Bourdain Remembered

I missed commenting on Anthony Bourdain in June, the month that he was born in and then 62 years later it is the month he died in. I am not a big Bourdain fan, unlike many people that I know and some of them I even love. However, his voice and perspective on food and the people who make it is a huge loss to us all. I can totally get behind a lot of things that he promoted and was big on before it was cool. I really admire his accessibility as a person. People could connect with him when he was on camera, but word has it that that is who he was when the camera wasn't rolling as well. He liked to break bread with strangers and hear their stories. When he was in a new place he sought out the best food--not the most expensive of most carefully prepared food but rather the most flavorful and interesting food. Bonus points if it served a regional delicacy. He was a big advocate for those who have little or no voice. He spoke out about service staff needing the support of diners. He advocated going to places that aren't on everyone's radar, that every place has greatness, you just have to find it. So take a moment this summer and add an experience you wouldn't have done, but that Bourdain would have loved he inspired you to do. Or at least raise a glass and toast his gusto about food and the people who make it.

Twilight of Democracy by Anne Applebaum

Do not miss this book. It is a compact 200 pages that meanders through out Europe looking at the current swing in the direction away from democracies and towards totalitarian regimes. She starts off with her adopted country of Poland, where the process began a bit earlier and ther is less of a history of democracy deep within the culture. What is deep in the culture is religious and reacil prejudice in general and antisemetism specifically. The swing towards autocratic and also inexperienced government, while openly practicing cronyism is well known by now, but her story is intimate and compelling. She is American, but living in Poland for 25 years as the wife of a former Poland defence and foreign minister and a Jew. She then goes on to delineate fractures in democracy in Europe and of course in the United States as well, with the GOP openly resorting to voting restrictions, virtually admitting they cannot be assured of a win in a fair and open vote. This is by no means a wake up call, but rather an assessment of a situation well in progress.

Sheet Pan Orange Chicken

I am about to embark on a sheet pan chicken craze. 1 ½ - 2 lb chicken tenderloins ▢ ⅓ c honey ▢ zest of one orange ▢ 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice ▢ 2-3 garlic cloves, minced ▢ ¼ tsp crushed pepper ▢ 1 inch grated ginger ▢ ½ tsp pepper ▢ 2 large broccoli heads ▢ 3 T olive oil (separated) ▢ 2-3 garlic powder Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, orange juice, orange zest, 1 T olive oil, ginger, garlic cloves, red pepper and sea salt (about ¼ tsp or to taste) and pepper. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder as desired (I like garlic, can you tell??) Pour marinade over top and toss to evenly coat. Cut stems from broccoli and break into florets. Toss 2 tablespoons olive oil, dash of sea salt ½ tsp garlic powder and cracked pepper together so that broccoli is coated. This should double as oiling the sheet pan as well. Spread the broccoli out to the edges of the pan. Add the chicken to the center of the pan and pour remaining marinade over top. ** Short on time? Line the chicken straight onto the pan and pour the marinade right on top before popping in the oven. Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature. When you pull out the pan, some extra liquid may be on it. Blot it with a paper towel or pour it gently off the side. Serve with rice or as desired! I like to add an extra drizzle of honey and a garnish of red pepper when serving. If you are planning ahead, you can mix the orange marinade together and toss it with the chicken in a ziplock bag and allow it to really marinate until you are ready to cook. That definitely kicks up the juicy flavor but is not necessary. These meals are supposed to be simple, so keep it that way! Sunday meal prepper?? Make this and dish it out into your Tupperware so you are set for the week! Add more red pepper or kick up the heat with a bit of siracha or hot sauce. The last time I made it I went all in on the spice and got a high rating from the hubby for that one.

The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

This book, short listed for the Booker Prize last year, is both brutal and beautiful to read. It is set in the second Italo-Ethiopian war, when Benito Mussolini invaded Ethiopia and waged was on Haile Selassie. Occasionally the thoughts of the men involved in the fighting are told, but this is mostly a the book depicting the role of women in the Ethiopian resistance, illuminating hown the story of war is not only a a masculine story. There are four central female characters: Hirut, the young orphaned servant for whom the novel is a kind of coming of age in a war; Aster, Hirut’s jealous and violent employer who gloriously leads the Ethiopian women into battle. Then there is the Cook, a Madame Defarge–like mastermind, and Ferres, an Ethiopian prostitute employed by an Italian colonel who is also a spy for the Ethiopian army. This is a bloody and brutal story, but also one that glides along through the violence and emerges on the other side into a new way of thinking. It is magical and difficult.

