|
Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf, where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, we will enjoy a delicious, and slightly spicy, cauliflower taco from Bon Appetit paired with a delightful chapter book, Stef Soto, Taco Queen!  This cauliflower taco is an alternative to tacos filled with meat, beans, or cheese. The chipotle adobo adds quite a kick, so my advice is to use it sparingly if you have a younger crowd enjoying these with you. The sour cream does help relieve the spice, though. Roasting the cauliflower brings out its nuttiness and creates a substantial, meaty texture. If you opt out of using the chipotle, add a touch of chili powder or smoked paprika.  TACO COMPLETE! Bon Appetit Recipe Ingredients: Cauliflower, Tortillas, Olive Oil, Chipotle Adobo, Garlic, Lime, Cumin, Cilantro, Sour Cream (Extras: pickled red onions, cotija or queso fresco)  Stef Soto, Taco Queen by Jennifer Torres
"A deliciously charming and heartwarming novel, all wrapped up in a warm tortilla. Tacos. Burritos. Guacamole. Estefania "Stef" Soto is itching to shake off the onion-and-cilantro embrace of Tia Perla, her family's taco truck. She wants nothing more than for Papi to get a normal job and for the taco truck to be a distant memory. Then maybe everyone at school will stop calling her the Taco Queen. But when her family's livelihood is threatened, and it looks like her wish will finally come true, Stef surprises everyone (including herself) by becoming the truck's unlikely champion. In this fun and heartfelt novel, Stef will discover what matters most and ultimately embrace her identity, even if it includes old Tia Perla." - Bookshop.org If you are looking for some additional great TACO inspired reads, look no further! Try this Library Aware Newsletter! Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf, where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, I can't wait to share with you a recipe from a sweet, interactive, bilingual picture book. The surprise ending is the best part!!! Maybe my Book Bites title gave it away...  Arroz con Leche is a creamy rice pudding, typically made with leftover rice and milk or cream with sugar and cinnamon. This version actually requires that you make the rice with milk, then add it to the custard, then chilling it. Let's be honest, who can wait for it to cool? I enjoyed the creamy goodness while it was warm. I also enjoyed it chilled...it thickens up quite a bit. In fact, it is possible to warm a portion in the microwave by adding a splash of milk and cream, if you like it a little creamier rather than firm. Bonus!! This recipe makes a large portion of rice pudding sooooo, if you feel like it, you can use some of the left over firm pudding to make a nice little treat: Fried Rice Pudding! (steps included below) Rice Pudding Ingredients: Long Grain Rice, Whole Milk, Heavy Cream, Sugar, Butter, Cinnamon Stick, Lime Zest, Egg Yolks, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg Fried Rice Pudding Ingredients: Rice Pudding, Cornstarch, Vegetable Oil, Coconut, Pecans Would you like to learn more about this sweet treat? Try this article from Mexico News Daily! While you are enjoying your tasty treat, make sure to read this fun story: The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred. The story builds upon itself as the reader is trying to guess what is in the Cazuela! This is a great story to read aloud with children, especially to practice Spanish vocabulary and pronunciation. The recipe is included at the back of the book!  The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha R. Vamos and Rafael López
WINNER: Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor Book 2012 "A wonderful read-aloud, filled with merriment and conviviality" -- Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review "The artistry of this book makes it a must buy for all libraries" -- School Library Journal, STARRED review This is the story of how the farm maiden and all the farm animals worked together to make the rice pudding that they serve at the fiesta. With the familiarity of "The House That Jack Built," this story bubbles and builds just like the ingredients of the arroz con leche that everyone enjoys. Cleverly incorporating Spanish words, adding a new one in place of the English word from the previous page, this book makes learning the language easy and fun. Rafael Lopez covers each page with vibrant, exuberant color, celebrating tradition and community. Back matter includes a glossary of Spanish words and a recipe for arroz con leche--perfect for everyone to make together and enjoy at story time. - Bookshop.org Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf, where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, I can't wait to share with you we three math related books and one amazing shortbread recipe!  