio; 10 hr, 50 min) sets the record straight by giving us the inside scoop on how a poor girl named Agnes eventually became Cinderella’s guardian. Narrator Jane Copland’s expressive, lively delivery is sure to be a great match for this fairy tale retelling.
• No matter what side of the aisle you’re on, you’ll find much to admire and think about in Senator John McCain’s The Restless Wave (Simon & Schuster Audio; 14 hr, 15 min), his final look at his long service to our country. The memoir focuses heavily on the last 10 years and is sensitively read by actor Beau Bridges as well as by the author himself. Keep the tissues handy.

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Wordless Wednesday 498

On My Porch, 2018

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Today's Read: What Should Be Wild by Julia Fine

What if your very touch had the ability to kill and resurrect? Could you live without directly touching any living (or once-living) thing? That is Maisie Cathey's fate, who killed her mother when still in her womb.

Deep in the wood there is a dappled clearing, a quiet space between two hills heavy with trees. A prickling bower joins the fists of land, letting through a single shaft of dusty light. Muffled birdsong can be heard, if you are quiet, carried on the whispering breeze. Old oaks cast heart-deep shadows. Alders bow their branches low.

—What Should Be Wild by Julia Fine (Harper Books, 2018, p. 1; Prologue)

Quick Facts

• Setting: 1990s; a centuries-old family estate
• Circumstances: In the modern world, Maisie Cathey is, like other women in her family's long history, cursed. She lives an isolated life in her late-mother's mansion, never feeling the comfort of another's touch. Wearing protective clothing, she may go outside but her father forbids her to go into the woods. Some of her female ancestors who dared walked among the trees disappeared forever. Maisie copes well enough until her 16th year, when she loses both her housekeeper and her father within days of each other, leaving the girl entirely alone. With a few clues to guide her, Maisie finally steps beyond the confines of her home to search for her missing father . . . but all the while, she feels the pull of the woods behind her house.
• Genre: feminist Gothic mystery (how do you like that for a genre?)
• Characters: Maisie, 16 years old, cursed, and innocent of the world; Peter, her father, an anthropologist; Mrs. Blott, their housekeeper; seven of Maisie's female ancestors who entered the woods but never returned
• More than just Maisie: For 1,300 years, women in Maisie's family tree have entered the woods to escape the burdens of their gender, never to return. We hear their voices and learn their stories.
• The good so far: I'm not quite halfway through the novel, but I'm invested: I want to know what happened to Peter, and I want to know how the stories of the seven lost women tie into Maisie's story. I want to know if Maisie's condition is permanent. I love the fairy tale / folk tale elements and the dark, Gothic atmosphere that Julia Fine has created.
• The not so good so far: It took me a few chapters to be pulled into What Should Be Wild, but once Maisie had a reason to leave her estate, things picked up.
• Who would like this novel: fans of Gothic mysteries, stories with strong female characters, books with feminist themes, and/or dark fairy tales

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Weekend Cooking: Multicooker Perfection from America's Test Kitchen

Have you drunk the America's Test Kitchen Kool-Aid? If you have, then you're sure to be an addict a fan. I am fully in the ATK camp and love their product reviews and their recipes.

Although I've been using a pressure cooker for years (see my stovetop pressure cooker post from 2011) and feel very comfortable with it, I'm happy to learn new tricks, especially for using the electric multicooker (Instant Pot is a popular brand), which I've owned only a couple of years.

In their new cookbook, Multicooker Perfection, ATK reviews machines, offers advice, and provides well-tested recipes. I went ahead and bought a copy, sight unseen, because I have total trust in ATK.

The focus of Multicooker Perfection is to take a single recipe and give directions for making it fast (under pressure) or slow (using the machine's slow-cook setting). Soup in under an hour in the evening or soup that cooks all day while you're at work: you choose.

