THOMAS JEFFERSON'S CREME BRULEE : HOW A FOUNDING FATHER AND HIS SLAVE JAMES HEMINGS INTRODUCED FRENCH CUISINE TO AMERICA
by Thomas J. Craughwell
Thomas Jefferson was, in today's parlance, a true foodie. He loved fine cuisine and fresh produce. Jefferson collected tons of recipes and over 150 of them are still in existence. At Monticello, he had fruit,vegetable and herb gardens that fed his family. He was constantly experimenting with different kinds of plants from Europe and Mexico. Jefferson always dreamt of making wine but the European vines died in the Virginia soil.
In 1784, Jefferson was invited to become a commerce commissioner in France. How perfect! At this time, France was changing its methods of cooking to sauces and stocks which brings out the flavor of food and was heartily embraced by King Louis XIV. For Jefferson, it was an ideal assignment. He would be away for five years. Jefferson took one of his slaves, nineteen-year-old James Hemings (brother to Sally) to master the art of French cooking. James would apprentice under French chefs and when they returned from Paris, Jefferson would set him free.
This book is a real gem. Just reading about the crops grown on plantations, Jefferson's fastidiousness of what was planted, the history of food both in the United States and in France is fascinating. There's also plenty of other kinds of history: slavery, the French Revolution, George Washington's government, the relationship between Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton, how women managed the households, etc.
It's a rather slim tome at 166 pages but then there's an Appendix with sections on how Jefferson learned about wine and how to cultivate it; what his principal diet consisted of; African cuisine that was served at Monticello. Following this part are recipes written by Hemings and Jefferson. Of course, they are written in the original manuscripts (photocopied for this book) and you really cannot discern the text. No matter. It's enough to know what the two men brought back with them to America: Champagne, macaroni and cheese, french fries, and of course, creme brulee.
A fun and informative read.
Recommended.
Friday, November 9, 2012
LAST TRAIN TO PARADISE: HENRY FLAGLER AND THE SPECTACULAR RISE AND FALL OF THE RAILROAD THAT CROSSED AN OCEAN
by Les Standiford
If it hadn't been for Henry Morrison Flagler, Florida might never have been the glittering resort that millions of people flock to every year. All of the famous hotels: Ponce de Leon, Royal Palm, The Breakers were his ideas. Flagler, basically, built the state and Miami (the area was originally called Fort Dallas) was incorporated in 1896). The town council wanted to name the city after Flagler but
he convinced them to use the Native American one instead.
Flagler was quite an entrepreneur. He and John D. Rockefeller created Standard Oil though Flagler was the genius behind it. With the amount of money that he amassed, he could have retired early, but he was driven and continued onward. His next, biggest challenge was having a railroad crossing 153 miles of open ocean from Key West to the mainland of Florida. Engineers considered it to be impossible. But it was built and remained standing for twenty-two years.
Last Train to Paradise is a great story of a very enterprising man. Flagler was a visionary who made his dreams come true.
The writing is terrific and the details of what went into building this incredible railway is quite astonishing. (It took seven years.)
A great read.
Recommended.
by Les Standiford
If it hadn't been for Henry Morrison Flagler, Florida might never have been the glittering resort that millions of people flock to every year. All of the famous hotels: Ponce de Leon, Royal Palm, The Breakers were his ideas. Flagler, basically, built the state and Miami (the area was originally called Fort Dallas) was incorporated in 1896). The town council wanted to name the city after Flagler but
he convinced them to use the Native American one instead.
Flagler was quite an entrepreneur. He and John D. Rockefeller created Standard Oil though Flagler was the genius behind it. With the amount of money that he amassed, he could have retired early, but he was driven and continued onward. His next, biggest challenge was having a railroad crossing 153 miles of open ocean from Key West to the mainland of Florida. Engineers considered it to be impossible. But it was built and remained standing for twenty-two years.
Last Train to Paradise is a great story of a very enterprising man. Flagler was a visionary who made his dreams come true.
The writing is terrific and the details of what went into building this incredible railway is quite astonishing. (It took seven years.)
A great read.
Recommended.
