Super-Tasty, Simple Apple Pie

I love when I get the chance to highlight my real-life friends on the blog. My hilarious and incredibly talented friend Meg has just come out with a new book: Little Old Lady Recipes: Comfort Food and Kitchen Table Wisdom. I am still making my way through it (and will post my thoughts soon) -- but you're in for a treat. Meg has written a guest post featuring a recipe from the book . . . from her own grandmother's kitchen.

Take it away, Meg!

Apple pie is one of my favorite desserts, but I will rarely ever order it in restaurants. I clench my jaw when I discover I’m about to be served it at a friend’s dinner party, hoping for the best. And I don’t care how good you say a bakery is; I’ll likely avoid any crust-and-apple dessert they have.

Why? The likelihood of overpowering, unnecessary, get-them-out-of-my-dessert spices.

I consider the over-spiced apple pie to be an affront to good apples everywhere. We can agree that the apple is a good fruit, right? And that, especially in the fall, it’s easy for many of us to find fresh, crisp apples bursting with sharp, fresh taste? So why are we putting those pretty little apples in our pies and then insulting them with the overwhelming addition of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and so on? I’d certainly expect these kind of shenanigans with pumpkin pie – we can recognize by now that most of what we love about “pumpkin” flavor is a mixture of spices, not actual pumpkin, right? – but pulling this crap with fresh autumn apples? Well, that’s a shame.

That’s one of the reasons why I was really thrilled to work on my book, Little Old Lady Recipes. Besides meeting lots of awesome, caring, sassy ladies; trying delicious food; and browsing through several old cookbooks, I was also able to share my grandmother’s own apple pie recipe.


I fully credit Grammy Favreau for making me a pie lover. Fruit pies were her specialty, and they were, above all else, simple – a combination of fruit mixed with a bit of sugar and some dabs of butter. In every single pie she made – strawberry rhubarb, raspberry blueberry, apple, or whatever else – the flavor focus was on the fruit. Bea’s pies featured flaky crusts, were great paired with vanilla ice cream, and managed to be sweet without making your teeth hurt. (That’s also part of the reason I’m more of a pie person than a cake person – I love cake, but overly sweet frosting leaves me feeling like some sugar crawled into my mouth, died, and had the final wish “please leave a weird annoying film on this girl’s teeth.”)

So, with no disrespect intended for Ashley’s perfect apple pie – I know that some people really do prefer spices in theirs – I’d like to present my grandmother’s apple pie, another (perhaps perfect) take on the dessert.

PIECRUST

• 4 cups flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 1 cup milk (I used soy milk)

In a large bowl, sift flour and add salt, baking powder, and sugar. Then add tablespoons of shortening to flour mixture, spreading it around and mixing it a little. With clean hands, slowly knead the shortening into the flour. It should stick together a little. Add milk slowly, mixing as you go, until most of it is incorporated. Then go back and knead it with your hands again. The final dough should stick to your hands, but you should be able to work with it. Don’t overknead! Let cool in a large plastic bag in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before using.

After the dough has chilled, dust your rolling pin and work the surface with flour, then roll a circle as thin as you can so it covers the size of a pie plate. Place dough in plate and add filling. Add top crust if the recipe calls for it, and pinch edges of top and bottom crusts together. Make sure to cut slits in the top crust so steam can escape. Makes enough crusts for 4 to 5 pies. Freeze dough you don’t intend to use in the next few days.


APPLE PIE

• Piecrust
• 4 to 6 apples (I find that a mix of different tart varieties is the awesomest)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp butter
• Spices of your choice (if you so dare)

Pare, core, and slice apples. Place in a bowl and mix with sugar, 1 to 2 tbsp water, bits of the butter, and your choice of spices. Pour into an uncooked piecrust and then lay the upper crust on top. Pinch edges, slash upper crust, and bake at 425 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown on the edges.

