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| Living at the Library |
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| Written by Sherry Bullard |
| Tuesday, 02 August 2011 14:23 |
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Living at the Library is our newest feature here at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. We will be featuring bi-weekly reviews of cooking, gardening, food preservation and other home and lifestyle topics. Join us please with your own thoughts, tips, reviews and suggestions. |
| Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 August 2011 14:47 |
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Rather than review a cook book this month I decided to break with “tradition” and just write about someone. That someone would be Julia Child. No other person personifies so completely the world of food. You would have to have been on another planet entirely for the last 50 years not to have come across her program, a book or recipe.
Julia burst warbling, wise cracking, and in serious tongue in cheek fashion on to the vacant stage of TV cooking shows in 1963. It was a grainy black and white program that dared pit the (soon to be famous) voice of French style cooking to an American public that, for the last 20 years, had gradually reduced meals to TV dinners, canned soup and other “convenience foods.” Julia proclaimed war on boxes and cans, encouraged housewives to pick up their abandoned food whisks, and started whipping out meals guaranteed to make dinner time, once again, the focus of family life. It wasn’t’ drudgery she announced, it wasn’t even high art. It was fun and it wasn’t at all a big secret. Julia had methods that were spot on- tried and true to create anything from mile high meringues to robust stews, soups, and breads.
Long before the days of “Top Chef” and all the related cooking show hype, Julia, with her 6 foot 2 inch tall frame, and voice somewhere between a tremolo and squawk, caught the eye, the stomach and the hearts of the American public. She didn’t rely on spin off programs, plaster her face on company endorsed quick meal products and, to my knowledge never named cookware, dishware, or a kitchen appliance after herself. She just tackled butter, sugar, cream, beef, poultry and wine in a blithe, down home style that drew a hungry nation to her every day for the ten years her program was on the air. She went head long winning multiple awards including the Peabody and Emmys along the way.
I am not going to try and write a biography for Julia Child, that has been covered admirably by several authors and we have copies of their books right here in the Coeur d’Alene Public Library.
Julia Child was a pioneer in so many ways and did you know? She may have been a spy for the British Intelligence during WWII? Whoa, talk about undercover! I am going to encourage you to read any one of the biographies written about Julia by people who knew her best. Then pick up a copy of
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking” 641.5944 Child, and give the Boeuf Bourguignon a try.
Some neat biographies, in no particular order or favor are below. Oh, and as Julia herself would have wished you,
Bon Appetite
"My life in France" by Child, Julia; by Prud'homme,Alex B-Child
"As always, Julia": letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto: by Reardon, Joan; Child, Julia; De Voto, Avis. 641.5092
"Appetite for life" : the biography of Julia Child by Noel Riley Fitchby Fitch, Noel Riley B-Child-Fitchby
The Coeur d’Alene Public Library has several books on the subject of grilling and BBQ. I selected
Mastering the Grill” The Owner’s Manual for Outdoor Cooking by Schloss, Andrew and Joachim, David. 641.578 Schloss
With over 300 recipes to choose from, there truly is something for everyone. The opening chapters are devoted to the myriad styles of grills, how each type works and their different components. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs are thoroughly discussed as well as tips for getting the most of your investment and trust me, some of these do involve an investment. Various tools and fuels are covered with some amusing suggestions (grill lamp anyone? Is beats the heck out of a flashlight) There are definitions and guides for all types of grilling and techniques for achieving the perfect summer meal. Chapter 3 is about “mastering your ingredients” and starts with a bit of a science lesson (or anatomy) and information on how to read meat labels. All categories of walking, flying or swimming protein packers are reviewed with suggestions on how to best prepare them for cooking. Fruits and veggies are covered as are some meat substitutes for those who wish to avoid meat or experiment with meatless offerings.
There are recipes for all types of seasoning rubs, herb and spice blends and marinades. A few of the ingredients may seem a bit exotic but there are possible substitutions suggested as well. I can personally recommend the Provencal herb rub, page 373. It is terrific on poultry of any sort, pork and seafood. I always make up extra to have on hand to sprinkle on pasta dishes too. I particularly liked the way you can combine some of the rubs with the pastes or marinades and achieve completely new dishes with the same ingredients.
So break out the grill, the pot holders and the grill lamps, (if you start late). You really won’t be disappointed in this hot little number (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun. It’s a librarian thing).
