War: How Conflict Shaped Us by Margaret MacMillan

Remembering those who died in combat, whether they be soldiers or civilians, is the work of the living on Memorial Day. In MacMillan's book on war, which is one of the New York Times top five works of non-fiction from 2020, the author questions the wisdom of doing that, and posits that we might be better at avoiding war if we didn't remember so much. On the other hand, she also professes that war is both ingrained in our DNA and inextricably linked to human progress. It is complicated. I have to say that while I commited to reading some highly rated non-fiction this year, I was not wildly enthusiastic about reading this, and thought this would be a good way to spend the holiday. I was surprised to find that this is an enjoyable and somewhat superficial trek through many aspects of war: its origins in the struggle for resources or for power or simply for what philosopher Thomas Hobbes called “trifles,” its portrayal in popular culture (especially cinema), and the tactics and technology now transforming the way wars are fought. The book is light on political theory but rich in factual detail; entirely devoid of polemic, yet full of sober analysis. War and Peace, The Iliad, and Henry the Fifth are quoted as often as historians and political theorists are. Humans are described as they are, not as they ought to be. There are difficult parts of this book to both read and think about. The history of raising and training warriors, the challenge and ultimate failure of warriors to keep civilians out of the fight, that those in the path of war are treated the worst, the economic and the psychological costs of war are all dealved into. The book covers a mammoth amount of ground in a short number of pages, and it stands as a great general reference, a rich starting point for lively discussion and further study, as well as an introduction to the subject of war for those, like I, who have never thought much about it.

The Light Ages by Seb Falk

The title of the book and the author take issue with the idea that medieval times were the dark ages, that there was no science whatsoever going on during the time between 1000 and 1400. In fact he articulates that the western world was awash in science and learning, some of which was probably the dissemination of knowledge from Asia and the Middle East to Wurope through Italy. The travelers and merchants along the Silk Road brought a vast array of information about astronomy, mathematics, how to measure the heavens, and how to interpret that to make accurate predictions. The book follows in the footsteps of John of Westwyck, a 14th-century English monk who was also a pathbreaking astronomer who left few tangible traces of himself. After studying at Oxford university, he returned to St Albans Abbey, where in 1379 he copied two manuscripts, both treatises on the use of astronomical instruments by Richard of Wallingford, a former abbot. Wallingford had, earlier in the century, invented “the world’s most advanced astronomical clock”, which sat on a raised platform above the abbey church. Wallingford was evidently a gifted thinker, in a powerhouse of an institution. THe big take home message for me, beyond the fact that a medieval monk understood aspects of science better than I do today is that while in modern times religion and science are at odds with one another, medieval thinkers did not see things the same way. The study of the way that the world that god created was a route to moral and spiritual wisdom. There was no contradiction in being a monk and a scientist--science was a holy pursuit. There are many fascinating things in this book, and it is well worth reading.

Spicy Stir Fried Asparagus

Tis the season! Pull out your favorite asparagus recipes and try some new ones! I haven't yet checked my asparagus bed at home (tomorrow), but the stores are brimming with great looking asparagus, and in the interest of being better at stir frying in 2021, I tried this one out. 1 ½ pounds asparagus, medium- or pencil-size 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 small dried red peppers Salt and pepper ½ teaspoon Chinese chile paste 1 teaspoon grated garlic 1 teaspoon grated ginger ½ teaspoon grated orange zest 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, finely chopped 2 teaspoons sesame oil ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro 3 green onions, slivered 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds Snap off and discard bottoms of asparagus, then cut into 2-inch pieces (halve thicker pieces lengthwise first). Set wok over high heat and add vegetable oil. Add dried peppers and let sizzle, then add asparagus, tossing well to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir-fry for a minute or so, then add chile paste, garlic, ginger, orange zest and jalapeño. Continue cooking over high heat for a minute, maybe less, until asparagus is cooked but still firm and bright green. (It will continue cooking off the heat.) Mound asparagus on a serving platter and drizzle with sesame oil. Sprinkle cilantro, green onion and sesame seeds over the top.