If you're thinking about buying a new electric pressure cooker / multicooker, start here. ATK reviews different brands of pressure cookers (spoiler: the Instant Pot is not their top pick, though it is still a recommended brand) and explains how the machines work.

If you caved under peer pressure and bought an electric pressure cooker but have no idea what to do with it, ATK will be your hero. This book (similar to the Melissa Clark's pressure cooker book, which I reviewed last fall) highlights the tasks the electric pressure cooker does best. Because the recipes come from ATK, you know they will work, and the authors even tell you exactly why they work. The recipes demonstrate basic pressure cooker techniques, making it easier for you to adapt your family favorites.

You may have noticed I've said little about the slow cooker directions included with each recipe. Frankly (and this is just my opinion), I wouldn't use my machine on the slow setting. I have slow cookers that work just fine, and none of the pressure cookers ATK reviewed received an "excellent" score for its ability to mimic a standalone slow cooker.

Multicooker Perfection is divided into four main recipe chapters, covering what I consider the stars of the pressure cooker:

• Soups, Stews, and Chilis
• Easy Suppers
• Roasts and Ribs
• Simple Sides

A fifth chapter collects "Ten Unexpected Things to Make in Your Multicooker." The recipes are all easy and cover a wide range of flavors: Asian, African, European, New World, and down-home. I appreciate the good balance of meat/fish recipes to vegetarian/vegan; there are dishes to meet almost every dietary style.

Two of the chapters are self-explanatory, the others, not so much. In "Easy Suppers" you'll find mac and cheese, poached salmon, pasta dishes, and several recipes that call for braising. "Simple Sides" includes mostly vegetables but also risotto and bean dishes. Among the recipes in the final chapter are homemade almond milk, mulled cider, and Boston brown bread.

As I mentioned earlier, Multicooker Perfection is best suited to new users or those who haven't yet developed the confidence to use their pressure cooker several times a week. I don't make all the dishes ATK suggests for the pressure cooker (I think it's just as easy and fast to make mashed potatoes on the stove as it is to use the pressure cooker, for example), but that's just me.

Experienced multicooker users will want to borrow a copy of Multicooker Perfection from the library; the rest of you can just go ahead and buy the cookbook. You won't be sorry. I'm not, and I've been using a pressure cooker for more than 20 years.

Here's a scan with a recipe for a vegetarian curry. The recipe below and the photo of the pulled pork tacos above are from America's Test Kitchen's Multicooker Perfection (all rights remain with the original copyright holders). Click the image to enlarge it, so you can read the recipe.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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6 Novels Written by Women to Read in May

May is always blessed with an abundance of must-read books, just in time for better weather and long evenings of reading on the porch or by the pool. Today’s roundup of woman-authored fiction has an underlying theme of family; the books featured here explore marriage, siblings, secrets, forgiveness, and second chances. Which novels are calling to you?

• Mr. Flood’s Last Resort by Jess Kidd (Atria, May 1): It’s always hard for me to say no to a novel with Irish characters (though the book is set in London). Kidd's newest centers around the relationship between Maud, a caregiver, and elderly Mr. Flood, who’s determined to live out his days in his dark mansion, over his son’s objections. Both of them have dark pasts and secrets, giving the book a Gothic feel.
• Shadow Child by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto (Grand Central Publishing, May 8): The mother-daughter and twin relationships and the mid-20th-century time period caught my attention. This story of three women (twins and their mother) explores broken family bonds, racism, the Japanese American experience, and the hope for redemption and forgiveness.
• You Me Everything by Catherine Isaac (Pamela Dorman Books, May 1): I couldn’t resist an uplifting story set in the French countryside. Jess decides to spend the summer in France so her son can get to know his father, who has never been part of their lives. At the same time, Jess can’t help but dream of a romantic reunion, despite her ex-boyfriend’s own future plans.