(I feel like it would be a shame not to mention here that, while Ashley and I both love good food dearly, we first met over 10 years ago (!!!) at perhaps the lowest of culinary locations – our college’s crappiest dining hall, on training day. I quit after the day they made me clean dead bugs out of the windowsill with a spoon. Ashley, from what I understand, had a s.l.i.g.h.t.l.y better experience.)

THE BOOK


Stay tuned!!! On Thursday, you'll get a chance to win your very own copy of Meg's Little Old Lady Recipes. It's a great giveaway, but you'll have to check back for details . . .

And if you missed it, on (never home)maker, baby! I'm FULL TERM. 37 weeks. Things are getting very real, very fast. But we're happy to be even closer to meeting our little girl.

Well, maybe she's not so little anymore!


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Review: Keys to Good Cooking

Do you guys and gals remember my preview post about Harold McGee's Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes from a couple months back? Well, the book is out in stores now . . . and I received my review copy from the publisher a few weeks ago. Very cool to receive that package in the mail! I love books about cooking and baking. I've have had the chance to soak in most of it. So, welcome to today's stop on the virtual book tour.

I'm going to start with general impressions. So, I just said I love reading books about culinary stuff. That's true. But I also don't love reading books from cover to cover. It's an attention span thing. I'd rather skip around. What's great about Keys to Good Cooking is that it's more like a dictionary and/or encyclopedia. You can shelve it among your cookbooks and reference it whenever you have questions about a specific process or ingredient.


Or, if you have more time, you can delve into specific topics that interest you and read that chapter in full without worrying if you missed something earlier in the book. You can always just jump around. It's a true reference text -- and something I definitely feel is helpful.

• A section will start with a brief definition of the process: "Poaching and frying are ways of cooking eggs free of their shells but otherwise intact, the yolk surrounded by the white and ready to become its sauce."
• In the case of a specific ingredient, McGee will then provide some examples. Types of ingredients that fit into the category and their similarities/differences: "Fresh cheeses, including cottage cheese, quarg, cream cheese, mozzarella, and ricotta are moist and perishable . . . Aged cheeses, including Brie and Camembert, cheddar, blue, and Parmesan, are salted, less moist, and less perishable."
• Then, McKee delves into certain tips: "To thicken and enrich [soups] with cream, use heavy whipping cream or high-fat creme fraiche, which contain too little milk protein to form noticeable curds even at the boil."
• And also precautions: "To avoid over-browning pastries at the correct thermostat setting, keep the heating elements off as much as possible." Followed by examples of how you can successfully avoid an issue: "Place a baking stone on the oven floor to retain heat and shield the heating element . . . Preheat the oven 25 to 50 degrees F hotter than the baking temperature so that loading the oven will bring it down to the baking temperature . . . Open the oven door as seldom and briefly as possible."
• After that, serving suggestions follow . . . or other information that applies to the topic. Nothing is left to your imagination. There's no guessing.

Along with all these tips, each section also provides key information about shopping for ingredients. Food safety (like we covered in my last post about the book) and storage. There are even entire chapters about the basics to get you started if you clueless about, for example, canning fruits. I know Julie could tell me all about it, but if she's ever busy on a Saturday afternoon and I just get the urge to can, McGee's advice will be helpful:

"Canning cooks and preserves fruit pieces, purees, and juices indefinitely by isolating them completely and heating them hot and long enough to kill all microbes . . . Improperly canned fruits will deteriorate quickly, and can be dangerous. If the heat treatment is insufficient or the handling careless, it can encourage the growth of potentially fatal botulism bacteria."

In other words, instead of looking it up "How to Can" on Google and quickly picking a site that gives me the fastest and easiest instructions . . . I now understand that if the process is botched, I could make myself and others sick. So, I'd likely wait and ask Julie to help me when she has time. However, if I do choose to embark on the adventure myself, the canning guidelines are right there to help me, to make sure the instructions I find will lead to a safe and successful result:

"Follow well-established guidelines carefully. Consult the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving available in print or on the USDA Web site, www.usda.gov, or make sure your recipe includes these steps:

• Prepare the jars and lids in boiling water.
• Heat the fruit preparation or the liquid portion of it to a boil.
• Seal the hot fruit preparation in the hot jars airtight.
• Heat the jars fully immersed in boiling water or in a pressure canner. Timings vary depending on the jar size and kitchen altitude. High-temperature pressure canning is essential for a few low-acid fruits (figs, papayas).
• Check the cooled jars to make sure the lids are bowed in the center and the seal remains airtight."