The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020)

This movie is the very last one of the Oscar nominated movies that I watched this year--it is now streaming on Hulu, so it is easy to catch, but it wasn't when I was trying to watch it. The films that are nominated in the International Film category that make even the short list tend to be ones that you might struggle through and think about rather than sit back and enjoy (this is no Love and Monsters), and this one is no exception. The movie opens with Sam Ali madly in love with the upper-class, crystal blue-eyed Abeer, and she with he. Sam immediately goes about getting into huge trouble politically when he says something off the cuff about the ruling party, in the context of his love of his intended, while on a crowded train, and while it is clearly ill-advised, it is not a hanging offense, except that in Syria it is and he is jailed for it. Welcome to Bahair's version of governance. Sam then flees to Lebanon and while he is there he meets the world-famous artist Jeffrey Godefroi by chance at a party that he’s crashed. Unable to accept that the obedient Abeer has been married to a well-off man under family pressure, he impulsively accepts Godefroi’s condescending offer and gets inked with the print of a massive Schengen visa on his back, traveling from gallery to gallery with Godefroi and the sharp-tongued dealer Soraya Waldy in the aftermath. It is modern day indentured servitude, and even the artist comes to see that the concept and the reality are further apart than he has intended. But wait, there is a way out. Lots to think about here.

The Liar's Dictionary by Eley Williams

This book is about language, and is centered on the fictional Swansby’s New Encyclopaedic Dictionary, a 19th century reference volume that was intended to be the most comprehensive British dictionary ever created. But the project was disrupted by WWI and is now known as a folly. Mallory is hired as an intern to assist the modern Swansby in his quest to update and digitize the dictionary. Tucked away in a dilapidated office in the now-historic Swansby House, Mallory is tasked with updating definitions, checking spelling and punctuation, and being harrassed by an anonymous caller. Back in 1899, Peter Winceworth also suffered through his days at the Swansby House. Winceworth was an introverted lexicographer who believed his job was pointless and felt disconnected from his colleagues and his life. Extremely socially awkward, and even though his grasp of language was magisterial, he struggled to engage in basic conversation. Though separated by more than a century, Winceworth and Mallory’s experiences in Swansby House are surprisingly parallel, and not just because they work in the same building on the same project. Mallory, a lesbian who is not out at work, experiences the same sense of alienation that haunts Winceworth. They both battle harassment on the job. They both find language to be lacking in its ability to capture their experiences. And when Winceworth tries to remedy this, it causes chaos for Mallory even 100 years later. The more things change the more they stay the same. The connections between Winceworth and Mallory echo neatly back and forth one to another, effortlessly collapsing the decades between them. But these characters and their concerns are frequently overshadowed by the dynamic role that language itself plays in the book. This is quirky and detailed book that needs to be read with attention to these details.

Bok Choy with Mushrooms

In the spring our CSA has a lot of bok choy and asian greens, and this is a simple means of preparing them that highlights the flavors of the ingredients. 11 ounces baby bok choy 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms ¼ teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon potato flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water Salt 31/2 tablespoons cooking oil 3 garlic cloves, sliced An equivalent amount of ginger, peeled and sliced Wash the bok choy, then cut each head lengthways into quarters. Slice off and discard the mushroom stalks and halve the caps. Combine the sugar with the potato flour mixture. Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan (1 quart/1 liter will do), add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ tablespoon oil, then blanch the bok choy and mushrooms briefly, just until the bok choy leaves have wilted. Drain and shake dry. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to a seasoned wok over a high flame, swirl it around, then add the garlic and ginger and stir a few times until you can smell their fragrances. Add the blanched mushrooms and bok choy and stir a few times. Finally, add the potato flour, mixture with salt to taste, give everything a good stir and serve.

The Life Ahead (2020)

This is by no means Sophia Loran's best role, but she jons a host of elderly actors still making it up on the silver screen. She got her first movie role in 1950 and she was 15 years old, and here she is 70 years later still making it work. The short listed documentary, What Would Sophia Loren Do? is a companion to this movie, made contemporanious to it, and should really be watched first because it chronicles some of her most powerful performances, and explains what she means to some older woman around the world in terms of portraying women with fortitude. This film, nominated for an Oscar for best song, documents an elderly woman named Madame Rosa, maybe a former prostitute, definitely a Holocaust survivor, who has taken in those who have no where to go and provided a home to them. Her most recent adoptee is Momo, short for Mohammed, a boy from Senegal who is wrapped up with selling drugs and skipping school. He gets help from a host of people around him, but comes to love Rosa best, and when he sees her deteriorating he protects her to the end. The movie is a quiet one, lacking some of the grit the subject matter has in real life, but not unpleasant to watch, and she is a legend.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

THis is a deceptive novel, on the one hand it is simply put and straight-forward, but that is just on the surface. Underneath there is a pot boiling. Gifty is a young a Ghanaian-American neuroscientist at Stanford. She is wholly obsessed with her job, she maintains no social life, almost no life at all outside the lab. Her research involves studying the brains of mice. She has devised a behavior testing chamber with a lever that sometimes delivers a tasty treat and sometimes delivers a painful electrical shock. Her motivation is not just a passion for scinece but also a wish to undo the past. Her beloved brother Nana, a young man with an athletic gift, come undone. Gifty cannot change his blackness, but she is aiming to change his demise, his descent into addiction when his ankle injury sidelines him, in sports, but also in life. How Nana became an addict is again, simply put. The underlying answer to how to he might have been saved is much more complex, and rather than dwell in sadness Gifty is reaching for hope.