THE LONE ASSASSIN : THE EPIC TRUE STORY OF THE MAN WHO ALMOST KILLED HITLER
by Helmut Ortner
It's really too bad that Georg Elser's target was foiled on November 8, 1939. The man that should have been killed that day was Adolf Hitler. Instead, eight innocent victims died from a bomb blast.
Elser was a master carpenter who prided himself in doing high quality work. He was not interested in politics yet he understood that conditions for the working class had deteriorated under the Nazi regime and were only becoming worse. The only way to change it would be to eliminate the leadership: Hitler, Goering, and Goebbels. So, using his skills Elser began to assemble his explosive device. For
thirty-three nights, he worked on building the bomb in the Munich Beer Hall where Hitler was going to appear and give a speech.
The Lone Assassin is a tremendous book that keeps you riveted. Author, Helmut Ortner, sets the scene by writing about Georg Elser's life, what kind of a man he was, what drove him, what he believed in. Though he was uneducated, he was smart enough to realize what was happening to his country under National Socialism and he knew that he had to take justice into his own hands.
Recommended.
by Helmut Ortner
It's really too bad that Georg Elser's target was foiled on November 8, 1939. The man that should have been killed that day was Adolf Hitler. Instead, eight innocent victims died from a bomb blast.
Elser was a master carpenter who prided himself in doing high quality work. He was not interested in politics yet he understood that conditions for the working class had deteriorated under the Nazi regime and were only becoming worse. The only way to change it would be to eliminate the leadership: Hitler, Goering, and Goebbels. So, using his skills Elser began to assemble his explosive device. For
thirty-three nights, he worked on building the bomb in the Munich Beer Hall where Hitler was going to appear and give a speech.
The Lone Assassin is a tremendous book that keeps you riveted. Author, Helmut Ortner, sets the scene by writing about Georg Elser's life, what kind of a man he was, what drove him, what he believed in. Though he was uneducated, he was smart enough to realize what was happening to his country under National Socialism and he knew that he had to take justice into his own hands.
Recommended.
Friday, October 19, 2012
SOME GIRLS, SOME HATS AND HITLER
by Trudi Kanter
In 1938 Trudi Kanter was a hat designer in Vienna. She had a well-established business and women who had money and wanted to look their best flocked to her store. Her designs were a must-have. She learned the technique from a Paris showroom.
Trudi met her second husband on the street during lunchtime. Walter Ehrlich was a charming, suave businessman. She fell in love with him instantly. Theirs was a whirlwind romance. He may have been romantic but he didn't have much common sense. As the Nazis drew ever closer, he wanted more time to consider leaving. It's a very good thing that he had Trudi. It was because of her that she got the both of them out of Austria. Trudi was very resourceful and persistent. She knew that she could get a job in any country as a milliner. They got out and went to Prague. Their stay was short-lived and soon enough, they were off to London.
Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler was originally published in 1984. The book was uncovered in a secondhand shop in Britain by an editor only just recently and what a good thing that was.
Trudi Kanter was a remarkable woman who showed strength, tenacity, perseverance, and courage during a time of terror. She was extremely lucky to have a career and be working during World War II while most people had to leave their jobs or they were taken away from them. It is what saved her.
Towards the end of her life, Trudi took creative writing classes and it shows. Her prose is spare but gets right to the point. It's definitely a different kind of memoir than what is usually written of survivors of Nazism. I found it to be revealing, honest, and touching.
Recommended.
by Trudi Kanter
In 1938 Trudi Kanter was a hat designer in Vienna. She had a well-established business and women who had money and wanted to look their best flocked to her store. Her designs were a must-have. She learned the technique from a Paris showroom.
Trudi met her second husband on the street during lunchtime. Walter Ehrlich was a charming, suave businessman. She fell in love with him instantly. Theirs was a whirlwind romance. He may have been romantic but he didn't have much common sense. As the Nazis drew ever closer, he wanted more time to consider leaving. It's a very good thing that he had Trudi. It was because of her that she got the both of them out of Austria. Trudi was very resourceful and persistent. She knew that she could get a job in any country as a milliner. They got out and went to Prague. Their stay was short-lived and soon enough, they were off to London.