And that's really what the Keys to Good Cooking is about. I mean, there are a ton of sources of information out there . . . about EVERYTHING. I work in a library, so I know the whole story. Students always want to reference Google for their papers and projects. But not all information on the web is reliable. Some of it is, of course . . . but that's why we have librarians and classes on navigating information. Choosing the best resources. McGee recognizes the countless pages and pages of recipes, the innumerable books upon books about cooking/baking . . . the millions of tips and homegrown rules shared amongst friends.

What McGee provides is a voice of reason. An informed guide. An authority.


I could continue to provide examples from the text. But if you really want to know what the book is like, go check it out at your local book store. Or online. Read what others have written about it, too. And check out my preview post with some great information about the author.

If you're like me and just want the abridged review: McGee's Keys to Good Cooking includes almost every single type of ingredient, cooking and baking process, and other kitchen consideration. The information for each is holistic -- but to-the-point -- from start to finish. It's a great book . . . and a wonderful gift idea for your favorite cook.


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Introducing: Harold McGee's The Keys to Good Cooking

Good morning, everyone! We've hit 500 posts! How cool is that? Anyway, today I'm going to be a big tease. Well, here's the deal: I was asked to participate in an online book tour. I'm incredibly honored, because the book sounds absolutely fabulous. The first round of posts is a brief glimpse into the book. It's by Harold McGee . . . and it's called The Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes.


ABOUT HAROLD:

Harold McGee writes about the science of food and cooking. He’s the author of the award-winning classic On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, and writes a monthly column, “The Curious Cook,” for The New York Times. He has been named food writer of the year by Bon Appétit magazine and to the Time 100, an annual list of the world’s most influential people. He lives in San Francisco. (from the book tour website)

* * *
The table of contents reveals that the book is divided by food types. Anything ranging from fruits, nuts, and eggs to breads, pastries, and chocolate is covered. There's also info on kitchen tools I particularly like. (You may remember our post on Vegetarian Kitchen Essentials and another one about Useless Kitchen Gadgets.)

McGee writes in his introduction that this book is "not a cookbook." Instead, it is meant to help readers with comfort and method. He writes that there's an "abundance" of recipes online and elsewhere . . . and that it's "all too easy to get lost along the way." I surely know what he's referring to. I mean, how many times have you read through one of our recipes (or recipes elsewhere) and found that maybe some small part about HOW TO was missing. Like how LONG to whisk. How MUCH to mix. How SCANT to fill your measuring cup, etc.


In the section of the book that we were offered to review for this first teaser post (because I will be reviewing the book in full on October 26th), there's a chapter on "Vegetables and Fresh Herbs." McGee offers several tips for how to pick the best, freshest produce:

• Fresh vegetables and herbs are alive and breathing and should look like it. The best-quality fresh vegetables are the most recently harvested and most carefully handled.
• Precut vegetables are convenient but more vulnerable to spoilage than intact vegetables and are often wilted. Refresh them in ice-cold water before using.
• Frozen vegetables can equal or better the quality of fresh, especially vegetables that lose flavor and tenderness rapidly after harvest. These include green peas, lima beans, and sweet corn.
• Potatoes are starchy storage tubers. There are many varieties, most of which keep well for weeks at cool room temperature or refrigerated. “New potatoes” are harvested before they’re mature and should be used promptly or refrigerated.

