Have fun while eating well - Cookbook Giveaway

SPORK-FED by Jenny Engel & Heather Goldberg

My rating:  4 of  5 stars

I love cookbooks.  But not just any cookbooks.  They have to have attractive photographs (call me shallow, but I need the visuals).  They have to feature recipes that don't require me to drive two hours to find the ingredients.  And they have to have interesting text in addition to the recipes.  As a long time vegetarian, if they contain veggie recipes that are new to me, that's an added plus.  The new vegan cookbook Spork-Fed has all this and more. 

Engel and Goldberg are sisters who own and operate Spork Foods, a  California company that provides vegan cooking lessons in both group and private settings, as well as individual consultations on how to eat healthily.  Their website, www.sporkonline.com even offers on-line cooking classes.  There is no preaching in this cookbook -  the sisters have a fun open attitude toward food and their genuine enthusiasm for showing people how to eat well and deliciously at the same time is infectious. 

One of the things I love about this cookbook is the way the recipes are presented.  The directions are clear and easy to follow and each recipe has an introductory paragraph containing suggestions on how to serve the creations.  Each recipe also has two fun sections dubbed The Sporkie Scoop.  For your smarts gives interesting, little-known facts about one or more of the ingredients, and For your parts does the same with respect to nutritional aspects to the recipe.  The only thing that I can see some perceiving as a negative is that the recipes tend to have rather long ingredient lists. While that is not a deterrent for me, it may be for those who are looking for dishes that can be assembled in a matter of minutes.

The book is divided into the standard sections: appetizers, soups &salads, sides, main dishes, desserts and brunch.  There is a list of resources for obtaining many vegan products and reading material on issues of diet and health.  Finally, a "suggested menus" section provides ideas for pairing recipes to make 12 different themed meals such as "throwback to the 50's", "fancy pants" and "hold me-comfort foods." 

When I received Spork-Fed, I do what I usually do with any new cookbook, that is, I turned to the desserts section!  While they all sound delicious, two recipes in particular caught my eye:  Crispy Green Tea Cookies and the Apple Pie Milkshake.    They are both interesting to me because I have never made anything like either of them before.  A quick rundown of the recipes in the other sections makes it clear why this cookbook would be popular even with those who don't adhere to a vegan lifestyle, as there dishes in each section that seem comfortingly familiar:  corn cakes with a smoky paprika sauce, velvety carrot soup, creamy tomato soup, creamed onions with a whole wheat bread crumb topping, scallion pancakes, potato gnocchi, sweet potato biscuits and gravy.  On the other hand, for those who have a wealth of veggie recipes in their repertoire, I daresay that there are many in this cookbook that will be a breath of fresh air.  Contemporary, cutting-edge combinations such as miso-glazed japanese eggplant, seitan wellington with a creamy spinach sauce, and pear fig and sage tarts with a roasted garlic aioli are just a few of the novel offerings.

I am happy to have added this cookbook to my shelves and I think you will be too.  In addition, Spork-Fed would make a lovely gift for the vegetarian/vegan in your life, as well as the meat-eater who likes to mix it up once in a while.

I received a copy of Spork-Fed from the publisher, St. Lynn's Press.  Spork-Fed was released in October 2011.

Thanks to the generosity of St. Lynn's Press, I have one copy of Spork-Fed to give away to one lucky reader of this blog. To enter, please leave a comment on this post. Entries must include an e-mail address either in the comment, or by e-mailing me at
Bookgirlblog@hotmail.com. Entries limited to US residents only and no P.O. Boxes please.  Followers of this blog will receive an additional entry. Book will be mailed by the publisher. Winner will be notified by e-mail, and will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within that time, another winner will be selected. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. e.s.t. on November 9, 2011. Good luck to all!

Weekend Cooking is a fun event hosted by Beth Fish Reads in which bloggers share food-related posts.  Stop by and see what's cooking this week!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a fun meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which bloggers highlight books that they are eagerly anticipating. 

