Family Tree: The Round-Up

Well, I have to say that I had forgotten enough of this novel, Family Tree, by Susan Wiggs, our just completed selection from Cook the Books Club, that it was as engrossing on the second go around as when  I read it several years ago. I read a lot of books, and this storyline seemed to me a true original. The experiences Annie goes through, her tremendous losses, a fight to regain memory, the recovery from a coma, etc. On the upside of that, and the positive ending, I really enjoyed learning about all the workings of a maple tree farm and how maple syrup is made.

Here's the Booklist Review:

"Don't mess with success. That is what Annie Rush tells herself. The Key Ingredient, the cooking show she created, which stars her husband, Martin Harlow, is wildly successful. So does it really matter if Martin occasionally strays from the show's original vision? Although Annie would like to have been in front of the camera, she must admit that viewers love Martin's perky cohost, Melissa Barrett. Then Annie arrives on the set of the show with wonderful news to share with Martin and discovers him in a private meeting with Melissa. Annie walks away, then suffers a tragic accident. Now, one year later, she is back home in Switchback, Vermont, wondering if she can reassemble the pieces of her life. Best-selling Wiggs (Starlight on Willow Lake, 2015) writes with a seemingly effortless sense of grace about what breaks families apart as well as what brings them back together. Add this to her gift for crafting exquisitely nuanced characters as well as her flair for perfectly capturing the rhythm of life in a small town, and you have a soul-satisfying story..."

Now, we'll jump right in with The Roundup of posts from everyone who participated. These are just teasers so be sure to click onto them for the reviews and recipes! 

First up we had Marge, The Intrepid Reader and Baker who made a Maple Butter Date Loaf, which sounds absolutely delicious! She said: "This was a very easy to read book, very food forward, and there were a lot of delicious sounding foods. I loved how passionate Annie was from a very young age, and this passion was very clear as we heard the story of how The Key Ingredient came to be the show it was."

Next Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures brought us her own Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and said "this was an enjoyable read. It follows Annie through 2 timelines, before and after her accident as she remembers her past and recovers from her accident....Through it all, her family is there for her, especially memories of her grandmother.  It seemed like the perfect recipe to share!"

Then I, Claudia of Honey from Rock brought Frosted Maple Bars to the table, and shared that "Annie Rush, goes through so much loss in her story! Totally unique and devastating experiences, that would wipe most of us out! But, going through them, along with her gave me an insider's glimpse of something I had never thought about, of what it would be like waking from a year long coma, learning again who you are, and what had happened. Basically starting over with a new life.

Wendy, of A Day in the Life on the Farm,  came in next with a yummy batch of Salted Maple Caramel Corn with Nuts.  Wow!  I want some of that fun take on Cracker Jacks.  She said "It is a story of love, determination, and hope. Annie is a cook, first and foremost and many of her recipes feature the Maple Syrup for which her family is known.

Then, next to last, Debra of Eliot's Eats brought us an upscale version of Mac 'n Cheese with White Wine, Cherry Tomatoes and Herbs, saying, "This is a great summer (or fall) read. I really enjoyed the majority of the book but the final section left me wanting. Wanting I don’t know what. It’s a predictable book but the characters kept me interested and going.

And, finally Simona of Briciole prepared us a lovely dish of Shishito Peppers with cheese!  (My favorite pepper)  She mentioned "At the beginning Annie is the producer of a TV cooking show called The Key Ingredient, starring her husband. At the end, she produces and stars in a food webcast called Starting from Scratch. I don't watch television nor webcasts, so have no experience of either genres. Still, I played a game in my mind, imagining what I would do if I were given the chance to host a food-centric show. I decided that I'd probably roam farmers markets and interview farmers and also stop at farm stands and do a live version of the still lifes with produce I've been composing and photographing for some time.

I believe that's everyone, and please let me know if anyone was left out.  Next up we're reading The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, and hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats. Please join in with us here at Cook the Books.

Aloha, Claudia

August/September Post: The Secret Life of Bees

Where has the summer gone? By the time the roundup for The Secret Life of Bees  by Sue Monk Kidd is posted, we will be well into the start of Fall (and pumpkin-spice season).

The Secret Life of Bees was published over twenty years ago. If you did read it in 2001 (it was a multi-million bestselling novel then), maybe it's time to reread it. The messages are still relevant.

About the book:

Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina—a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey...and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

The novel is our CTB selection for August/September. Posts are due by September 30, 2024. You can drop your link here in the comments or email eliotseats@gmail.com. 

I'm pleased to announce a crossover event with Movies & Munchies. The 2008 movie (with a young Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, and Alicia Keyes) will be the September feature film. Please consider joining our Movies & Munchies crew. We're on Facebook so you can reach out to us there or you can leave a message here if you're interested in joining. Everyone is welcome!

You can whip up a sweet treat for the book (anything with honey) and maybe a good Southern comfort food recipe for the film! You could even post once using the same recipe, just make sure it's in September.

Hope you enjoy!

Debra (Eliot's Eats)

Mastering the Art of French Murder: The Round-Up

It's time to round up the delicious dishes everyone made for our April/May pick, Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge. Whether we were enthusiastic about the book, or less so, we all still found some good inspiration by channeling our inner Julia Childs! 

Camilla of Culinary Cam said, "I wasn't sure what to expect when Deb picked this book. But it was the perfect mix of three of my favorite genres: historical fiction, foodie reads, and cozy mysteries. Set in Paris, this post-World War II story centers on Tabitha Knight, a recent transplant from Detroit, who lives across the street from Julia Child, yes, that Julia!" For her dish, Cam decided to tackle Julia's mayonnaise problem, saying, "Homemade mayonnaise is very different from the kind you find on the shelf of a grocery store. For one, homemade mayo is not white. It's creamy, almost yellow. Its flavor is subtle; the mere fact that is has flavor sets it apart from the grocery store variety!..." Luckily Camilla's mayo was a success!

Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm enjoyed the book saying, "I just finished reading a fun murder mystery starring chef, Julia Child. The novel was purely fiction but portrayed the chef as a good friend of the protagonist in the story." Wendy mastered the art of French Hot Chocolate finding that "Drinking this cup of hot chocolate is like drinking a melted chocolate bar. It is dense and thick, like pudding that has yet to set. It is definitely comfort food, bringing back memories of scraping out the pot in which my mom made pudding and eating it before placing it in the sink for cleaning. It even started to form a skin as it cooled."

Claudia of Honey From Rock said, "I loved this truly enjoyable read, both from the mystery perspective as well as the enticing food and wine discussions." Her dish? Claudia said, "As usual with our Book Club, we take inspiration from the current reading selection, prepare a dish and post it. Mine had to be Julia's Ham with Madeira Sauce. Especially since I had a few slices left of a very good ham (organic, hormone free, humanely raised) that called for a delicious upgrade!  The cooking choices often seem so limited with ham."

Marg of The Intrepid Reader & Baker said, "When this book was announced as the current choice for Cook the Books, I was very pleased. I have been reading this author for years, following her through various identities and sub genres. I was also keen to read this because I loved the idea of having Julia Child as one of the characters." Marg went for classic Julia saying, "When it came to deciding which recipe to cook, there were so many options. I did consider trying to make mayonnaise, which I have never done before, and I considered making the omelette which Julia tried so hard to teach to Tabitha in the book. I still intend to try to do both, but in the end I decided on a classic French recipe, Boeuf Bourguignon."

*Picture borrowed from Tbsp.com

Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures found the book okay saying, "The “cozy mystery” follows Tabitha, a (fictional) neighbor of Julia Child, as she embarks on a mission to solve a murder.  There’s lots of great Julia Child food mentioned, but overall the story is a little campy. It’s a nice little beach read." For her dish Amy boldly went for Spinach & Ham Soufflé saying, "The soufflé was a challenge, but a great one, and successful!  Especially since I realized that what I’ve always called a round casserole dish is actually a soufflé dish - perfect! The soufflé both rose to great heights, was delicious and light as a feather, silky smooth to boot!  A success in my book!"

Simona of briciole said, "In post-war Paris, a woman is found murdered in the basement of the building where Paul and Julia Child live, and the murder weapon is a knife from Julia's kitchen. If this brief introduction sounds intriguing, you'll probably enjoy the book. I'm afraid I didn't find the novel believable."  For her contribution, Simona made Mixed Vegetables with Thyme saying, "The narrator, a young woman named Tabitha, lives with her grandfather not far from the Childs and befriends Julia. He grows a variety of herbs (erbe aromatiche) in his greenhouse... Thyme is probably my favorite herb and I use it with abandon, most recently on the first summer vegetables that have made their appearance at the farmers' market.Usually, I strip the leaves, but sometimes I add the sprigs (rametti) whole, and remove the almost bare stems at the end, before serving. The tenderest ones blend with the vegetables and are undetectable when eating."

