The reading fest continues apace. Finished another one yesterday, which grew on me as it went along. In the end, I decided my issue with the story is that it wasn’t being told in the manner I would have chosen to tell it. I wanted it to be more clever, or more wry, or something. I checked out the author’s website, which was extensive and fascinating, and filled with little tidbits about her purpose in writing the novel and what she was trying to do with it, which helped me see that my problems were all ones of intention. I wanted the novel to be something different from what the author intended it to be. She succeeded in what she wanted it to be. I respect that. Sometimes I read critiques of my work where it is clear that the problem the reader had with the book is that they were reading a different book than I was writing. They were reading a cozy mystery or a romance novel or a literary thriller. It’s probably impossible to please a reader under these circumstances. I’m always going to want this book I just read to fulfill the potential I thought it had based on my interpretation of the premise. But that’s not the book the author wanted it to be.
I also did a lot of cooking. I made fennel and potato au gratin (delicious!), butternut squash puree (not totally sold on the recipe, as I think it’s too buttery and not sweet enough), pumpkin puree in preparation for today’s experiments in pumpkin apple soup, roasted pumpkin seeds, because, hey, I had them (and I don’t know if Rio or Sailor Boy loved them more) and then last night at dinner, my best friend and I made sweet potato and chick pea curry which was delicious and warming. Then we had a whole conversation about why it is that fall makes you want to cook more than any other season. And we agreed that summer is our favorite season, but despite summer berries nad peaches, fall is the best food season.
I talk about my best friend a lot on this blog. I wonder if I should say her name or if I should give her a cutesy nickname like SB has. See, Rio doesn’t get a choice, because she’s non-human and thus subject to my whim. SB may in fact be regretting his nickname now, these many years later. Anyway, my BF and I live down the street from each other, which makes me happy every time I think about it. We’ve been best friends our whole lives, since we were about 6 and also lived down the street from each other, but we haven’t even lived in the same state since we graduated college to about a year ago. And now I get to see her a few times a week.
Also, Rio is in love with her dog, Gracie. If Gracie sniffs something, Rio sniffs it. If Gracie chases something, Rio chases also. If Gracie rolls in deer scat, Rio stands there and goes, “Wow, that’s interesting. I wonder why she does that?” Rio wasn’t remotely interested in the dog bed that we bought for her until Gracie claimed it, and now she lies in it all the time. In fact, she’s snoring in it right now. It’s very odd for Rio to be so low-energy in the morning. But she wouldn’t eat breakfast, and she didn’t want to go on a walk. She’s just fast asleep on her doggie bed. I hope she’s not sick, but I suspect this is because she went on two very long walks in the past two days, and didn’t really nap much to make up for it.
Okay, back to cooking, reading, and working on new proposals. Anyone else had some good culinary experiments recently?
October 24th, 2008 at 11:03 am
You’re so lucky to live near your BFF, mine is in the UK. No culinary experiments but wholefoods finally have Spicy Pumpkin soup back in stock – the best fall lunch ever!
[Reply]
October 24th, 2008 at 11:21 am
My best friends all live within 15 minutes of my house. It’s really great and we get together as a group at least once a month. My brother is staying with me right now, so he is doing all the cooking. He did make an amazing squash casserole the other night.
[Reply]
October 24th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
My best friend is on the opposite side of the country from me – you are very lucky to have yours close by.
I’m making lots and lots of roasted pumpkin seeds this week — fun making them, but I hate the part about scooping them out of the pumpkin and separating all the slimy stuff.
[Reply]
October 24th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Alexa: Where is the spicy pumpkin soup? In the aisle or the salad bar? i have to try it!
Liza, you are so lucky. Both about the friends and the brother. I wonder if I could talk Caesar’s Ghost into making me casserole?
Phyllis: I was surprised how easy it was on the pumpkin I had yesterday. They pretty much just fell off, and the bits that didn’t I ran them under water in a collander and it was a snap. Are you using pie pumpkins or jack o lantern pumpkins? there’s a noticeable difference, I think.
[Reply]
October 24th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Thanks for the tip, Diana — I’m using jack o lantern pumpkins from those roadside pumpkin patches — I didn’t know there was such a thing aa a pie pumpkin — I mean, obviously I know that pumpkin pie filling comes from pumpkins, lol, but I never looked for pumpkins in a grocery store.
[Reply]
October 24th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I think they may be different only in size. I hear smaller pumpkins are better for eating, more regular in texture, better flavor, etc.
At my grocery store, they separate “carving pumpkins” from “pie pumpkins”.
[Reply]
October 25th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Heh, a lot of my recipes are culinary experiments. Except for cases where every ingredient has to be exact, I don’t use measuring cups. A little of this, a little of that and Voila! I made an interesting chicken and broccoli stew with dumplings the other night. I wasn’t sure how it was turn out, but it was really good. Last night I made chili. My family never knows what what my chili is going to be like because I just wing it. =o)
[Reply]
October 27th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Take a look at my site. In particular, take a look at entry #0255, “The Ultrazord Of Chocolate Chip Cookies,” and entry #0269, “Doublemeat Palace Meatloaf.” Both have recipes for you to try — if you’re feeling brave enough.
[Reply]
October 28th, 2008 at 8:51 am
pumpkin apple soup, YUMMY!! Where did you find the recipe, I have have been looking for years. My ex-mother in law used to make it for Thanksgiving and it was my favorite. She lost the recipe and I have not been able to find it.
Nothing else interesting at my house dinner wise, just the usual standbys. I will be attempting to make Thanksgiving dinner all by my little lonesome this year. YIKES!
[Reply]
October 28th, 2008 at 11:34 am
In mine it is in the chilled section opposite the salad bar. I came back to see the soup recipe but I’m really not sure about maple syrup, on pancakes yes in soup possibly not!
[Reply]