Parmesan Peppercord Dressing

For reasons that truly escape me, I have done almost no cooking out of the Food 52 cookbook this month, Simply Julia this month beyond several dressings that have all been easy to make and two out of three have been winneers. This one I could see having in the fridge often, especially over the summer when there is an endless array of vegetables to have in a myriad of ways, so as to mix it up in a delicious way. I served it with a spinach and romaine salad, but I could see it over spiralized zucchini or a tomato salad, or even just cucumbers. Ingredients 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt 1/2 cup real mayo 1-2 tablespoons freshly cracked peppercorns, depending on how spicy you like it 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt Thin with buttermilk, start with 2 Tbs. Instructions Roughly crack the peppercorns by placing in a heavy duty zip tight back, sealing, then hitting with a rolling pin or meat mallet to break them up into coarse pieces. Or grind them, as you like it. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together well. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to combine.

GOP versus American History

I hope these ludicrous attempts to bury the truth about racism being alive and well in America today go down in flames. Certainly we either become an autocracy where books are burned whole sale, Nazi Germany style, or history will judge them badly--for one, I am pretty sure when Nazis were doing the book burning they were not thinking they were going to become the poster perfect example of just how evil they were. That is my hope for the GOP, that people will hide that they were once Trumpo style Republicans, that they actively and publically supported white supremacists and tried to silence those who spoke out about what is in fact happening in front of our eyes. In the mean time it will be an exhausting time for all of us, where we avoid those who support hate and support those whop voice their hopes for tolerance, that we fight like hell for voting rights and the Republicans get defeated in their attempts to go back to white men voting and no one else. It will be ugly, and the GOP will do a scorched earth campaign, all the while wailing that the so called left isn't trying to build a coalition with them when they are in the minority. After all, McConnell is already saying that if the GOP takes the Senate they will not vote on a Supreme Court nominee that Biden puts forward. They are evil autocrats who fleece everyone to maintain power and control. Their maker will judge them and find them wanting.

The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this straight ahead shoot them up chase movie. I do love Samuel L. Jackson and I am fond of Ryan Reynolds, so that could have been a clue, but it wasn't. The dialogue is smart and snappy, and they play off each other very well in between the voluminous gun fire and the occasional bombs going off. The car chases are fun in a slap stick kind of way, and all in all, it was a very enjoyable, if very bloody movie. I can only hope that the sequel, which is of course why we watched this when we did, holds up in comparison. The beauty of this sort of 'take two' movie is that all the acting elements that made this fun are in place, so as long as the script isn't second rate, it should be fun. On top of that there will be people like me who missed this the first time around who will seek it out in advance of watching the newer version. I highly recommend this for the genre.

Green Beans with Mustard Seeds and Ginger

My version of these could have used more ginger, so do not be afraid to pour it on. 1 Tb vegetable oil 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds 1 Tb sesame seeds 500g fine green beans, topped and tailed a thumb of ginger, peeled and grated 1 Tb tomato paste 1/4 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Blanch the beans ahead of time if you want this to come together quickly. Heat the oil in a lidded frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and sesame seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the beans. Stir fry for a couple of minutes, then add the ginger. Stir fry a couple of minutes more, then stir in the tomato purée, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for another five minutes, or until the beans are tender.

Take PRIDE

I cannot even say just how much I love this photo, featuring Dr. Kevo Rivera! I am so proud to work with them! So many great things have happened in my work place this year, and all in the year of COVID, which was very bad indeed, so a true rainbow, sun shining through clouds as the rain storm passes. My only regret is that it has taken me this far into June to say how proud I am of what has happened in my life time to protect the civil rights of LGBTQIA+ Americans. Writing this on the heels of Juneteenth, and seeing where we are vis-a-vis the civil rights of the descendents of slaves, it is sobering how poorly we have done in that realm, and even more impressive the strides forward, all the while recognizing that it took altogether too long. I know that I make mistakes, I use the wrong pronouns sometimes, I am not always aware of my biases and how my language affects others, but I am working on it and I am excited to see what is coming. I know it will be colorful.