I discovered this Custard Biscuit recipe inside a special Community Cookbook I picked up in Groam, Scotland. The Groam House Museum houses the Pictish Carved Stones of Rosemarkie as well as a collection of Celtic Art and Knots. This shortbread biscuit recipe surprises you with simplicity; the slightly salty, sweet, and crisp cookie is perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea. I feel it is appropriate to share the full recipe here because, unless you are able to get to The Groam House Museum in Scotland, you will not have access to purchasing the cookbook. Ingredients: 170g butter (or margarine) 170g self-raising flour 60g caster sugar 60g custard powder Further caster sugar to dust Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Cream together sugar and butter. Add the flour and custard powder. Roll into walnut sized balls and coat with additional caster sugar. Place the balls on a greased (or parchment lined) baking tray, leaving space between for expansion. Flatten with a fork and bake for 15-20 minutes. So, now, grab that cup of tea and enjoy your biscuits while reading some math related picture books! After reading, you may be inspired to play some Pictish Board Games.  Bracelets for Bina's Brothers by Rajani Larocca (Author) Chaaya Prabhat (Illustrator) "Bina loves her three brothers, even though they can be annoying, and every year, their family celebrates Raksha Bandhan, a Hindu custom that affirms the bond between brothers and sisters. According to the tradition, sisters tie bracelets on their brothers' wrists to protect them, and in return, brothers give their sisters gifts. This year, Bina decides she will make the bracelets herself, using beads of their favorite colors along with an "extra-special" bead to symbolize their unique interests. Here Bina's task takes on a mathematical twist as she arranges the beads using an every-other-one pattern." - Booklist  The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos by Deborah Heiligman (Author) Leuyen Pham (Illustrator) "Most people think of mathematicians as solitary, working away in isolation. And, it's true, many of them do. But Paul Erdos never followed the usual path. At the age of four, he could ask you when you were born and then calculate the number of seconds you had been alive in his head. But he didn't learn to butter his own bread until he turned twenty. Instead, he traveled around the world, from one mathematician to the next, collaborating on an astonishing number of publications. With a simple, lyrical text and richly layered illustrations, this is a beautiful introduction to the world of math and a fascinating look at the unique character traits that made "Uncle Paul" a great man. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013 A New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of 2013" ~ Bookshop.org  Danny Chung Sums It Up by Maisie Chan (Author) Natelle Quek (Illustrator) "Eleven-year-old Danny's life is turned upside down when his Chinese grandmother comes to live with his family in England. Things get worse when Danny finds out he'll have to share his room with her, and she took the top bunk! At first, Danny is frustrated that he can't communicate with her because she doesn't speak English--and because he's on the verge of failing math and Nai Nai was actually a math champion back in the day. It just feels like he and his grandmother have nothing in common. His parents insist that Danny help out, so when he's left to look after Nai Nai, he leaves her at the bingo hall for the day to get her off his back. But he soon discovers that not everyone there is as welcoming as he expected . . . Through the universal languages of math and art, Danny realizes he has more in common with his Nai Nai than he first thought. Filled with heart and humor, Danny Chung Sums It Up shows that traversing two cultures is possible and worth the effort, even if it's not always easy." ~Bookshop.org SOURCES:
The Groam House Museum Bookshop.org Please consider using this Bookshop.org link (above) when purchasing books, in lieu of Amazon.com. A portion of the purchase price supports small businesses. Thanks! Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, we will enjoy a recipe to help celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival! Today’s recipe is a unique twist on the classic mooncake traditionally filled with an eggyolk. There are various fillings for mooncakes, including redbean, sweet potato, and more. To dare to be different, we will fill our mooncakes with a rich chocolate/almond butter center which makes these mooncakes even more special! This recipe comes from Molly Yeh. I have made this recipe more than once and I have found that it gets easier over time. I will include some tweaks that I think will help as the technique for filling the cakes is a bit finicky. But not to worry! The end result is quite amazing and worth the effort!  