• A Theory of Love by Margaret Bradham Thornton (Ecco, May 8): I’ll read pretty much anything Ecco publishes. When a cutting-edge British journalist meets a French American financier, sparks fly. But is their relationship and eventual marriage based on intimacy and partnership or on a lifestyle that takes them around the world and feeds their individual ambitions?
• The Devil’s Reward by Emmanuelle de Villepin (Other Press, May 1): I like the way books in translation broaden my perspective. Three generations of tense mother–daughter relationships in a French family may find resolution as stories and secrets of the past come to light in a Paris apartment. Other themes include marriage, fidelity, and personal freedom.
• How to Walk Away by Katherine Center (St. Martin’s Press, May 15): One of my favorite plot lines is how life can utterly change in a single moment. Margaret’s future is bright, complete with a dream job and fiancé, until it suddenly isn’t. Reviewers promise that this book about the struggle to find a silver lining even under the worst circumstances is neither sappy nor depressing.

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Wordless Wednesday 497

After the Rain, 2018

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: A Mixed Reading Week

It was another slow reading week for me, but this time it was for a good reason. I took some time off work to visit my mother and to plan her 90th birthday celebration (coming up soon) with one of my brothers.

The long weekend was filled with fun and chores: getting my mother's patio ready for summer, running errands, doing minor house repairs, cooking, eating, and gabbing.

My brother and I organized a holiday lunch for Mother's Day, and it was wonderful to see my cousins and niece and nephew, and it's always great to catch up on everyone's life. I'm writing this on Sunday afternoon, and my mom and I are looking forward to a quiet evening and watching the first episode of the new Little Women series.

What I Read Last Week

Mars Room by Rachel Kushner (Scribner, May 1): I had mixed feelings about this much-buzzed novel about a twenty-something woman, Romy, who is sentenced to two life terms (plus six years) after being convicted of killing a stalker. The women inmates' stories and the descriptions of prison culture and the California justice system, especially for the poor and resourceless, are vivid and heartbreaking. There were no real surprises here (see: Orange Is the New Black), and Kusher pulls no punches when portraying life with no backup or safety net. I had two issues with the book. First, Kushner periodically turns away from Romy to concentrate on several men, including a prison teacher and a dirty cop. Not all of the tangents tied back to the main plot, and thus I found them distracting. Second, is the ending. I won’t spoil the novel, but the last few pages were unsatisfying and too inconclusive. I don’t know what I was expecting to happen, but it wasn’t what I was given. The Mars Room has been getting quite a bit of attention, so you may want to check it out for yourself. I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Simon & Schuster Audio; 9 hr, 41 min), read by the author, for a freelance assignment. While there was nothing really wrong with Rachel Kushner's delivery, I didn't totally buy into her performance. Details will be available through AudioFile magazine.

The High Season by Judy Blundell (Random House, May 22): Based on the publisher's summary, I expected The High Season to be a light beach read with some thriller elements. I was partly wrong. Set on the North Fork (the un-Hampshires) of Long Island, the novel focuses on the transforming summer of Ruthie and Jemma, a mother–daughter pair who live in a beautiful beach house, which they can afford only by renting it out to vacationers from Memorial Day to Labor Day. After a wealthy young widow moves into the house, the threads of Ruthie and Jemma’s life begin to unravel. Coincidence? This is a surprisingly complex novel about changing culture, the infiltration of the Instagramable set into a small community, the dark undercurrent of the art world, coming of age (for Jemma), and forced and welcome new beginnings (for the adults and for the town). I found quite a lot to love here, such as a cast of fully realized, believable characters facing real-life situations and a diverse range of relationship and family issues. The High Season will bring depth and thought to your summer reading list; you won't want to miss it. I haven't read any of Blundell's YA fiction, but I now plan to explore her entire back list. (Print review copy provided by the publisher.)

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Weekend Cooking: Katie Lee's Easy Breezy Eats

I'm very sad that my year as a member of the Abrams Dinner Party is winding down, but I still have a couple of cookbooks I want to highlight here, and I have many recipes I hope to share in the coming weeks and months.