My choice this week is

Heft by Liz Moore
W.W.Norton
January 2012

From goodreads.com:

Former academic Arthur Opp weighs 550 pounds and hasn't left his rambling Brooklyn home in a decade. Twenty miles away, in Yonkers, seventeen-year-old Kel Keller navigates life as the poor kid in a rich school and pins his hopes on what seems like a promising baseball career—if he can untangle himself from his family drama. The link between this unlikely pair is Kel’s moth
...moreFormer academic Arthur Opp weighs 550 pounds and hasn't left his rambling Brooklyn home in a decade. Twenty miles away, in Yonkers, seventeen-year-old Kel Keller navigates life as the poor kid in a rich school and pins his hopes on what seems like a promising baseball career—if he can untangle himself from his family drama. The link between this unlikely pair is Kel’s mother, Charlene, a former student of Arthur’s. After nearly two decades of silence, it is Charlene’s unexpected phone call to Arthur—a plea for help—that jostles them into action. Through Arthur and Kel’s own quirky and lovable voices, Heft tells the winning story of two improbable heroes whose sudden connection transforms both their lives. Like Elizabeth McCracken’s The Giant’s House, Heft is a novel about love and family found in the most unexpected places.

What are you waiting for this week?

Three lucky winners

I'm happy to announce the winners of three recent giveaways:




went to Luvdaylilies

went to Jennifer at Me, My Muse and I

went to Anne.








Congratulations to the winners!  There is still time to enter my giveaway for My First Ladies by Nancy Clarke.

A fascinating peek into the White House -- Giveaway

MY FIRST LADIES
Twenty Five Years as the White House Chief Floral Designer
by Nancy Clarke with Christie Matheson

My rating:  4.5 of  5 stars

One of the things that I most enjoy about attending celebratory events such as weddings or dinners is seeing the striking floral arrangements.  I love flowers, but on a scale of one to ten, my ability to produce a pretty arrangement is somewhere around a negative three. My lack of talent in this area makes me particularly appreciative of those who create beautiful works of art from blooms.  In her book, My First Ladies, Nancy Clarke takes the reader into the workings of the White House florist shop where, for three decades, she and her staff decorated everything from the residence quarters to formal state dinners to informal barbecues and children's parties.  You don't have to be a florist to appreciate this book -- trust me, my thumb is anything but green.  Ms. Clarke's recollections of her White House days make for a unique, fun read that is enhanced by over 100 stunning photographs.  What makes the photos particularly appealing is that many are not of the stiff, posed variety, but rather possess an intimate quality despite their illustrious subjects.

 Ms. Clarke began her career at the White House in 1978 as a floral shop volunteer when her Air Force husband was stationed in D.C. Over the next 31 years, Clarke worked for six first ladies (Carter to Obama), and achieved the position of Chief Floral Designer in 1985. Through her descriptions, the reader is taken into the rooms of the White House, including spaces that are not open to the public.  And while the "tour" of the various decors is of course, integral to the book, this is not just a style or decorating diary.

In fact, what makes this book so special is that the reader is treated to interesting observations about the various White House residents from a heretofore unexplored perspective.  For example, as one who observed first ladies up close and personal, Clarke noticed that the women are generally more tense during the third year of their husband's administration because the stress of campaigning and the thought of having to leave the White House, and that in the fourth year, the women return to a more settled demeanor as they become resigned to the future.  Clarke manages to allow the personalities of the various first ladies she worked with shine through without seeming in the least "gossipy." She formed close relationships with several of the women, and she even worked on the wedding flowers for two daughters of presidents (Bush I and II).

It was also news to me that first families pay for all food they consume that is not part of an official function.   And, while the many political ramifications of the uncertainty of the 2000 election were minutely dissected at the time by the pundits, it was a surprise to learn how the ambiguity had implications for the large staff of the White House.  I had no idea that months prior to an election, the florists, housekeepers and cooks all study the color, food, and entertaining preferences of the candidates as well as their personal living styles, so as to be in the best position to satisfy quickly the desires of the next first family.

Apart from stories of the first ladies, Clarke also provides intriguing tidbits about the botanicals.  Did you know that lilies are injected with muscle relaxant so as to assure that they stay open during the length of an event?  Not only did Clarke have to consider the room decor when planning the flowers for an occasion, she often had to take into account obscure details:  in one instance she was precluded from using any blue flowers because blue was the color of the political party that opposed the  dignitary being hosted.  She often had to consider the religious and cultural traditions of foreign guests:  no white flowers for occasions honoring Muslim or Pacific Rim heads of state as white is the traditional color of mourning, and for the same reason, no yellow flowers at occasions honoring Central/South American visitors.