Before we start with the recipe, you might be interested to learn more about the myth behind the mooncake! Enjoy this 1-minute myth created by Grace Lin, author of A Big Mooncake for Little Star. Special Equipment! The mooncake design is created by placing the filled ball of dough in a special press. This one is similar to the one I used. Special Ingredient! Lye Water ~ Make your own here: Recipe for Lye Water: To make the lye water for use in most recipes, use a ratio of 1:4 (1 part baked baking soda : 4 parts water). So if a recipe requires 1 teaspoon of lye water, simply mix 1/4 teaspoon of baked baking soda with 1 teaspoon of tap water. Now on with the recipe!! I found this recipe on Food Network after watching Molly Yeh make these little darlings on her cooking show. Molly Yeh Mooncakes NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE NOTE Here are my quick modifications, unless you are so good at making mooncakes, then skip this! Molly's recipe suggests portioning the dough and filling into 12 pieces. (dough 20g each and filling 30g each) I found that the ratio was hard to work with. So my suggestion is to double the recipe for the dough and then portion both the dough and filling into 18 pieces each (dough at 26g each piece and filling at 20g each piece) So, now, if you have 18 pieces of dough and 18 pieces of filling and you will be truly successful! Part of my problem was when I went to fill the dough balls. After I flattened the dough in my hand, as the recipe indicates, I found that I could not wrap the dough around the filling without causing holes in the dough and then a sticky mess. I'll show you my bad and my good mooncakes so that you can see how it turned it out. What REALLY HELPED me was when I remembered watching Molly Yeh make these, she flattened the dough ball on a piece of plastic wrap, placed the filling inside, then used the plastic wrap to guide the dough up and around the filling!!!!!! So, my second batch of mooncakes are a little smaller but no holes!!! Okay...enough talk! Here is my mooncake process: THAT WAS EASY! Dough Ingredients: Flour, Golden Syrup (or honey), Lye Water, Oil Filling Ingredients: Milk Chocolate Chips, Almond Butter, Cocoa Powder, Powdered Sugar The mooncakes are delicious right out of the oven. Customarily, they sit for a day or two to let the cookie crust firm up. If you want to wait, be my guest! No matter how you choose to eat them, make sure to enjoy one or both of these books.  The Best Kind of Mooncake by Pearl Auyeung (Author) I thought this would be a great first choice...primarily because I think the best kind of mooncake is filled with chocolate. “Once upon a morning in Hong Kong, in the alley of Tai Yuen Street, a girl is promised a mooncake with a double-yolk center--the best kind! The special mooncake seems like the only excitement on an otherwise boring day in the market where nothing changes... until an exhausted stranger falls to his knees right in the street! He ran through forests, swam through rivers, and even stowed away on a ship, all to get to Hong Kong. Now at the end of his journey, all he needs is a bite to eat, but no one seems willing to help--not even the girl, if it means giving up her prized treat. The girl's ultimate decision has surprising, far-reaching consequences in this mostly true story that reminds us that even the smallest acts of kindness hold the power to change lives, for the giver as much as the receiver.” - Bookshop.org  A Big Mooncake for Little Starbookshop.org/a/106339/9780316404488 (Caldecott Honor Book) by Grace Lin (Author) “Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she's not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can't resist a nibble?” This video chat with Grace Lin explains the inspiration for writing and illustrating this beautiful book. Little Brown Books for Young Readers Video Chat SOURCES:
Amazon Bookshop.org Food Network Grace Lin Molly Yeh Finally! I am also transitioning my newsletter over to Substack...it will take a few days to transition, but please consider clicking on this link to subscribe to the Substack so that you will be a part of the journey with me! (and you won't miss any delightful food and book pairings!!) THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!! SUBSTACK LINK (This is a free subscription!!!!) Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, we will enjoy a classic french sandwich loaf baked in a pullman loaf pan…a really easy way to keep a fresh loaf of bread on hand for grilled cheese and french toast. Speaking of french toast, bonus recipe, I will make a Hong Kong French Toast to connect with some sweet and humorous picture books. I have explored many recipes for Pain de Mie, my favorite recipe being from the famous Poilane Bakery in Paris. I first learned of the technique from Masterclass. I could not wait to try out Apollonia's recipe. It is amazing and multi-stepped and definitely my "go-to" recipe. However, as I was exploring other recipes, I concluded that the home baker could use a more streamlined approach, which is why I am sharing the following recipe for you to try from Culinary Exploration. The differences in these two recipes, when it comes down to it, are how to fold in the softened butter, how long to rest the dough, and how to fold the dough for rising. Both recipes, though, are good! Maybe start with the following