Today I'm talking about Katie Lee's Easy-Breezy Eats (Abrams Books, April), which I received from the publishers. The subtitle reads "The Endless Summer Cookbook," and it is indeed filled with recipes for warm-weather cooking, eating, and entertaining.

Food Network star Lee spends her summers in the Hamptons, on the South Fork, though she's quick to point out that her roots are in West Virginia, not Park Avenue. This collection of recipes reflects her casual lifestyle from Memorial Day to Labor Day: nothing too fancy; lots of outdoor dining.

The recipes in Easy-Breezy Eats are all about vacation (or weekend) fun and relaxed days on the beach. If you're in an area with an abundance of fresh seafood, you'll find new ways to serve it: lobster Ruben sandwiches, Thai-flavored fish cakes, and shrimp burgers, for example.

Lee's idea of summer entertaining includes the familiar classics--like hamburgers, three-bean salad, and pesto--but her versions feature easy, flavorful updates: turkey burgers with peach chipotle ketchup; green and wax bean salad with walnuts, blue cheese, and cranberries; and nutritious kale and flax seed pesto.

Now that the outdoor farmer's markets are open again and we're starting to see farm-fresh veggies, I'll be able to put Easy-Breezy Eats to good use. I'm especially interested in the salads and grilled meats, but I wouldn't say no to a super-easy strawberry brownie cake!

One of the other Abrams Dinner Party members loved Lee's spinach salad with strawberries and poppyseed dressing. I plan on making it just as soon as the local strawberries come into season. I also want to try the honeydew margarita (shown in the scan from the book); I bet it's really refreshing on a hot summer day. Maybe I'll make that part of my July 4 menu this year.

I recommend Katie Lee's Easy-Breezy Eats to those of you looking for new summer dishes or contemporary twists to old standards. Younger cooks, especially, will be attracted to Lee's recipes; experienced cooks who have no trouble tweaking Grandma's panzanella or cabbage slaw may want to look before buying.

I made the following Moroccan carrots a few weeks ago. They were so good, Mr. BFR and I finished off the whole bowl in one meal. They were really just that good. (The photo is mine.)

Moroccan Carrots
Serves 4

• 3 large carrots, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground cayenne
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, grated or finely minced
• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Harissa (I didn't use this)

Using a mandolin or very sharp knife, very thinly slice the carrots on the diagonal, about 1/16th inch (2mm) thick and put them in a bowl.

Put the cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook stirring frequently until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the oil and swirl the pan; when the mixture begins to bubble, add the garlic and cook, swirling the pan for 15 to 20 seconds, until the dressing is very hot. Pour the hot dressing over the carrots and toss with a large rubber spatula until the carrots are evenly coated and have absorbed the dressing. Add the parsley, season with salt and pepper, and toss until combined.

Serve at room temperature, with harissa, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
_______

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Review: C. B. Strike on Cinemax (debuts June 1)

Photo credits: Steffan Hill/Cinemax

Mark your calendars for the June 1 premiere of Cinemax's C. B. Strike, a seven-part series based on the Cormoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith (better known as J. K. Rowling). The series stars Tom Burke as Cormoran Strike, ex-military police now running his own P.I. business out of London, and Holliday Grainger as Robin Ellacott, who is initially hired as a temporary office manager.

C. B. Strike brings the first three Strike novels to the small screen. A supermodel's death is the focus of The Cuckoo's Calling (episodes 1–3): Was Lula Landry's fall from a third-floor balcony an accident, suicide, or murder? A slanderous unpublished novel and gruesome murder are at the center of The Silkworm (episodes 4 and 5): Agent, wife, fellow authors . . . who was angry enough to kill Owen Quine? Child abuse, murder, stalking, and revenge create a snarl of issues in Career of Evil (episodes 6 and 7).