Spring Panzanella Salad

We have an active asparagus bed right now, and have been enjoying many different variations of this salad. I subbed a fresh sheep milk cheese for feta, and bet a chevre would be good as well. Red Wine Vinaigrette 2 tablespoons finely diced shallots 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar 12 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt Freshly ground black pepper Torn Croutons 1 pound day old sourdough bread 1/3 cup olive oil Salad Salt 1/2 medium red onion, sliced thinly 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1.5 pounds asparagus (about 2 bunches), woody ends removed 4 cups torn croutons 24 large mint leaves 3 ounces feta cheese INSTRUCTIONS Red Wine Vinaigrette In a small bowl or jar, let the shallot sit in the vinegar for 15 minutes to macerate, then add olive oil, a generous pinch of salt and a small pinch of pepper. Stir or shake to combine, then taste and adjust salt and acid as needed. Dressing can be made 3 days ahead of time and kept in a sealed jar in the fridge. Torn Croutons Preheat the oven to 400 F. For more tooth-friendly croutons, remove the crusts from the bread. Cut the loaf into inch-thick slices then cut each slice into inch-wide strips. Working over a large bowl tear each strip into inch-size pieces. Toss the croutons with the olive oil to coat them evenly, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Use a second sheet as needed to prevent crowding, which will entrap steam and keep the croutons from browning. Toast croutons for about 18-22 minutes, checking them after 8 minutes Rotate the pan, switch their oven positions and use a metal spatula to turn and rotate the croutons so that they brown evenly. Once they being to brown, check them every few minutes, continuing to turn and rotate. Some croutons might be done when others still need a few more minutes of baking, so remove them from the tray and let the rest finish cooking. Bake croutons until they’re golden brown and crunchy on the outside with just a tiny bit of chew on the inside. Taste a crouton (yum) and adjust the seasoning with a light sprinkling of salt if needed. When done, let the croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 F. Freeze leftover croutons for up to 2 months. Salad Set a large pot of water on to boil over high heat. Season it with salt until it tastes like the summer sea. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Toss sliced onion in a small bowl with the vinegar and let it sit for 20 minutes to macerate. Set aside. If the asparagus is thicker than a pencil, stripey peel it, pressing lightly with a vegetable peeler to remove only the outermost skin from about 1 inch below the blossom to the base. Slice the asparagus into 1 1/2-inch-long pieces on a bias. Blanch the asparagus in the boiling water until it’s just tender, about 3.5 minutes (less for thinner stalks). Taste a piece to determine doneness – it should still have the faintest crunch in the center. Drain and allow to cool in a single layer on the prepared sheets. Place half the croutons in a large bowl and toss with 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add the remaining croutons, asparagus and macerated onions (but not their vinegar, yet). Tear in the mint leaves in small pieces. Crumble in the feta in large pieces. Dress with another 1/3 cup vinaigrette and season with salt, the taste. Adjust seasoning with salt, vinaigrette and the macerating vinegar as needed. Toss, taste again and serve at room temperature.

Pinnochio (2019)

The wooden puppet that is Pinnochio will never stop becoming a real boy. Nearly 150 years after its initial publication and exactly 70 after the first Disney adaptation, the story continues inspiring new interpretations, some of them yet to come. This version has set a high bar for modern takes. It is the only movie actually made in Italy, the tale’s country of origin, Garrone’s enthralling version taps into the creepy, kinky nature of the material, resulting in a gothic fantasy that embodies the original’s appeal. The way the town's people accept that the fairly elderly Geppetto, who is without wife or family, would suddenly have a child, one that looks quite stiff and wooden, and be widely accepted as both true and realistic is the part you have to belive. That Pinnocchio has the mobility of his young boy body, but the intellect of a newborn baby is the part that makes sense, and despite what the puppet brings down on himself, we are still hoping against hope that he makes it, which givers the creepy tale it's charm.

Quilts on the Wall

I have been fascinated by fabric my whole life and started embroidering in grammar school. I pieed my first quilt by hand, using a pattern that I saw in a museum and devised the pattern myself when I was thirteen years old. So this is a life long thing that I have going, where I buy more fabric than can be used in one lifetime, then take big pieces of fabric and cut them into little pieces of fabric and then put them back together into big pieces of fabric. I am pleased to say that at my advanced age--as of today I can get into National Parks with a lifetime pass--I am still learning things about the art of manipulating fabric and hope to be doing so for some time to come.

