Time for another Music Monday with Rod. During this period of "sheltering in place," I thought it would be fun to share a personal music video on Mondays. My hope is that some of my family and friends will join in with their own videos for a virtual music tour.
Rest, nature, books, music... Such is my idea of happiness. ~ Leo Tolstoy
June 8, 2020
June 7, 2020
Classic French Toast (with Challah)
Classic French Toast
New York Times Cooking
We've always enjoyed "breakfast for dinner," usually comprising either omelets, pancakes or French toast (I'm not a fan of waffles, as they require far too much butter and syrup to make them palatable), and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I find I'm adding these simple meals to our weekly rotation far more often than ever before. I like homemade buttermilk pancakes, but French toast has always come in second place when trying to decide between the two. Not anymore!
Until recently, I had always made French toast with a simple mixture of eggs and milk. No extra egg yolks, vanilla, salt or cream. And, the bread has always been a simple white sandwich variety (usually Oroweat's Country or Buttermilk). But all this changed a few weeks ago when I made my first loaf of challah (recipe shared here). It was so delicious and I was quite content eating a warm slice with a small pat of butter. But then I started reading comments about how great it is for French toast, so I began to search for a more sophisticated recipe than the one I'd been using for almost 40 years. I tried this simple recipe from the New York Times and couldn't get over how just a few changes to the ingredients could elevate such a basic recipe. Delicious!
Ingredients
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk (1 3/4 cups milk, plus 2-4 Tbsp. heavy cream)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Unsalted butter (for cooking)
8 slices white bread, such as Pullman, brioche or challah, sliced 1/2-3/4 inch thick
Cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar (see tips)
In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the eggs, additional yolks, milk/cream, vanilla and salt until foamy and smooth.
Heat a large griddle (or a large, heavy nonstick skillet) to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter until just sizzling.
Place 2 slices of bread in the bowl with the egg mixture, turning them a few times until evenly saturated. Do not soak.
Remove bread, allowing any excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Place on griddle and repeat you run out of space. Cook the slices for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Add another pat of butter to the griddle and flip the slices over, making sure that the freshly melted butter coats the bottoms of the bread slices.
Continue cooking until the second side is golden brown. If using cinnamon sugar, dust one side, then flip over and dust the other side.
Test for doneness by pressing the center. The dent should slowly spring back. If it remains, the interior is not yet cooked. Continue cooking over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until done.
Serve immediately, or transfer to a plate in a preheated oven (200 degrees) to keep warm while cooking the remaining slices of bread.
Top with maple syrup, berries, jam, sliced bananas - whatever you'd like.
Tip - Dusting the slices with sugar gives them a lacy, brown crust; plain or cinnamon can be used.
My Notes:
Hands down, challah is the best bread for French toast.
Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.
Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.
June 6, 2020
June 5, 2020
Looking Back - The Inn at Lake Devine
Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
Fiction
1999 Vintage (first published 1998)
Read in September 1999
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
It's 1962 and all across America barriers are collapsing. But when Natalie Marx's mother inquires about summer accommodations in Vermont, she gets the following reply: The Inn at Lake Devine is a family-owned resort, which has been in continuous operation since 1922. Our guests who feel most comfortable here, and return year after year, are Gentiles. For twelve-year-old Natalie, who has a stubborn sense of justice, the words are not a rebuff but an infuriating, irresistible challenge.
In this beguiling novel, Elinor Lipman charts her heroine's fixation with a small bastion of genteel anti-Semitism, a fixation that will have wildly unexpected consequences on her romantic life. As Natalie tries to enter the world that has excluded her--and succeeds through the sheerest of accidents--The Inn at Lake Devine becomes a delightful and provocative romantic comedy full of sparkling social mischief.
My Original Thoughts (1999):
Very entertaining, light read. Funny. Reminiscent of Lorna Landvik's Your Oasis on Flame Lake. Likeable and memorable characters.
My Current Thoughts:
The only thing I remember about this book is the humor - not the characters or plot. I had it on my shelf for many years, but decided not to keep it when we moved a few years ago. I haven't read anything else by Lipman, but I may look into some of her more recent books, especially if they're funny.
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
Fiction
1999 Vintage (first published 1998)
Read in September 1999
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
It's 1962 and all across America barriers are collapsing. But when Natalie Marx's mother inquires about summer accommodations in Vermont, she gets the following reply: The Inn at Lake Devine is a family-owned resort, which has been in continuous operation since 1922. Our guests who feel most comfortable here, and return year after year, are Gentiles. For twelve-year-old Natalie, who has a stubborn sense of justice, the words are not a rebuff but an infuriating, irresistible challenge.