Ms. Clarke has had an amazing career, and I am so glad that she chose to share it with others in this book.  As the holiday season approaches I can't help but think that this would be a lovely gift for the flower lover on your list, the person who loves reading about the White House, or for that matter, anyone who appreciates memoirs written by ordinary people who do out of the ordinary things.

I received a copy of My First Ladies from Sellers Publishing.  My First Ladies was released in September 2011.

Thanks to the generosity of  Sellers Publishing, I have one copy of My First Ladies to give away to one lucky reader of this blog. To enter, please leave a comment on this post indicating your favorite flower. Entries are limited to US/Canada residents, and must include an e-mail address either in the comment, or by e-mailing me at Bookgirlblog@hotmail.com. Followers of this blog will receive an additional entry. The book will be mailed by the publisher. Winner will be notified by e-mail, and will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within that time, another winner will be selected. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. e.s.t. on November 2, 2011. Good luck to all!

Book spotlight and Giveaway

KILLER SWEET TOOTH by Gayle Trent

My rating:  3 of 5 stars

Those who read this blog regularly are aware that one of my weaknesses is food related books, and a particular favorite is the culinary mystery.  This past year I have discovered a number of foodie series that I intend to continue with, and last week, thanks to the people at Gallery Books, I was introduced to yet another -- Gayle Trent's Daphne Martin Cake Mysteries.

Daphne Martin is in her early forties when she moves back to her hometown of Brea Ridge Virginia after her abusive ex-husband tries to kill her.  In an attempt to rebuild her life, Daphne opens a cake baking business (hence the culinary part), and not long after she arrives, she gets caught up in the murder of a local resident (hence the mystery part).  In Killer Sweet Tooth, Daphne stumbles upon the recently murdered Dr. Bainsworth in his dental office when she takes her friend Myra for emergency treatment.  Next thing she knows, Daphne is considered a person of interest in his death.  Endeavoring to clear her name while meeting her bakery obligations, which include supplying a troupe of Elvis impersonators with a peanut butter and banana showpiece cake, Daphne enlists the aid of her news editor boyfriend Ben and China York, a diminutive woman who  dresses like Willie Nelson and appears to be "a cross between a pixie and a lumberjack" (p. 24).  Given that Dr. Bainsworth was a serial womanizer who may or may not have been involved in somewhat shady activities, there is no shortage of possible suspects.

Daphne is an amiable character, and her good friend and sidekick Myra is quirkily fun without being over the top.  One particular plus to this third entry in the series is that it can easily be read without having read either of the first two installments, Murder Takes the Cake and Dead Pan.  What I will say about this one is that unlike many culinary crime stories, here, the mystery is paramount.  As opposed to the Diane Mott Davidson Goldy Schulz series, to which this might be compared given the rudimentary similarity in the backstories of the culinary sleuths (abusive ex-husband who ends up in prison), the recipes are not front and center, and there is not alot of discussion of baking techniques.  There is a small recipe section in the back of the book (including one for that Elvis-inspired cake), and a sample chapter from Murder Takes the Cake.  I do like my culinary mysteries to have a heavy emphasis on the culinary, but because this is the first one of the series that I have read and I did like the character, I will give Daphne Martin another try to see if this book is an anomaly in that regard or is representative of the format of the series.

I received a copy of Killer Sweet Tooth from the publisher.  Killer Sweet Tooth was released in October 2011.

Thanks to the generosity of Gallery Books, I have one copy of Killer Sweet Tooth to give away to one lucky reader of this blog. To enter, please leave a comment on this post indicating your desire to enter. Entries must include an e-mail address either in the comment, or by e-mailing me at Bookgirlblog@hotmail.com. Followers of this blog will receive an additional entry.  Contest open to US residents only and no P.O. Boxes please.  The winner will be selected using random.org and the book will be mailed by the publisher. Winner will be notified by e-mail, and will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within that time, another winner will be selected. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. e.s.t. on October 23, 2011.  Good luck to all!