recipe, then try your hand at the Poilane Bakery Pain de Mie. Do you need a Pullman Loaf pan and which size? Well, forgive me for saying this, but if you would like the proper square shaped loaf, a proper pan is best HOWEVER, this should not stop you from making the recipe in a standard loaf pan. The taste and texture will be quite nice and you will still have a lovely loaf. You will see that I could not find the lid for my pan, so I placed a sheet pan on top of the loaf while it was rising and baking. It can be done!! As far as the size, usually the recipe will state which size is best for the amount of dough being created, but honestly, whichever size you use, just be sure to check on the rising and baking periodically to adjust, as necessary. Pain de Mie Ingredients: Bread Flour, Yeast, Honey, Milk, Salt But what to do with all of this lovely bread? French Toast, of course. And, not just any french toast but the Hong Kong Style French Toast from Christie at Home. Simply divine! This particular version is quite rich and hearty filled with protein to start your day. Need some background history of French Toast? Try the historical information found here at Little Passports. (Little Passports does a great job of introducing cooking to our little and not so little kiddos.) French Toast Ingredients: Sliced Pain de Mie, Peanut butter, Eggs, Sweetened Condensed Milk Make sure to share your bread and french toast with your loved ones ALONG with two wonderful picture books.  French Toast by Kari-Lynn Winters (Author) François Thisdale (Illustrator) "Phoebe--half Jamaican, half French-Canadian--hates her school nickname of "French Toast." So she is mortified when, out on a walk with her Jamaican grandmother, she hears a classmate shout it out at her. To make things worse, Nan-Ma, who is blind, wants an explanation of the name. How can Phoebe describe the color of her skin to someone who has never seen it? "Like tea, after you've added the milk," she says. And her father? "Like warm banana bread." And Nan-Ma herself? She is like maple syrup poured over...well... In French Toast, Kari-Lynn Winters uses favorite foods from both of Phoebe's cultures to celebrate the varied skin tones of her family. François Thisdale's imaginative illustrations fill the landscape with whimsy and mouthwatering delight as Phoebe realizes her own resilience and takes ownership of her nickname proudly." ~Bookshop.org  Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast, Volume 1
Josh Funk (Author) Brendan Kearney (Illustrator) A thoroughly delicious rhyming story about the funniest food fight ever--perfect for fans of The Food Group series. Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast have a beautiful friendship--until they discover that there's only one drop of maple syrup left! The race is ON! Off they go, racing past the Orange Juice Fountain, skiing through Sauerkraut Peak, and reeling down the linguini.But who will enjoy the sweet taste of victory? And could working together be better than tearing each other apart? Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, we will enjoy the decadent deep dish Detroit Pizza, my tried and true recipe from Jeff Mauro on the Food Network. I absolutely love to make pizza, and this recipe is a go to when I want a nice thick crust, crispy cheesy edges, and sweet tomato sauce. I typically slice my own pepperoni. Feel free to sub in pre sliced, although the thickness of your hand sliced pepperoni really adds to the textural chew in each bite. Not a fan of pepperoni? Well, by all means, add your favorite topping, or none at all! What is this a Detroit style pizza you ask? The most basic quality of a Detroit Style pizza comes down to the crust…thick and fluffy, focaccia like, and crispy with cheesy goodness. Want more from Jeff Mauro? Here is a link to his quirky website Come on Over with additional recipes and funky songs (it is not up to date but it is fun!) Don’t have a Detroit Pizza Pan? I actually just use my 9x13 baking pan. Works like a charm! While you are waiting for the dough to rise, take a gander at these books available on Bookshop.org. Pizza brings everyone together. Food builds community. These three reads are a great example of working together and making connections. Pizza is more than a crust covered in cheese and sauce. Pizza is an experience and a great meal to share casually.  