There is much to like about Cinemax's C. B. Strike (thanks to Cinemax for the advance screener). Most important for fans of the books, the series is faithful to author Galbraith's stories, with the expected simplifications of some tangential plot threads. Further, just like in the novels, we learn about Cormoran's and Robin's home life and backgrounds in bits and pieces and are spared long digressions to fill us in.

I was initially unsure about Burke and Grainger's ability to embody Galbraith's characters and create the complex chemistry between them. I shouldn't have doubted; within a few minutes, I believed both actors. Burke plays Strike with just the right mix of charm and rebel; especially impressive is the way he handles Strike's disability. Grainger conveys Robin's intelligence, determination, and strength, without masking her vulnerabilities.

Fans will be generally pleased with the book to screen adaptations in C. B. Strike. The sets were a good-enough match to what I had envisioned from reading, and the score is well thought out, reflecting the mood of the action without interfering. I particularly liked the way the series is filmed, with interesting angles to break up the more straightforward sequences.

The three episodes of The Cuckoo's Calling offer an excellent introduction to Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott; the extra hour allows the plot to simmer and gives us time to formulate our own ideas of the model's fate. Although The Silkworm was pared down to two hours, it didn't feel rushed or oversimplified, and the guest stars were excellent.

Of the three adaptations, Career of Evil is the least successful. The complexity of the original plot would have benefited from a third episode. The main points of the story are in the screen play, but some of the changes took away from Robin's personal arc and watered down the solution to the mystery. The episodes are, however, well put together, and it's fair to say that if the novel weren't fresh in my mind, I might not have been bothered by the differences between show and book.

Put all seven episodes of Cinemax's C. B. Strike on your watch list and clear your Friday nights. The atmospheric series is sure to be one of the highlights of your summer viewing.

For more information and a preview, visit the C. B. Strike website. C. B. Strike is produced in association with BBC One. Executive produced by J. K. Rowling, Neil Blair, Ruth Kenley-Letts, and Elizabeth Kilgarriff through Bronte Film and Television.

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Wordless Wednesday 496

Violets, 2018

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Stacked-Up Book Thoughts: 6 Good Books

I skipped my review post last week for no particular reason than I was feeling lazy. Instead I posted extra-short reviews on Twitter. I give you similarly short thoughts today, just to keep a record here.

This was a slow reading week, which is the weather's fault. I did yard work, started cleaning the deck for summer, and had to dig out my summer clothes. It was also the first week of our outdoor farmer's market, which is where we buy the bulk of our food until it closes in late October.

Yay for summer.

Before I get to my reading life, here are some things to look for this coming week.

On Wednesday on the AudioFile Magazine blog I'll recommend five audiobooks that will each give you a new perspective on nature, animals, and the world around us. I concentrate on fun books to help you get in the mood for easy summer living.

On Friday, I will share my thoughts on the upcoming Cinemax miniseries C. B. Strike, based on the first three Cormoran Strike books by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling). The show debuts on June 1, so mark your calendars. I'll have more information later in the week.

What I Read Two Weeks Ago

• Sloan Crosley's Look Alive Out There (Macmillan, April 3) is a collection of essays about living in New York, working freelance, traveling, making reproductive decisions, and dealing with neighbors as well as other musings about contemporary life. Humor mixed with spot-on truths. Recommended. (Audiobook review available soon from AudioFile)
• Luke Barr's Ritz and Escoffier (Clarkson Potter, April 3) is a dual biography of how Ritz and Escoffier rose from humble beginnings to become trusted sources of elegance and good taste (no pun intended) at the turn of the last century. Fascinating and easy to read. Recommended. (Audiobook review available soon from AudioFile)
• Sylvain Neuvel's Only Human (Del Rey, May 1) is the third (and final?) book in the Themis Files series. This installment had me laughing at the pop culture references, even as I became wrapped up in the main characters' struggles to adjust to a changing Earth. Audiobook is the best way to read the series: the fantabulous full-cast performance is not to be missed (start with book 1). (Review copy provided by the publisher)
• Jane Harper's The Dry (Flatiron, 2017). I did a quick reread of this great crime novel set in a small town in Australia. The protagonist, Aaron Falk, is a federal agent in the Australian finance division, who becomes involved in a murder investigation when he returns to his home town for the funeral. Recommended. (Review copy provided by the publisher)

What I Read Last Week

The Force of Nature by Jane Harper (Flatiron, February 2018), is the second entry in the Aaron Falk series. In this outing, Falk is back at his office in Melbourne and has a new partner, Carmen Cooper. They are called to the bushland, when an executive at a bank they're investigating goes missing on a corporate outdoor weekend, meant to encourage bonding and trust. The Giralang Ranges is true wilderness, and the question is whether Alice Russell's disappearance is an unfortunate accident, bad judgment, or something very sinister. And, of course, no matter the circumstances, is she alive or dead? Harper weaves the complex relationships among the five women and five men on the retreat with the spooky reputation of the Giralang Ranges, the current Falk/Cooper criminal investigation, and other factors. Good tension and solid plotting pulled me in, and I was unable to figure out the solution before it was revealed. The Falk books are now among of my favorites in crime fiction. I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Macmillan Audio; 8 hr, 53 min) read by Stephen Shanahan. As I wrote last week, Shanahan has a natural, fluid style and masterfully works the tempo to keep the tension tight. Good characterization . . . plus I love his Australian accent. Recommended in print or audio. (Both print and audiobook copies provided by the publisher)

I listened to Andrea Camilleri's The Shape of Water (Penguin Books, 2002), which was translated from the Italian by Stephen Sartarell. This is the first in a long series that stars Salvo Montalbano, a police inspector in Sicily, and I decided to start the audiobooks on the recommendation of SuziQoregon from Whimpulsive blog. The book is a combination of mystery, social commentary, and humor and even includes some good food references. Montalbano has no problem stepping a little outside the strict confines of his duty and has a creative way solving crimes. I liked his personality and the comings and goings of the town, including the ongoing feud between two mafia families. Despite appearances, Montalbano respects his job and wants to uncover the truth. He seems particularly skilled at dealing with the local community, taking an Everyman's attitude more than wielding his power as a policeman. The crime itself involved a death that may or may not have been murder but left the dead man in a compromising position. My impression after book 1 is that the series is fun, adult reading. This isn't hard-core crime fiction, but isn't as light as a cozy. I plan to continue the series. The unabridged audiobook (Blackstone Audio; 4 hr, 4 min) is read by Grover Gardner, who does a great job distinguishing the voices and giving the characters an Italian and Sicilian flavor without tripping into parody. He delivers the humor as easily as the more tense-filled moments and kept me listening the entire afternoon. And good news for audiobook fans: Gardner reads the entire series (19 books are currently available). (Audiobook: personal copy)

Current Books and Television

I'm currently listening to Rachel Kushner's The Mars Room and reading Julia Fine's What Should Be Wild. Both are excellent, and I'm having a hard time deciding which book to read when. Sweetbitter started on Starz over the weekend. I plan to watch tonight. I really loved the book of the same title, written by Stephanie Danler (though I know it got mixed reviews), so I'm curious about how it comes across on film. The actress who plays the main character, Tess, doesn't match the image I had in my mind. We shall see, and I shall report back. If you get Netflix, I hope you're watching David Letterman's My Next Guest Needs no Introduction. We've watched all five current episodes, and each one was excellent.

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Weekend Cooking: Fresh Food Fast from Cooking Light

As almost always happens, we went right from winter straight into summer! Yes, last week I was wearing sweaters, and today it's a T-shirt.

With the sudden warmer weather, my style of cooking has had to take a sharp turn too. When you don't have central air conditioning, you avoid heating up the kitchen as much as possible.