There's also a great section about vegetable/food safety. Specifically:

• You can’t always recognize contaminated vegetables or herbs by their appearance or smell, or by their apparent cleanness, even in prepacked bags.
• Washing can’t eliminate all microbes from vegetables and herbs. The only way to guarantee their safety is to cook them.
• Don’t serve raw vegetables or herbs, including salads, to people who are especially vulnerable to illness.

So, already you can see that this book is jam-packed with some great information. What I like most so far is McGee's writing. It's approachable. Comfortable. Friendly. But don't just take my word for it -- check out the other stops on the tour.

* * *
According to Amazon.com, the book is set to release October 28th. Don't forget to check back with us on October 26th for our review in full! If you'd like to reserve a copy now -- or just learn more about what's in the book's 576 pages -- feel free to go check it out.


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Foodie Book Club: June and July Posting

Good afternoon, everyone! It's been a long time since I posted ANYTHING about the Foodie Book Club. As much as I preach that bloggers must never apologize for taking a break every now and again, I've let some of you down, so I sincerely do apologize for skipping an entire month, including posting. The club is certainly still on, and I can't wait until I have more time to devote to reading.


The Butcher and the Vegetarian
by Tara Austen Weaver


The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet
by Alicia Silverstone

The good news? HERE's the post where you can share a permalink to your Foodie Book Club review/recipe/photo essay/or whatever else you've come up with to discuss Weaver's The Butcher and the Vegetarian (from June) and Silverstone's The Kind Diet (for July).

And here's how you share your creation: Simply enter your information in the following format in the list below -- something like Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker: The Kind Diet (but use your own info, of course). Again, please provide the specific link to the writeup/etc. about Weaver's and/or Silverstone's book so we can all easily find it. If you plan to submit links for BOTH books, please do so separately.

And since I was such a slacker, you have until August 6th -- that's two whole weeks! -- to post to this list.


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United States of Arugula: Foodie Book Club

Good morning, everyone! Here's the post where you can share a permalink to your Foodie Book Club review/recipe/photo essay/or whatever else you've come up with to discuss David Kamp's The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation.

And here's how you share your creation: Simply enter your information in the following format in the list below -- something like Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker (but use your own info, of course). Again, please provide the specific link to the writeup/etc. about Kamp's book so we can all easily find it.

Note: You have until Friday, June 11th to post. That's a whole week :)



New to (never home)maker? Have questions about the Foodie Book Club? Check out our Foodie Book Club Details post. Visit this page to find out what books we're reading for June, July, August, and September. And if you'd like a button for your sidebar so everyone can know you're in the club, just grab the one below!

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Foodie Book Club: Next Four Months . . .

Hey, everyone! I've received several emails/comments asking about our next Foodie Book Club books. This month is flying by fast, I didn't even realize we needed to pick them. Yikes! I looked at the last time we all voted, and there were four books tied for 4th place. Instead of re-voting, I thought we'd just go with these selections to take us through September (woah -- are we really that far along 2010?).

As a reminder about our new membership "rules" . . . You don't need to be "officially" signed up. Simply choose to read the book in any particular month . . . and feel free to post about it when the call for posts goes out (which will be the last Friday of each month -- from that date, you get an entire week to post your review/recipe/etc.). That way, we're not exclusive. You need not read every book every month (in fact, I may need to duck out this month myself). I want to keep it loose. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com.

(Pssst: Click on the book title for more information and to order via Amazon.com)

JUNE:


The Butcher and the Vegetarian
by Tara Austen Weaver

JULY:


The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet
by Alicia Silverstone

AUGUST:


Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously
by Julie Powell

SEPTEMBER:


The Omnivore's Dilemma
by Michael Pollan

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A Homemade Life: My Review

"I guess it's a product of our time, or a generational thing. Or maybe it's just a matter of pheromones. Whatever the reason, I keep falling in love with vegetarians."

Oh, Molly. I'm so there with you . . . it's not even funny. I have never dated a non-vegetarian. Every guy I ever considered myself to be "dating" was a vegetarian or vegan. And even though that's true of myself . . . it's never, ever been intentional! Now I'm married to a pescetarian, and -- to be entirely honest -- it took some getting used to. Stephen didn't always eat fish, he was vegan when we met. Vegetarian for years after that. And when he decided to join "the dark side" (I'm just kidding) and eat the fruits of the sea, I didn't argue with him.