Every Night is Pizza Night by J. Kenji López-Alt (Author) Gianna Ruggiero (Illustrator) “Pipo thinks that pizza is the best. No, Pipo knows that pizza is the best. It is scientific fact. But when she sets out on a neighborhood-spanning quest to prove it, she discovers that "best" might not mean what she thought it meant. Join Pipo as she cooks new foods with her friends Eugene, Farah, Dakota, and Ronnie and Donnie. Each eating experiment delights and stuns her taste buds. Is a family recipe for bibimbap better than pizza? What about a Moroccan tagine that reminds you of home? Or is the best food in the world the kind of food you share with the people you love? Warm and funny, with bright, whimsical illustrations by Gianna Ruggiero, Every Night Is Pizza Night is a story about open-mindedness, community, and family. With a bonus pizza recipe for young readers to cook with their parents, Every Night Is Pizza Night will make even the pickiest eaters hungry for something new.” Bookshop.org  Lorenzo, The Pizza Loving Lobster by Claire Lordon (Author) “Help Lorenzo the lobster and Kalena the sea turtle make a pizza in this delicious summer picture book! When Lorenzo the lobster is wandering on the beach and discovers a pizza, it becomes his favorite food ever! He comes back home to tell his friend Kalena the sea turtle about it, and together they try to make it. But, Lorenzo can't remember exactly what was on it. Was it made with seaweed cake, kelp paste, eelgrass, and sand dollars? Or kelp dough, squid ink, algae, and coral rings? Or maybe sponge patties, jellyfish jelly, seaweed noodles, and seashells? After a few unappetizing attempts, Kalena becomes frustrated with Lorenzo and leaves hungry and unhappy. As she walks home, she comes across something delicious . . . It must be the pizza Lorenzo was talking about! She's so hungry she could eat it all, but she brings it back for Lorenzo and her to look at together. Once they figure out how to make it, they have a pizza party for all their friends!” Bookshop.org  Words Between Us by Angela Pham Krans (Author) Dung Ho (Illustrator) “From Angela Pham Krans (Finding Papa) and Dung Ho (New York Times bestselling illustrator of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners) comes a poignant picture book that tenderly portrays the intergenerational bond between a boy named Felix and his grandma that's cemented over food--and flash cards--when Grandma comes to live with Felix's family from Vietnam. Perfect for fans of Drawn Together. Felix and Grandma have always lived oceans apart--until the day Grandma arrives. Felix is so excited to meet Grandma and spend time with her. Except she doesn't know English! And he doesn't know much Vietnamese! But maybe they can connect in other ways--like over their shared love of pizza. One day, when Grandma gets lost and doesn't know how to ask for help, Felix decides to teach her English. And by working together and teaching each other, they just might learn to share words as well. This tender and heartwarming story from Angela Pham Krans and Dung Ho shows how love transcends language and how food and flashcards can bring family together. Finding Papa by Angela Pham Krans and Thi Bui has been named the 2024 Asian/Pacific American Award Picture Honor Book by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association!” Bookshop.org Ingredients List (please refer to recipe link for full information):
Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf where I pair a delicious recipe with a wonderful book! Today, we will enjoy a gluten free cookie made with almond flour and a fragrant touch of rose water straight from Morocco (courtesy of my Brother-In-Law - Thanks!!). This recipe is super easy; the dough comes together in just one bowl. The cookies can be shaped into 20-30 gram balls that are then rolled into a fluffy coating of powdered sugar. They hold their shape after a quick bake and in 30 minutes or less, you will be enjoying this sweet morsel with your tea or coffee (or warm oat milk, if you desire). Take some time to read, alone or with another, the wordless picture book I have paired for you. Picture books are not just for children. Picture books truly are for anyone who wants to engage with a story through the amazing art of illustration. The book Mirror by Jeannie Baker takes us on a journey that compares a day in the life of two families from very different parts of the world: Australia and Morocco. From Bookshop.org: "An innovative, two-in-one picture book follows a parallel day in the life of two families: one in a Western city and one in a North African village.Somewhere in Sydney, Australia, a boy and his family wake up, eat breakfast, and head out for a busy day of shopping. Meanwhile, in a small village in Morocco, a boy and his family go through their own morning routines and set out to a bustling market. In this ingenious, wordless picture book, readers are invited to compare, page by page, the activities and surroundings of children in two different cultures. Their lives may at first seem quite unalike, but a closer look reveals that there are many things, some unexpected, that connect them as well. Designed to be read side by side -- one from the left and the other from the right -- these intriguing stories are told entirely through richly detailed collage illustrations." Ingredients:
 Welcome to my Kitchen and my Bookshelf! I am so excited to start this new journey of pairing wonderful reads with delicious recipes. In this space, I will be sharing with you some fun (and sometimes fancy) recipes and books that I think go hand in hand. I will sprinkle in some adult reading material at times, but my expertise lies in the field of picture books.