Real Life by Brandon Taylor

I read this as part of my annual quest to read all of the Booker Prize long list in the time between when it comes out and when the next is announced. Some years I am lucky enough to have read one or two already, but the one constant is that I am almost never successful in this goal. This book was short listed. The author of this book, his first, spent time in Madison and Iowa City as part of his path to becoming an author. That is relevant because the book is set in an unnamed university town in the American Midwest, where Wallace – a gay Black man from Alabama – is a graduate student in biochemistry. This isn’t strictly a "campus novel" but the academic environment which surrounds Wallace is absolutely central to the story and where it is going. Department politics, the grudges, rivalries and friendships between him and his peers, Wallace’s fraught relationship with his own supervisor are all part of what pulls him downwards. The book chronicles a single weekend, from Friday evening through to early Monday morning. It is almost like reading in real lime. Wallace gets embroiled in a series of confrontations: some professional, others personal, each fraught with tension, miscommunication and the high-pitched hum of barely repressed violence. At moments, Wallace’s apparent apathy is exasperating – his refusal, for example, to level indictments of his own at a classmate who accuses him of misogyny. Every now and then, however, he lashes out, inflicting pain, sometimes seemingly at random, to assuage his own suffering . He is human, suffering what even the most privledged of us suffer, but then piled on that is being black, being poor and all that entails, being gay, and being completely out of his element. It is exhausting, and the reader feels that. Well done.

Avocado, Corn, and Tomato Kachumber

I was cooking this past week for both a vegan and a gluten free family member, and so the clear solution was to make food from cuisines that do not rely heavily on either animal products or wheat. We made Chinese food one night (this is a challenge just because all the food comes together within the few minutes before serving, and while is worked out, not to be repeated) and an Indian meal. I added this salad on at the very last minute, and I highly recommend it. Simple to prepare, and a welcome foil to the other hotter dishes. It is bright, crunchy, refreshing, and a break from the dals and choles. 1 cup corn 1 large avocado 1 cup cherry tomatoes 2 tbsp lime juice Salt and Pepper to taste. Cilantro can also be added, as can red onion, cucumber, and a mild chile pepper. Cut avocado and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add the lime juice and salt and pepper. Lightly toss with your veggies and serve.

Juneteenth

At long last, a holiday. Not in the sense that it is wholy good. The day the last slave in the United States knew that slavery had ended is certainly worth celebrating and going big. But much like other Federal holidays in the United States, there is another side to the coin. We celebrate the end of slavery, but we then acknowledge that we as a nation enslaved people all the way into the 19th century. And here in the 21st century our Congress cannot wholely agree that lynching should be outlawed. That the unequal treatment of brown and black people is going on everyday and needs to be addressed, each and every day, that suppressing the vote is unfair, and it is unequally affecting people and communities of color. Our greatest hope as a people and as a nation is the young. May they lift us up and make us the best that we can be. In the meantime, celebrate the teeny tiny steps forward as they happen.

Life Circles Around

In the past couple of weeks I have celebrated the wedding of a man who I met within days of his birth and have watched grow up, as well as my parent's anniversary of more than six decades, and my eldest son's anniversary. Yes, I know that June is a popular month to get married, but the confluence of these events, and the fact that we are all together after a year of being mostly apart and deifinitely in small groups has got me thinking. It has definitely been a hard year, but not my worst year. We have weathered some devestating medical diagnoses in my household, and so not really surprising that the isolation of the pandemic wasn't catestrophic for us, even though my spouse got COVID at work and did not just shake it off. He was sick. One of the reasons is that we have strong partnerships all around us, and those relationships really help when the situation dictates that we stay apart from most others. I also aknowledge that I do better with isolation than most, and all this celebrating this June has taken some getting used to, so that helps weather these times as well. I feel like this is helping me to move forward a bit, to be cautiously optimistic that we might be able to get beyond the pandemic and take some steps in the direction of how things used to be.

Stir Fried Green Beans

In putting together an Asian meal that had both vegan and gluten free aspects to cover, not to mention everything can't be too spicy, and seasfood would not be considered a plus by certain guests, this simple green bean preparation presented itself. The only thing I did differently was to blanch the beans for a minute ahead of time. 1/4 cup oyster sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut on a sharp angle into 2-to 3-inch pieces In a small bowl, whisk the oyster sauce, sugar and 3 tbsp. water until the sugar dissolves. Divide the oil between 2 large skillets; heat over high. Reduce the heat to medium-high, divide the garlic between the skillets and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Divide the beans between the skillets; add 2 pinches of salt to each. Stir-fry until the beans are bright green, about 1 minute. Divide the oyster sauce mixture between the skillets. Stir-fry until the beans are just tender and the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.