In this beguiling novel, Elinor Lipman charts her heroine's fixation with a small bastion of genteel anti-Semitism, a fixation that will have wildly unexpected consequences on her romantic life. As Natalie tries to enter the world that has excluded her--and succeeds through the sheerest of accidents--The Inn at Lake Devine becomes a delightful and provocative romantic comedy full of sparkling social mischief.
My Original Thoughts (1999):
Very entertaining, light read. Funny. Reminiscent of Lorna Landvik's Your Oasis on Flame Lake. Likeable and memorable characters.
My Current Thoughts:
The only thing I remember about this book is the humor - not the characters or plot. I had it on my shelf for many years, but decided not to keep it when we moved a few years ago. I haven't read anything else by Lipman, but I may look into some of her more recent books, especially if they're funny.
June 4, 2020
A Month in Summary - May 2020
May 2020
I'm finding it very difficult to sit and compose this post, which feels trivial in light of all the sadness, anger and unrest in our country. We have gone from the worry of the COVID-19 pandemic (which is still a very real issue and concern) to the horrific murder of George Floyd and the ensuing aftermath of peaceful protests, riots and looting. I am ashamed of certain members of the government and my country, but I am proud of my fellow citizens who are standing up to the injustice of the Black communities across our nation. I have no answers (other than to vote out those deplorable members of the government in November), but make a personal vow to educate myself through readings, as well as listening to the voices of those who have implored us, time and again, to stop the racist behavior that has gone on for centuries. We are better than this.
Books Read (click on the title for my review):
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (4/5)
A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny (5/5)
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (4.5/5)
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood (3/5)
First Lines:
Daisy Jones was born in 1951 and grew up in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. The daughter of Frank Jones, the well-known British painter, and Jeanne LeFevre, a French model. Daisy started to make a name for herself in the late sixties as a young teacher on the Sunset Strip. (Daisy Jones & The Six)
Armand Gamache sat in the little room and closed the dossier with care, squeezing it shut, trapping the words inside. (A Great Reckoning)
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal, and they've barely spoken since. Until now, more than ten years later, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help. (Nothing to See Here)
Time is not a line but a dimension, like the dimensions of space. If you can bend space you can bend time also, and if you knew enough and could move faster than light you could travel backward in time and exist in two places at once. (Cat's Eye)
Movies and TV Series:
Beasts of the Southern Wild - This one took me by surprise. I adored the young actress (Quvenzhane Wallis) who plays Hushpuppy. The plot reminded me a little bit of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Highly recommend!
Hold the Dark - Meh. Too violent and unsatisfying.
Unforgotten (Seasons 2 & 3) - Loved this series and the two main actors have become favorites of mine.
The Five - Very intense and gritty, but I wound up liking it more than I thought I would.
The Stranger - Another Harlan Coben series, which was very good, although there were quite a few loose threads. I enjoyed watching Siobhan Finneran in this one!
A Confession - Really good series. Martin Freeman has become a favorite in these British series.
Top of the Lake - We watched a few episodes, but didn't love this program. I'll probably continue since I want to know how it ends, but I'm not in a huge rush.
Rocketman - Meh. I expected this to be more like the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody rather than a musical fantasy. One takeaway from the film (which we watched with subtitles) is that while I grew up listening to a lot of Elton John, I really didn't know the correct lyrics. Lol!
Ordeal by Innocence - It probably didn't help that we accidentally watched Episode 3 before Episode 2, but this wasn't a favorite. I did like Bill Nighy though, and felt the conclusion was very satisfying.
Spider-Man: Far From Home - OK, but not great. I worked on a puzzle as I watched most of the movie.
Puzzlemania:
Maybe I'll have more to say about my reading and TV viewing next month. Today, I'm feeling the need to be quiet.
Be safe, my friends.
June 3, 2020
Cat's Eye
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
Fiction
1989 Doubleday (first published September 1988)
Finished on May 30, 2020
Rating: 3/5 (Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Cat's Eye is Margaret Atwood's first novel since her international award-winning best-seller The Handmaid's Tale, in which she created a futuristic totalitarian society. In Cat's Eye, Atwood moves away from this overtly political territory to a landscape which is more personal but no less disturbing.
Painter Elaine Risley, pushing fifty, returns from Vancouver to Toronto for a retrospective of her work, which has been much celebrated by the women's movement and much attacked from other quarters.