All this makes me extra glad I received a review copy of Cooking Light's Fresh Food Fast (Oxmoor House, March). This book, from one of my most-trusted sources, gathers recipes that (as you might guess from the title) use fresh ingredients and take little time to put together. Just what I need to get through the summer.

Before I say anything more about Fresh Food Fast, I should mention that this is a completely new cookbook. So if you have an earlier Cooking Light book of the same or similar title, you might want to look through 2018 edition, which contains different recipes.

The cookbook offers a good mix of vegetarian, fish, and meat dishes, and I'm particularly glad for the variety of salads, grain bowls, and pastas. Fresh Food Fast includes breakfasts and desserts, but I'm drawn to the recipes for lunches, dinners, and sides.

Here are some of the recipes I've made or have marked to try (the scan of the Brussels sprouts salad is from Fresh Food Fast):

• Club Chicken and Quinoa: a grain bowl dinner with bacon and tomatoes
• Chicken Succotash Bowl: with a mix of colorful veggies
• Sheet Pan Fajitas: steak, peppers, and onions served in corn tortillas
• Ricotta and Zucchini Flatbread: summer veggies and cheese on naan
• Butternut Squash and Gnocchi Skillet: with spinach and walnuts
• Beet, White Bean, and Spinach Salad: with a basalmic vinaigrette and nuts
• Seared Salmon with Ginger-Corn Salsa: with cilantro and fresh ginger
• Eggplant Souvlaki Pita: with cucumbers, feta, and yogurt
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and White Beans: includes a sliced apple

I've written many times about Cooking Light, so I'm just going to let their reputation stand for itself. Their Fresh Food Fast is a super collection of recipes that can be made in under 15 minutes or that use less than 5 ingredients or that are both. What's more, the recipes are easy to make and look pretty on the plate.

Despite my unreserved recommendation, I think very experienced cooks may want to check this one out of the library before buying. Also, I'm not 100 percent sure this cookbook is a good match for families with young children or picky eaters.

The recipe I'm sharing is one I ended up using more for inspiration than actually following step by step. Still, I think this is a solid dish. My photo shows where I ended up. Basically, I added an avocado and some red bell pepper and used a vinaigrette dressing (I'm not a big mayo fan).

White Bean and Asparagus Farro
Serves 4

• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking farro
• 2/3 cup whole buttermilk
• 1/3 cup canola mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, divided
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high. Add the farro, cook until tender, about 10 minutes. (I added the asparagus for the last 5 minutes.) Drain.

Whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the dill in a large bowl. Add the cooked farro, asparagus, beans, and shallots to the dressing. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with the remaining dill.

Linking this recipe up with Souper Sundays on Deb's blog Kahakai Kitchen. Check out her linkup for soups, sandwiches, and salads.

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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5 Books to Jump-Start Your Summer

All it takes is two warm days and I'm ready for summer. I'm not alone, right? And since I'm thinking summer, I'm also in the mood for beach reading. I know, I know--May has barely begun, and here I'm already dreaming of vacation. I bet you are too. So grab your sunscreen and flip flops and one of today's recommended books: it's time to jump-start your summer fun.

