maple syrup snow candy via Mama's Homestead

These days, I’m tempted by book descriptions of pies, cakes, and fried green tomatoes.  After reading Kathryn Stockett’s The Help a few years back, I had such a hankering for Southern desserts that I entertained the notion of baking something.  Sadly, I wasn’t able to find Minny’s pie recipe (sans the secret ingredient, of course), and put the idea out of my head.

Minny and her 'special' pie. Courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures.

Last month, I received a copy of Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp’s updated and revised Book Club Cook Book and was delighted to find the very recipe (and many more!) that I’d been wishing for: Minny’s Chocolate Pie!  The book offers a ton of book-inspired recipes and commentary from the authors and readers alike.

The recipes in this book are generally from contemporary best-sellers and would be a great way to enhance book club gatherings.  Not only could your group discuss Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, but you could also enjoy his Vanilla Kipferls (crescent cookies) during the meet up.

Featuring recipes from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Little Bee, Sarah's Key, and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Minny’s pie is actually the recipe of a domestic named Demetrie who worked for Stockett’s grandmother.  I was surprised how easy it was to whip up and found the flavor and texture divine.  I could actually taste the vanilla in the filling and had to reign myself in to keep from having two slices.  I think the biggest shocker was that I actually had all the ingredients in my pantry.  (For someone who rarely has milk in her fridge, it was quite a surprise.)

The cast of characters for Demetrie's (Minny's) Chocolate Pie

In my family, we’re big fans of chocolate pudding pie but traditionally use boxed pudding and a graham cracker crust.  Going forward, I’ll be making this pie in place of our tried and true (cheater) recipe.  Who knew it was so simple to make pudding?

Demetrie’s Chocolate Pie

courtesy of Kathryn Stockett in The Book Club Cook Book

• 1 2/3 cups water
• 5 tablespoons sweetened cocoa power, such as Ghirardelli (Do not use cocoa powder that contains powdered milk)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
•  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 9-inch pie shell, pre-baked (plain or graham cracker)
• Whipped cream (or you can top with meringue)
• Shaved chocolate to sprinkle on top

1. In a medium-size (cool) saucepan, mix water, cocoa, and cornstarch with a whisk until all the lumps are gone, making a thick paste.  Stir in condensed milk and egg yolks.  Turn on heat and bring to just under a boil.  Stir until thick. (Nat’s note: About 10 minutes)
2. Reduce heat to low and stir in butter.  Add your good vanilla, and keep stirring well.  Turn off the heat and let it cool some.  Pour into pre-baked pie shell.
3. Cover the pie with waxed paper (pressed onto the chocolate) to prevent a skin.  Place in the refrigerator and let it set up for at least 4 hours.
4. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and shaved chocolate.  Enjoy!

My pie in all its glory!

Many thanks to Molly at Tarcher/Penguin for sending out a copy of The Book Club Cook Book.  Thanks to Candance over at Beth Fish Reads for hosting my favorite weekly post, Weekend Cooking!

For Two-Slice Hilly

Weekend Cooking: Minny’s Chocolate Pie is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

Compounding my culinary shortcomings is the fact I’m one of eight cousins–all female–and they are all gifted and talented in the kitchen, garden, athletic field, and/or craft room.  I…am good at reading.

My cousin J, my junior by a mere 88 days, is a domestic virtuoso. This girl makes Marta Stewart look like a slouch.  From what I can tell, J thrives on about twelve seconds of sleep a night, and is able to effectively parent her three adorable (and very active!) kids, plant and harvest a garden, can her own sauces, vegetables, compotes, and jellies, bake cookies and breads, whip up elaborate dinners, and act as class mom, all while wearing fashionable 4-inch heels.

Attempting to look like serious thespians in this photo--J and I were performing a play in my backyard. We both had the same hairdresser and rocked those Bardot bangs! (J on left, me on right)

A few months ago, J gifted me with a copy of her favorite Food Network chef’s new cookbook.  Anne Burrell, famous for her shock of bleach blonde hair and love of bacon, recently published Cook Like a Rock Star, a collection of recipes that even the most daft cook (read: me) could manage.