For a lot of us of a certain age, (meaning we came of age in the late 70s and survived the really bad fashion 80s,) trying to provide the best meals possible for our families has become almost an art form. We have evolved from the days of “Gorp” trail mix, grocery co-ops with large bins and baking our own bread to now wondering if the products we are buying indeed fit the definition of green, sustainable, free-range, rbst free and several others. We agonize over whether or not it makes sense to purchase the ingredients to bake our own bread, and if we do, should we then churn our own butter, or grind the peanuts for the PBJs our families love? Not to mention making our own jams and jellies. Is it more cost effective to run out and buy those staples right off the shelf or invest in healthy eating by purchasing canning kettles, raw peanuts in bulk, or a butter churn? Is doing it or growing it yourself really less expensive? We all know by now that purchasing virtually anything that has the word “free” as in sugar free, trans-fat free, or artificial flavoring free means it costs more money. Time isn’t necessarily free either, if we make time and take time, is it going to pay off in cash savings and better nutrition?
All these questions, are you dizzy yet? I think I am. I need to sit down and think about this just a little bit. Mostly, I need someone else to do the math and tell me if any of these do it your-self measures pay off in any other way besides the satisfaction of dropping the “why yes, I made the cream cheese” at the next neighborhood get-together.
Ooh, wait, I work at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library, I just wonder if someone out there has done the hard work for me and written a book about it…of course they have. In the opinion of this blogger the title below is “must read” if you have ever pondered any of the above questions.
“Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn’t Cook from Scratch-Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods. By Jennifer Reese 641.3 Reese
Reese is a professional journalist and teacher. She started working on this book after being downsized. Looking to save on expenses, she began examining ways she could make things herself rather than purchase readymade. Like any good journalist she started by asking questions, it sounds logical that making your own marinara sauce is cheaper than your favorite store brand, but is it? Yup. Is it difficult? Nope. What about pie crust? Absolutely make it at home. She has even gone so far to raise her own chickens, ducks, and goats and all in her back yard in the San Francisco area. You just have to respect a woman like that.
Reese talks you through cheese making, gardening and then preserving some of your bounty, she also provides recipes for things as simple as baking treats, drink mixes and onion dip as well as exotic items like sashimi and duck prosciutto, and oh yes- peanut butter. She also includes meat preserving tips, and even how to make Grape-Nuts (yes you can, but she doesn’t recommend it). All the instructions are easy to follow. Challenging recipes are well described and Reese tells you right up front if the effort is cost effective, or maybe more expensive than the local store brands but for the improved taste well worth the time. Pop-Tarts anyone? Pick up a box on your way home if you must, but definitely make your own biscuits. You won’t be sorry.
Reese has done her homework and yours too. Her experiences with animal husbandry on an urban scale cracked me up several times. Chapter 14 details her encounter with Peppermint, a tiny Nigerian dwarf goat who wore diapers in the house and Pastry, a supermodel of a Nubian goat who just couldn’t be quiet. As a former goat- keeper (in the country), I marveled at her willingness to go the extra mile for some fresh goat cheese. If you have ever lived the country life, or are considering country life on a smaller urban scale, then you need to read this book. If nothing else, Reese will open your eyes, help you learn some new skills in the kitchen and save you a little cash. Most importantly when reading a book like this, you will laugh!
These pre-packaged items are indeed time savers, but not so much pocket book savers. Not to mention pre-made mixes can be higher in sugar, fat, sodium or other ingredients that perhaps you want to avoid completely. You probably even have the majority of the ingredients on hand to make baked goods, snacks and meals but are rushed for time, and don’t want to drag out the cookbook and all the measuring implements every night. Back in 1978 three ladies got together and addressed just these issues. They combined their experience and talents into a book called “Make-a-Mix Cookery.” It was an instant hit. Over the years they published a total of five new editions and in 2006 they published a sixth.
Make-a-Mix: Over 300 easy recipes for every meal of the day by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward and Madeline Westover. 641.55 Eliason
Starting off with Master Mixes, the authors define three types of mixes, Dry: which will keep in your cupboard 6-8 months: Semi-dry which contain butter, shortening or margarine, and keep in your fridge for 10-12 weeks; and then Freezer-Refrigerator mixes to freeze or cold store anywhere from 3 months upward of 6 months. I was particularly interested to note that the mixes can be personalized to use salt or sugar substitutes and whole grains to meet various dietary restrictions or preferences. Each Master Mix recipe includes easy-to-follow instructions on how to package, store, label and date your mix.
