Try a New Mexican Dish

I have discovered the most adorable new mexican recipe book! 500 Mexican Dishes, by Judith Fertig claims to be "the only compendium of Mexican dishes you'll ever need," and I believe she is correct! This collection of recipes offers a full range of authentic Mexican recipes, from appetizers and snacks to numberous fajitas, casseroles, sauces, and grilled dishes. Also included are recipes for for entertaining a crowd including festive desserts and both hot and cold drinks. I especially enjoyed the recipes for classic Mexican basics like soft corn and flour tortillas, which is a skill I have always wanted to learn. The recipes in this book are not from one region of Mexico, but instead relect the geographic diversity of the country. Each recipe includes a full color picture of the finished product, as well as several pages of variations on certain recipes with the basic recipe referenced. The book is a small size, too, which makes it perfect for standing on your kitchen's recipe holder! The introduction also includes definitions of the different regional cuisines and descriptions of crucial ingredients and equipment needed. Authoer Judith Fertig formally trained at La Varenne in Paris and Le Cordon Bleu in London. She is a Kansas City-based food writer whose work has appeared in international newspapers and magazines. She is also a cookbook author, culinary instructor, and food stylist and has appeared on several national and local television and radio programs.

Be Green and Crafty!

I have found the perfect book for folks who enjoy making crafts as well as pinching pennies and making the world a "greener" place! The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts, published by Leisure Arts, contains over 100 earth-friendly projects that range from easy to hard. This book sets its tone in the beginning, as the first project discussed is how to make a "Fused recycled bag tote" using many of those plastic shopping bags you have lying around the house! There are some truly unique crafts here, such as the sun catchers created by using pint berry containers and the plastic lids of take-out containers, to pizza-box stepping stones for your garden. The book contains plenty of color illustrations of the finished projects, as well as a section of patterns and general instructions to complete the projects. The greatest aspect of this bok is that it uses items that you recycle every day! This is a great book to be examined by anyone who enjoys crafting and saving our environment.

Mma Ramostswe Strikes Again!

The newest book in the "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series is another charmer! Alexander McCall-Smith's The Double Comfort Safai Club is the latest book in the series and serves its purpose of giving the readers of this much-loved series more information about the main characters as well as solving a few mysteries! These books are cozies, and the setting of Botswana (and its people) is as much a part of these books as are the main characters. I highly suggest that you read these books in order, as McCall-Smith advances the lives of the characters with every installment. In this book, a terrible accident occurs to Mma Makutsi's fiance', Phuti Radiphuti, and Mma Ramotswe must help her Assistant Detective with her personal problems while attending to the agency's cases as well. My favorite part of this book was when Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi went on a safari in the Delta in order to locate one of the guides. The actions of both women were humorous and it was refreshing to see them visit a new place. These books are great if you enjoy light reading about a place, Botswana, that is alive and vibrant and full of interesting characters.

Cat of the Century

Rita Mae Brown, and her co-author Sneaky Pie Brown (her beloved tiger cat) have written another entertaining cozy! Cat of the Century is the eighteenth book in the "Mrs. Murphy" series starring Mary Minor "Harry" Harristeen, former postmistress of the town of Crozet, VA. I whole-heartedly believe you should read these books in series order, as the characters develop with each story and if you begin in the middle you might be confused as to who is who and why they act the way they do! Crozet is your typical small southern town---everyone knows everyone else and tries to meddle in your business, but in a charming way, of course. Harry is a farmer, and is descended from a long line of Virginians who instilled in their children a love of the land, animals and proper manners. In Cat of the Century, Harry is attending a reunion at William Woods College, because her Aunt Tally is the featured speaker and the reunion has been planned around her 100th birthday celebration. The mystery, in this book, occurs when several alumni association officers wind up dead. Even though Harry never attended William Woods, she is thrust thick in the middle of the mystery when she attempts to discover who murdered the officers and for what reason. Harry's trusted companions, her cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and her dog Tucker, along with Aunt Tally and he best friends' animals, use their animal intelligence to help Harry solve the case. I enjoy this series because the animals talk to each other, and the reader hears their thoughts, but humans cannot understand them and they must use their wits to communicate. These books are great for mystery lovers who love animals and prefer their mysteries not too violent. Check out Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie on their website at ww.ritamaebrown.com.

One Funny and Classy Lady

This blog post has been written by Evangeline, the library's Local History Librarian!

When I was a little girl, I remember watching reruns of the Carol Burnett show on television. I may not have gotten every joke, but I knew it was funny (You really don't seem to find that kind of comedic talent these days). In her latest memoir, This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection, Carol Burnett shares some of the most intimate and poignant thoughts about growing up, as well as discusses her time in show business. She has recently been touring in a show that resembles the question and answer segment she used to do at the beginning of her famous variety show; and this book contains the answers to some of the most often asked of those questions. There are stories about famous people: Jimmy Stewart, Lucille Ball, Cary Grant and even Marlon Brando. There are stories about each of the members of the cast from the Carol Burnett Show--Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Wagoner, Harvey Korman, and, of course, Tim Conway. My favorite stories, though, are those personal stories that she includes about her children, her Nanny, her pets and the everyday people she meets. Be on the lookout for the story of the time she had to take her little dog to the vet in New York during a full blown blizzard, or the time that she was on an airplane with a bunch of Japanese businessmen. One of my personal favorites is the time she was "almost" mugged in New York City! All of these stories illustrate the determination and wit Carol Burnett has used throughout her life to achieve her goals and entertain the masses. She is a regular person with a great talent who is loved by millions. This book is a wonderful and uplifting read and I highly recommend it to those who love Carol Burnett or those who just love good stories.