Let's get this out of the way. I bet many of you didn't think I'd do my write-up for this month's Foodie Book Club posting! I know, I'm incredibly late. And if you'd like to check out the postings of the people who were actually ON time, just go here. Some beautiful write-ups . . . and one gal even got to MEET our author, Molly Wizenberg. Also: I didn't end up taking photos of my recipe either (Arugula with Pistachios and Chocolate! from page 296, but I assure you it was delicious and, well, different.) because my camera ran out of battery!!! I promise to do better with this month's selection: The United States of Arugula.


What I love so much about this particular section of A Homemade Life is that it's a 180 degree turn from what Anthony Bourdain would say about vegetarians (last month's book was Bourdain's The Nasty Bits -- here's my review). Rather than condemn vegetarians, Molly writes . . . "In the nearly three decades since his birth, Brandon has not once eaten meat, but his palate has ventured further than that of many omnivores, mine included."

In the foodie world, it does seem that there is some disdain for vegetarian and vegan foods. And, regarding the point that Molly made about a sophisticated palate, many food lovers I've talked to have actually looked down upon my love of food, saying things like: "Well, you wouldn't know..." Because I don't eat the "finer dishes" like foie gras. I don't think chomping on a piece of fatty liver is any less disgusting than many of these people think chewing on some tofu is. But I digress . . . You can love food no matter what diet you choose to follow. You can create masterpieces no matter what ingredients you choose to use.

So, I appreciate Molly's choice to include a chapter for the vegetarians and vegans. A point in the book where we aren't criticized . . . instead brought to light for loving interesting/exotic/good foods -- just in a different way. I don't think my choice to be vegetarian has limited my exposure to some amazing eats, nor has it limited my ability to hone my cooking/baking skills. And I can't wait to try the Chana Masala recipe at the end of this particular chapter. YUM!

After reading A Homemade Life, I truly feel like Molly is one of my friends. Her stories of her childhood and life, her palatable descriptions of her favorite foods, her recipes -- they're all so familiar. I certainly enjoyed the book and will continue to enjoy the recipes. I only wish I had purchased a hardcover version, mine's already well worn.

And, in the spirit of having an adventurous palate, here are some new foods I'm trying this weekend:




Now, here's the deal with the Foodie Book Club for the future. You don't need to be "officially" signed up. Simply choose to read the book in any particular month . . . and feel free to post about it when the call for posts goes out. That way, we're not exclusive. You need not read every book every month. I want to keep it loose. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker@gmail.com. Be sure to have a lovely weekend. I'm excited for not just one, but TWO brunch dates with friends.

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A Homemade Life: Foodie Book Club Posting

Good morning, everyone! Here's the post where you can share a permalink to your Foodie Book Club review/recipe/photo essay/or whatever else you've come up with to discuss Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table. I can't wait to share with you all my write-up and recipe. Hoping to get it up on the blog by Monday morning.

And here's how you share your own creation: Simply enter your information in the following format in the list below -- something like Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker (but use your own info, of course). Again, please provide the specific link to the post about Wizenberg's book so we can all easily find your post.

You have until Friday, May 7 (that's one week) at 11PM EST to post to this page. I'll be making a sidebar graphic for easy access. Thanks, and please let me know if you any questions! (Psssst: If you just can't get enough of Molly's fantastically crafted prose, check out her blog -- Orangette -- her latest recipe is roasted rhubarb!)


Image Credit



New to (never home)maker? Have questions about the Foodie Book Club? Check out our Foodie Book Club Details post. And if you'd like a button for your sidebar so everyone can know you're in the club, just grab the one below!

