Kitchens of the Great Midwest -- A Book to Devour? Savor?

It has been a while since I blogged about the Circle of Friends book club, but I’m glad to report we’re still going strong. For a change of pace, we met yesterday for a luncheon rather than our regular dinner. We enjoyed delightful egg casseroles supplied by hostess, Carol, and an array of colorful and healthy salads. To offset all that healthfulness, desserts included lemon cookies, crepes with lingonberry jam, and Pat Prager’s award-winning peanut butter bars.

No, this isn't Pat. This is Cheryl who
whipped up a batch of Pat's peanut butter bars
to share with the Friends. Cheryl says she has
to admit they're tasty (even if she did make them
herself).

This pan attests that the Friends agree with
Cheryl.

 



Thank you Shelly for nominating
this book for our club!

Now if you’re thinking Pat Prager is a member of our club and wondering exactly what awards her peanut butter bars have won, you obviously haven’t read the Friends’ selection for this month—Kitchens of the GreatMidwest by J. Ryan Stradal. And you should read it.

It’s hard to describe this book, but if you think Prairie Home Companion meets Fargo with a few recipes thrown in, you might be getting close to the idea.

Or maybe this will help.

Take one obsessive-compulsive female jock; one love-struck teenage boy; one spoiled, selfish, ego-centric woman; one traumatized, twenty-something alcoholic; one lonely, middle-aged woman whose identity is wrapped up in her cooking. Sprinkle generously with a spicy blend of Lutheran church ladies, pretentious foodies, middle-school bullies, and all manner of misfits, mayhem, and music references. Gently fold in one big and big-hearted female chef with a near perfect palate. Mix together in an Olive-Kitteridge-type plot, and serve with a generous dollop of satire and spot-on language.

Follow this recipe carefully, and—voila!—you have a delicious and fitting read for a group of ladies who love their food almost—almost—as much as their books.

Elizabeth brought some yummy succotash, also a
dish of significance in this book. Sadly (or not),
 there was no lutefisk to be had. Cheryl tried to obtain
some via the internet, but it seems no one is willing
 to ship this Scandinavian delicacy in the summer months.
 Probably a good idea.
 

 A couple of reviews to prove that others enjoyed this book as much as the Friends did:

"An impossible-to-put-down, one-of-a-kind novel. I have never read a book quite like this. This stunning debut announces J. Ryan Stradal as a first-rate voice in American fiction."
                                                   --Rob Roberge, author of The Cost of Living

"A Great American Novel in the fullest sense of the term. Everything you want a book to be."
                   --Ben Loory, author of Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day

 

Circle of Friends: A Land More Kind than Home

            A couple of times a year, the Friends take a much deserved break and meet at a restaurant rather than cook. So while I don’t have a mouth-watering recipe to tempt you this month, I do have a delicious book to whet your literary appetite: A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash.

            I was a little anxious about how the Friends would receive this book—first, because I was the one who nominated it, and second, because it contains disturbing content. But when I read it last fall—at the recommendation of my friend Martha Bryant—I found it...let’s say somewhere between engaging and enthralling, leaning heavily toward enthralling. In his debut novel, Cash authentically captures the essence of the South without making all the characters appear to have been inbred (although, the reader may have suspicions about a few), and through the voices of three separate narrators, he tells a haunting and compelling story.  

            Be warned, this story is not for the squeamish. There are scenes of brutality and blood. And, because the plot revolves around the activities of a “charismatic,” snake-handling preacher, there are some beyond creepy scenes. For these reasons, a couple of Friends were not fans of the work. But most found it intriguing and thought-provoking. And it generated interesting discussion, something I consider a hallmark of a good book.

            Among the novel’s strengths:

1)  A clear, well-defined villain. One of the tenets of literature is that in order to be believable, characters should be neither all good nor all bad. I don’t necessarily buy into that theory. I found Carson Chambliss, the preacher in this story, to be evil incarnate and still very convincing.

2) A balanced approach in dealing with religion/Christianity. When I started reading it, my immediate reaction to A Land More Kind Than Home was “Here we go...another story about stereotypical southerners, who cling to their guns [or in this case, snakes] and their religion.” But I didn’t have to read long, before I realized Cash wasn’t following this pattern. He balances the evil of his preacher with the goodness and sacrificial love of Addie Lyle, who has spent her life helping people and trying to save the children of Chambliss’s church from his controlling, deadly grip.

3) Redemption and hope. To be worthy of my reading time, a story must offer these two elements. I don’t insist on a rosy ending—and believe me, this novel doesn’t have one—but I do want to finish a book with expectations that people can survive and persevere under trying circumstances, that people can experience a positive change of heart, and that ultimately good can triumph over evil. A Land More Kind Than Home fulfills these expectations.

