Great Guild Hall, Tallinn, Estonia

The Great Guild Hall was one of the most distinguished public buildings of medieval Tallinn and with a 21st century restoration under its belt, it is still quite distinguished today. The Gothic-style building, completed in 1410, was built on what was then the main street, and near the Town Hall. It was commissioned by the Great Guild, the association of Hanseatic merchants. Over the centuries a variety of events have been held in the Great Guild Hall, ranging from grand parties and weddings to church services and court proceedings. In the Middle Ages the cellar was used for storing wine, and in the 19th and 20th centuries the popular wine cellar known as Das Süsse Loch ("Sweet Hole") operated there. During the 19th century the building, then known as the Stock Exchange, was used not only for business but also as a lively arts venue. The Great Guild Hall has housed the Estonian History Museum since 1952. We went in because it is on the Tallinn card and therefore free once you have paid a flat fee. There are a number of exhibits on view, but this wall of video exhibits telling the history of Estonia, a horrific history of invasion and domination byt foreign powers, with some brief interludes of independence, is enchantingly told in a number of different ways, and so well worth the half hour it takes to watch them through a time or two.

The Promise by Damon Galgut

This was nominated for the Booker Prize in 2021, which is how I came to read it--as is almost always the case, no matter how many of the long listed books I read before the final winner is announced, and this past year it was 11 of the total 13, I have almost never ever read the winner pre-announcement. This book is exceptionally well written, so subtle and sly and occasionally magical that it makes the unpalatable truths about post-colonial South Africa easier to examine. The material and in some ways the approach to writing remind me of J.M. Coetzee's work in general and Disgrace in particular. The book chronicles the unraveling of apartheid as seen through the eyes of a bigoted white family. the decline of a white family during South Africa’s transition out of apartheid. It begins in 1986, with the death of Rachel, a 40-year-old Jewish mother of three on a smallholding outside Pretoria. The promise of the title is that her Afrikaner husband, Manie, would give their black maid, Salome, the deeds to the house she occupied and the youngest daughter Amor heard it. Now that Rachel is dead, Manie has apparently forgotten and doesn’t care to be reminded. The anger and tension between black South Africans and white colonizers pulses through the story and is all to relevant today.

Restaurant Rataskaevu 16, Tallinn, Estonia

There are many things that reliably go right when we are on vacation, but an area that we often fall short on is the meal on the first night. Not so in Tallinn. We managed to find a small neighborhood grocery store and buy a few things to snack on within a few blocks from our apartment, and then we went to this restaurant, which was one of a handful that were recommended by the apartment managers. It was a wonderful introduction to the trip, and a very enjoyable meal.

In addition to trying a local beer, a local spirit, and a digestif made by an aging actress who performed in a theater down the street in her heyday, we had two things that are hallmarks of the cuisine of the region--a brown bread filled with seeds, and a fish soup. These dishes were delicious, traditional, and at the same time updated and fresh. The western European and Scandanavian sensibility is very appealing, and this was the end of a great first day.

Old Town, Tallin, Estonia

Tallinn has managed to wholly preserve its structure of medieval and Hanseatic origin against all the odds. Estonia, like it's Baltic neighbors, has been home. Due to its exceptionally intact 13th century city plan, the Old Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, joining the ranks of the world’s most recognised landmarks. Here you'll find original cobblestone streets dotted with medieval churches and grandiose merchant houses, barns and warehouses many of which date back to the Middle Ages. It is utterly charming, and well worth a few days exploring.

A fortified settlement existed in Tallinn from the late 1st millennium BC until the 10th–11th century AD, and there was a town on the site in the 12th century. In 1219 it was captured by the Danes, who built a new fortress on Toompea hill. Trade flourished, especially after Tallinn joined the Hanseatic League in 1285 (more on this later). In 1346 it was sold to the Teutonic Knights, and on the dissolution of the order in 1561 it passed to Sweden. Peter I of Russia captured Tallinn in 1710, and it remained a Russian city until it became the capital of independent Estonia from 1918 to 1940. Estonia was annexed to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 1940 to 1991. After the Supreme Soviet of Estonia declared independence in 1991, Tallinn became the capital of the newly independent state. With the exception of an ugly demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy in the wake of their invasion of the sovereign territory of Ukraine, it is an otherwise peaceful city that hides it troubled past beautifully.

One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson

I picked this book up at a free library in the Jackson Hole Airport--which has an exceptionally good and varied collection of donated books usually. This is a book that only someone like Bill Bryson would write--it is long on details about the summer of 1927 and very light on connecting the dots about these events or drawing much in the way of conclusions about them, what they meant then and why they might matter to us now. It is more like a collection of unconnected things that happened all at the same time, and the author runs through them and makes his usual comments about them (slightly jocular, slightly inappropriate, and certainly more in the comic vein than an academic tone). All of this sounds pretty negative, but overall I enjoyed reading the book, which chronicles people and events that are well known, like Lindberg crossing the Atlantic and Babe Ruth hitting 60 home runs, but lesser known things as well. If you liked Horrible Histories as a kid, this will appeal.

Dog (2022)

I have worked with vertans of foreign wars for over 30 years, including veterans of the 20 year wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. This modern war is particularly challenging in that a lower percentage of Americans fought in the war than in any other major war before it. Just 2% of the US population did a tour of duty abroad. What that left these veterans with was the longest time in a combat theater than at any time since the Revoluitionary War. Veterans did multiple tours of combat over the two decades and suffered both physical and mental trauma that can be improved but often doesn't go away. Briggs (ably played by Channing Tatum) is a guy who has suffered injuries from his service as an Army Ranger have taken everything he had and everything he needed. We don;t know what he was like before, but he was an elite soldier, which takes concentration, smarts, good instincts, strengh and courage. All of this disscourages introspection, which leaves Briggs ill equipped to improve. Despite his doctor’s warnings that he has some permanent impairment, he's determined to get back into the Rangers. Why? Because military service gives him structure, purpose, fellowship, and enough adrenaline to not have to think about the many things he doesn't want to think about, including how much more there is still to lose. The film focuses on him taking another wounded veteran, a dog, to the dog handler's funeral. He has died by suicide, which is not explored in the film, but is another stark reality that Briggs and other actual veterans face a higher risk of as well.

