Cooking With Ideas

A Few More Blogs to Watch Out For . . . To Be Specific: Cozy Murder Mysteries Featuring Culinary and Related Themes

Yep, a long title. I found this site a while back focused on thematizing cozy mysteries and lo and behold, there were lists -- yes, multiple lists because they had to be divided alphabetically -- of culinary themes murder mysteries. Here is A through D, here F through K (yes, apparently there are no Es), here is L hrough R, and (finally) here is S through W and a few more. Wait. Did I say "finally" -- well, there is one more part of her site, where she adds more to her list. And here it is -- even more. Still none starting with E, by the way.

And wow, I knew a lot of the authors she cites -- but also did NOT know a large number of them. So, Cooking with Ideas maybe broadening our horizons over the coming months. Who knows? Who knew? Who's your favorite?

Crunch Time

In college, it is exam time for students and grading hell for faculty. For tax people (and in deed for many people), it is April 15 -- or this year April 17. But that is not what I am writing about today. Yep, it is a new murder mystery with a punny title -- Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson. A Wellesley alumna, Davidson has published loads of mysteries iwth food related themes, focused on her key character -- Goldie -- who is a caterer in Colorado in a town called Aspen Meadows. She has been through a marriage to an abuseive husband, is remarried to a (former) cop, and has a son who is in high school. Across the novels, there have been various twists and turns, but in every case it involves food, Goldie's eye for detail, and murder. In fact, I have reviewed prior books by Davidson here. 

In this case, one of the key plot twists/character elements involves a set of Cuban refugees, which makes for some interesting foodie (not to mention political) commentary. There are puppies (lots of them), a school dinner, snow in the Rockies, and trips to Denver, all brought together by the effort to solve some puzzling murders (of course). Have you ever eaten guava marmalade? It is a recurring note here, though inessential to the plot really. Like many mysteries, one question here is whether a friend is really telling all the truth, and if not, why not. And, like all of Davidson's there are tidbits here of fmeinism in the guise of perspectives on marital abuse.

Davidson seems to me to be at the top of her form here, as it is a more full novel than some of hers -- and I do not mean only that it is longish. The characters are multiple and the the possibilities for the core of the murder so many one wonders if Aspen Meadows is where crummy people go to bother each other. But, it is also filled with lovely people who take care of their own -- and of strangers. Small town life.

As always, recipes at the end. As always, a fun romp and a good way to hide from the "real" world -- whatever that is.

Ellery Queen Culinary Truths

I have been a fan of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine for years. (Here's their site.) I usually read it from cover to cover, which is not quite as true of some of the more serious magazines and journals that show up on my doorstep.  I even used to like the Ellery Queen television show. I am not into it so much that I actually know much about the two guys who "were" Queen. Nor am I into it so much as to be willing to pay more than I ought for the silliness of reading the magazine. But, I do enjoy it.

And, this issue (on sale til May 8) tweaked me on the "murder on the menu" front. There is a regular feature in the magazine called "The Jury Box" in which the critic reviews a series of mysteries, often grouped by genre or some other theme that holds them together. (For example, short stories, or parapsychology or. . . . ). The author is Steve Steinbock (who I know absolutely nothing about, but you might try here). In this case, you guessed it -- the focus was on culinary mysteries. He reviews newish books by Leslie Meier (who, by the way, went to William Smith College), Carol Culver, Lucy Burdette, Elaine Viets, Sandra Balzo, Marian Babson, Betsy Draine and Michael Hinden -- and then lists a whole raft of others which he does not even get to. The most crucial thing for me -- I had heard of some of these, and even reviewed some of them on Cooking with Ideas, but wow -- a lot of new authors to consider.

Eating in Chicago: Bella Bacino's

Bella Bacino's  (also here) is not much to look at. It is attached to the Club Quarters at 75 East Wacker, along the river in Chicago. And yet, it is dandy. I am not a big fan of going Italian when I travel -- but I got totally into this place. I have eaten there a lot lately -- and I can recommend it. I have had thin (very) pizzas, thick pan pizzas, pasta with mushrooms, and breakfast. And it was all good. I have eaten inside, outside and in my room after taking things out. And, while it is not food I would drive across the country to eat, it is very very good. I especially like the mushroom ragout on penne -- as it is very mushroom-y, by which I mean earthy tasting. The thin crust pizza I tried was a four cheese, one of which was gorgonzola. Mmmmm. I also like the fact that they send warm chocolate chip cookies along with room service -- and that their tiramisu is quite light and tasty. The salad I had most often (ok, the one I got in a rut and ate all the time) involves pears, blue cheese, and walnuts. The fact that the food is very good is perhaps most obvious on Friday and Saturday night when it is packed -- really really packed. Likely the location helps.

The ambience is -- well, it is what it is. When you sit outside, there is a lot of nearby traffic, which is the down side. The view of Chicago's sky line, though, is dandy and the people who walk by are invariably entertaining. Inside, there is a bar, where they make a reasonable but not terrific cosmopolitan. And then behind that, there are functional tables and booths. Apparently, there is more space in the basement, though I have not eaten there.

Here are yelp reviews. And, of course, urban spoon:

Specialist Cookbooks

Yes, it is the mail box report again. Two books came along focused on particular dietary needs. One is irrelevant to my life but may be relevant to yours. And the other is useful for this household.

So: the first one is focused on diabetic cooking (or is that cooking for diabetics?). Title? The Kitchen Diva's Diabetic Cookbook by Angela Shelf Medearis. Here's her website. And yes, there is a "book boosters" issue here of trying to educate a wider (And wider) audience about "healthy living."  In this case, the issue is diabetes. As the book puts it -- the recipes are "designed" to keep insulin levels balanced. Want to see a few of her recipes cooked? Try here.

Diabetes is, of course, a big problem. If you are as clueless as I am, click here for information on Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes. In all cases, the disease is linked to eating -- so yep, food matters. And hence this book.

Yes, it is true. I am not saying much. Not sure what to say. . . . Alas. Click here, too, for more intelligent commentary on diabetes and food.

The second book, though, is entitled Allergy-Friendly Foor for Families from the editors of Kiwi. What is Kiwi? Accordiing to the book it is " the premier, bimonthly magazine about raising families the natural and organic way." Yep, self promotion at its best. Having said that, the recipes here are all gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and/or soy-free. (No, not free. Free. You know what I mean?) Again, not sure what I think. Yes, I live with someone eating gluten free and know several people who face chalenges in this area. Yes, I am convinced it is because of some sort of recent changes to the wheat we consume. And yes, I try to be sensitive. But I am clueless on this cookbook. It is kind of ordinary.

Here's my problem: is it because I have too many cookbooks or because I am some sort of hedonist or that I do not have these conditions or that I am too busy? There are likely great books for somebody. But not really my cup of tea.

Local Foodie Event 2

Please join HWS community tonight (April 12) at 7 PM in Napier 101 on the Colleges' campus for a fascinating seminar by

 

Rebecca Goldberg,

Attorney, Food and Drug Administration, Office of the Chief Counsel.

The title of her seminar is:

 

“Food Law and the FDA”

 

Rebecca Goldberg participated in the “Four Loko” case, and was instrumental in getting that product removed from the market.  She is a lawyer, not a chemist, and her talk will be accessible to a broad audience.

For an interview with Goldberg, click here. For information on the "four loko" case, click here.

We hope to see you tonight!

 

(This seminar brought to you by CHEM-304, Bonding with Food)

Local Foodie Event

Here's the announcement for a lexture at Hobart and William Smith tomorrow.

Please join the Fisher Center in welcoming our last speaker of the spring semester this Wednesday, April 11th @ 7:30pm in the Geneva Room on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus. Julie Guthman continues this year's discussion about the Politics of Food. 

Read more about Dr. Guthman below.  And remember, you are also invited to a round table discussion with Dr. Guthman from 9-10am Thursday morning in the Fisher Center which is located i Demarest Hall right on Main Street in Geneva.

Dr. Guthman's talk reflects on how food activism has become “feel good politics.”  Drawing on nearly a decade's work with students who enrolled in the food and agriculture track in UC Santa Cruz’s Community Studies major, she found that most contemporary food activism in the US consists of teaching others how to eat and grow food rather than contesting state or corporate practices. This, she argues, is a convergence of neoliberalism’s politics of the possible, the governmentality of healthism, and the desire for connection. While such activism affords those enrolled the pleasures of doing good by eating well, it largely neglects the deep social injustices propagated in the production and consumption of food.

Bio: Julie Guthman is an Associate Professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz where sheteaches courses primarily in global political economy and the politics of food and agriculture. Since receiving her PhD in 2000 in Geography from the University of California at Berkeley, she has published extensively on contemporary efforts to transform the way food is produced, distributed, and consumed, with a particular focus on voluntary food labels, community food security, farm-to-school programs, and the race and class politics of “alternative food.” Her first book, Agrarian Dreams: the Paradox of Organic Farming in California, (University of California, 2004), won the Frederick H. Buttel Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement from the Rural Sociological Society and the Donald Q. Innis Award from the Rural GeographySpecialty Group of the Association of American Geographers. Her new book, Weighing In: Obesity, Food Justice, and the Limits of Capitalism (University of California, 2011) challenges many of the taken-for-granted assumptions about the so-called obesity epidemic, including that it can be addressed by exposing people to the "right" food. Weighing In recently won the James E. Blaut Award for Innovative Publication from the Cultural and Political Ecology specialty group of the Association of American Geographers.

The Canal House

 

Time flies. Time really flies. And, the mails continue to bring books to bibliochef -- even when she is distracted by other things of greater import. So, a few miscellansoues cookbooks -- all free in teh mail.

Canal House Cooking Number 7 : This is a delightful little tome from a place called Lambertville, co-edited by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer. And what is Canal House exactly? It is described as a "kitchen studio" where the chef (Melissa) and photographer (Christopher) meet. As the press release puts it:

    Fans know well the story behind Canal House: Christopher and Melissa, former magazine editors, gave     up life in New York for a simpler existence, living on opposite sides of the Delaware River and cooking     together each weekday in their New Jersey studio. Canal House Cooking became known as home     cooking by home cooks for home cooks. . . .

This volume -- the first I have encountered -- is subtitled La Dolce Vita and, having recently poached potatoes in olive oil, I am especially looking forward to the oil poached sword fish. And, I will happily read and re-read the recipe for braised rabbit, since I love rabbit and never cook it at home.

One of the best side effects of this mailed-to-me free cookbook is their website, located here. I find it delightfully good for procrastinating. Usually, that is the role of this blog, but I am not even getting to creative procrastination these days.

For a Pen and Fork review, click here.