4) Literary merit. In the highly unlikely event Cash should ever read this post, I hope he doesn’t say, “Huh? Where’d she come up with that?” And maybe it’s too much of my inner English teacher coming out, but I found the archetypes—among them, Chambliss, the serpent who beguiles and destroys; Christopher, the innocent, whose death ultimately saves others—skillfully woven into a modern tale of good versus evil. Along with those are mesmerizing imagery and engrossing characters.

            If there is a negative to this book, it is the pacing. At times, the story seems to drag with unnecessary details, especially when nine-year-old Jess narrates. Then again, those details are authentic to the perspective of a young boy and perhaps necessary. And the story’s strengths all but cancel out this minor flaw.    

            So, I guess you can tell I liked this book. Really liked it. I look forward to more work from this gifted southern writer. Your thoughts?

Circle of Friends: GONE GIRL and Green Beans

This past Monday night, the Friends met at my house. These gatherings are always one of the highlights of my month, but this particular meeting seemed especially enjoyable. Maybe because I hadn’t been able to attend the past two months. Maybe because all the delectable comfort food they brought hit the spot on a cold “spring” night. Or maybe because Gone Girl—our book for March—lent itself to a very interesting discussion.

The Friends were divided in their opinions of this NY Times bestselling mystery by Gillian Flynn. Basically, it is the story of Amy and Nick, married for five years and hell-bent on destroying each other. Amy is narcissistic, self-absorbed, and psychopathic; Nick merely narcissistic and self-absorbed. Neither is remotely likeable. About two-thirds of the Friends enjoyed the book; one third didn’t. Those who did enjoy it liked it mainly for plot, for its “shock value.” As one Friend so succinctly put it, “It creeped me out.” It isn’t surprising the book’s appeal lies mainly in its plot, as there is NOTHING in either of the two lead characters we can even remotely admire. One Friend said she “admired” Amy’s “evilness,” but I’m thinking she found the “evilness” intriguing rather than admirable. The book did lead to a discussion on the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath—a point we never never fully clarified. One googled source stated the issue is debated at the “highest levels.” We decided we definitely fit into that category!

Having given the opinions of the two-thirds who favored the book, I’ll now give voice to the few dissenters, of which I’m one. Before writing this post, I checked the reviews on Amazon. Given the book’s popularity, I fully expected to see it rated as a five-star or at least a four-star read. I was surprised to see it earned only three and a half stars. The one-star reviews expressed my exact sentiment: There is nothing positive to be gained from reading this book. Or as Miss Dupree, my eleventh-grade English teacher, would have said, “It has no redeeming social value.” As I implied above, there is no protagonist in this story—no one to “pull for.” A protagonist doesn’t have to be perfect, but he/she should have at least some qualities that make him/her worthy of our sympathy. Nope, no such person in Gone Girl. Like Tom and Daisy Buchanan on steroids, the lead characters tear through their egomaniacal lives, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. And we don’t even have a Jay Gatsby to feel sorry for.

As for plot, I’ll admit, Flynn writes a great beginning. The first few pages had me hooked, hungrily reading and turning pages. About a third of the way in, I was suspecting the major twist, and about halfway through, I found the plot to be contrived and unrealistic. My husband and I have been married for almost thirty-nine years, and the only prediction I’ll make with absolute certainty about him is he won’t eat beets. The amazing Amy is able to foretell every single move her husband will make. She might be brilliant, but even a genius wife can’t do that. I thought I might be alone in this assessment, but I found many on Amazon who agree with me. For us, Gone Girl can’t be gone soon enough.

Something all the Friends did agree on—every single dish deserved five stars! It was almost impossible to decide on a single recipe to share with you, but one mentioned several times was Jean’s Beans—prepared by Pat. If only all veggies could taste this delicious!     

Jean's Beans

1 lb. fresh green beans

4 T butter (I use less)

1/2 cup minced onion

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup celery, minced

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 tsp rosemary or 1/4 tsp dried (98% of the time I use fresh, but I did use dried once and it was still good)

1/4 tsp basil

3/4 tsp salt - I use half this amount if I salt the water the beans cook in

Trim the ends off the beans and cut them diagonally into 2" pieces. Cook in enough water to cover them for 15 mins. or until tender

Drain and keep warm.

Melt the butter and saute the onion, celery and garlic for about 5 mins. Add the parsley, rosemary, basil and salt, cook for another the 10 mins. The recipe says to cover them, but I don't.

Toss everything together and serve.

The original recipe is called Herbed Green Beans and Jean found it in the cookbook San Francisco A La Carte which is put out by the Junior League of San Francisco. It has become the go to holiday recipe for most of my family.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as the Friends did. And please share with me your opinion of Gone Girl.