I want to cook like a rock star, too!

J loves Anne because her recipes aren’t complex and (typically) require food that she has in her pantry.  Flipping through the book, I was struck by the gorgeous staging and photos, but it was Anne’s humorous asides in the ingredient lists and instructions that kept me turning pages.

When I originally planned this post, I had set my heart on a fried zucchini appetizer.  My fear of frying is almost as dire as my fear of being trapped in a car without an audio book, but I set to work making the fritters.  Unfortunately, there was a small ‘grease splatter incident’–only a few flames–and I’ve been assured my arm hairs will grow back and the scarring will be minimal.

I wanted to cook like a rock star...not a flame thrower.

Undaunted, I shifted gears and began preparing the dinner I’d planned, also from Anne’s cookbook.  The photo of the Bucatini all’Amatriciana had me drooling before I even read the recipe.  When I finally took a gander at the ingredient list, a single word leapt off the page at me: GUANCIALE.

Now friends, I may be a third-generation Italian-American, but have spent enough time in language classes at Parliamo Italiano to recognize the word PIG JOWLS when I see it.  Can we say deal breaker?  I was prepared to dismiss this recipe until noticing that pancetta (pork belly) could be subbed for pig’s cheeks.  Ant and I don’t really dig on any swine aside from bacon, but even we could handle bacon’s Italian cousin, pancetta.  Game on, Chef Anne!

Please ignore the garlic in this ingredient image--he photo-bombed my picture and doesn't belong in the recipe! Crushed red pepper flakes are in absentia. Also, I though I had fresh Parmesan but didn't. I subbed semi-fresh grated--it worked.

The recipe came together quite easily and it really was delicious.  The sauce is so flavorful with a hint of heat and the crispy pancetta crumbled on the top was an added treat!  I already have plans to make this pasta again soon, and if I can make it, surely you can, too!

A simple and hearty meal--perfect for Sunday dinner. Thanks to my 'Southern' Cousin for the great pasta bowls!

 Chef Anne Burrell’s Bucatini all’Amatriciana (my notes in red)

Serves 4 to 6; Time: 1 1/2 hours

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. guanciale (or pancetta) cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 4 onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I only used 1 medium onion)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt (I used Kosher salt but accidentally photographed Sea Salt)
• 2 28-oz cans San Marzano tomatoes, passed through a food mill (or squished in my clean hands)
• 1 pound bucatini or perciatelli (I used perciatelli–it’s a similar thick spaghetti with a hole in the center)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano, plus extra for garnish
• Big fat finishing oil (I had no idea what this was and omitted it)

Thanks so much to Candace over at Beth Fish Reads for hosting Weekend Cooking!  Many thanks and much love to my ‘younger’ cousin J for the great cookbook.

Weekend Cooking: Chef Anne Burrell’s Bucatini all’Amatriciana is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

In the past, I’ve also taken direction from The New York Times 36 Hours column–a great feature if you’ve never read it–and have never been disappointed.  Often times, our road trips only allow for short visits–24-48 hours in a city or town–and the Times column really distills the often overwhelming information found in guidebooks into manageable pieces.

We might never have found the fried chicken and mac 'n cheese at Alcenia's in Memphis (and our swell digs at The Talbot Heirs) without the 36 Hours column!

In December, The New York Times released a compilation of the US and Canadian 36 Hour columns in one gorgeous, cloth hardcover book.  36 Hours: 150 Weekends in the USA & Canada is divided by region with tons of photos, handy ribboned bookmarks by region, and an index that goes for pages.

My domestic road trip bible!

Even if you’re not into road trips, you’ll find many manageable day-trips, business travel side trips, and local adventures in this book.  The Northeast section alone covers more than 35 cities–most of which are within a 12-hour drive of our house–St. John’s and Halifax might be a bit further afield.  Here’s a small sampling of the featured locations in my neck of the woods:

• Cape May
• Princeton
• Philadelphia
• The Brandywine Valley
• Annapolis
• The Laurel Highlands
• Providence
• Burlington
• Portland (ME)
• Pittsburgh

The regions covered in 36 Hours (photo via Taschen.com). This listing of big cities doesn't include the dozens of small cities included in the book.