The Webster, Iowa City

There is a new restaurant on the Iowa City dining scene! I have now eaten there several times, albeit not anonymously, but in the tradition of famous restaurant critics, don't judge a place on one visit, but really test the depth of the menu and the consistency of the food and the service over several meals. I was there very early on and then again when they got their legs under them. I have been there for a small dinner, a couple of medium sized ones, a multi-family meal, and one close-the-restaurant meal, and they were all terrific. This place rocks.

Here is why. It is a classy set up, well designed and beautiful to behold. The menu has great variety and everything is perfectly sourced. THe freshest and most flavorful meats and seafood. The hand made pastas are varied and delicious. The breads are delicious, different from each other, and served with perfectly paired toppings.

And then there is the ability to share. You don't have to if you don't want to, but if you love to have a bit of this and a bit of that, this is the place for you. The side plates and the small plates are inspired and can make a meal if you want. I love the pasta best, but it is closely followed by the shrimp tempura, and the seasonal vegetable dishes. Oh, and the cocktails are delicious! This is the place for celebrations, big and small, acommplishments or just being happy it is Tuesday.

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

I came to this book because it is on Obama's 2020 reading list, and I try to read things that he recommends, albeit often a year late, especially when it comes to the non-fiction books, but I find that I am often pleased by what I read and sometimes wouldn't have come across it in another way. This book, as well as a number of selections from the 2020 list can be so characterized. This book is by someone who is well know for making history more of a story than a recitation of details and who was not a huge Churcill fan. it tells of Winston Churchill’s harrowing first year as U.K. prime minister during World War II — a period when continental Europe had already been steamrolled by Hitler, America had not yet joined the fight, and England, standing alone, withstood nine months of continuous bombing raids that would kill 44,652 of the British people. It was the year Churchill’s legacy is built on — when his most iconic speeches were delivered, when the image of him as the indefatigable bulldog was sealed. There are narrative arcs, heroes, villains, and suspense aplenty to craft the kind of rich, and immersive histories reciubted, juxtaposed by the British strategy and what the Germans were plotting. There is a sense of what the British endured, and how it came about--really, they had no choice. They were squarely on the side of good, while the Germans were warmongers set upon destruction, power, and avarice. It is scary, less so for knowing the ending, and an enlightening read.

Baby Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce

Our CSA has had boy choy every week since April, and as a result, we have been thinking in an Asian food frame of mind--which is something that I really want to do more of this summer. I have been dancing around trying to stir fry more, but haven't quite got the pattern down yet. This is a quick and easy side dish for an Asian meal! 1 tablespoon soy sauce 3 ½ tablespoons oyster sauce Pinch of sugar 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (do not use seasoned rice vinegar) 1 tablespoon neutral oil 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic 4 to 6 bunches of baby bok choy, approximately 1 1/2 pounds, cleaned, with ends trimmed Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and rice vinegar in a bowl and set aside. Heat oil in a skillet or wok set over high heat. When it shimmers, add garlic, then bok choy, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water to the skillet or wok, then cover it and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until bok choy has softened nicely at its base. Remove bok choy from the skillet or wok and place it on a warmed platter. Drizzle the reserved sauce over the greens and serve.

Radioactive (2019)

This is an oddly disappointing movie. I love Rosamund Pike, who portrays the amazing Marie Curie, but the movie doesn't do her or the subject justice. Marie Curie was a trailblazing scientist, both because of what she discovered and studied, but also because she endured crushing misogyny that undoubtedly hampered her efforts. Pierre Curie recognized her genius, and saw that between them they could make great strides in the field of radioactivity, and their marriage and scientific partnership worked well. He died reasonable young, soon after their Nobel prize was awarded, and she continued her work without him. She went on the discover uses for raditaion, both in the form of x-rays and as a treatment for cancer. She herself was poisoned by it, but did get to see it put to practical use--she developed portable x-ray mobiles to help better characterize the extent of the injuries in soldiers wounded in WWI in an attempt to prevent amputations. So the story is spectacular, but the execution is lacking. The other thing I learned is that her daughter joined forces with her husband and they too won a Nobel prize together, furthing the work of the parents.