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

This is the story of both the American family in the age of a flagging middle class, few good jobs for those who have little education, and health care and housing challenges. Add to that dirty cops, accessible opiates, and cheap heroin and you have the makings of a story. This one involves Mickey Fitzpatrick, a 30-something patrol officer in the Philadelphia Police Departmentand her younger sister, Kacey, who walks the streets of Kensington for a different reason: She’s an addict who supports her habit by turning tricks and catering to the commuter trade that drives through Kensington to buy drugs. Mickey recalls in flashbacks interspersed throughout the main narrative the past bearing fruit in the present. She stepped into the role of Kacey’s caretaker early, when the two girls were abandoned to the stinting care of their grandmother after their parents fell victim to drugs. Kacey subsequently began using — and overdosing — in high school. Their paths diverged early, but they come together in the end. It is on Obama's 2020 reading list, and it is well worth reading.

Queen's Gambit (2020)

This is a trauma infused seven part mini-series that is well acted, well scripted, and does not end up in the disasterous place that it often seems to be headed. The opening episode shows eight-year-old Beth left impossibly unharmed by the car crash that kills her mother. As the series unfolds, we quickly learn that the crash was a suicide attempt that Beth was not meant to survive, and that Beth figures this out and flashes back to it often. Her father’s not in the picture, so Beth ends up at a Christian school for orphans. While there, she develops three things: a friendship with Jolene (played by Moses Ingram, who is excellent), a passion for chess, and a physical and emotional dependence on the little green tranquilizers fed to the children until they are later outlawed by the state. Drugging the kids was probably done in many an institutional setting but it is still pretty shocking, none-the-less. It is what substitutes for psychological support for children who have lost their families. When she finally leaves the school, she’s got those last two things packed in her suitcase alongside a bunch of chess books, a sizable ego, some unexplored trauma, and no small amount of self-loathing underneath her socially awkward and cool exterior. But it’s chess that drives her, sending her both to the heights of the competitive chess world and, increasingly, to pills and alcohol to keep demons at bay. It is a great story well told and well worth seeking out.

How Much Of THese Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang

There is a lot of subterfuge in this book, and as is often the case when that happens, I am a little unclear if I followed it all. The story is set in the American West during a gold rush and focuses on a family whose roots lie in an unnamed country and a vague time period. Misdirection abounds here, but the grave tone seldom wavers. Eleven and 12 years old, respectively, when the novel opens, sisters Sam and Lucy are 3½ years past the loss of their mother when their father, Ba, dies one night. They are forced to leave, and Sam brings their father with her--physically as well as metaphorically he is a chain that keeps them both grounded as well as stuck. What there is of a cowboy narrative in this novel is put to rest by Sam, who is pushed into a male role by her father, and then settles into a transgender or pan gender sense of self. She is restless and violent, withholding of herself to her sister and the world. She travels the country like a ghost on horseback, but at the same time, she’s deeply afraid of being alone. There is a lot of pondering the meaning of home, time and storytelling itself. Death is not final here, but rather a transition as well. You will not read anything like this, and for that alone it is worth seeking out.

The Contractor (2007)

This is an old school action movie where it is hard to always know who is the bad guy and who is the good one. It was picked out by my youngest, and we watched it in the immediate post-Oscar nominated movie watching period that can be dangerous, because everything seems like crap in comparison. Not so here. Wesley Snipes is a great protagonist, and while he is a hired assasin, he is our hired assasin. He is a CIA operative who kills on foreign soil at the behest of his government. Unfortuantely, his boss is dirty, and so when he does a final job for him, he is then a wanted man, not just by the Brits, which is where he carried out the murder, but also by members of the CIA who want to stop him from talking. He gets some help from a wily and grieving tween, and he manages to look like the good guy while defending himself, and not killing anyone who isn't already breaking the law.

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

This book won the Booker Prize this year, and that honor is well deserved--or at least I think it is, because it is very very good. My hesitation is that I have only read less than half of the long list, and so cannot say if it is the most deserving. One review of it I read struck true to me, that this is a modern Dickensian novel, meaning it has many of the notes that are lovable about the best of what Dickens wrote. It takes place in depressed 1980s Thatcher era Scotland — rife with unemployment, the erosion of industries like shipbuilding, mining, and iron working; and a deep recession. Shuggie Bain is a young, sensitive and somewhat prissy boy maneuvering in this world of men demoralized by the closure of mines, women sunk under the weight of drink and drugs, and families living week to week on public assistance and disability benefits. His mother drinks their weekly money for food, his father slept around and then made another family for himself without looking back, his brother is trying but it is every man for himself, and this is about Shuggie, the boy who was left behind to largely fend for himself with almost no tools in his belt to do so.