DID YOU KNOW that there are many diverse picture books out there with recipes INCLUDED? Well, stick with me! I will also share those books with you! (and try out the recipe so you can see how it turns out ;-)) I am have set up my Bookshop.org page so that when I recommend a book, you will have the option to click on the link and purchase a copy for yourself. Yes, I will hopefully receive a tiny commission from this affiliation. A girl has to start somewhere in earning an income after retirement!! Please sign up for the newsletter (form in the sidebar/or at the very bottom of this newsletter) so that you can receive the newsletter BlossomBagelBookBites straight to your email. My intentions are to send the newsletter on Wednesday so you can plan to try the recipe over the weekend. As a school librarian, I will be very careful to only provide access to recipes that are publicly available or I have created myself. So...if I make a recipe from a cookbook or children's book, I will not be able to give you the exact information....but hey! You can buy the book from Bookshop.org! I also would like to be completely upfront with this. I am just starting out, I can't even seem to get the comments working, and I may make some mistakes along the way. I may even switch platforms to Substack at some point. I NEED YOUR HELP! You can help by adding your email to subscribe to the newsletter AND when I send out a feedback survey, I really do want to hear from you! (AND, if you live in MD...shameless plug,...you could order some bagels) More about me? I'm glad you asked! I am a collector of recipes, cookbooks, picture books, fiction/nonfiction, spices, and art supplies. I have just retired from teaching as an elementary school librarian. I have two wonderful daughters, and a wonderful husband who has given me unconditional support for this venture. Prior to teaching, I worked in the hospitality industry...hotels, hotel management, meeting planning, and running a B&B. I have a degree in art and a graduate degree in Library Science. My heart has always been in cooking, creating art, and reading. Ta Da! Stick with me, kiddos! We are going to have fun sampling food and books together! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!     Welcome to Book Bites! Please enjoy these pairings of books and recipes for you to read and recreate. From my home kitchen to yours! Let’s start with a delicious Custard Toast topped with Strawberries macerated in Sugar and Black Pepper and Toasted Coconut. The rich yogurt custard bakes on a slice of buttered toast until it is golden and crusty. Strawberries macerated in sugar and black pepper provide a sweet and slightly spicy freshness that complements the coconut custard and toasted coconut crown. Treat yourself to this custard toast while reading one or both of these lovely books. Berry Song by Michaela Goade is a Caldecott Honor Book celebrating the seasons, the land, and the wisdom of our elders. "On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries. Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry. Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry. Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all. Michaela Goade's luminous rendering of water and forest, berries and jams glows with her love of the land and offers an invitation to readers to deepen their own relationship with the earth." Bookshop.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris is a combination of comfort, magic, and intrigue set in a quaint French town. "Vianne Rocher has settled down. Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, the place that once rejected her, has finally become her home. With Rosette, her 'special' child, she runs her chocolate shop in the square, talks to her friends on the river, is part of the community. Even Reynaud, the priest, has become a friend. But when old Narcisse, the florist, dies, leaving a parcel of land to Rosette and a written confession to Reynaud, the life of the sleepy village is once more thrown into disarray. The arrival of Narcisse's relatives, the departure of an old friend and the opening of a mysterious new shop in the place of the florist's across the square - one that mirrors the chocolaterie, and has a strange appeal of its own - all seem to herald some kind of change: a confrontation, a turbulence - even, perhaps, a murder..." Bookshop.org Custard Toast Ingredients: Strawberries: 8 oz fresh cut strawberries, 3 TB sugar, 5 grinds black pepper Custard: 5 oz yogurt, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 TB honey, 1 egg, lemon zest from one lemon Toast: 2 slices sourdough, 2 TB softened butter, salted or unsalted Topping: toasted coconut Categories All |
