– by Neil White (on my Kindle) – a really, really interesting book. It’s a memoir about the year the author spent in prison in Louisiana. About his sanctimonious attitude when he arrived there (he was convicted of kiting checks trying to keep his publishing business afloat) and what he learns during his year. But as much as it’s about his life as a prisoner, it’s more about the other residents of the prison – the last remaining lepers (Hansen’s Disease) who are provided for in the facility. Neil White is quite a character and I wondered more than once if he was ever going to “get it,” that he was greedy and egotistical. The book wasn’t published for about 10 years after his release, so at least he didn’t profit immediately by telling tales. The epilogue was so sad – listing the deaths of many of the leprosy patients and some of the inmates he came to call friends. One person at amazon commented that it was not worth reading because the author profited from his incarceration, and that he didn’t appear to have redeemed himself. I disagree – I think he did. If he didn’t, then he knows how to spin a good yarn. I choose to believe he learned a whole lot about himself and where his life took a (wrong) left turn, and that he’s trying to atone for his failings by publishing the book. You decide.
- by P.D. James (on my Kindle) – if I hadn’t read about this book in the Los Angeles Times a week or so ago I’d never have pursued this book. It’s nothing even close to her wealth of books of the mystery genre. But yes, it IS a mystery (not something I normally read) but it takes place about 5 years after Pride and Prejudice leaves off. That was the hook for me. An entertaining read and a way to keep in touch with all the lovable (and not-so) characters from Jane Austen’s classic. It’s not a page-turner in the true mystery-murder style, but it’s fun to read.
– by Judith Ryan Hendricks – I picked up this book at a lending library I use now and then. I have to laugh, though – the collection of books (probably numbering about 350 or so) is divided by paperback and hardback. And then by color. COLOR? I find that so ludicrous. But anyway, the title caught my eye. It’s definitely a novel, about a youngish woman who’s been a baker and a chef, but who is suddenly single. It’s about her struggle to find herself, to find a new rhythm of life. In the telling of the journey some recipes are included (baked goods, including bread-bread), which are available on the 
– by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) – most everyone who reads blogs knows about Ree – the Pioneer Woman, from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. She’s always entertaining, whimsical and enjoyable to read. A couple of years ago she wrote a memoir of her romance with Ladd, her now husband. I can’t count how many times, as I was reading this, that I was LOLing (Laughing Out Loud). She is such a witty writer and knows how to tell a story. Even though I know she married Ladd and has since had 4 children, I was caught up in her story from the first page. I wrote it up in more detail on
– (on my Kindle) Michael Tucker (from L.A. Law some years ago) and his wife, on a whim almost, buy a home in Umbria. An old, old, old house with two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, I think, and a nice terrace (where a lot of living goes on in Italian homes and families). It’s the story of the purchase itself, the friends they meet, the neighbors, how Michael finds the best butcher(s), bakers and candlestick makers. It made me long for another trip to Italy, actually. They enlarge the home, although they’re not there for most of the construction. It’s a similar tale to Frances Mayes’ books and Peter Mayle’s books too, but it’s different. Tucker is a TV star; his wife’s a stage actress. They live on some higher plane than I do, for sure, with lots of friends with connections. But it’s a cute story and I enjoyed it clear to the end.
(Stacy Schiff); 
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My notes say I made this in 2000. It came from Cooking Light. I’d been to a grilling cooking class in the previous month and the instructor had talked about how easy it is to grill corn. I’d grilled corn before, but when I read this recipe it sounded so different. Worth trying, I thought.
Here’s what you do: you pull the husks down – but you don’t pull them off. Some nearly always fall off anyway, you just can’t help that, but you want enough husks to completely cover all the corn. No kernels peeking through if at all possible. You remove all the silk, spread with a little butter or olive oil spray, season the cobs with this herb and spice combination, very gently pull the husks back into place covering the corn and carefully take a loose, long piece of husk and tie the husks at the top, like a topknot, a ponytail. Grill about 15-20 minutes. Remove all the husks and EAT. Really, really delicious.
There’s nothing hard about making this. But it does take a bit of time to make up the dry rub. Since I’ve made this so many times now, whenever I’m out of the rub I make up another BIG batch. Well, usually enough to last the summer season. They say that once spices are combined with others they tend to lose their effectiveness, their flavor. So just make up enough so you’ll use it up in a couple of months. It’s just as easy to make this for 2-3 batches than for one. As long as you like seasoning and lots of it, you’ll be certain to like this corn.
You can smear the raw corn with some butter if you’d like. I usually spray it heavily with olive oil spray instead. Then you sprinkle on the spice and herb rub, covering it very liberally. You need the butter or olive oil spray so the spices will stick to the corn. And if you’re just too weary to do all the tie-up-the-husks routine, you can put the corn in foil packets instead. Maybe not quite as good, but nearly so. Before corn is totally gone for the season, I recommend this.
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North African Grilled Corn on the Cob
Recipe: Cooking Light, 2000
Servings: 9
COOK’S NOTES: This corn is absolutely sensational. When corn is in season, fresh from the garden, this could be a meal (well, not really). I always serve this with jerk chicken, and adding a salad, it makes a complete meal. I do combine the dry rub mixture in advance – in a larger quantity – and put into small plastic bags (labeled) so I don’t have to mix up the mixture every time I prepare this. It is really worth the effort and although the corn is spicy, it isn’t “hot,” as there’s nothing in the mixture to give any chili type heat.
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/8 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/8 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/4 dashes ground cloves
9 each corn on cob, whole
4 1/2 teaspoons butter — or olive oil spray
1. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Pull husks back from each cob, leaving most of the husks attached. Remove silk and discard. Lightly spray the corn with olive oil spray, or use softened butter and lightly rub on the corn (so the seasoning will stick to it). Sprinkle with the herb & spice combination. Gently tug husks back into place over the cob, leaving the top tassels if at all possible. Tie with a long strip of husk just at the top of the ear to keep husks intact. Or, use cooking string (regular string most likely will burn off).
2. Place on the grill and cook until just done, turning at least once. Estimate: 15 minutes – maybe 20 at the most.
Per Serving (this assumes you use butter): 103 Calories; 3g Fat (26.0% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 302mg Sodium.
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