Sour Cream and Chive Rolls

Tis recipe is from an excellent new cookbook, Dessert Person, and they are a possible replacement for the dinner rolls that you usually make for Thanksgiving, or a similar meal. They can also be a great BBQ dinner with all the traditional sides accompaniment. They start with the traditional tangzhong that Hokkaido, Japanese milk bread, starts with. Chives are up and running in your garden and this is a great way to use them. ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. whole milk 5⅓ cups (667 g) bread flour, divided, plus more 1½ tsp. active dry yeast 1 cup sour cream, room temperature ¼ cup (50 g) sugar 4 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt 3 large eggs 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, divided, room temperature ½ cup finely chopped chives Flaky sea salt Freshly ground black pepper Whisk ½ cup milk, ⅓ cup flour (42 g), and ½ cup water in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a very stiff paste forms (it should resemble mashed potatoes), about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; scrape tangzhong into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Gently warm remaining 2 Tbsp. milk in same saucepan over low heat until lukewarm. Remove from heat, add yeast, and whisk until dissolved. Let sit until mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes. Add sour cream, sugar, kosher salt, 2 eggs, 4 Tbsp. butter, and remaining 5 cups bread flour (625 g) to tangzhong. Scrape in yeast mixture and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed to medium and mix, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally and adding more flour by the tablespoonful if sticky, until dough is smooth and supple, 8–10 minutes. Scrape dough onto a work surface and form into a smooth ball; dust lightly with flour. Place inside a clean large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a silicone lid. Let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1–1½ hours. Meanwhile, coat a 13x9" pan, preferably metal, with 2 Tbsp. butter (it will be a generous layer, which is what you want). Uncover dough and punch down lightly to expel some of the gas. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and stretch into a square. Roll out, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking, to a 12" square and sprinkle chives evenly over dough. Starting at one end, loosely roll up dough. Flatten with the heel of your hands into a long rectangle. Roll out dough again, dusting with more flour as needed, into a 16x6" rectangle. Using a wheel cutter or bench scraper, cut dough into twenty-four 2"-squarish pieces (an 8x3 grid). Working with 1 piece of dough, gather all the corners and pinch together to form a teardrop shape. Place seam side down on work surface. Cup your hand over dough and drag across surface, moving your hand in a rapid circular motion, to form dough into a tight ball. Do not add flour, as you want friction between the dough and the surface. Place ball in prepared pan and repeat with remaining pieces of dough, spacing to make a 6x4 grid. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until rolls are nearly doubled in size, 45–60 minutes. Meanwhile, place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a fork, whisk remaining egg in a small bowl until no streaks remain. Uncover pan and gently brush tops of rolls with egg, then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Bake rolls until tops are deep golden brown, 25–30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and immediately brush tops with remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Slide a knife or an offset spatula around sides of pan to loosen rolls, then slide a metal spatula underneath to loosen the bottom. Slide entire grid of rolls out and onto a wire rack. Serve warm or let cool.

Prom (2020)

My one child who likes musicals was home with me while the rest of the famiy was away vacationing. It was the weekend before the nominees for the Oscars were going to be announced, and this seemed like the movie that might get Meryl Streep, long a veteran of movies that she alone has held up, a nomination. It was a bit of a long shot, but I knew that if we didn't watch it in that moment it would be quite some time before my spouse was away and we would be watching a movie that was not nominated. All of that ended up being true. Once the nominees were announced, we started in earnest watching what we had not seen, and while separated by miles, we watched many of the movies over that week "together", or at least at the same time. This is a musical that is mostly a comedy, written by the creator of Glee, and populated by some big talent beyond Streep. It is about some nearly over the hill Broadway actors who go looking for a cause to support to get publicity, and they choose a high school that is not having a prom in order to avoid having a gay student bring her same gender date. Things get complicated, the ploy does not work out, but the marginalized student who is bullied throughout does have her moment. It is not terrible and even has moments of fun.