There are chapters for casseroles and vegetable side dishes, beef, poultry, Mexican and Italian cookery, hearty stews and soups, breads, treats, and even granola. In the special Mix chapter there are recipes for salad dressings, chili and spaghetti seasonings, sloppy joe spices, and yummy hot chocolate. You can even package up a lot of these, print a nice recipe card off and give as gifts. Christmas, while not quite around the corner will be here before you know it. Gee, those jingling car keys I just heard sure sounded like sleigh bells for a moment.
Keeping a small flock of chickens is no longer restricted to the outskirts of town and the farms. Many cities allow homeowners to keep a few hens, (hardly ever are roosters welcome), for eggs or for the freezer. The city of Coeur d’Alene presently has no restriction on the number of birds a household may have as long as there are no roosters and no offensive odors are building up to disturb the neighbors. Keeping a few chickens around for eggs or for your freezer is not difficult and the rewards are tremendous. Nothing tastes quite like a fresh egg straight from the nest to your plate.
The Coeur d’Alene Public Library has many books devoted to the subject of all things chicken, from building the perfect coop to building the perfect flock. I selected three books as examples of good basic information, but there are lots more.
Choosing & Raising Chickens: The complete guide to breeds and welfare by Jeremy Hobson and Celia Lewis,
636.5 HOBSON.
The authors are from the United Kingdom, so some of the information may be worded a bit differently than what you may be used to. However, this book is full of universal information about the selection and breeding of just about every chicken you can think of. American breeds, Japanese, African, Scottish, Chinese, all kinds of birds from around the world. Each bird has a “fact file” that describes the breed type, purpose (layer, meat or dual) plus grades for laying, ease of keep and how sociable they are. Good tips on housing, health care and feeding are also included, but perhaps not in as much detail as some other books. Primarily this book will be useful in helping you select the breed that will best fit in with your climate and the facilities you have to offer.
The Joy of Keeping Chickens: The ultimate guide to raising poultry for fun or profit by Jennifer Megyesi
636.5 MEGYESI
After you ‘ve decided what type of chickens you want, and what you want them for- eggs only, meat only or eggs and meat - I would recommend taking a look at this book. Simply written and with terrific photographs, Megyesi describes the characteristics for different breeds, in-depth instructions for good egg production for home and for sale, raising organic meat birds, and how to groom your birds for show. This is a great book to check out for someone with kids in 4-H or thinking about 4-H.
In the back of the book, Appendices 2-5 include Poultry organizations and clubs, State Resources, with addresses and phone/web addresses for extension offices, and lists of university poultry and veterinary sciences. Appendix 4 has a whole list of poultry hatcheries and suppliers to get you started. There is also a list of recommended reading for chicken and small farm keeping in Appendix 5.
Keeping Chickens!: Tending small flocks in cities, suburbs and other small spaces by Barbara Kilarski 636.5 Kilarski
This is a fun book. Kilarski writes in a fashion that reads like you are having a chicken conversation over the back fence. Written specifically for the homeowner in the city or “burbs” who want to have a few hens, you’ll find lots of information about coop building, cleanliness, chicken health, as well as negotiating various city codes, laws and neighbors. Kilarski urges everyone to be proactive and considerate of all these factors before taking the plunge. I really enjoyed reading this book, the Epilogue, “A Day in the Life of an Urban Chicken Keeper” is worth reading even if you aren’t sure you want to actually keep poultry. It may be just what you need to convince you to get a few chickens.
Fast, Fresh and Green: More than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers
by Susie Middleton 641.5Middleton
Middleton takes you step by step through quick roasting and quick braising along with teaching two styles of sauté’s, (hands on and “walk-away”), no-cooking slaws and salads and then of course, stir-frys and grilling. Chapter Seven is an introduction to a process she calls “Two-stepping.” Boil first, then sauce or sauté. She lays everything out for you, which vegetables are best, how they should be prepped, boiling times and precise instructions on how the process works. Asparagus is making its annual spring appearance and below is a sample recipe using asparagus, butter and pine nuts.