Debra of Eliot's Eats said, "So I usually don’t like mysteries and I really, really don’t care for cozies. Maybe that’s why I forgot about reading this Cook the Books selection until May 29! In my head, I thought I had another month. Luckily, the ebook was immediately available from the library. Luckily, it’s a quick read." Debra also tackled the mayonnaise problem and made Julia's Blender Mayonnaise saying, "Of course, there’s an abundance of food in the novel and the standbys are mentioned like Julia’s revelation with Sole meunière, roasted chicken, a croissants. I just kept going back the her mayo crisis. In the first chapter, she wanted to make a mayo sauce with lots of herbs and toss it with pasta. That sounded perfect to me."

Finally, at Kahakai Kitchen, I was very late to the party (Bad Host!) but I did end up enjoying the book ( cozy mysteries, post-WWII France and Julia Child are all favorites of mine! I will read the next book in the series that just published in April soon. As time caught me, for my dish I ended up revisiting Julia's (Hot or Cold) Cream of Cucumber Soup from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. As it can be enjoyed either hot or cold, it's a great tradition into summer soup. 

I think I got all of the entires posted, but if I missed anyone, please let me know. Thank you all for your delicious and inspired dishes! I'll now turn it over to Claudia from Honey From Rock for our June/July selection, Family Tree, by Susan Wiggs.

Happy Reading, Cooking & Eating!

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen

Our June/July Pick: Family Tree

 Oh boy!  We're into Summer already!  And, time for a new pick at Cook the Books Club.  It's Family Tree, by Susan Wiggs.  As I mentioned when the initial announcement was made for our upcoming selections, I hadn't read this book for quite awhile.  I knew it was a great read, and had put it on my list of book possibilities for Cook The Books Club.  Now I'm looking forward to re-reading this novel with you all.

Thus we'll go with the the Publishers to sum things up: 

"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a powerful, emotionally complex story of love, loss, the pain of the past--and the promise of the future. Sometimes the greatest dream starts with the smallest element. A single cell, joining with another. And then dividing. And just like that, the world changes. Annie Harlow knows how lucky she is. The producer of a popular television cooking show, she loves her handsome husband and the beautiful Los Angeles home they share. And now, she's pregnant with their first child. But in an instant, her life is shattered. And when Annie awakes from a yearlong coma, she discovers that time isn't the only thing she's lost. 

Grieving and wounded, Annie retreats to her old family home in Switchback, Vermont, a maple farm generations old. There, surrounded by her free-spirited brother, their divorced mother, and four young nieces and nephews, Annie slowly emerges into a world she left behind years ago: the town where she grew up, the people she knew before, the high-school boyfriend turned judge. And with the discovery of a cookbook her grandmother wrote in the distant past, Annie unearths an age-old mystery that might prove the salvation of the family farm. Family Tree is the story of one woman's triumph over betrayal, and how she eventually comes to terms with her past. It is the story of joys unrealized and opportunities regained. Complex, clear-eyed and big-hearted, funny, sad, and wise, it is a novel to cherish and to remember."

So, we've got all the bases tagged here, food, good writing and an engaging storyline.  I hope you will join the party.  If you're new, we read the book selection, cook up something inspired by our reading and post about it.  Please share your link here in the comments below.  

Claudia, 

Honey From Rock

Our April/May Pick: Mastering the Art of French Murder

For the April / May 2024 edition of our book club, I selected Mastering the Art of French Murder (An American in Paris Mystery #1) by Colleen Cambridge (April 2023). I love a cozy mystery and especially foodie cozies, plus, I confess that I have a book box for this book, so I get to open some mystery gifts while I read it. 

From the Publisher:

As Postwar Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, who recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.

Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.

Tabitha is eager to help the investigation but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse. 

“Part historical fiction, part mystery, Mastering the Art of French Murder is totally delectable entertainment.” –The Washington Post

“Enchanting…Cambridge captures Child’s distinct voice and energy so perfectly. Expect to leave this vacation hoping for a return trip.” –Publishers Weekly 

I hope you are ready to journey off to France with me! I look forward to seeing what we all make!

Deadline for contributing your post is Friday, May 31, 2024

Comment below with your link or email me at debinhawaii@gmail.com

Deb, 
Kahakai Kitchen