• August and Everything After by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski (Sourcebook Fire, May 1): Even three years after her best friend died in a car accident, Quinn is still having trouble feeling steady. Maybe a summer living with her aunt on the Jersey Shore will give her the space she needs figure out her future. Romance and music may offer a way to happiness . . . or has Quinn set her heart on the wrong guy? Summer love mixed with more serious themes will keep you turning the pages.
• Beach House Reunion by Mary Alice Monroe (Gallery, May 22): Take a trip to the Lowcountry and walk the beaches of historic South Carolina with three generations of the Rutledge family. Although officially part of Monroe's Beach House series, this book can easily be read as a standalone. Two women in different stages of life and facing different problems, set up house at their family beach house: Cara a late-in-life single mother and fairly recent widow is having trouble transitioning to her new reality, and her baby-sitter niece is feeling lost now that she's out of college. Strong themes of ecology, relationships, and family wind their way through Monroe's latest.
• The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan (William Morrow, May 22): Set on an island off the coast of Scotland, this is a story of second chances and the strength of family as well as good friends and maybe even romance. Colgan is well-known for her believable characters, vivid settings, and good food (there's a cafe involved), and her stories are the perfect lazy Saturday escape. Pour a mug of tea and arrange a plate of biscuits (cookies); then settle in for an engrossing small-town tale.
• The High Season by Judy Blundell (Random House, May 22): Oh what joy to have the perfect Long Island beach house and oh what sorrow to have to rent it for the summer season. Ruthie and her teenage daughter, Jemm, are unprepared for all they may have to give up when their beautiful tenant seems take possession of not only their house but also of major chunks of their lives. This may be the summer of Jemm's coming of age and Ruthie's unraveling . . . or maybe it's a call to dig deep and find that inner strength.
• The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews (St. Martin's Press, May 8): A wealthy ninety-something woman seeks advice from a young, struggling lawyer: Can she will her private Georgia island to her three best friends? Seems simple enough, but the friends have been estranged for decades and the millionaire dies before signing the documents . . . and then there's the little problem of a long-ago murder. Good plotting and great characters are the hallmarks of Andrews's summer reads.

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Wordless Wednesday 495

Fruit Tree, 2018

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Today's Read: Force of Nature by Jane Harper

How long could you live in the Australian wilderness if you became separated from your colleagues while on a corporate retreat? What if you were more used to power suits, high heels, and the city than you were to jeans and hiking boots? When a banking executive is reported missing while on a camping trip, search and rescue know they'd better work fast if they're going to find the woman alive.

Later, the four remaining women could fully agree on only two things. One: No one saw the bushland swallow up Alice Russell. And two: Alice had a mean streak so sharp it could cut you.

—Force of Nature by Jane Harper (Flatiron Books, 2018, p. 1; Prologue)

Quick Facts

• Setting: contemporary times; Australia: Giralang Ranges, Melbourne
• Circumstances: Five men and five women from a corporate bank go on a three-day hiking retreat, which is supposed to strengthen bonds and trust. It's the men against the women, and the first group to emerge from the bush is entitled to bonuses and bragging rights. As the book opens, the men are already back at the pickup van waiting impatiently for the women. When they're finally spotted coming off the trail, only four women are in the group. Search and rescue ask federal agent Aaron Falk and his new partner, Cameron Cooper, to help find the missing banker.
• Genre: mystery, thriller
• Characters: Aaron Falk, 38, a federal agent in the financial sector; Cameron Cooper, 38, experienced agent, newly engaged; Alice Russell, corporate banker who was secretly cooperating with the agents as a whistleblower; the other nine people on retreat, all employees or executives at the bank and including two sets of siblings; various other people involved with the search and rescue
• Why I want to read this: I really loved Harper's first book, The Dry, which took place in the small farming community where Falk grew up. The novel had the perfect mix of well-developed characters, a complex plot, a fully realized landscape, and a low buzz of tension. I have every hope that Force of Nature will be just as good.
• What you need to know: I've only just started Force of Nature, but I can tell already that it's possible to start reading the Falk mysteries with this book, but because the series is only two books long (so far), I strongly suggest you start with The Dry. I say this not just so you'll be caught up with the Falk story but because the first book reveals Falk's background and childhood, which inform his character as an adult.
• What about the audiobook? Ahhhh welllll, the audiobooks are both read by Stephen Shanahan, who has a very fluid, natural delivery. His performance is expressive and it's easy to tell the characters apart. I loved his Australian accent, which adds to the setting, and his pacing amped the tension. The unabridged edition of Force of Nature is from Macmillan Audio (8 hr, 56 min). I both listened to and read The Dry and plan the same with the second book.

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