Mediocre by Ijeoma Oluo

“Lord, give me the confidence of a mediocre white man.” That phrase, coined by writer Sarah Hagi in 2015, elicited millions of flickers of recognition and launched a million tote bags. The author untangles that charged irony in this book, along with its perilous implications for all of us. This is in some ways So You Want To Talk About Race, The Sequel. She is an author who doesn't mince words and takes on the tough subjects straight on. She reveals the levers and pulleys of systemic racism in America. As she outlines vividly in each book, “White supremacy is, and always has been, a pyramid scheme.” The difference between the her first book and this one is in the showing and telling. The first book told, pretty literally, how people could through navigating thorny conversations about race. Mediocre shows what the back story to how we ended up here. She lays out a sweeping cultural history of white men failing upward, from education to sports to politics. Each chapter showcases a moment in history and a contemporary parallel. If you’re thinking you’ve heard this before — see slavery to mass incarceration — think again. The author excavates episodes even the most dutiful student of history may have missed, and pieces them together for you.

Shaved Cauliflower and Farro Salad

This salad should not be made on a week night, or when you are in a hurry. It has lots of steps and relies on patience. Sometimes I think a restaurant shares it's recipes because they want you to realize that you should just go there and order it rather than spending all day making it at home, and this seems to fall into that category. The pandemic has taught us that just going to the restaurant just isn't that simple right now, and so we try some of these things at home. PICKLED FRESNO CHILES 8 Fresno chiles, seeds removed, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds 2 teaspoons sugar 1½ tablespoons kosher salt ½ cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced chiles with the sugar and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. 2. Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil, cover and let sit at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours, or until the chiles have reached the desired flavor. This makes a generous 1 ½ cups pickled chiles, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. RED WINE VINAIGRETTE 1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot ¼ cup red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon kosher salt Pinch freshly ground black pepper ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil In a medium bowl, combine the shallot and red wine vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, then drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to combine. This makes about ¾ cup vinaigrette, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The vinaigrette will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 week; whisk before using. AVOCADO PURÉE 1 avocado 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar 2 teaspoons toasted pine nuts 1 teaspoon fish sauce, preferably Red Boat brand ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup chopped parsley 1 clove garlic, very finely grated 1 teaspoon lemon juice In a blender jar, combine the avocado, oil, vinegar, pine nuts, fish sauce, salt, parsley and lemon juice and purée until smooth. Add a tablespoon of water at a time until consistency is smooth. This makes about 1 ½ cups avocado purée, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 2 days. FARRO 2 cups farro 1 rib celery, cut in half 1 small carrot, cut in half 3 fresh bay leaves or 1 dry 1 Fresno chile, halved lengthwise ½ yellow onion, quartered 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 quarts water 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1. In a medium saucepot, combine the farro, celery, carrot, bay leaves, Fresno chile, onion, salt and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered, skimming off any foam that forms, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the farro is cooked but still has a firm, chewy texture. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes before straining. 2. Line a sheet tray with parchment and spread the strained farro out into an even layer and, using tongs, pick out all of the vegetables and aromatics and discard. Drizzle the farro with the olive oil and toss. This makes about 6 cups farro which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days. FARRO SALAD WITH CAULIFLOWER AND AVOCADO CREAM 2 cups prepared farro ¼ cup toasted pine nuts 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion ¼ cup chopped mint 2 tablespoons rough-chopped parsley Prepared red wine vinaigrette 12 whole mint leaves 16 slices of prepared pickled Fresno chile Salt and pepper to taste ¼ cauliflower, thinly shaved with a mandolin 1 ounce Montasio cheese (or Parmigiano or Capra Sarda), shaved Prepared Avocado cream 1. In a bowl, combine the farro, pine nuts, diced red onion, chopped mint and parsley and drizzle with red wine vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until ingredients are all incorporated. Do not over mix. Place on a plate. 2. In a separate bowl, combine the shaved cauliflower and avocado purée and season to taste. Make sure the cauliflower is completely covered with the purée. 3. Pile the cauliflower on top of the plated farro and garnish with the whole mint leaves, pickled Fresno chile and shaved cheese.

Eurovision Song Contest (2020)

This is a sweet and goofy movie whose charm exceeds the sum of it's parts and best of all it is filmed and set in Iceland. Sadly, there are more more things that are filmed on this favorite island of mine than are set there, more is the pity. While there is murder, mayhem, and more slap stick comedy than I love in a movie, overall I very much enjoyed the silly, sticky saga at the heart of this movie, the only nominee for best song that actually has the song not only in the actual movie (the majority, including the winner in this category, come in the credits), the movie revolves around the writing of the song. Will Ferrell is comic Will Ferrell at his comedic silliness best, it is Rachel Adams who steals the show. No one is more surprised than I am that I am recommending this one.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

