(cook)book review: La Tartine Gourmande

As someone who loves to cook and eat (shocking, I know!), I find La Tartine Gourmande to be the best kind of cookbook. 

First off, it arrived in the mail last week as a surprise, "just because", gift from my mom.  How awesome is that?  I made a mental note to send more "just because" gifts- what a way to brighten up a regular day. 

Then, there's the photography.  All the pictures are styled and taken by the author herself and they are just gorgeous!  I consider this a coffee table book- something lovely for guests to flip through if they have a spare minute.  I'm a huge fan of recipes with pictures and there is a picture for every last recipe. 

There are also pictures of flowers and the author's chubby cheeked daughter, Lulu, which I consider an added bonus. 

Right about now, you may be thinking that this is the strangest cookbook review you've ever read, since I've said nothing about the actual recipes.  So we'll get to that-

The recipes are lovely.  They involve lots of fresh produce and herbs and whole grains.  Most of them also happen to be gluten-free, but I would not characterize this as a "gluten-free cookbook".  Do you know what I mean?  It's a great cookbook, and most recipes don't include wheat products.  That's all. 

Beatrice, the author, is from France, so there is a definite French influence, but she is so well traveled and currently lives in the US, so I wouldn't call it a "French cookbook".  She also writes a blog full of recipes that I'm sure I will find myself checking compulsively. 

Aside from the recipes, I love the way she talks about food and meal time.  The book includes lots of stories about the food she makes or her childhood memories or family traditions and, to me, that is what makes recipes really special.  The story behind them. 

Beatrice shares my views on many things food related- like never skipping meals, planning ahead, taking food with you on vacation, and the magic of dessert.  I'm pretty sure we could be friends. 

We tried Lemon Honey-Flavored Chicken with tomatoes and green beans this week.  It was really good.  At first, I thought the chicken didn't have enough flavor, but as the meal went on I was able to taste more of the marinade and appreciate the sweetness of the baked tomatoes.  Aside from taste, it was also easy to make and made enough for at least six servings.  I've got my eye on the banana, chocolate, and hazelnut muffins next.  My mouth is actually watering as I type this. 

Hope your weekend is filled with delicious food!  We're hanging out with some favorite friends and I can't wait!

Heaven is Here: book review

I have been reading Stephanie Nielson's blog for a couple of years now and I've been super excited for her book to come out this spring.  I checked it out from the library last week and finished it in just a few days. 

I feel like most people have probably heard of Stephanie by now, but in case you haven't, here's the deal- Stephanie and her husband were in a plane crash together and survived, but were terribly burned.  They had four children at the time (five now!) and, thankfully, a large extended family to support them.  I always been impressed with Stephanie's attitude on her blog, but reading her entire story from start to finish gave me a whole new level of respect for her. 

There were several chapters of the book that I cried straight through.  But it was the good kind of crying, because you already know there is a happy ending to the story.  Stephanie is living and thriving today, writing books and having babies and enjoying her family.  Her story is captivating and her writing is honest and straightforward.

My favorite thing about Heaven is Here is the message of hope that runs throughout.  There are so many parts of Stephanie's story that I have no experience with and can hardly relate to at all, yet I could easily translate the main lesson to my own life- I can do hard things.  We all can. 

Now that I've read through my latest stack of library books, Steve and I are looking for something classic to read together and discuss.  Any suggestions? 

book report

I rarely buy books without reading them first.  We don't have unlimited bookshelf space and I want to make sure each book is worth its width on the shelf, so to speak. 

So you can take it as a glowing recommendation that as soon as I finished my library copy of "One Thousand Gifts", I decided to purchase it immediately.  It is a book with so much truth on every page, I knew I'd need to read it at least a dozen times over, just to take it all in. 

The main idea behind the book is so simple, you'd almost wonder how it could fill up all those pages: thanksgiving.  In everything.  All the time.  Everywhere. 

And this-

"The brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world."

This makes me want to keep trying hard and honing my focus and couldn't I be a change agent?  Wouldn't I love to bring more Light to the world? 

Yes and yes. 

The author, Ann Voskamp, starts keeping a list of all the gifts and it changes everything for her.  She counts up to one thousand and then keeps counting because she just can't stop. 

And I know how she feels because I've started my own list.  What used to just be four red cardinals in a tree becomes #42.  I love red cardinals- what a treat to see so many at the same time.  What used to be a day wasted by sickness and lack of energy becomes #72- having quiet time to plan out new sewing projects. 

You see how it goes. 

The more I look for things to give thanks for, the more things I find...

#9- the smell of chestnuts roasting in the oven

#34- a baby bouncing and wiggling with joy

#69- every single sale in my shop

They're stacking up like planes over Kennedy and I can't stop and I don't want to stop.  The thankful life is the full life. 

So my recommendation?  Read it.  Then do something about it.  Because I will warn you, it's the type of book that requires action. 

library days

The first time I had my picture in the newspaper I was picking out books at the public library.  I was 21 months old at the time. 

The caption claims that I was getting assistance from the librarians, but I'm pretty sure the look on my face says "Back off, ladies, I can reach all the books on the bottom two shelves."

I have always loved the library. 

As a child, my worst punishment was not being allowed to read. 

In middle school, I worked as a "teen volunteer" at the library each summer. 

And from 1999 to 2007, I had the great fortune to live in three different apartments that were all within walking distance of a library.  It's pretty much the second most important thing about a dwelling, to me.  Right after running water. 

These days, I have to drive four miles down the road to visit the public library.  I go every Monday and I shelve books for two hours.  It is one of my favorite parts of the week. 

You see, the library is closed on Mondays.  When I get there, I knock on the back door and one of the librarians comes and lets me in.  It's a lot like being in a secret club. 

I wheel cart after cart out to the stacks and straighten up each row as I go.  It is so quiet and I can think about whatever I want while I'm working.  Or sometimes I hum a little, to myself. 

I get to find out about all sorts of interesting books this way, books that I would never normally pick up (remember that I judge books by their cover).  And when I find things that I want to take home, I just start a pile and check it all out before I leave.  A whole pile of magazines and books and movies that I get to take home.  For free. 

 

I love the library.