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The Nasty Bits: Book Review

(image from Courier Journal)

Now, before you read my review -- you should definitely go check out the growing list of posts Foodie Book Club members have written about Bourdain's The Nasty Bits. It was certainly an interesting read to kick off the Foodie Book Club. I found myself laughing out loud at points and grimacing at others. Seriously, the man's descriptions of food -- but also of people and places -- kept me on my toes throughout the collection of essays and articles. The picture he paints in my mind of a fast food hamburger -- a "soggy disk of ground-up assholes and elbows" (sorry, mom!) -- is definitely raw. And I think we can all agree that's what his writing does best: Propels his image as the quintessential bad-ass cook from NYC.

Back to this ground-up elbows mess. The particular selection I've quoted above comes from an early section titled "The Evildoers" . . . where the whole fast food main chains comes up for debate. I completely agree with Bourdain's view that we should "whenever possible try to eat food that comes from somewhere, from somebody." And what I like best about his argument is that he shows how not all "fast food" is inherently bad. In fact, across the globe, people are enjoying quick bites on street corners. Slurps from noodle bowls on docks. Good food from humble and appreciative entrepreneurs. Yes. That's the best part -- most of this street food is prepared fresh by the person behind the counter (or hot dog stand, etc.). With fresh ingredients. Most of the food is also healthy.

I continued on with my quest to finish the book in time to find myself angry only a few sections later. The selection entitled "Are You a Crip or a Blood?" centers around the slow food revolution, featuring local, sustainable ingredients. I, myself, am interested in eating more locally -- at least striving toward a good balance, not only to support our local farmers, but also to eat seasonally and avoid all the crap dumped on food from far away places (you know, the stuff that makes their shelf lives longer). Bourdain seems to have mixed feelings on this topic.

He writes: "I always liked to think of myself as a Blood. Having recently traveled the world, often to very poor countries where being a Crip is not an option, I was enchanted again and again by cooks making fresh, vibrant, hearty, and soulful meals, often with very little in the way of resources."

However, a page or so later, he states: "Though I use the New York foie gras for pan-seared, I will continue to order the Fresh for terrine. My Arborio rice will come from Italy, my beans for cassoulet from Tarbes. Because they're better." And I can certainly understand that. he's a chef after all. OK. I'm good with that. But then he continues on to write: "When those cute little baby eels from Portugal are available again, I'll be ordering them; who cares if there'll be none left for the Portuguese?" I mean, is he being sarcastic? Sometimes I'm bad at reading sarcasm. I just think -- either way -- it was a jerk statement.

But that's also what I like about his writing. It's -- again -- raw. And it's what we ultimately love about reading his books and watching his TV show. Bourdain doesn't care if he offends (and he offends vegetarians and vegans often!). And he will never apologize. It's just not rock 'n roll.

Anyway, I didn't stay angry for long. I agreed with most of what he was saying, really. Staying with local ingredients is great. Actually, if you're able to craft fine cuisine using what's available, you're even doing "God's work." Wow. What I decided after reading this chapter -- something that's larger than the book itself -- is that I want to cook up some meals using completely local produce. And ASAP! So, my book review will be accompanied by a recipe as soon as I can get myself to our local farmers market. (Are you interested in this topic, too? Here's some more information I have found helpful.)

I also found myself enjoying Bourdain's commentary on the pieces at the end of the book. As a former writing major (I have a BA in expository writing), I can share his sentiments. For example, as he read back over the first piece ("System D" -- you know, where we learned about squeezing the blood out of filet mignons), he said it made "[him] kind of sad" because he was "yearning for something . . . [he] suspected [he'd] never get back." Of course, he's referring to his bad-ass life as a cook. The life he alludes to throughout. Now that he's a celebrated TV personality and author, it's harder for him to get back to his roots.

Anyway, I like these comments on his own writing because I've experienced similar emotions, feelings after reading my own works, if you can call them that.

Overall, I'd say if you haven't read the book (and, in all honesty, I am still reading it -- I haven't started the fiction section yet), it'd a good one to put on your summer reading list. Bourdain's descriptions never disappoint. And his opinions definitely rouse discussions (both with yourself and with others) about food, life, and everything else you can imagine.