Missionaries by Phil Klay

Let me just say that if you have any illusions that wars have winners and losers, then this book, written by a combat veteran, will set you straight. I read it because it is on Obama's 2020 reading list and while I do not love every book I read that he recommends, I am not sorry I read it. A journalist, Lisette, is suffering from trauma, boredom and shame from covering over-hyped and excessively optimistic US military involvements in Afghanistan and Iraq. She is searching for something to rejuvenate her and she types into a search engine: “Are there any wars right now that we’re not losing?” The algorithm claims the answer to be “Colombia”, where, in 2015, US troops are supporting a national rebuilding and peace process after half a century of intersecting civil wars between government forces, terrorists, revolutionaries and drug barons. Let's just say that while we meet a number of compelling and believable characters, at no point are we convinced that this is indeed a war that anyone is winning. The money in the whole operation leaves winners and losers, but there are no heroes.

Tandoori Sheet Pan Chicken

I do not know why but I feel like I am going to enter a sheet pan chicken phase of my life. This is a bit shocking, in that I really do not cook chicken, or much in the meat category. I am a strictly vegetable kind of cook, but the pandemic has seen me soing all sorts of things in the kitchen that I don't ordinarily do, which is a good thing. This recipe comes from Melissa Clark, who really does a great job with chicken. ½ cup plain yogurt ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 small onion, peeled and cut into chunks 1 jalapeño, stemmed, and seeded if desired 1 inch-long piece gingerroot, peeled and sliced into coins 2 garlic cloves, peeled 4 pounds skinless chicken drumsticks and thighs, rinsed and patted dry Vegetable oil, for brushing Lime wedges, for garnish For marinade, combine all ingredients except for chicken, oil and lime wedges in a food processor and purée until smooth. With a sharp knife, make several incisions on each chicken piece to help marinade penetrate meat. Transfer chicken to a large glass or ceramic baking dish and pour in marinade, turning chicken pieces to coat. Cover dish with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove chicken pieces from marinade. Transfer chicken to a roasting pan and drizzle with vegetable oil. Roast, basting occasionally, until juices run clear and meat is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely, then wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with lime wedges.

On the Rocks (2019)

I have to say that I really liked this movie, especially when you consider that the thumbnail summary of a woman suspecting her husband of cheating on her and when she tells her continuously cheating father about it he dives in to the surveillance mission with enthusiasm is just not what I would call a recipe for success and enjoyment in my book. Bill Murray is the dad and Rashida Jones is the wife--Jones just directed a documentary about her father, Quincy Jones, who is a complicated man himself, and she plays the wife who doesn't want to think that she would be humiliated in the same way that her mother was, but is worried she might be. Additionally, she knows the end of that story and she wants to avoid that for herself, so there is a tension between wanting to know and hoping she is over reacting. SHe plays her character perfectly and Bill Murray as the father is so hilarious in a kind of quiet way that you are even a little disappointed that the whole thing has to come to an end and you cannot continue to watch for at least another hour.

The Devil's Highvway by Luis Alberto Urrea

This book was published almost 20 years ago and describes how the immigration system in the US is broken on every level. He describes a particular crossing of a dangerous part of the border in a desert with no shelter or water that lead to multiple deaths and for those who survived, a costly rescue and resuscitation effort. The author is best known for his depiction of the border country. He portrays the Coyotes as people who exploit immigrants for money; for them, the goal is to get people across the border under whatever conditions are convenient. This includes packaging people in trunks and leading them into hazardous terrain, all while simultaneously extorting most of their money and savings. Ultimately, most immigrants have limited education and understanding of the border, and can’t find other options for entry. The amount of money that is spent rescuing people from the desert could be better spent on improving the circumstances in Central America and decreasing the situations that lead to the desperation that sends people northward .

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Arugula

This is a simple and delicious way to have zucchini as a room temperature salad, if you have the grill on for another reason. 6 courgettes stale (good) bread 2 garlic cloves – finely chopped chilli flakes – 1 tsp rocket leaves – 150g olive oil lemon juice sea salt flakes and pepper You’ll need to make the breadcrumbs first: Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4. Tear the bread into small chunks and scatter onto a baking sheet. Pour over a generous slug of olive oil and shake the tray a few times to ensure the bread is thoroughly coated. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool. When cool, place in a food processor along with the garlic, chilli flakes and pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Blitz for a few seconds until you have breadcrumbs. Turn out into a bowl, drizzle over a little more olive oil, taste and season again if necessary. Now the courgettes: Cut the courgettes lengthways into 4mm thick slices. Place in a bowl, pour over some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands to ensure an even coating. Cook in batches on a griddle pan until soft and lightly charred. Set aside on some kitchen roll to cool. Dress the rocket with lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay over the courgettes and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Serve at room temperature.

