. After reading No Angel (see below) I couldn’t wait to start the 2nd book. A friend said to me that she liked #2 better than the first one, and I think I agree. It carries on the saga of this gentrified family in the publishing business in WWII era England. There are wartime injuries, even deaths as the family spreads out some (France and America), but it’s still about the London-based core family group that get themselves into trouble at several junctures. Loved this one. Do read them in order, though.
. No, not that Homer, but Homer, the blind cat. It’s a charming, funny, sweet, riveting book that any animal lover should read. We haven’t owned cats for decades, but I enjoy reading about them even if I don’t have one. Homer was a tiny kitten when found, with a dangerous eye infection. The vet who saved him had to remove his eyes, so the little kitten never knew sight. He’s adopted by a patient gal who is a writer already, and I can imagine that little Homer almost wrote the book himself. He’s very brave, willing to take risks – she almost loses him once. If you love animals, you’ve got to read this. I found it at Costco, but it’s also cheap at Amazon in paperback.
by Sarah McCoy. A really really interesting story. About WWII but told from the side of loyal German Hitler-loving citizens. The kind of local people who could be your neighbors, who were very nationalistic and truly believed Hitler was leading them to a better future. I’ve never read anything with a German perspective. The book isn’t political. In a way it’s a type of chick lit (which is why I didn’t suggest my DH read it) as it’s got a moderate amount of romance in it. The entire book is enveloped in the story of the family, who live in Garmisch (a place I’ve visited twice), who own a bakery. Mostly it’s about one of the bakery owner’s daughters. One daughter goes to a 
– by Erik Larson (hard copy) – wow, what a book. In all the literary fiction I’ve read about Nazi Germany, I’d never read that much about what it was like living in Berlin leading up to Hitler’s demonic rampages. This biography is about America’s ambassador to Germany from 1933-37, William Dodd. An academician, Dodd was probably unsuited to the job, yet he brought a kind of humility and clarity to the unrest. Accompanied by his wife and two adult children, they assimilated into the gay life of diplomacy. Dodd was not liked by his counterparts at home, yet he had the ear and appointment specifically because of Roosevelt, but only after 5 other career diplomats turned down the job. Dodd took his position very seriously, hoping that he’d make time to write a book he had worked on for much of his life (a detailed history of the American South). With no internet, no commercial jets and little but old fashioned typewriters or often written by hand, communiques sailed back and forth in diplomatic pouches. Dodd originally was lenient with Hitler, wanting to believe the hype Hitler broadcast. In time, though, he came to realize that Hitler had an insidious master plan. Dodd’s vivacious and beautiful daughter dated all manner of diplomats, Nazis and Russians, and very few Americans. She leaned left. Very far left, to the point of socialism. She had affairs – very inappropriate ones (says me), which undermined her father’s role (yet he seemed oblivious). This book is a real picture of the day to day life back then, well written, well researched and riveting. The Ambassador never did finish his book. But this book – well, everyone should read it. Erik Larson is the famous author of 
– by Willa Cather (on my Kindle) – what a joy to read. I’ve been a big fan of Cather’s writing most of my adult life, although I’ve not read all of her books. She had such a gift of words – such an ability to write a liquid picture – a conjurer of time and place that just doesn’t happen anymore in today’s writing world. The story revolves around a young girl (yes, it’s a coming of age novel) the daughter of a minister in the Midwest who has a musical gift. Her mentors help her to go to Chicago to study. Thea, the heroine here, is a very serious and studious young woman and not given to joy in life. She struggles with loneliness, yet seems to have no ability to reach out of her box to find friends or companionship. As with any young person who moves to a new place for work or study, there is that soulful pull from “home.” Does she give in? I’m not telling. A very good read.
– by Penny Vincenzi (hard copy from the library) – when two friends of mine recommended this book I knew I needed to read it. It’s not new (2004), but it is part of a trilogy by this English author. And I just refused to pay the very high Kindle price so that’s why I visited my local library and found it on the shelf. Vincenzi writes about the day-to-day lives of English gentry, and since I’m addicted to Downton Abbey these days, it sounded like a natural to read this book. It chronicles the lives of this particular family including marriages, births, affairs and chicanery, with their lovely home as the surround, the life style of the then-rich-and-famous, formal dinners. See? Downton Abbey. The difference is that there’s not much in this book about the servants, the below-stairs family. It takes place during the same pre-WWI era (1910′s). Prominent in the story is the book publishing business the family maintains (and with difficulty during the war years run by the two women left at home). Now I need to find the next in the series. If you enjoy family sagas, this one is a gem.