Toronto is the city she fled many years earlier, hoping to leave behind the tyrannical and obsessive memories of her early life there--from her post-World War II school days and fifties adolescence, through the avant-garde art scene of the sixties, to the advent of feminism in the early seventies.
Now, as she wanders the streets of the city, which are no longer puritanical and dowdy but resplendent with eighties glitz, Elaine confronts the submerged layers of her past--her unconventional family, her eccentric and brilliant brother, the self-righteous and dangerous Mrs. Smeath, and the two men Elaine later came to love in diverse and sometimes disastrous ways. But it is the enigmatic Cordelia, once her tormentor, then her best friend, whose elusive yet powerful presence in her life Elaine finally comes to understand.
The realm of childhood and growing up, with its secrecies, cruelties, betrayals, and terrors, has never been so luminously evoked. Through the quirky, idiosyncratic voice of Elaine Risley, Atwood has given fascinating dimensions to the ambiguous roots of women's relationships, both with one another and with the world.
By turns disquieting, hilarious, compassionate, haunting, and mordant, Cat's Eye is vintage Atwood, and her most deeply felt work of fiction to date.
Nope. No more. Margaret Atwood is one of those widely praised authors whose novels simply aren't for me. I've read three of her books (Oryx and Crake, The Handmaid's Tale and The Blind Assassin) and each time I ask myself, Why? A year or two ago, I tried to read The Edible Woman, but after a few chapters, I called it quits. So why did I spend the last two weeks reading Cat's Eye? One of my good friends recommended it, telling me that it's her all-time favorite book, so I thought I'd see how I like it and if it could change my opinion about Atwood's works.
I have to admit that I really did enjoy the first half of the novel, in spite of the cruel bullying inflicted on Elaine. Atwood is a good storyteller and does a fine job with the every day life details of her young characters. There is plenty of tension in these early chapters (and I will probably never forget Cordelia), but my interest began to wane as the story progressed and Elaine entered college.
Overall, Cat's Eye was worth reading, in spite of becoming a bit of a slog, but it's not one that I loved.
June 1, 2020
Music Monday #8 - Jenny Dreamed of Trains
Time for another Music Monday with Rod. During this period of "sheltering in place," I thought it would be fun to share a personal music video on Mondays. My hope is that some of my family and friends will join in with their own videos for a virtual music tour.
Rest, nature, books, music... Such is my idea of happiness. ~ Leo Tolstoy
Rest, nature, books, music... Such is my idea of happiness. ~ Leo Tolstoy
May 30, 2020
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict
Hooray! I have finally found a fool-proof recipe for Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise, thanks to Cook's Country. Here are their notes:
We developed an unconventional technique for hollandaise that required whisking butter and egg yolks on the stovetop in a double boiler. This method reversed the usual order of operations, which combines the yolks with water from the start. Mixing the yolks with butter created a stronger emulsion that was less likely to break during cooking. The resulting sauce is so stable that it can be chilled and reheated. We used a lot of water in this sauce and added the lemon juice off heat. The sauce is foamier than a classic hollandaise, but holds without breaking for as long as an hour. It can be refrigerated for up to three days and reheated without breaking.
Poaching the eggs in a shallow skillet rather than a saucepan makes them easier to retrieve from the poaching water. Trying to get all the eggs into the pan at once can be a challenge. To ensure success, we cracked the eggs into four teacups and then tilted the cups to gently slide the eggs into the boiling water all at once. (See My Notes). We then moved the pan off heat; the gentle residual heat kept the whites intact and the yolks soft and runny.
Hollandaise Sauce:
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces and softened (see My Notes)
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup boiling water
2 tsp. lemon juice
Salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Eggs Benedict:
4 English muffins, split
8 slices Canadian bacon
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
8 large eggs
For the Hollandaise:
Place butter and egg yolks in large heat-resistant glass or ceramic bowl. Bring 1/2 inch water to simmer in medium saucepan. Place bowl over simmering water, making sure that water does not touch bottom of bowl, and whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute.
Slowly add 1/3 cup boiling water and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and sauce registers 160-165 degrees, 7-10 minutes. Off heat and whisk in lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. salt, and cayenne. Remove saucepan from heat (keep bowl over water bath) and season with salt to taste. Cover to keep warm.