I am both surprised that it took me so long to read this and at the same time very happy that I did. I spent 100 days reading at an average of 12 pages per day--which sounds manageable but it is a pretty brisk pace when all is said and done. This is a densely packed book that is best when you savor it. It is an epic novel told about ordinary Russian people, ranging from the very rich to peasant poor and everything in between, with the War of 1812 laid over the top of the whole story. There are the ultra rich Bezukhov family, the Bolkonsky family with their multiple estates, the warm and fun loving Rostov family with their diminished circumstances, and the other 500 plus characters who give a textured look at Russia in the early 19th century. The history is accurate. It is a book full of Napoleon, Russian and French commanders, actual battles, and the downstream consequences of war with an overlay of culture, love, and politics. This translation is excellent, and contains French where the book was written in French, and English where is was written in Russian, to give a full sense of Russia in the time of Napoleon.

Rodney Scott's Potato Salad

If you are doing a BBQ to celebrate Mother's Day this would be a good old fachioned and yet delicious accompaniment. This is also a really good reminder that while I can wing it and make really good potato salad, there can be value added in using an actual recipe. I used about 1/2 the amount of dressing for the potatoes, subbed honey for the sugar because that is the way I like it, and otherwise followed this pretty much as written. It is a good BBQ meal side, with a nice balance of sweet and salty and creamy. I plan to serve this at an oputdoor party in July, provided there are no pandemic surprises between now ans then. Diamond Crystal kosher salt 3 ½ lb red-skinned potatoes, skin on, washed and quartered For the Dressing: 2 c Duke’s mayonnaise ¼ c yellow mustard (French’s or whatever you prefer) ½ c distilled white vinegar ¼ c fresh lemon juice ½ c sweet pickle relish 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ½ c finely diced celery (1 to 2 stalks) ½ c finely diced red onion (about 1 medium onion) For the salad: 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled 1 ½ tbsp Rib Rub ¼ c thinly sliced scallions (optional) Cook the potatoes: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the salt and quartered potatoes. Reduce the heat and gently boil the potatoes until they yield easily when a knife is inserted through their centers, 15 to 20 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing: In a large bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, relish, salt, sugar, black pepper, pepper flakes, and cayenne and mix until incorporated. Whisk in the celery and red onion. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Make the salad: Once the potatoes are tender, drain them and add them (while hot) to the bowl with the dressing. Use a large spoon to break up the potatoes to really get the dressing into everything while the potatoes are hot. Chop the eggs to your liking or press them through a sieve to break them up into fine bits. Fold the eggs into the salad. Finish the salad with a sprinkle of rib rub and the sliced scallions (if using).

The.One and Only Ivan (2020)

This is the only entry into the Visual Effects category that was kind of a dud for me. I really enjoyed all of the other four. This one, which has a strong voice cast for a myriad of animals who live in the confines of a mall circus that is so painfully small, windowless, and concrete that it is hard to imagine what kind of life it is for any of the animals but certainly not for a gorilla. The plot is a bit on the thin side, with the inevitable waning of audiences for these sorts of shows, the ring master is more and more desperate for gimmicks, any act that will draw them in a bit longer and a bit more. In many ways they are his life, and maybe that makes it all the harder for him to let them go. There are a few warm moments, but unless you have a child who loves these talking animal movies, I would recommend skipping it.

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

This is a difficult book to read as a psychiatrist for the last 35 years. So much went wrong and really, there aren't enough details to figure out exactly what could have turned the corner for a better outcome. It is a Gothic tale of the Galvin family — Mimi, Don, and their 12 children. On the surface, they were a postwar American dream. Don was a World War II veteran helping to jump-start the just-opened Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs alongside his witty and selfless, but quite controlling wife. The first 10 Galvin kids, born beginning in 1945, were handsome boys who became high school football and hockey stars in their growing boom town. Two beautiful daughters, Lindsay and Margaret, followed them. They lived on the outskirts of the city, on Hidden Valley Road, and were the envy of other families throughout Colorado Springs. Throughout the book I wondered what it would have been like to be their neighbors. Inside the house — where Mimi tried to bake a pie or a cake every day, by her own account, but the kids didn't argue it was incorrect — life was a nightmare. Six of the Galvin boys would descend into psychosis, and either be diagnosed with schizophrenia and/or bipolar disorder, and one more was hospitalized in a psychiatric institution on several occasions and was quite low functioning compared to his other well siblings. The Galvin boys fought often and roughly— cracking each other’s skulls and throttling their mother — while the parents hid it all from the outside world. In addition to head injuries, there were sexual assaults on multiple siblings and over a long period of time, and another brother killed himself and his wife in a murder-suicide. It was a huge mess and it did not go at all well.