Anyone up for a visit to Savannah?

• Dublin, Ireland (7/13/2008)
• Hamburg, Germany (1/22/2012)
• Cambridge, MA (12/22/2011)
• Downtown Los Angeles (2/17/2011)

We're headed to Cleveland for a wedding in June and will have a chance to check out the recommendations in the book.

I haven’t been this happy with a book purchase since picking up The Night Circus in October.  This book will serve us well as we continue to crisscross the country on our little adventures!

Pack Your Bags: The NY Times 36 Hours Guide is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

Before meeting my friend Dishy, aka Christy of The Daily Dish, I’d never heard of Meniere’s disease.  Christy discussed Meniere’s on her blog, describing the sometimes debilitating effects of this inner ear disorder.  One of the four main symptoms is Vertigo, and as an avid sufferer of motion sickness (video games, shows/movies like The Deadliest Catch or The Blair Witch Project, and all forms of travel bring mine on), I had the smallest inkling of what Dishy was contending with.

While there is no cure for Meniere’s, Dishy has found that a low sodium diet can keep the symptoms at bay.  To this end, she created a second website where she features low sodium recipes, interviews with other lo-so folks, and a host of other information.  Dishy has taught me that low sodium recipes aren’t synonymous with bland food!

She recently wrote her first cookbook, Kick the Can!, and today’s Weekend Cooking post features her recipe for Cheesy Potato Chowder.  The book features 16 low-sodium soup recipes with great photos, easy-to-follow instructions, and all the nutrition facts for each recipe!

Now, I have the palate of a first-grader, so I *may* have omitted some of the stronger herbs and seasonings, but here is the full recipe for the rest of you doughty souls!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups diced potatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Weekend Cooking: Kick the Can! by Christy Ellingsworth is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

Title: 

Author: Alexandra Potter

Genre/Pages: Fiction/384

Publisher: Plume

Publish Date: November 29, 2011

Rating: 1 Bookmark (not my cup of cocoa)

Source: unsolicited from the publisher

Natalie’s 1-Sentence Synopsis: According to the legend, the kiss at sunset under a Venetian bridge will bind Lucy and Nat together for eternity, which turns out to be about a lifetime longer than either of them can tolerate.

This confection is chick-lit in its purest form–an indulgence I wouldn’t typically pick up.  While there are many readers who love the genre, I generally read more middle-of-the-road fiction (not too literary, not too frothy).  I received You’re (Not) the One unsolicited but gave it a shot because it was (initially) set in Venice, Italy.

While I’m generally onboard with the whole suspension of disbelief, in this novel I found much of the plot too implausible and the coincidences farcical.  It’s been ten years since Lucy and Nat shared the magical summer in Venice and now both are in New York and find themselves reunited…over and over and over again.

Initially, the reunion rekindles the passion and spark of their summer in Venice but in time, the two realize that they aren’t the same people they once were.  The plot grows increasingly more outlandish–Lucy and Nat can’t escape each other–and I found myself wishing I could escape them both.

There’s a host of quirky supporting characters, a sub-plot dealing with insecure Lucy’s untapped artistic potential, a hidden masterpiece, and the guy that might be the one for her, but the magic of this story was just lost on a cynical, black-hearted crone like me.

Additionally, I wasn’t wowed by the cover.  My pal Meg (from Write Meg!) and I spoke about it briefly on Twitter, and she was in the opposing camp.  She liked the Venice ‘skyline’, while it brought to mind an underwater ocean scene for me–I never even saw the ‘skyline’!

As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t relish writing less-than-glowing reviews and debated writing this one at all, but feel if I post only great reviews that I’m doing a disservice to myself and other readers.  Reading is subjective–just because I didn’t like this book doesn’t mean another reader won’t love it to pieces.  The whole book blogger-author negative review/baiting debate that’s been raging gave me pause, but I stand by my review.

If you’ve read this one, did you enjoy it or was it too far fetched for you?  Do you have a review?  Let me know in the comments and I’ll be happy to link to your post.

Review: You’re (Not) the One by Alexandra Potter is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker