Magazines Help with Christmas Preparation

This blog post is by Evangeline, Local History Librarian



It's that time of year again...



In just a few days, the holidays will be upon us! You know what that means--food, food and more food! Now is a good time to start planning for those holiday meals and the library has just what you need. I'm not talking about our wonderful selection of holiday cookbooks, but our great assortment of magazines featuring the latest holiday recipes and decorating ideas. What better way to celebrate the season than with ideas from three of my favorite magazines for recipes, period--Country Living, Southern Living and Taste of Home. All three of these magazines contain classic "southern" and "country" style cooking. Their recipes are usually very easy to follow and full of flavor.



The November issue of Country Living features recipes from "The Great Thanksgiving Cook-Off." The magazine asked five chefs to come up with a Thanksgiving meal using traditional ingredients like turkey, stuffing, potatoes and cranberries. Some of the dishes that caught my eye included: cornbread stuffing with sweet peppers, onions and celery, roast turkey with hoisin gravy and roasted wild mushrooms with garlic and shallots. All of the recipes are listed in the back on page 120 and there are great ideas for leftovers beginning on page 111.



My all-time favorite magazine for recipes and all things decorative is Southern Living. I come from a long line of typical southern mothers. I learned from them how to cook and keep house on a budget starting at a young age and, as I get older, I appreciate those skills more and more. Southern Living's November issue offers four Thanksgiving menus that you can mix and match to suit your own family's taste. The menus start on page 93 and offer both traditional and non-traditional fare. The Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta picture on page 96 (recipe on page 98) looks fantastic and the Green Beans with Garlic (recipe on page 102) is a super simple recipe that will go well with any holiday meal. For a list of all the recipes in the November issue you can turn to page 140. Not the cook this Holiday? You may also want to check out the "Family Weekend Getaways Under $500" and the excerpt from Fannie Flagg's new novel I Still Dream about You.



Another go-to magazine for delicious recipes is Taste of Home. One of the reasons I love this magazine so much is that it is written and edited by every-day folks like you and me. The recipes are simple, down-home fare easily prepared by even a novice cook (Thanksgiving is definitely not the time to learn how to cook, however). In the October/November issue, page 54 has a recipe for Maui-inspired Turkey Breast Roll that looks simply delicious. There are ste-by-step pictured instructions to help and some quick and easy appetizer ideas on page 47. Another good article to check out contains tips by cookbook author Katie Lee.



If you don't want to worry with heavy cookbooks or if you want a new twist on the traditional holiday meal, the magazines here at the library are a good choice for you. Remember that the newest magazine issues do not check out, but you may make copies of any recipe that tempts you. Magazines that do check out may be kept for one week only and then they must be returned so that others may enjoy them. Please remember to take care of the library's magazines--they are easily torn and damged with food and drink. You can also find recipes on the magazines websites: http://www.countryliving.com/, http://www.southernliving.com/, and http://www.tasteofhome.com/.

The Confession by John Grisham

I have been listening to the audio book in CD format of John Grisham's latest book, The Confession, for the past week as I drive to and from work. This is an audio book that has made me want to pass up my exit and keep driving until I finish the book! The novel is a tense look at the death penalty in Texas, through the eyes of the accused, the victim's family and the murderer. The book is jam-packed with typical Grisham characteristics---crooked politicians, detailed legal proceedings, lawyers interpreting the law as they see fit, and strong small-town citizens just trying to do the right thing. The writing is very detailed and Grisham portrays the citizens of Texas in a believable way. I do not want to give away any good details of the plot, but the basic story is that Dante' Drum is a 26-year-old African American man who was convicted of the murder of Nicole Yarborough, a white high-school cheerleader, when they were both 18 and Seniors at Sloan High School. Dante' has been on death row for nine years and the story opens six days before his scheduled execution. Lots of events occur within the six days, and I guarantee that you won't predict what happens. If you love riveting legal thrillers, then this book is the one for you! If you like this book I also suggest you try reading Greg Iles' 24 Hours, another tense thriller that will make your pulse pound. This book is true Grisham writing and I predict that this book will soon become a movie.

Give Thanks on Thanksgiving

Tomorrow, many of us will be caught up in the hustle and bustle of cooking, baking and being with friends and family. The Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library wishes you a "Happy Thanksgiving" and asks you to take a little time out of your day tomorrow to reflect upon what you are thankful for. The library is thankful for your continued use and support of the library and wishes you a safe and happy holiday.

Get to Know Some Lost Dogs

The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Pit Bulls and their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant is a book that made me weep and laugh! This non-fiction book details the story of the 49 pit bull and pit bull mixed dogs that were rescued from NFL player Michael Vick's dog-fighting ring in Virginia. The first part of the book details Michael Vick's trial and punishment and the rescue of the dogs from their horrifiying existence. The next part of the book discusses how the dogs were evaluated for their temperament and aggressive behavior and placed in foster homes and sanctuaries so that they would hopefully progress to foster homes and eventual adoption. The last part of the book is an epilogue that shows where each dog is today. Perhaps the most telling part of the book is that when the dogs were first rescued, the evaluation team assessing their behavior had high hopes of rescuing and "making adoptable" five of the dogs. At the end of the book, all but five of the dogs were deemed adoptable, or worthy of living their lives out at a sanctuary. I really enjoyed the fact that Mr. Gorant picks many of the dogs and tells their individual stories--through their struggles with learning how to not fear humans and learning how to be just dogs and not fighting machines. My favorite story was about Sweet Jasmine, a pit bull who was catatonic whenever she was approached by humans, but after four months of intensive love and hard work was able to enjoy walking with humans and other dogs on a leash. This book truly dispels the myth that pit bulls are aggressive dogs that can not be rehabilitated and is something that every dog lover should read.

A Nose for Justice

I really enjoy it when one of my favorite authors begins a new series :) I enjoy Rita Mae Brown's "Jane Arnold" and "Mrs. Murphy" series (this is co-written by her cat Sneaky Pie Brown and stars postmistress Mary Minor Haristeen and her cat Mrs. Murphy). Brown's latest is similar to the "Mrs. Murphy" series in that the animals have starring roles in this cozy mystery. A Nose for Justice is the debut mystery in this series. The main characters are Magdalene "Jeep" Reed, a ranch owner in Nevada who piloted planes in World War II and is very well off because she discovered a large quantity of gold deposits and purchased the land and its rights. She owns a German Shepherd named King who discovers skeletal remains buried underground in her barn. The other main character is Magdalene "Mags" Rogers, Jeep's great-niece, who had a high-powered Wall Street job and moved in with her great-aunt to start her life over when the economy tanked. Mags owns a dachshund named Baxter who has had to discover how to get along with King and adjust to life in the great open spaces of Nevada. Another important character is Pete Meadows, a deputy investigating the sabotage of several water pumps around the ranch and a series of local murders. The writing is typical Rita Mae Brown--full of lush descriptions of the scenery and well-developed characters. My only complaint with the book is that there was a lot of involved information about the fight for water rights in Nevada. I believe the information was useful in setting up the scene for future books in the series, but the abundance of water rights history and information did make the first third of the book drag. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series and watching these characters develop.

Roast Mortem

When the weather finally turns cooler, put on a pot of coffee and grab the latest coffeehouse mystery, Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle. Clare Cosi, manager and head barista of the landmark Village Blend coffeehouse in New York, has perfected the pulling of steaming hot espresso. But can she keep New York's bravest from getting burned? When the firefighters of Ladder Company 189 pull Clare and her friends out of a blazing cafe', she happily comes to their resue. As a favor to the men, she visits their firehouse to teach them the finer points of operating their newly donated espresso machine. But more than their coffee turns out to be hot! Somebody's torching cafe's around the city, and the firefighters are beginning to die in suspicious ways. Believing the two events are related, Clare investigates, staking out a five-borough bake sale and sniffing out clues. When her detective boyfriend, Mike Quinn, is pulled in to the fire of a false accusation, Clare is desperate to put out the flames. Could his firefighter cousin be setting Mike up for payback from a long family feud? And will she be able to come to Mike's rescue before someone tries to extinguish her?

No Acceptable Excuse

D. S. Murphy's No Acceptable Excuse has the appearance of a self-published work and could have used some judicious editing and spell checking. However, I found myself riveted to the story. It is a searing drama about a family history of physical and sexual abuse and incest. This tale is set in the early part of the 20th century and centers around Lela. A neighbor, Sam, becomes obsessed with her and forces her into marriage--her nightmare begins and continues until Sam's death. Lela and Sam eventually have seven children, who all suffer at their father's hands. This is a brutal tale and even though it has been a month since I read it, I still think back on it. I feel for all the abuse that everybody that came in contact with Sam suffered. And upon reading about the incident that made Sam the way he was, I can understand Lela's forgiveness--which is really the theme of the book--but she is a much better person than I. I still cannot understand why no one ever called Sam out on his behavior, but then, insn't that the way with bullies?

Try a Taste of Thai

I have recently donned my "cooking hands" and dabbled with Thai cooking. I am a great fan of dumplings and chicken satay and was pleased when I received a bamboo steamer for my birthday! Wanting to broaden my horizons, I decided to check out the Thai cookbooks in the library. I enjoyed looking at the Complete Thai Cooking book by Hamlyn so much that I went ahead and purchased a used copy for myself. This book has beautiful full-color illustrations of 90% of the dishes listed in the book---the few pictures that aren't included are mainly of sauces or stocks. The book opens with a nice history of Thai cooking and a description of the equipment needed to make traditional Thai food. Also included is a glossary of "Cook's Terms" that defines many of the ingredients used by Thai chefs. Most of the recipes are on the left page of the book with a picture of the finished item facing it on the right page, and include the number of servings, the preparation time and the cooking time for the recipe. I can't pick out my favorite recipe, but I have decided to try the "Khun Tom's Pumpkin Soup" and the "Mushroom and Snow Pea Stir-fry" as soon as my cookbook is delivered. I really enjoyed exploring the dessert section of this cookbook---the coconut cream custard served in bowls made from banana leaves looks especially wonderful. If this book has made your taste buds salivate, try also Classic Thai Cuisine by David Thompson or The Food of Thailand by Sven Krauss.

Meet the Queen Mother

The Queen Mother by William Shawcross is the official and definitive biography of the woman. The author was given unrestricted access to the Queen Mother's personal papers, letters and diaries and offers us a portrait of unprecedented vividness and detail. Here is the witty girl who won the affections of convalescing soldiers during the First World War; the assured young Duchess of York helping her reluctant husband assume the throne when his brother abdicated and the stalwart Queen who refused to take refuge from the bombing of London, risking her own life to instill courage and hope in others who were living through the Blitz. The book shows a woman whose many interests included the armed services, the environment, horse racing and music; and whose wide circle of friends included everyone from the Sitwells to Ted Hughes, from Noel Coward to Charles de Gualle. And here also is showcased the dowager Queen--the last Edwardian, the survivor to both her family and the country throughout her long widowhood, representing her nation at home and abroad, the matriarch of the Royal Family.

Dexter is Delicious

When I picked up the first Dexter Morgan book, I never thought that I would enjoy reading about a serial killer. Or even "sympathizing" with a serial killer! Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay is the fifth novel in the series starring Dexter Morgan, a blood spatter expert with the Miami Police Department. Dexter is basically an okay guy--he only kills people who deserve it (like rapists, child molesters and murderers)--and he makes sure that they know why they are being eliminated from life. All is good in Dexter's life until his sister, Detective Deborah Morgan, is placed in charge of a child kidnapping case. As Deborah enlists Dexter's help in locating Samantha, they stumble onto a ring of cannibals and torturers. Meanwhile, Dexter tries hard to fit in to society and act like a normal human being, while hiding his Dark Passenger killing side. This book is certainly not for the squeamish, but if you can come to grips with the fact that you like Dexter, you'll certainly enjoy this book. Darkly Dreaming Dexter is the first book in the series--check it out and let us know if you like it!