I'm looking forward to moving on, though. Our next book in the first rotation is A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg. If you'd like to read more about this book -- as well as May's selection -- go check out this post. If you're a procrastinator, like me, you may not have added your review of The Nasty Bits to the link love list yet. You can do so over at this post.

Interested in joining the club? I've received some emails. I'll be posting a new sign-up sheet soon, but for some reason I can't get the link list to work right now. Please leave your name, blog, and whatever else in the comments :)

And here are the members that took part in our first month! Thanks again for all your help and support!

<a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/02/foodie-book-club-details.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4383030070_e9ba2a2324_o.gif"></a>

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The Nasty Bits: Foodie Book Club Posting

Good afternoon, everyone! Here's the post where you can share a permalink to your Foodie Book Club review/recipe/photo essay/or whatever else you've come up with to discuss Anthony Bourdain's The Nasty Bits.

Simply enter your information in the following format in the list below -- something like Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker (but use your own info, of course). Again, please provide the specific link to the post about Bourdain's book so we can all easily find your post.

You have until Friday, April 2 (that's one week) at 11PM EST to post to this page. I'll be making a sidebar graphic for easy access. Thanks, and please let me know if you any questions!

<a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/02/foodie-book-club-details.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4383030070_e9ba2a2324_o.gif"></a>

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Foodie Book Club Details

Hey, everyone! Those of you who have been reading the site for a while know all about the Foodie Book Club. It's this little group we started to read books related to recipes, cooks, foodie bloggers, etc. You also may know that as the head of this group, I've slacked a lot this summer. In fact, I haven't read a single book. Well, until now. And I'll be posting my review of Julie Powell's Julie and Julia within the week.

I'd like to catch everyone up to speed. Here are the books the club has read/reviewed so far.

• MARCH: The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain (our review)
• APRIL: A Homemade Life by blogger Molly Wizenberg (our review)
• MAY: United States of Arugula by David Kamp
• JUNE: The Vegetarian and the Butcher by Tara Austen Weaver
• JULY: The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

When we started the club, we had a TON of interest. We recognize however, that it's hard to keep up. Lives get in the way. As well, we haven't been the best organized, but we're motivated to change. So, if you're new to the blog and you'd like to join, don't be intimidated.


We have MOVED the club from (never home)maker to a new home on Good Reads. If you'd like to OFFICIALLY sign up, just create an account on GR and search for the "foodie book club." You'll see our smiling faces. Or follow this link to find the Foodie Book Club directly.

Here's some more info:

• Each month, we read a book chosen by majority (or just that sounded interesting to us). If you'd like to suggest books for consideration, please email us or leave a comment on the board. Currently, we have a list set through November.
• We'll read the book and then post about it starting last Friday of the month. How? We'll post a thread calling for all your reviews. Simply add your link to the reply.
• With our new home on Good Reads, we're going to allow you to post your reviews at any time, no deadline. But we'd appreciate if you could get it in within one week from the posting date. Just leave a PERMAlink to your post, not the link to your general blog page. Good Reads also allows those of you without a blog to participate. Just link to your Good Reads review.
• Posts need not only be text and a general summary. You may pick a specific section you particularly enjoyed and tell us why. You could post a video where you talk about your reactions. You could create a recipe that you felt inspired to make by reading. A photo response. I'll say it again: Anything goes.
• And we know that things come up in life that might make participation in any given month a complete in-possibility. We ask that you try to not miss too many months (but, again, we're all busy -- so, we get it).
• To sign up, just visit the Foodie Book Club on Good Reads. Follow instructions to join. And join. If you have questions, we'd be happy to help!

Also: If you'd like a button for your sidebar so everyone can know you're in the club, just grab the one below!

<a href="http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2010/02/foodie-book-club-details.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4383030070_e9ba2a2324_o.gif"></a>

Like what you just read? You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

Read more...