Some Girls, Some Hats and Hitler was originally published in 1984. The book was uncovered in a secondhand shop in Britain by an editor only just recently and what a good thing that was.
Trudi Kanter was a remarkable woman who showed strength, tenacity, perseverance, and courage during a time of terror. She was extremely lucky to have a career and be working during World War II while most people had to leave their jobs or they were taken away from them. It is what saved her.
Towards the end of her life, Trudi took creative writing classes and it shows. Her prose is spare but gets right to the point. It's definitely a different kind of memoir than what is usually written of survivors of Nazism. I found it to be revealing, honest, and touching.
Recommended.
Monday, October 1, 2012
DEARIE : THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF JULIA CHILD
by Bob Spitz
She was larger than life. At six foot three (big height ran in her family; her sister was six feet five and her brother was six feet four), she could fill up a room but had a physical grace. The voice alone was another entity in and of itself. It was a combination of being both lyrical and breathless. In the McWilliams family, all of the women warbled. But it was this voice and her personality that would catapult her to stardom. When she appeared on public television in 1962 (age 50) armed with a hot plate, a pan and groceries to show how to make an omelet, the food revolution began. Millions of viewers tuned in and nothing was ever the same again. She made a huge impact on cooking and influenced thousands of chefs that is continued to this day.
Julia Child grew up privileged in Southern California. She was a gawky child and directionless as a young woman. Julia went to Smith College and after graduating was more of a social butterfly because she didn't really know what she wanted to do. At the age of thirty, she finally realized that she had to do something with her life and joined the OSS in Southeast Asia during World War II. It was here that she met her future husband, Paul Child, who was an illustrator. If it wasn't for him, she would have been nobody. Paul changed her life exponentially. He supported Julia, encouraged her, was her mentor, and their love for each other was enduring. They were inseparable. Julia would stop working for the OSS and Paul would continue with it. He was sent to different countries and Julia would go with him. It was when they lived in Paris (for six years) that Julia found her life's calling. The food was so enticing and delicious that she wanted to cook it herself. Originally Julia had no skills in the kitchen but that all changed when she enrolled in a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu. Soon she was turning out incredible food at home. Julia was a perfectionist and would test and retest everything that she made. She compiled lists of recipes which would eventually be published in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This book sold hundreds of thousands of copies. From it the idea was created of having a cooking show and The French Chef was born.
I have read several books on Julia Child and none of them have come close to this one. Bob Spitz is a terrific writer and even though it's quite a hefty tome (529 pages), it was quite a pleasure to read. There's so much detail and information that I never knew about. For instance: Julia and Paul lived in Marseille, Plittersdorf (Germany), and Oslo; on their wedding day, they were in a car accident; one of the homes that they lived in burned down; Julia had a mastectomy. With all of the tribulations and health problems, though, Julia always plowed on. Everyone loved her. On camera, she was a natural and a great communicator. Julia had a great sense of humor. She was unconventional forging ahead to do things that most people would refrain from. (Julia did cooking shows well into her eighties and nineties and wrote more books.)
She was an amazing woman.
Very highly recommended.
by Bob Spitz
She was larger than life. At six foot three (big height ran in her family; her sister was six feet five and her brother was six feet four), she could fill up a room but had a physical grace. The voice alone was another entity in and of itself. It was a combination of being both lyrical and breathless. In the McWilliams family, all of the women warbled. But it was this voice and her personality that would catapult her to stardom. When she appeared on public television in 1962 (age 50) armed with a hot plate, a pan and groceries to show how to make an omelet, the food revolution began. Millions of viewers tuned in and nothing was ever the same again. She made a huge impact on cooking and influenced thousands of chefs that is continued to this day.