For the Eggs Benedict:
Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Arrange English muffins split side up on baking sheet and broil until golden brown, 2-4 minutes. Place 1 slice bacon on each muffin half and broil until hot and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Remove sheet from oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
Fill 12-inch skillet nearly to rim with water. Add vinegar and salt and bring to boil over high heat. Crack 2 eggs into each of the 4 teacups. Carefully and simultaneously pour eggs into skillet. Cover pan, remove from heat, and poach eggs until whites are set but yolks are still runny, 4 minutes. For firmer eggs, cook 2-3 minutes longer.
Use slotted spoon to transfer eggs from pan to paper towel-lined plate. Arrange 1 poached egg on top of each muffin half. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons hollandaise over each egg. Serve, passing remaining hollandaise separately.
My Notes:
Be sure the butter is softened at room temperature and not in the microwave!
I used regular bacon (cooked ahead of time) instead of Canadian bacon.
Prior to poaching the eggs, I strain them (individually) with a fine meshed sieve over ramekins before slipping them into the water. The sieve (and adding white vinegar to the water) eliminates the stringy white egg mass in the pan and produces a more compact attractive looking poached egg. Make sure you don’t leave the egg in the sieve for more than 30 seconds.
These are delicious as is or served with sliced avocado and crab cakes.
Click on the link in my sidebar for more of my favorite recipes.
Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.
May 29, 2020
Looking Back - Turtle Moon
Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.
Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman
Fiction
1997 Berkley Books (first published 1992)
Read in September 1999
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Turtle Moon transports the reader to Verity, Florida, a place where anything can happen during the month of May, when migrating sea turtles come to town, mistaking the glow of the streetlights for the moon. Lucy Rosen, a transplanted New Yorker, is determined to start a new life in Verity, along with her twelve-year-old son, Keith. But neither Lucy nor Keith could begin to imagine what the town holds in store for them. Everything they’ve ever hope for, everything they’ve ever feared, begins to happen. When Julian Cash, Verity-born and fierce enough to paralyze bees with fright, enters their lives, nothing will be the same – for Lucy, and her son, or for Julian.
Sensual, suspenseful, dangerous and magical, Turtle Moon is Alice Hoffman’s most beloved book.
My Original Thoughts (1999):
Very Good! I couldn't put it down, yet didn't want it to end. Magical realism. Murder mystery. Romance. Better than Here on Earth. I like her writing style. Very quick and easy to read. Good entertainment!
My Current Thoughts:
I only have a vague recollection of this novel, but it sounds like I really enjoyed it.
Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman
Fiction
1997 Berkley Books (first published 1992)
Read in September 1999
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Turtle Moon transports the reader to Verity, Florida, a place where anything can happen during the month of May, when migrating sea turtles come to town, mistaking the glow of the streetlights for the moon. Lucy Rosen, a transplanted New Yorker, is determined to start a new life in Verity, along with her twelve-year-old son, Keith. But neither Lucy nor Keith could begin to imagine what the town holds in store for them. Everything they’ve ever hope for, everything they’ve ever feared, begins to happen. When Julian Cash, Verity-born and fierce enough to paralyze bees with fright, enters their lives, nothing will be the same – for Lucy, and her son, or for Julian.
Sensual, suspenseful, dangerous and magical, Turtle Moon is Alice Hoffman’s most beloved book.
My Original Thoughts (1999):
Very Good! I couldn't put it down, yet didn't want it to end. Magical realism. Murder mystery. Romance. Better than Here on Earth. I like her writing style. Very quick and easy to read. Good entertainment!
My Current Thoughts:
I only have a vague recollection of this novel, but it sounds like I really enjoyed it.
May 27, 2020
Sidebar Updates
I've been blogging for over 14 years (oops, missed my blogiversary in February!) and have added a few new items to my sidebar. Some are for my own convenience, but I thought you might be interested in a couple.
Music Monday - When we began to shelter-in-place due to COVID19, I started recording my husband while he performs one song, which I post each week here on my blog, as well as Facebook and Instagram. You can find all of his weekly performances by clicking on that link.
Recipes - I used to have a cooking blog, but haven't updated it in a very long time. However, I enjoy participating in Weekend Cooking and have accumulated quite a few recipes on this blog. You can find them all on this link.
Wordless Wednesday - This is the spot for all my random photographs that I've shared over the years on the Wordless Wednesday meme. It's been fun to look back through these posts!
Monthly Summaries - I started keeping an online journal of sorts with my monthly summaries. These go beyond just sharing what I read during the month. I include details about movies and TV shows, pictures of the puzzles we've been working on, visitors or outings, as well as how we're managing life under quarantine due to COVID-19.
Favorite Audiobooks - This is pretty much for my reference for when I'm asked for audiobook recommendations. I will update this link as I continue to discover great new audiobooks.