“Brown-Butter Asparagus with Pine Nuts: page 126.
2 ½ Tsps Kosher Salt
1 bunch Asparagus, ends trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 2-inch long sharply angled pieces.
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup pine nuts
½ to 1Tsp fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Arrange a few layers of dish towels on a work surface to drain the asparagus. Fill a large 3qt saucepan half full with water and add 2 tsp of the salt. Bring to boil and drop in the asparagus pieces. Begin timing immediately (don’t wait for the water to come back to a boil). Cook the asparagus until crisp-tender, 3 -4 minutes. Don’t overcook; they’ll cook a bit more as they cool and again when mixed with the brown butter.
2. Drain the asparagus in a colander and spread them on the dish towels to let excess water evaporate. Return saucepan to the stove and melt the butter over low heat. Add the pine nuts and ¼ tsp salt, turn the heat up to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter turns a nutty brown color and the pine nuts turn mostly golden, 3-4 minutes. (Keep an eye on the butter, as it turns color quickly. If it becomes dark brown, that’s fine. If it blackens, you’ll have to start over.)
3. Remove the pan from the heat so that the butter doesn’t continue to cook and add the asparagus and the remaining ¼ tsp salt. Toss to combine thoroughly, sprinkle with ½ tsp of the lemon juice, and toss again. Taste and add a little more lemon juice if you like.
Season with freshly ground pepper. Serve warm.
I tried this one at home. If you like asparagus and want it some other way than steamed spears and mayo, I really recommend giving this one a taste test.
The only trouble I have run into with this book is that every time I sit down to try and review it my stomach starts growling. If it isn’t the pictures getting the old tummy talking it’s the name of the different dishes. “Provencal Green Beans with Lemon pepper oil and Herbed Sea Salt” ooh, yeah. As a plus, Middleton explains how to make your own lemon Pepper oil and the herbed sea salt. It’s all so simple. As a matter of fact, most all of the ingredients are going to be in your cupboard, easily located at your local grocery or better, growing in your garden.
I love the bard, and Hamlet is one of my favorites. Every year about this time, as I watch the weather systems whirl through, I paraphrase the above quote with my own musings
“To plant, or not to plant: that is the question: whether ‘tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous Mother Nature or to plant peas against a slew of sleet and by opposing, tempt her?”
Anyone who has lived in North Idaho for a while knows that March can be a very capricious month. Often it seems we get all the bluster and swagger of the lion and little or none of the sweet warm lamb. Ah, but when the lamb does venture through, we rush outside to scrape away leaf mulch to check for tender green tulip shoots, crocus and daffodils. People compare the heights of their emerging spring bulbs like their pictures of children and grandchildren. Around here anything greener than a pine tree or a mossy roof is considered cause for celebration.
Those of us lucky enough to have parents or grandparents who gardened already know how much fun it is. Remember the first time someone washed a carrot off under the hose and you bit into crunchy sweet bliss? Or maybe you just wiped it off “really good” on your shirt and took a bite? I remember my first taste of fresh peas popped from the pod. YUMMM. OK, yes, eating the peas was more fun than pulling the weeds around them, and helping my mom pick rocks out of the garden patch was a little less fun than playing with the neighbors, but, it was more fun than picking up my toys and I loved being outside. All in all, it made a gardener out of me. Not a master, not well organized, but every house I ever lived in through a summer season had something edible growing somewhere.
Beyond the benefits of fresh air and warm sunshine (don’t forget sunscreen), teaching children about how their food arrives on their plate is an important part of their education. Exercise, science, ecology, cooking, art and self-sufficiency are all rolled up into something as small as a 5X6 frame or a few pots. Gardening builds more than the soil; it increases the curb appeal of your home, brings memories for everyone involved and tastes great! Even the pouting over weeding turns into a fun memory down the road. Yes, it does, I wouldn’t fib about such a thing.
Ok, have I convinced you yet? Are you ready to give it a try? Not sure how to begin? Maybe you are just a beginner yourself? Well, right here in the Coeur d’Alene Public Library we have the perfect beginner’s book. Actually we have lots, but I am just focusing on this one today.
Grow Your Own For Kids by Chris Collins and Lia Leendertz. J635 Collins.
This great little book will encourage parents and children to get out and get growing. There are something like ten varieties of veggies/fruits that are recommended as a good place to start your garden. Raised beds? Yep. No room for beds? How about a hanging tomato basket, herb pots or two stacked pots to create a strawberry tower? I loved the fact that most anything hanging around the house can be converted to a plant stake, pot, compost, or yard art.
Does your family love pizza? Take a look at pages 70 and 71. Two sticks, some string and colored rocks to create a “pizza garden.” Plant all the pizza herbs and plan summer pizza picking parties. Plant a couple of tomato plants nearby and encourage kids to taste as they grow. It’s true, “picky kids” will try something they have a hand in creating.
Collins and Leendertz include instructions on how to recycle newspapers into seedling pots, create wildflower patches to encourage bees and other beneficial bugs, and how to discourage the bad bugs. Lesson plans on how to create a worm bed, have a contest for the tallest sunflower, (check out how to put a face on your sunflower), grow the biggest pumpkin and create a scarecrow or bird houses give a bit of friendly competition and encourage reuse/recycle /re-purpose. There is something for every personality in your family, (math, art, p.e., science, bug lovers and haters will agree), there is room in the garden for everyone.
Alright now, after you read this book you need to get some sunscreen, seriously, and some big floppy hats or baseball caps, pants that are too short, stained tees, and some gloves. Buy or “borrow” some seeds, gardeners are always ready to share a few seeds, or call the Kootenai County Extension office where often they have a supply of free seeds. Dig in!
Sherry
Everyone knows the groundhog saw his shadow last month, and just when we thought winter was over, wham! Blustery weather returns to remind us that it “ain’t over till its over.” March, however, is a bit of a different story. After all, it is the month where the official first day of spring resides, and the lions of the early part of the month are supposed to turn into fluffy cute little lambs exiting into April. For those of us who make our home here in North Idaho, we can order our seeds, start our windowsill gardens and try to figure out when the last “day of frost” will be. Experienced area gardeners have different methods of forecasting that last frost and it may have nothing to do with lions, lambs, moonlight or groundhogs. When it comes to keeping an eye on the weather, sailors have nothing on Zone 4/5 gardeners.
To celebrate the pending arrival of all those weather lambs, the Coeur d’Alene Public Library is sponsoring an informational evening on March 29th in our Community Room from 6 to 8 pm. Please join us along with the Kootenai County Extension office, various community gardens, Master Gardener Beckie Williams and a host of others with dirt under their fingernails. Displays and information will be available at various tables, book displays and lots of answers to your questions. Learn about “Plant a Row for the Hungry”, a fresh produce donation program. They are providing free seeds for gardeners to plant in their gardens. Extra produce will be distributed to the area food banks to help feed those in need.
Would you like to garden but don’t have room or time to devote to a serious endeavor? Consider volunteering in some of the community gardens in the area. It is a great way to get some outdoor time and a quality family experience. Slip in a science lesson while teaching your children about the food they eat. Here’s a something I learned years ago. A carrot avoidant child is more likely to try one, (and like it) if they have a hand in planting the seed and watching it grow.
We’ll have a library display with a great selection of gardening and homesteading books that will be available for patrons to check out and take home. There will be some great titles to choose from and a whole bunch of new ones. Be the first to take one home.
Books like: Mini Farming: Self Sufficiency on a ¼ Acre by Brett l. Markham, 635 Markham
This book covers it all, from planting seeds through canning your harvest. This book can help you plan and grow enough food in small spaces to not only provide for your family, but also how to utilize your local farmers market to generate a little extra income. We can all use a little extra income, can’t we? It includes lots of photographs, diagrams and illustrations to help you build cold-frames, raised beds, chicken coops, home irrigation systems and select and save your seeds for next year. This is a well written, easily understood volume. Markham is an engineer so the instructions are precise and the equipment lists detailed and easily understood. He also has a blog and website information where a reader can contact him directly with questions, suggestions or comments.
So, along with marking your calendar for possible planting dates, be sure and circle the 29th of March, 6pm to 8pm and come down to the Coeur d’Alene Public library to meet others with gardening on their minds, and some FREE (yes, I said FREE) seeds, courtesy of the Kootenai County Extension Office and their “Plant a Row for the Hungry” campaign.
Are you ready yet?
Are you set? (Do you need some help growing some?)
Let us all get growing!
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