My Facebook friends know that I have been chronicling a backyard vegetable garden project that a friend and I collaborated on. Of course, all summer long we’ve been bragging to friends that we would host a harvest garden party to celebrate all the wonderful produce we were sure to grow. What we didn’t expect was a lousy, cold, wet summer that never got above 70 until early August and the bugs, mildew and disease that got most of us buying our veggies in a super market in the first place. We did have some successes. The lettuce, arugula, shallots, french beans, beet greens and chard love wet cool weather. The tomatoes did not. We kept our word, however, and held our farm potluck (my friend Linda’s term for it) last weekend. Lots of great food and one very delicious signature drink Vodka With Lemon & Rosemary (from the garden) that proved to be a hit.  So as summer winds down, and with all the crazy summer weather everyone around the country has had to endure, CHEERS!  Here’s to family, friends and a fall of wonderful reading ahead!

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The recipe is from Food Network hottie Dave Lieberman‘s 2006 cookbook Dave’s Dinners: A Fresh Approach to Home-Cooked Meals which I found online courtesy of the blog site Well Fed.

This past month I have been busy creating a new blog over at blogger.com titled The Novel Cook.  It’s my attempt at peeling the layers off a book through it’s references to food.  I first thought about this after reading a piece in the New Yorker by writer, essayist Adam Gopnik.  According to Gopnik there are four kinds of food in a book:

 

food that is served by an author to characters who are not expected to taste it; food that is served by an author to characters in order to show who they are; food that an author cooks for characters in order to eat it with them; and, last (and most recent), food that an author cooks for characters but actually serves to the reader.

Gopnik summarizes by pointing out that

Cooking is to our literature what sex was to the writing of the sixties and seventies, the thing worth stopping the story for to share, so to speak, with the reader.  Read more

I like this idea of an author sharing his characters with the reader through the food they prepare, adore, dispise or long for.  In Kathryn Stockett’s The Help, I got so involved with the character of Minnie Jackson that I found myself yearning for a piece of her famous Caramel Cake.  Since the novel didn’t provide a recipe, I scoured the internet for an authentic southern one.   I started to think that maybe other readers might be doing the same thing.

If you have a favorite novel that inspired you to cook,  I would love to hear your story.  In the meantime, hop on over to The Novel Cook and let me know what you think.

THE BOOK:

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The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (2008) This is the upstairs-downstairs story of Renee, a middle age concierge of a posh Parisian apartment building and Paloma,  a super smart twelve year old daughter of the Josses, who live on the fifth floor.  Renee plays the part of what French society expects of a concierge  and hides the fact that she is self educated in the arts.  Paloma has determined that life is meaningless and therefore plans to commit suicide and torch the family apartment on her thirteenth birthday.  Their carefully managed lives are suddenly shaken up when a new tenant, Mr Ozu, arrives.

WHY READ?

This book was a French best seller and is a great way for a book club to experience a literary perspective and a culture from a writer in another language.  The book is full of  “eloquent little essays on time, beauty and the meaning of life” which makes for great discussion.

FOOD:

Mr Ozu and Renee discuss philosophy, art, music and Japanese cinema over madeleine cookies and pastry. I found a Hedgehog cupcake recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart that would make for a fun treat.  I  also found a less time consuming  (note all the carefully placed almonds) recipe for a Hedgehog cake that is equally delightful with or without all the layers.    Serve with Jasmine tea.

IN A PINCH:

Towards the end of the book, Mr Ozu invites Renee out to dinner to celebrate his birthday at his favorite Japanese restaurant.  Pick up an order of sushi from the grocery store or your favorite Japanese restaurant and serve with warmed saki  or tea and store bought shortbread cookies.

Past Read ‘em And Eat post  Citizen Vince

THE BOOKS:

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Citizen Vince: A Novel by Jess Walter (2005) is the story of Vince Camden, a small time crook in the witness protection program, trying to make a go of his new life as a manager of a donut shop in Spokane, WA.  Set during the 1980 Reagan/Carter presidential election, Vince has been given the right to vote along with his new identity.  When the past comes a-knockin’, Vince must decide if this new life of his is worth fighting for.

The Wiseguy Cookbook by Henry Hill (2002) are recipes by a real wise guy whose life was immortalized in the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi and the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas.

WHY READ? Usually crime novels are all plot and do not make for good book club discussions. There is a wonderful redemptive theme that runs through Citizen Vince and another layer  that  explores the importance of an individuals right to vote.    A good change of pace novel that will get any group out of a book club rut.

FOOD: Henry Hill recounts that at thirteen he was sent to buy sandwiches and heros for the guys playing in the big Brooklyn crap games.  He decided he could earn more money if he made the sandwiches himself.  The local deli got wise when their business dropped off and offered Henry 7 cents on every dollar he brought in to them.  His first kickback.  The following recipe makes two 6 inch or six 2 inch sandwiches.  In a pinch, purchase a hero from a local deli or sub shop.  Cut into small serving sizes and you are good to go.

Henry’s Kickback Antipasti Hero (The Wiseguy Cookbook by Henry Hill)

One 12-inch good quality baguette,

3 T. mustard

3 oz sliced salami

1/4 pound sliced provolone cheese

3 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and sliced lengthwise in wide strips

12 black olives, sliced

10- 12 fresh basil leaves, stemmed

6 oz marinated artichoke hearts, sliced

Salt and black pepper

Slice the baguette lengthwise, cutting off about the top one-third of it.  Partially hollow out the larger bottom pice to make room for the filling by removing some of the bread inside.  You can do this by either cutting it out with a small knife or simply pulling out some bread with your hands.  spread approximately 2 T. of mustard on bottom portion and 1 T. on the top.  Layer remaing ingredients in larger section of bread, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper halfway through the layering process and at the end.  Top with smaller pice of bread and push sandwich together firmly.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-4 hours to allow flavors to meld.  Cut crosswise in whatever size you want, 2, 4, or 6 inches.

Below are links to past Read and Feed selections for your book club enjoyment.

11/09  ‘Autobiography of a Face’ by Lucy Grealy  food: chocolate pudding

9/09  ‘Crescent’ by Diana Abu-Jaber food: goat cheese and fig pizza

7/09  ‘Lying Awake’ by Mark Salzman food: nun’s sighs

4/09  ‘The School of Essential Ingredients’ by Erica Bauermeister food: coffee Abuleita

1/09  ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ by Sue Monk Kidd food: honey cake

10/08  ‘Run’ by Ann Patchett food New England clam chowder

9/08  ‘Loving Frank’ by Nancy Horan food: spring greens salad

8/08  ‘Animal, Vegetable, Miracle’ by Barbara Kingsolver food: mango corn salsa

Stay tuned