My Reviews of Louise Penny's Books - This is another personal reference link so I can jog my memory about each book. I can't seem to remember the titles of these books, but I can remember the plots and which ones I enjoyed.
Top Ten and Year-End Summaries - This is pretty self-explanatory. It's a good resource for those of you looking for recommendations.
Looking Back - This is where all my book journal entries from the late 90s onward are posted.
The remaining three links are to our various road trips. I still need to finish sharing pictures and details from last year's great adventure, but I'm almost caught up!
Let me know if you'd like any other resourceful links. Also, for those of you visiting from Facebook or Instagram, please feel free to leave comments on my posts. You don't have to be a blogger and I'd love to hear from you!
Music Monday - When we began to shelter-in-place due to COVID19, I started recording my husband while he performs one song, which I post each week here on my blog, as well as Facebook and Instagram. You can find all of his weekly performances by clicking on that link.
Recipes - I used to have a cooking blog, but haven't updated it in a very long time. However, I enjoy participating in Weekend Cooking and have accumulated quite a few recipes on this blog. You can find them all on this link.
Wordless Wednesday - This is the spot for all my random photographs that I've shared over the years on the Wordless Wednesday meme. It's been fun to look back through these posts!
Monthly Summaries - I started keeping an online journal of sorts with my monthly summaries. These go beyond just sharing what I read during the month. I include details about movies and TV shows, pictures of the puzzles we've been working on, visitors or outings, as well as how we're managing life under quarantine due to COVID-19.
Favorite Audiobooks - This is pretty much for my reference for when I'm asked for audiobook recommendations. I will update this link as I continue to discover great new audiobooks.
My Reviews of Louise Penny's Books - This is another personal reference link so I can jog my memory about each book. I can't seem to remember the titles of these books, but I can remember the plots and which ones I enjoyed.
Top Ten and Year-End Summaries - This is pretty self-explanatory. It's a good resource for those of you looking for recommendations.
Looking Back - This is where all my book journal entries from the late 90s onward are posted.
The remaining three links are to our various road trips. I still need to finish sharing pictures and details from last year's great adventure, but I'm almost caught up!
Let me know if you'd like any other resourceful links. Also, for those of you visiting from Facebook or Instagram, please feel free to leave comments on my posts. You don't have to be a blogger and I'd love to hear from you!
May 25, 2020
Music Monday #7 - Since I Fell for You
Time for another Music Monday with Rod. During this period of "sheltering in place," I thought it would be fun to share a personal music video on Mondays. My hope is that some of my family and friends will join in with their own videos for a virtual music tour.
Rest, nature, books, music... Such is my idea of happiness. ~ Leo Tolstoy
Rest, nature, books, music... Such is my idea of happiness. ~ Leo Tolstoy
May 24, 2020
Challah
(click on link for more information and history)
I think I have only tasted challah once and I never thought I was capable of making it; it looks so complicated with its fancy braid! I've made bread, but haven't had luck with biscuits or rolls, so this was a little intimidating. I shouldn't have worried. It was so easy and turned out perfectly! It isn't an eggy challah, so I may try other recipes, but if you don't mind the lack of egg flavor, give it a try. It will impress your dinner guests! And, as many have said, it's excellent for French Toast the following day.
I found this recipe on Bon Appetit's website. Senior editor Julia Kramer’s mother, Jill Weinberg, shared her family’s recipe. What a treat!
INGREDIENTS
2 ¼-ounce envelopes active dry yeast (about 4½ teaspoons)
2 teaspoons plus ¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
4¾ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup shortening, melted, plus more for greasing (canola oil or butter)
7 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 large egg yolks
Sesame seeds (for serving)
PREPARATION
Whisk yeast, 2 tsp. sugar, and ¼ cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if kneading by hand). Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Whisk eggs, salt, ½ cup shortening, ¾ cup sugar, and 2 cups warm water in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture and 7 cups flour to yeast mixture. Beat with dough hook on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and very sticky and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.)
Grease a large bowl with shortening; transfer dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, 1½–2 hours.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal portions. Shape each into a 17"-long rope.
Grease 2 rimmed baking sheets with shortening. Place 3 ropes side by side on each prepared sheet. Working with one at a time, pinch logs together at 1 end; braid, then pinch ends together and tuck under. Let sit in a warm place until 1½ times larger, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°. Beat egg yolks and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Working with one at a time, brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake first loaf 15 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 425° (see my notes!) and continue baking until browned and sounds hollow when tapped, 15–20 minutes more. Let cool on baking sheet.