Better Days (2019)

This is not aptly named, because there are no better days depicted here. At core is the culture of shame that pervades Asia, and the consequences that bullying can wreck on a young girl's life when she is targeted. A girl who has unfortunate parentage but an enviable academic record has a chance to make it out of poverty, but her merciless classmates make each passing day a mental and physical challenge. In order to make it over the finish line she enlists the help of a boy who is more or less homeless and a bit of a thug. He has a duck taped together dwelling, a minibike, and an attitude that that her feel safge. This is also about alliances that are unpredictable, how any one can be pushed too far, and the downstream consequences of a culture that ignores the little things. It did not win in the category of Best International Film, but it is well worth watching.

Buffalo Sauce

My youngest son's tastes are such that when he decides he wants to try something, and once it is prepared to his satisfaction, we have it again and again. He whole heartedly participates in the search for the perfect recipe and amasses the ingredients to bring the idea to fruition, but cooking is definitely a team sport in our house and he rarely attempts anything completely alone. So it went with this, which no one is more surprised than I am to be posting a rave review of. His buffalo chicken wrap is definitely delicious and becomes yet another thing that I will not likely order out once the pandemic is more or less over. ⅔ cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot®) ½ cup cold unsalted butter 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder salt to taste Combine the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt in a pot and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer while stirring with a whisk. As soon as the liquid begins to bubble on the sides of the pot, remove from heat, stir with the whisk, and set aside for use. Toss with already cooked chicken! This is surprisingly good for all it's simplicity.

Bestia by Ori Menashe

I rate this cookbook highly, but that applies only to people like me, who might get 10-20 new cookbooks a year, who really likes to cook through a cookbook, to get to know it and who has gotten to know quite a few cookbooks along the way. It is not a good book for a small collection, or someone who is new to meal preparation, and might be best taken out of the library to give it a whirl forst. It has sections that are deep rather than wide, and some aspects--like cured meats--may be great but are thus far untapped. The farro recipes are well worth making--the salads are delicious and unusual (I subbed blueberries for pomegranate and almonds for walnuts with no diminution in enjoyment). There are multiple vinaigrettes that I am having on hand this summer to see what the variety brings to my summer salads (I have high hopes for the fish sauce, the cinnamon, and the pomegranate ones to widen my horizons). The vegetable sides are delicious! Same can be said for the wealth of sherbet recipes. The pizzas dough that is leavened with sourdough starter is worth the price of the book, as is the uncooked tomato sauce and the country loaf. Do not skip the buckwheat flour in them either. It is an easy way to give a depth of flavor to your finished product.

The Croods: A New Age (2020)

I watched this back when it might have been on the list of nominees for the Oscar, which it did not make the cut for, but was (surprising to me) an enjoyable diversion, because I did not love the first one. The Croods are out and about in the prehistoric landscape when they meet up with the Betterman's--you do not have to dig too deep to be able to assume that the Crood's are a bit crude and the Betterman's are living the cave man's best life. They have running water, a plantation of constantly producing fruit trees, elaborate indoor dwellings built around a utopian landscape. It turns out that it really is just one bunch of bananas away from falling apart, and in every village every man and their skills count. It is also about opposites attracting and makes a case for parents staying out of the match making game. Very much a move best suited for the elementary age set.

Rodney Scott's Rib Rub

Rodney Scott's cookbook is a straight ahead BBQ book, with a lot of description of philosophy and technique, including the ideal BBQ pit and some instructions to go along if you wanted to contruct something. The back yards of those who do this must be a site to see. For me, a non-smoker of meat, the rub is where it is at. This mix has a very good balance of sweet and heat, not to salty but very flavorful. Do not skip the MSG. ½ c Diamond Crystal kosher salt ¼ c MSG ¼ c freshly ground black pepper ¼ c paprika ¼ c chili powder ¼ c packed light brown sugar 2 tbsp garlic powder 2 tbsp onion powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper Mix thoroughly and store in a dry sealed container.

May Flowers?

May Day!! I love this time of year, when winter is really fading, and before the trees are fully leafed out. It is the season of flowering trees and bulbs, and this year we have more than doubled what we have blooming in our yard. It is part of the pandemic silver lining. We are still home, even vaccinated, not traveling, barely eating out at all, seeing only a few people. This outdoor season we are going to make the most of having a home, not just being grateful for it, but celebrating the possiblities. It started with just spending more time outside so that we could see others outside our bubble, but last fall, when it was clear this going to go on for quite some time, we planted bulbs. We knew than that we would still be at home when they came up, that we could spend time enjoying them. And quess what? We will plant more flowers as the month goes forward.