"To Dance with the White Dog" -- a Southern Delight

             Terry Kay’s To Dance with the White Dog was the Circle of Friends book selection for November. From the discussion, I gathered everyone enjoyed this book as much as they enjoyed Cheryl’s delectable chicken pot pie (recipe to come later) and Brenda’s decadent brownies. I know I did.

            Kay is a southern writer, and the story is set in the south. I don’t know why I’m just now learning about him, as his first book was published in 1979, and he has written several books and won many awards. To Dance... was published in 1991 and made into a Hallmark movie in 1993. But somehow he managed to slip under my love-of-all-things-southern radar. Now that I’ve discovered him, I’ll be reading more of his works.

            The Friends liked that Kay—at least in this book—imparts southern “charm” and not southern “crazy.” Not that we’re totally opposed to southern crazy, but once in a while it’s good to let the rest of the country know we’re not all down here eating fried butter on a stick or entering our toddlers in beauty pageants. And we liked it because it is a “sweet” story. It has conflicts and an engaging plot but without the violence, hatred, and angst that’s prevalent in a lot of literature.

             I personally liked To Dance with the White Dog because it is a story about love—love for a spouse, love for children, love for parents, and, yes, love for a dog. And I think that last love is what made the story resonate strongly with me. In the protagonist’s relationship with his dog, I saw much of my own father’s situation. Over the past few years, my dad’s mental state has rapidly declined, and he bears little resemblance to the person he used to be. He is still a fairly easy-going, contented individual, but he remembers only snatches of his past. His children and grandchildren are strangers to him most of the time. His verbal communication skills are all but lost. Sandy, his mixed-breed German shepherd, is his constant companion. My mother and my sister take good care of him, but Sandy keeps him grounded in a world which must seem to grow increasingly confusing. She keeps him moving as he struggles to take her on walks. She sits patiently by his side for endless hours. And because a rub behind the ears and a responding lick on the hand communicate everything, no conversation is required, 

            Kay poignantly reflects his understanding of this man/dog bond in his book. He also addresses the challenges of growing old, the problems of dealing with an aging parent, the awkwardness of reversing the parent/child role. And he does it with respect, compassion, and humor. Even if you’re not a dog-lover (or a southerner), there is much to enjoy and contemplate in To Dance with the White Dog. 

 

  

PS  My mother takes this relationship in stride. One time someone said to her, "Gladys, I think Joe thinks more of his dog than he does of you." Her reply: "Oh, I know he does. He doesn't kiss me goodnight and tell me what a pretty girl I am!"             

 

Circle of Friends Book for August: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

            The Circle of Friends Book Club met last week at Carole’s house, and, as usual, the food was amazing and the conversation engaging. At least, that’s what they told me. I missed it because I was in Nashville celebrating my grandson’s second birthday. Talk about being torn. I love seeing Brooks and his mother and dad, but I particularly wanted to be at this meeting as we were discussing Unbroken, one of my all-time favorite books. 

            No doubt, you’ve heard of this book by Laura Hillenbrand (of Seabiscuit fame) and  probably have read it. If not, RUN to your nearest bookstore, library, e-reader and buy, borrow, or download it. I promise, you’ll be entertained, engrossed, and inspired. I happened to be in Washington, D.C. when I read this book and, right after finishing it, toured the World War II Museum there. The combination of those two activities gave me a better understanding of that tumultuous period and a renewed appreciation for the men who served in that war. In times when there is so much criticism of the United States’ actions and involvement in world affairs, we can look to that event and know we got it right. 

            But enough of my ramblings. What were the “Friends” thoughts? Brenda, our de facto leader, was kind enough to take notes, and this is what she reported:

·         Judy (who taught journalism) felt the beginning was repetitive and “unjournalistic” in style. But once the action started, she was into it.

·         Elizabeth commented that Hillenbrand suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome and was never able to personally meet with Louis Zamperini while writing the book. Some critics feel that “Zamperini’s personality suffered at her hands” because of this, while others say the writing was not affected by it.

·         Probably the question that most closely deals with the theme and title of the book was raised by Nicci: What can the human spirit survive? How strange it seems that Zamperini was able to endure the loss of a promising track career, a plane crash, being lost at sea for forty-seven days, and a Japanese POW camp, but what came closest to “breaking” him was post-traumatic shock disorder and alcoholism. What rescued him from those destructive forces was his faith and ability to forgive.

·         As a group, the Friends agreed this was a great book, some even saying it was the best book they’d ever read. Shelly said it was one of those books that you can’t get out of your mind and continue to think about even after you’ve finished it. I agree. Your thoughts? 

            On a lighter note, it seems the star culinary attraction of the night was Tomato Pie, prepared by Sandra. Sandra reports this recipe is “pure Paula Deen." I tried it myself and am both happy and sad to report that Bill and I finished a whole pie in two meals!