Reduce oven temperature to 325°, then leave oven door open 5 seconds to cool down. Repeat baking with remaining dough.
Do Ahead: Challah can be made 3 days ahead; keep tightly wrapped at room temperature, or freeze up to 1 month. Let cool before storing.
My Notes:
I cut the recipe in half since I wasn't sure how well I would like it and didn't want to use up our precious yeast (I prepared this during COVID-19 pandemic)! The above recipe is for two loaves.
I read several comments about the oven temperature being too hot (at 425), so I baked the loaf at 325 for the first 10 minutes and then at 375 for 15-20 more minutes.
I also reduced the amount of water by about 1/4 cup for each loaf. So, if you make the regular recipe (for two loaves), I would recommend using 1 1/2 cups of water; for one loaf, I used 3/4. I also used about 4 cups of flour for my single loaf.
I omitted the sesame seeds since I wanted to use some of the bread for French Toast.
Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend.
May 22, 2020
Looking Back - Saying Grace
Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.
Saying Grace by Beth Gutcheon
Fiction
1995 HarperCollins
Read in September 1999
Rating: 3/5 (Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Rue Shaw has everything--a much loved child, a solid marriage, and a job she loves. Saying Grace takes place in Rue's mid-life, when her daughter is leaving home, her parents are failing, her husband is restless and the school she has built is being buffeted by changes in society that affect us all. Funny, rich in detail and finally stunning, this novel presents a portrait of a tight-knit community in jeopardy, and of a charming woman whose most human failing is that she wants things to stay the same.
Saying Grace is about the fragility of human happiness and the strength of convictions, about keeping faith as a couple whether it keeps one safe or not. Beth Gutcheon has a gift for creating a world in microcosm and capturing the grace in the rhythms of everyday life.
My Original Thoughts (1999):
I liked this book, but didn't love it. There were far too many characters to keep track of and only one that I felt connected to. And, it was sad. Death, affair, separation, child abuse, etc. Not a very upbeat story and a lot of loose ends.
My Current Thoughts:
This was the second book of Gutcheon's that I read in 1999. I don't remember anything about it and no longer own a copy, so it's definitely not one I'm likely to read again. Quite frankly, it sounds dreadful!
May 21, 2020
Nothing to See Here
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Fiction
2019 HarperAudio
Read by Marin Ireland
Finished on May 15, 2020
Rating: 4.5/5 (Great!)
Publisher's Blurb:
Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then, Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal, and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help.
Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family, and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: The twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.
Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other - and stay cool - while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her - urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?
With white-hot wit and a big, tender heart, Kevin Wilson has written his best book yet - a most unusual story of parental love.
Never judge a book by its cover or its outrageously unbelievable premise. When I first noticed Nothing to See Here on one or two of my favorite blogs, I quickly dismissed it simply based on the cover art. Yet, more and more readers started posting glowing reviews on their blogs and Goodreads and my interest was finally piqued. I remember when the same thing happened with Ready Player One and that audiobook turned out to be one of my all-time favorites. Now, almost eight years later, Kevin Wilson's novel has joined the ranks of unexpected pleasures. His humorous, touching story was such a pleasant surprise. If you enjoy heartfelt, yet unconventional, relationships between children and their caretakers, Nothing to See Here is just the book for you. Lillian's devotion and love toward Bessie and Roland is reminiscent of that between Alice and Frank (Be Frank with Me) and Aibileen and Mae Mobley (The Help). Your heartstrings will be tugged, but you will also burst out laughing, as I did as I read all three of these novels.
I thoroughly enjoyed Wilson's quirky story, but it was Marin Ireland's outstanding performance that truly won me over. Apparently, I'm not the only happy listener. It turns out that Ireland is a 2020 Audie winner for best female narrator and after listening to this book, I couldn't agree more. I wonder if I would have laughed out loud as much as I did had I read the print edition; Ireland's timing and tone are spot on. I can't wait to try more audiobooks read by her. Oh, and of course, I'll try more books by Kevin Wilson. Any recommendations?
"Narrator Marin Ireland flawlessly introduces listeners to Lillian and Madison, two unlikely friends separated after a boarding school scandal.... Drawing from a seemingly endless supply of character voices, Ireland immerses listeners in this magical yet weird family, exquisitely capturing every unusual layer of the story.... Ireland and Wilson leave a lasting impression and provide a thoroughly entertaining experience." (AudioFile Magazine)
May 20, 2020
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