Are you ready for your closeup? - Giveaway

LUCKY BREAK by Esther Freud

My rating: 3.5 of  5 stars

My "theatrical" experience is limited to high school musical productions, but I have always been fascinated by those people in the drama professions who put themselves out there in front of directors and audiences alike to be critiqued constantly.  Sure, the life of the famous actor can be a glamorous one, but what about those work-a-day thespians who must endure every sort of rejection waiting for that big chance that more often than not, does not arrive.  In Lucky Break, Esther Freud, the great-granddaughter of the renowned psychiatrist, offers up an absorbing glimpse into this world of emotional highs and lows through the stories of a group of drama school classmates.  While I found the book a little slow going at first, I soon got quite caught up in the fortunes of each of the main characters and once the book moved beyond the drama school setting it really took off.

As the book opens, a new class of students is entering Drama Arts, the London school headed by temperamental instructor Patrick Bowery, an individual eminently skilled at striking terror into the hearts of these young dramatic hopefuls.  The group includes Nell, a chubby insecure girl who quickly becomes enamored of Dan, a favorite among the staff.  Nell's affections are not returned, however, as Dan begins a relationship with Jemma, a more confident and attractive young woman.  There is stunning Charlie Adedayo-Martin, whose prospects following drama school appear bright, and older student Jonathan, who recently announced his homosexuality and who abandoned a career in accounting to fulfill his lifetime dream of appearing on the stage. 

Freud expertly portrays the emotional rollercoaster of the acting school, adeptly animating the backstabbing over roles and the treacheries that abound between students and between Patrick and his charges as promises are broken without a second thought.  The book gains traction when the scene shifts to the working world, and the students, some of whom graduate and some of whom do not, attempt to realize their theatrical aspirations.   I cringed as Nell was preyed upon by a lascivious movie director in a classic "casting couch" scenario, and I felt the humiliation of the once rising star of Drama Arts when years later former classmates discover him serving as a waiter at a theater function. 

Freud's biography reveals that she attended drama school and is married to a famous British actor, and it is presumably this background that has made her narrative so incisive. One prime example is her depiction of the inner conflict Charlie endures when she gets her first big film opportunity, and then realizes halfway through filming that she is expected to perform a nude scene.  The conversation Charlie has with herself is just so real.  My favorite character was Nell  -- okay, I admit it, I usually root for the underdog, and she was eminently likable to boot.  I wanted to comfort her as she endured the ill treatment of married lovers, and I savored the high that she experienced when she was unexpectedly auditioned for a great part in a feature film. 

Of course, actors are just people too, and Freud is careful to show how the peculiar demands of an actor's professional life can exact a toll on his or her domestic life.  As the years go by, Dan and Jemma marry and quickly have four children.  Having given up her acting dreams when she was asked to leave Drama Arts after the second year, Jemma at first revels in being a mother and in supporting Dan's career, which remains uneven at best.  Eventually Dan scores a leading role in a play that becomes a sold out hit, and his success begins to undermine his relationship with his family.  When
the play closes and he is brought back to earth and his mundane existence, it is unclear whether he will be able to cope with the loss of the adulation and the thrill that acting brings him.  Dan's story made me consider just how "lucky" that "lucky break" truly is when it does come.  

I very much enjoyed this vicarious peek into the lives of those who occupy the stage for a living.  A good story, with interesting, authentic characters, and a wholly satisfying ending, Lucky Break gives the reader a front row seat to experience the heartbreak and exultation of a life in the performing arts, all for a fraction of the cost of a Broadway ticket.

I received an advance reader's edition of Lucky Break from the publisher, Bloomsbury USA.  Lucky Break will be released in November of 2011.

Thanks to the generosity of Bloomsbury USA, I have one copy of Lucky Break to give away to one lucky reader of this blog. To enter, please leave a comment on this post stating that you wish to enter. Entries must include an e-mail address either in the comment, or by e-mailing me at Bookgirlblog@hotmail.com. Followers of this blog will receive an additional entry. Entries limited to US/Canada only and no P.O. Boxes please.  The winner will be selected using random.org and the book will be mailed by the publisher. Winner will be notified by e-mail, and will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within that time, another winner will be selected. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. e.s.t. on October 17, 2011. Good luck to all!