Desiree (1954)

Desiree is probably better remembered in France than she is in the United States, although maybe not because Napoleon has a checkered past and it all depends. I watched this movie in the aftermath of reading War and Peace, and it is a fictionalized version of Napoleon's rise and fall through the eyes of a woman who once loved him. Desiree is daughter of a Marseilles silk merchant who meets Napoleon when he is an impoverished general on the rise to greatness. His brother married her sister, and he betrothes himself to her, then heads to France to seek his glory. There he sets his eyes on a more influential bride, the rich and influential Josephine, who launches his career as not just a military hero but also an emperor, cast in the mold of Augustus. When Desiree ventures to Paris to find her errant fiancee, she discovers she has been jilted, but she also meets her future husband, Bernadotte, a man who opposes Napoleon's rise to the throne and his conquering all of Europe. THe movie sticks largely with what Desiree's point of view and knowledge was--so no battle scens and little in the way of military protocol, and more about what it was like for the French towatch all this unfold. As Napoleon, Marlon Brando draws a portrait of a man so sure of the righteousness of his cause that no sacrifice is too great in accomplishing his ends. His Napoleon is arrogant, scheming and temperamental, and yet oddly human in his failings. It is ironic that his wish to unite Europe into one was accomplished bloodlessly 200 years later, and that Russia was not a part of that--his failure to see that led to his downfall. This is a bit wooden in acting but well worth watching.

Uncanny Valley by Anna Weiner

This is an outsider looking in guide to what it is like to work in the tech world. The thing that I kept thinking the whole time that I read this is that it is exactly what I thought it would be like, there is nothing that stands out or is shocking. In some ways there is a lot less misogyny and harassment than I would have guessed, but otherwise it is unsurprising. Maybe that is because in many ways it is like the way everything worked a generation ago. Yes, tech is infused with a 90/10 male to female ration, and when a start up manages to have 20% women they stand out, but that was what you would have found in any work place in the 1970's. Yes, the women are doing the customer interface and the men are doing the programming, but again, that is pretty parallel to days gone by as well. The fact that this work didn't exist fifty years ago is notable, but there are jobs from then that no longer exist now. This memoir really shows that the more things change, often they also stay exactly the same.

Lentils with Burrata

I made this as part of a birthdya celebration dinner and really enjoyed it. 300g (1 and 1/2 cups) Puy lentils, rinsed 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped into small dice 2 celery sticks, chopped into small dice 1/2 medium sized onion, peeled and cut into small dice 2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into small dice 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only 2 large burrata balls (or 4 smaller ones) salt and pepper to taste Basil oil: handful of fresh basil leaves extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste Dressing: 1 tsp Dijon mustard 30ml (2 tblsp) extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp red wine vinegar salt and pepper 1/4 tsp caster sugar 50g (3 tblsp approx) Gorgonzola cheese, broken up into small pieces Make the basil oil by placing the washed leaves (reserve a few for the garnish) into a food processor with some oil and salt and pepper to taste. Process for a few seconds until you have a thin oil and set aside. Put the Puy lentils in cold water in a medium saucepan so that they are covered by about 7cm (3 inches) water. Bring to the boil and cook for about 30-35 minutes or until they are just soft but still hold their shape. Drain and set aside. In a large frypan, heat up a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat and add the carrot, celery, onion and thyme. Cook on low-medium heat for around ten minutes, so that the vegetables are softened but not coloured, add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Add the drained lentils and heat through, adding a bit of water if necessary to stop them sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep on low heat whilst making the dressing. To make the dressing, place the olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, pinch of salt, some pepper and the sugar into a small bowl and whisk. Stir through the Gorgonzola. Add the dressing to the cooked vegetables and place on a serving plate. Tear open the burrata onto the vegetables (using individual or shared plates). Drizzle on some basil oil and garnish with reserved basil leaves.

Beheld By TaraShea Nesbit

This book is set in 1630 Plymouth and and concentrates on a true historical event: the hanging of a man for murder. It then builds a tale of what might and might not have led up to that event. Two women on opposite sides of society, the governor’s wife, Alice Bradford, and an indentured servant’s wife, Eleanor Billington, show how the same events can be portrayed differently, and how the notion of undeniable truth can be so pliant. Known in society by their marriages, Alice and Eleanor navigate the settler’s life in Plymouth with vastly different opportunities. Alice is a respected woman with rank and self-discipline, while Eleanor is a young beauty of loud honesty and wanton ways, as perceived by the settlers. In truth, however, their lives are dictated largely by their husbands and their responsibilities as wives, but the ability to influence from a position of power and comfort is very real. Even if Alice cannot see it, the reader certainly can. Freedom, even in the New World, can be an ellusive thing.