Julia Child grew up privileged in Southern California. She was a gawky child and directionless as a young woman. Julia went to Smith College and after graduating was more of a social butterfly because she didn't really know what she wanted to do. At the age of thirty, she finally realized that she had to do something with her life and joined the OSS in Southeast Asia during World War II. It was here that she met her future husband, Paul Child, who was an illustrator. If it wasn't for him, she would have been nobody. Paul changed her life exponentially. He supported Julia, encouraged her, was her mentor, and their love for each other was enduring. They were inseparable. Julia would stop working for the OSS and Paul would continue with it. He was sent to different countries and Julia would go with him. It was when they lived in Paris (for six years) that Julia found her life's calling. The food was so enticing and delicious that she wanted to cook it herself. Originally Julia had no skills in the kitchen but that all changed when she enrolled in a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu. Soon she was turning out incredible food at home. Julia was a perfectionist and would test and retest everything that she made. She compiled lists of recipes which would eventually be published in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This book sold hundreds of thousands of copies. From it the idea was created of having a cooking show and The French Chef was born.
I have read several books on Julia Child and none of them have come close to this one. Bob Spitz is a terrific writer and even though it's quite a hefty tome (529 pages), it was quite a pleasure to read. There's so much detail and information that I never knew about. For instance: Julia and Paul lived in Marseille, Plittersdorf (Germany), and Oslo; on their wedding day, they were in a car accident; one of the homes that they lived in burned down; Julia had a mastectomy. With all of the tribulations and health problems, though, Julia always plowed on. Everyone loved her. On camera, she was a natural and a great communicator. Julia had a great sense of humor. She was unconventional forging ahead to do things that most people would refrain from. (Julia did cooking shows well into her eighties and nineties and wrote more books.)
She was an amazing woman.
Very highly recommended.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
THE AMATEUR : BARACK OBAMA IN THE WHITE HOUSE
by Edward Klein
He always had dreams of grandeur, that he was better than anybody else and could accomplish whatever he set out to do. The only job he ever really had was as a Lecturer at the Chicago Law School. It was here that he wrote his autobiography (he hadn't even done anything worthwhile) when he was thirty years old. He may have been popular with the students but not so with the faculty who never saw him and considered him distant and aloof. In 1996, he was elected to the Illinois Senate and was always absent because, again, he was never there. This wasn't enough for him. He wanted to go to the top and become the president of the United States.
In The Amateur, Edward Klein exposes the dark side of Barack Obama that his advisors have tried to hide. What is revealed is arrogance, narcissism, vanity, and egotism who doesn't have a clue as to what he is doing. He has no leadership skills, doesn't know how to manage, doesn't learn from his mistakes, blames all of his problems on others (especially when they disagree with him) and is surrounded by useless, inept "mentors" who also know nothing. Obama is against capitalism and wants to turn America into a European socialist-welfare state.
Almost two hundred people were interviewed for this book and many of these people have known Obama for over twenty years. Some are positive and some are negative but they all agree that he is not suited to be the commander in chief.
You will read about how Bill Clinton despises Obama (he is the one who coined the title "The Amateur"), saying how incompetent he is; what happened between Reverend Jeremiah Wright (he was offered money to keep his mouth shut) and Obama; how so many high-ranking supporters donated money to Obama's campaign and then he snubbed them refusing to have anything to do with them; the split between the Kennedys; his disastrous role in foreign policy; the powers of Michelle Obama and Valerie Jarrett (she is the gate-keeper) in the White House; etc.
The book is a fast and disturbing read. Every chapter has an interesting, quote, phrase or saying that is appropriate to the subject. There are color photographs.
If you already know what this guy is like, you probably don't need to read this book. If you're the least bit curious, dive in. It may change your beliefs or maybe not. It's definitely eye-opening and extremely revealing.
Recommended.
by Edward Klein
He always had dreams of grandeur, that he was better than anybody else and could accomplish whatever he set out to do. The only job he ever really had was as a Lecturer at the Chicago Law School. It was here that he wrote his autobiography (he hadn't even done anything worthwhile) when he was thirty years old. He may have been popular with the students but not so with the faculty who never saw him and considered him distant and aloof. In 1996, he was elected to the Illinois Senate and was always absent because, again, he was never there. This wasn't enough for him. He wanted to go to the top and become the president of the United States.
In The Amateur, Edward Klein exposes the dark side of Barack Obama that his advisors have tried to hide. What is revealed is arrogance, narcissism, vanity, and egotism who doesn't have a clue as to what he is doing. He has no leadership skills, doesn't know how to manage, doesn't learn from his mistakes, blames all of his problems on others (especially when they disagree with him) and is surrounded by useless, inept "mentors" who also know nothing. Obama is against capitalism and wants to turn America into a European socialist-welfare state.
Almost two hundred people were interviewed for this book and many of these people have known Obama for over twenty years. Some are positive and some are negative but they all agree that he is not suited to be the commander in chief.
You will read about how Bill Clinton despises Obama (he is the one who coined the title "The Amateur"), saying how incompetent he is; what happened between Reverend Jeremiah Wright (he was offered money to keep his mouth shut) and Obama; how so many high-ranking supporters donated money to Obama's campaign and then he snubbed them refusing to have anything to do with them; the split between the Kennedys; his disastrous role in foreign policy; the powers of Michelle Obama and Valerie Jarrett (she is the gate-keeper) in the White House; etc.
The book is a fast and disturbing read. Every chapter has an interesting, quote, phrase or saying that is appropriate to the subject. There are color photographs.
If you already know what this guy is like, you probably don't need to read this book. If you're the least bit curious, dive in. It may change your beliefs or maybe not. It's definitely eye-opening and extremely revealing.
Recommended.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
THE KISSING SAILOR : THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE PHOTO THAT ENDED WORLD WAR II
by Lawrence Verria & George Galdorisi
It's a photo that has become iconic. For millions of people it signified the end of World War II when Japan finally surrendered. On V-J Day, August 14, 1945, a photographer by the name of Alfred Eisenstaedt (Eisie) was in Times Square with his Leica 35 mm camera draped around his neck. Whenever Eisenstaedt took pictures, nothing was ever planned, staged, nor posed. He was on assignment for LIFE magazine wanting to capture the emotions of that moment. There were many opportunities. While Eisie was in the crowd, an American sailor saw a nurse in white, walked up to her, grabbed her and kissed her passionately while his own girlfriend looked on. Eisie snapped four pictures never knowing their names. For sixty-three years the photo went untitled. In 2008 it was finally called V-J Day, 1945, Times Square. But nobody ever knew who these people were. The unidentified sailor and nurse never saw the photo until 1980. That year LIFE attempted to determine their identity and they were inundated with hundreds of claimants. It became a circus.
Intrigued for years by all of the events, authors Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi decide to dig in themselves sifting through tons of misinformation and evidence. They finally solved the mystery with verifiable proof.
This is a great tale. You wouldn't think that you could get so much information just from a photo, but that's exactly what you get with The Kissing Sailor. It's a well-written detective story. Even though the book is small, it's jam-packed with incredible details. If you're a history buff, then you'll love it.
A terrific read.
Recommended.
by Lawrence Verria & George Galdorisi
It's a photo that has become iconic. For millions of people it signified the end of World War II when Japan finally surrendered. On V-J Day, August 14, 1945, a photographer by the name of Alfred Eisenstaedt (Eisie) was in Times Square with his Leica 35 mm camera draped around his neck. Whenever Eisenstaedt took pictures, nothing was ever planned, staged, nor posed. He was on assignment for LIFE magazine wanting to capture the emotions of that moment. There were many opportunities. While Eisie was in the crowd, an American sailor saw a nurse in white, walked up to her, grabbed her and kissed her passionately while his own girlfriend looked on. Eisie snapped four pictures never knowing their names. For sixty-three years the photo went untitled. In 2008 it was finally called V-J Day, 1945, Times Square. But nobody ever knew who these people were. The unidentified sailor and nurse never saw the photo until 1980. That year LIFE attempted to determine their identity and they were inundated with hundreds of claimants. It became a circus.
Intrigued for years by all of the events, authors Lawrence Verria and George Galdorisi decide to dig in themselves sifting through tons of misinformation and evidence. They finally solved the mystery with verifiable proof.
This is a great tale. You wouldn't think that you could get so much information just from a photo, but that's exactly what you get with The Kissing Sailor. It's a well-written detective story. Even though the book is small, it's jam-packed with incredible details. If you're a history buff, then you'll love it.
A terrific read.
Recommended.
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