(Stacy Schiff); 
; and 
.
If you didn’t know from the title, you might think this is a bowl of cream of wheat, cream of rice, maybe mashed potatoes, or perhaps light colored polenta. It’s none of those, but it’s so gosh-darned good. Not only is it a vegetable, but low calorie and low fat as well. Until a year or so ago I would have counted cauliflower as one of my least-chosen vegetables. Not that you asked, but my others vegie dislikes: green bells, turnips, cooked celery, rutabagas. For the record, you’re not likely to see a single recipe for any of those on this-here blog [grin]. Just about any other vegetable and I’m happy. But Kalyn, over at Kalyns Kitchen, had me try a couple of cauliflower dishes that just turned me into a cauliflower lover. One is a pan fried one with mushrooms and bacon. Another a twice baked cauliflower (like mashed potatoes), then there was another twice-baked one similar to that, and just recently I found a recipe in Cooking Light for a tandoori style one too.
The other evening I was doing barbecued country ribs for dinner, which, by the way, were just awful – from Costco and so tough I couldn’t eat mine. Had two bites and the rest went in the trash. So for dinner I ate this cauliflower and a salad. Between us, we ate the entire cauliflower, which should have served about six people. The cauliflower I had purchased was on the small side, so that surely is why. I’d have been delighted to eat leftovers, but no, not this time.
The recipe comes from Patricia Wells’ book, Vegetable Harvest, which I bought on recommendation from some other food blog I read. I simply don’t remember which one, so can’t give any credit for the suggestion. Patricia Wells has lived in France for decades. She’s an American, but writes for several culinary magazines I read, and she’s written several cookbooks. This one was published in 2007.
The preparation of this was really simple – cut up the cauliflower into florets, simmer in milk and salt, then puree it, adding in some of the milk mixture you cooked it in. Add a bit of nutmeg and butter, and you’re finished. From cooking to table was about 15 minutes total. I used the cauliflower stem too, just cut it up into smaller pieces so it would cook through. To tell the truth, I like to eat the cauliflower stem raw, but decided to add it to the pot instead.
It had a very soft, creamy consistency. I happened to have added too much milk, but it was still good, I just had to serve it in a bowl. And, as I mentioned above, if I didn’t think about it, it could have been very soft, creamy mashed potatoes or polenta (which I make infrequently, but love), so decided this could easily be a bed for some of the proteins I make with a light sauce. The dish is low in calorie and very low in fat. I’ll be making this again and again. I liked the little bit of nutmeg in it too. Maybe next time I’d sprinkle some parsley on it, since it’s a bit bland looking otherwise.
printer-friendly PDF
Cauliflower Puree
Recipe: Patricia Wells, Vegetable Harvest
Servings: 6
2 pounds cauliflower — trimmed, cut in florets
1/2 cup milk, 1% low fat
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon sea salt — or more to taste
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg — freshly grated
1. In a large saucepan, combine the cauliflower, milk, cream and salt. Simmer uncovered over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir from time to time to prevent the cauliflower from scorching.
2. Drain, reserving any liquid, and transfer to a food processor or a blender. Process to blend. Add the butter and nutmeg and process to a fine puree. Add just enough of the reserved liquid to give it a smooth, light consistency. Season to taste. Serve.
Per Serving: 79 Calories; 4g Fat (36.3% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 10mg Cholesterol; 221mg Sodium.
Toffeeapple
said on April 15th, 2008:
It seems that your veg dislikes are very similar to mine. Mine include turnips, green bells, any squash, cooked clelery, Jerusalem artichokes and red cabbage. Rutabaga (Swede here in England, Turnip in Scotland) is good if you mash it with carrots and add nutmeg, milk and butter. I have always enjoyed cauliflower especially baked in a cheese sauce. I’m pleased that you are learning to love it and also that you are being adventurous in trying different recipes for it.