Roasted Vegetables in Cascabel Chile Oil

I think this needed more punch than the original recipe provided, and am thinking just adding a bit more oil, as well as maybe I undersalted it, but the concept is both easy and good. This comes from Nopalito, and is a solid side vegetable dish to serve with a Tex Mex meal. Cascabel Chile Oil 6 dried cascabel or nora chiles 1 dried guajillo chile 1 1/2 cups rice bran or canola oil 1 clove garlic Roasted Vegetables 3 cups broccoli florets 2 cups onions diced 2 cups carrots diced 2 cups butternut squash cubed 3 cups potatoes, cubed 4 tablespoons cascabel chile oil Preheat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Place the cascabel and guajillo chiles on a baking sheet and roast until the guajillos darken, about 2 minutes; remove from, but do not turn off the oven. Step three Transfer the chiles to a medium heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water; let sit until the chiles are soft, about 20 minutes. Step four Drain the chiles and add them to a blender, along with the oil and garlic; blend thoroughly, until you see a clear red oil. It will keep for up to a few weeks refrigerated in an airtight container. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and season generously with salt (it should taste like the sea). Set a bowl of ice water next to the stove and season that with salt as well. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until bright green and slightly tenderized, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath to cool; remove and let dry. In a large bowl, mix the carrots, onions, squash, and potatoes with all but 1 tablespoon of the cascabel oil, and season generously with salt. Spread the vegetables onto two large baking sheets and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and stir. Toss the reserved broccoli with the remaining tablespoon of the chile oil, then add the broccoli to the baking sheets. Return to the oven (rotate the location of the pans for more even cooking) and cook until the vegetables are al dente and lightly browned, 10 to 20 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary

United States Versus Billy Holiday (2020)

This movie focuses on a lot that went wrong with Billie Holiday's life and career. It reveals once again the corrosive power of government to inappropriately interfere in the lives of private citizens it doesn't care for, many of them talented people of color. J.Edgar Hoover had a deep seated hatred of so many different kinds of people, many of them black, and he made it his mission to squash them, all while ignoring the boundaries of the law. Unfortunately when that is the focus, the message ends up being about the destructive power of drugs in general and opiates specifically. That part of the story seems quite modern because we are seeing it all over again, but this time it is largely white people who are convinced that they are not addicts, they have pain that needs to be treated and first opiates and then heroin is the cure, when what it is is an alternate universe that you are transported to briefly, but upon your return to reality things are as bad if not worse than when you left. It is a miserable cycle that the movie, and Billie Holiday herself fell into, and never got out of.

Raspberry French Toast Bake

I was recently at a large family gathering, where sixteen vaccninated members of my husbands family gathered together to celebrate his eldest sister turning sixty. It happened a year ago, yet another event that was delayed by COVID, and when it happened, we were all ready to be together. Admittedly, it was not completely safe despiete vaccines. We were nine separate bubbles, some of whom had traveled with others, but if not now, when? In any case, my SIL did a bang up job of cooking for us all, and this was one of the breakfast dishes she put together using leftover challah dibs and dabs that she had frozen from previous celebrations. She told me that this is emblematic of Ina Garten recipes she has used before--easy, delicious comfort food that feeds a crowd without a fuzz. If you are not a fan of fruit leave the raspberrys out or make a compote and have them on the side. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature 10 extra-large eggs 2 3/4 cups half-and-half 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus extra for serving 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 10 cups (1-inch-diced) day-old challah bread 12 ounces fresh raspberries Confectioners' sugar, for serving Pure maple syrup, for serving Grease a 9 x 13 x 2-inch oval baking dish with the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Spread half of the diced bread in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle on the raspberries in one layer. Top with the rest of the bread and pour on the egg mixture, pressing down lightly to moisten the bread. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake it for 60 to 70 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is puffed and browned. Check after 45 minutes; if the top is getting too browned, cover it lightly with aluminum foil. Cool for 10 minutes, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, dust with extra orange zest, and serve warm with maple syrup.