The Maid by Nita Prose

This is a very enjoyable and slightly off kilter debut crime novel. I don't usually write much about this genre, but I read quite a bit of it, and I am making an exception for this book. Unfortunately for Molly, her attention to detail when it comes to cleanliness doesn’t extend to understanding social cues or knowing how to navigate the complex waters of conversations or relationships. Molly the Maid is seen as a slightly off by her co-workers, who don’t appreciate or comprehend her boundless desire to do her best at her job or her probably Asperger's symptoms. She was protected by her grandmother, who left her lots of clues as to how to handle different situations and people, but she is easily duped by conniving people. When she enters the penthouse suite at the Regency Grand one afternoon to return it to perfection, she finds very much the opposite: The most prized hotel guest, Mr. Black, is collapsed dead in his bed, murdered. Sadly, because of a series of unfortunate events that I won’t detail here because they’re incredibly amusing to uncover as a reader, Molly finds herself the prime suspect in his killing and the center of a swirling scandal threatening not only the reputation of the hotel she adores but also her own livelihood. It all gets sorted out in the end, and is a light and enjoyable read.

Soft Pretzels

Let me start off by saying that if you are looking for a cookbook to send off with a kid to college, or give to someone who is just starting to learn to bake, you should consider Shauna Severs Midwest Made. Everything that we have made from the cookbook has turned out well, and been less troublesome to make that you would suspect from the way it looks. For the dough 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 tablespoons instant dry yeast 2 tablespoons butter softened 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading 1/2 teaspoon salt Making the pretzels 1 cup Boiling water 1/2 tablespoon Baking soda 2 tablespoons Coarse salt 2 tablespoons Melted butter Warm the milk up to about 110 F. Sprinkle the sugar and the active dry yeast.Be careful not to warm the milk so hot, so it dos not kill your yeast. Let it sit for about 10 min, until it gets a bit foamy. After 10 min, add in the salt, the softened butter, also add half of the flour. Mix with a wooden spoon till the mix comes together, add the remaining flour, stir again until it comes together. Use your fingers to scrape down the sides of your bowl, so you can incorporate everything. Sprinkle some flour on your working surface, start knitting. Knit for about 1-2 min. You don;t want to overwork it. You want to knit it to develop a little bit of the gluten. After you knit it, get a large bowl, put some vegetable oil. Swirl the dough around, put in the bowl. Cover it with a moist towel, so the dough doesn't dry out. Cover and let it rise for 1 hour. Until it is doubled. While the dough is rising, make the baking soda solution with 1 cup of nearly boiling water, add the baking soda. Whisk it together, until the baking soda is dissolved. This is what is going to give your pretzel the signature flavor, as well as texture. Once this is mix, set off to the side. Take your doubled in size dough out of your bowl, put it on your working surface9 no flouring). Cut your dough into 6 equal pieces. Does not have to be exact-just eye bowl it. Work with one of the pieces at a time. Take one piece of the dough and using your fingertips only, roll it out to about a 30 inch long. Make sure is evenly and consistently diameter from one end to the other. Make like a horse shoes shape with the two end pointing towards you. Take those two end put one over the other, then cross over again, then take your two ends and folded up and pinch it onto the end. You have created your classic pretzel shape. Keep a photo in front of you or watch a YouTube video--or both--to help with this part. Take your pretzel and gently lay it down to your baking soda solution. You want to leave in there for 5-10 sec, and carefully lift and place it on cooking sheet, Heavily grease your pan, because this will stick. While pretzels are still wet, take your salt and sprinkle that salt on top. Preheat your oven to 450F-Bake them 10-13 min, untill nicely golden brown. Once they are brown, brush them with melted butter.

Cook Real Hawai'i by Sheldon Simeon

I have relatively recently been on a kick where I actually read the cookbook cover to cover before I actually make anything, which has been both educational and fun. This is no exception, unless you know a lot about Hawaii both culturally and regional differences. The author grew up on the big island, went to culinary school on Oahu, and has his restaurants on Maui. This is not 'typical' Hawaiian food but rather the local Hawai‘i food that the author feeds his ohana, his family and neighbors. The recipes are uncomplicated and flavor-forward and demonstrate the many cultures that have come to create the cuisine of his beloved home: the native Hawaiian traditions, Japanese influences, Chinese cooking techniques, and dynamic Korean, Portuguese, and Filipino flavors that are closest to his heart. The majority of the recipes are different from what most of us are used to eat daily, there's a solid chance you have most of the stuff you need already on hand. Most ingredients can be found in a well-stocked grocery store, with just a few items requiring a trip to your nearest Asian market. Besides this, all the recipes are relatively easy to do and can be done in just a few steps. And never fear, there is Spam, macaroni salad, and condensed cream of mushroom soup contained within.

The Mosquito

One cocktail hurdle that I am deftly leaping over these days is appreciating (at least a little bit) the bitter/sweet balanced drink. This is one such example, which also has spicy and smoky notes. 1 oz Mezcal (Luminar) 1 oz Campari, 1 oz Ginger Syrup 1 oz Lemon Juice. Shake & Strain