– 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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Well now. You haven’t seen very many pizza or focaccia recipes on my blog. Why? Because I don’t make them all that much as we try to limit those kinds of carbs. There is one pizza post I did about two years ago (that’s the last time I made it!) – the Chicken, Red Onion, Kalamata Olive and Pesto Pizza – and when I make pizza, that’s about the ONLY one I prepare. But when I had this focaccia a week or so ago, served with the Italian Sausage & Tomato Soup that was so off-the-charts good, I knew I wanted to make this at home. I may have used just a bit more cheese, but with that one exception, I made it exactly as Phillis made it. It’s so perfect to pair with the soup – any soup just about – but it was particularly good with the Italian flavors of the sausage and tomato soup. 
It would really help if you live in Trader Joe’s country, though, since you buy the raw pizza dough there AND the artichoke-lemon pesto from there too. I didn’t even look at what’s contained in the pesto, but I suppose you could try to make your own with some canned, chopped artichoke hearts, some olive oil and lemon juice, maybe lemon zest. It’s kind of thick and goopy, not thin.
Pizza Dough Tip:
It’s much easier to pat raw pizza dough on a Silpat – it sticks to the Silpat so it stretches more readily and stays there!
Anyway, you pat out the pizza dough first. I learned a really important cooking tip about this – pizza dough is ever so much easier to handle if you pat and spread it out on a Silpat. Wow, what a difference from working at it on a countertop. I put the Silpat right in my big rimmed baking sheet, plopped the dough on it, sat down in front of the TV and worked away at it for about 4-5 minutes maybe, and it was done.
You spread the artichoke pesto mixture on top, then add all the Mozzarella. I used whole milk Mozzarella because that’s what I had in my refrigerator. Certainly makes for a more tasty cheese. Then you add thinly sliced rounds of zucchini and red onion to the top, some grated Parmesan (I used Pecorino, actually), and a bit of dried oregano that I scrunched up between my palms before sprinkling it evenly on the top. I’m sure I used more than 1/2 teaspoon, though. It gets baked at a high temp – 450 – and you want to serve it right out of the oven so the cheese is bubbling hot.
To American tastes, there may not be much difference between focaccia and pizza. But going back in Italian history, focaccia is more like a snack, a bread snack. Often Italians serve it plain, with a dimpled top, sometimes with a light slick of olive oil pooling in the dimples. I well remember walking along a little side street in an Italian beach city, peering in a bakery side window with trays and trays of focaccia just baked. The baker was brushing olive oil all over the dimpled top surface. Oh the aroma was heavenly. But that was really plain – it was just bread, salt and olive oil. No cheese or herbs even. Here we often add toppings to focaccia, so it differs very little from pizza – which I consider more of an entree rather than a snack. So there’s your culinary lesson of the day!
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Artichoke Zucchini Focaccia
Recipe: Phillis Carey
Servings: 8
1 package raw pizza dough from Trader Joe’s
1/2 cup artichoke lemon pesto from Trader Joe’s
2 cups Mozzarella cheese — grated
1 cup zucchini slices — sliced very thin
1/2 cup red onion — very thinly sliced
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — grated [or Pecorino]
1 teaspoon dried oregano — crushed between your palms
1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Stretch (or roll out) the raw pizza dough on a Silpat-lined rimmed baking sheet, to about 8×12 inches.
3. Spread with artichoke pesto and sprinkle with Mozzarella. Scatter the zucchini and red onion over the cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan and oregano.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is crisp and edges are turning a golden brown. Cut lengthwise, then across in rectangular strips. Serve hot.
A year ago: Wednesday Breakfast Scones
Two years ago: Almond Cranberry Cookies
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