(Dolen Perkins-Valdez, hardback). From the title you might think this is a book about the s-x word. It’s not. By a long shot. But the story, set in about 1852, is about a black slave woman, and her somewhat misguided “love” for her master. About the children she bore him, under the eagle eye of the master’s wife. But it’s all tied together with a yearly journey made to a place called Tawawa House, a rural inn of sorts in southern Ohio (a free State), that for some years allowed white slave owners to stay at the resort in rustic cottages with their black slaves, as couples. This place existed, according to the author’s afterword, and finally closed because some of the regulars (white couples who stayed in the main house) didn’t fancy this concubine business going on out in the woods. It’s about Lizzie’s relationships with the other slave women, about their desire to run to safety through the local underground, about them secretly meeting some free blacks, finding out more about abolition, and about the hardships all these black mistresses endured, and how little their lives were valued. A real stunning book. (I was sent this book as a perk from Harper Collins – because I had mentioned The Help. No strings attached – I could choose to mention this book, or not, here on my blog. I’m glad to because it’s a very good read.)
(Jamie Ford, on my Kindle). A poignant story about a Chinese-American, growing up in Seattle at the beginning of World War II. Henry falls in love with a young Japanese girl before her family is interned in a relocation camp. It a very secretive relationship because his parents would highly disapprove. The story goes back to the 40’s and forward to the 1980’s when Henry is in his 50’s and his wife (not the Japanese woman) has just died of cancer. The story pulls you in from the first page, especially when some artifacts are found in the basement of an old hotel which contain personal belongings from several Japanese families who were suddenly taken away back in 1942. You can see where it’s going, can’t you? I heard criticism of this book that it was just a little bit contrived. Halfway through I’m enjoying it very much.
(Kathryn Stockett on my Kindle, an excellent read); 
by Jetta Carleton (Kindle edition, eh); 
by Susan Richards (Kindle edition, good book); 
by Sally Gunning (Kindle edition, very good read)
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(Mario Batali & Gweneth Paltrow); 
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It’s been years – eons even – that I’ve been making cold cucumber soup. And I always thought my recipe was just the greatest. Well . . . until I tasted my friend Jackie’s soup recently. It was a lovely bridal shower at her home, and this cold cucumber soup was served as a first course. It was absolutely wonderful. Smooth. Extra smooth, with a different texture than mine has. Jackie graciously shared the recipe with me (thank you, Jackie!), and come to find out this is a COOKED soup (mine is a raw soup only, although it also has buttermilk added). And this one has the addition of Cream of Wheat (just a little bit) to thicken it very slightly. You have no idea it’s there, but that’s what the elusive texture was.
You cook up some green onions with butter, then add chicken broth, vinegar and dill weed (fresh), also some Cream of Wheat and finally the chopped-up cucumbers. The soup is smoothed twice in the blender and sour cream is added at the end. Then you garnish it with a bit more dill weed. I did make it with full-fat sour cream. Next time I might try it with low-fat just to see how it tasted. A lovely soup. Try it. Highly recommended.
Cream of Cucumber Soup
Recipe: From my friend, Jackie P.
Serving Size: 8
1/2 cup green onions — minced
3 tablespoons butter
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1 1/2 pounds cucumbers — peeled, seeded, chopped fine
4 tablespoons Cream of Wheat — (farina)
salt and pepper — to taste
2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons dill weed — for garnish
1. In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat and add green onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add chicken broth, vinegar and dill weed. Bring to a boil, add the Cream of Wheat and the chopped cucumbers. Simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes.
2. In batches, blend soup mixture in a blender (hold lid and don’t overfill or the heat will blow off the top). Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
3. Blend soup again with the addition of sour cream. This can be done up to an hour before serving. Whisk soup just before serving. Serve cold sprinkled with dill weed on top.
Per Serving: 225 Calories; 18g Fat (69.5% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 37mg Cholesterol; 652mg Sodium.
Printer-friendly PDF recipe
Alanna @ A Veggie Venture
said on May 23rd, 2008:
Of all the vegetable soups I’ve made, cream of cucumber I’ve yet to try. I love the idea of the farina as a thickener plus — oh whoa — all the sour cream. Delicious, delicious!
Carolyn
said on May 24th, 2008:
It was (is) delicious. I still have some in the refrigerator and it’s kept just fine for 5 days. It has a very VERY smooth texture, which I like a lot. My previous soup was very chunky, crunchy with the raw cucumbers (although grated). This soup is so much better.