Gift Ideas for the Every Day Cook

I don’t mean everyday, as in common, I mean that person on your gift list who cooks for loved ones every day.  These are not foodies, per se, but people who enjoy preparing home cooked meals…well, most of the time anyway.

They cook from a place of love, they derive pleasure from preparing meals that not just nourish, but also bring family and friends together.

Let’s thank that dedicated meal preparer in your life with two largely unknown books about home cooking.

Home Cooking                               More Home Cooking

by Laurie Colwin

You may have never heard of Laurie Colwin, she never gained the notoriety of more famous food icons such as Julia Child or Ina Garten.  Best know as a novelist, Ms. Colwin’s two volumes of food essays continue to sell largely due to word-of-mouth recommendations from food enthusiasts who cherish these two volumes.  Many of these essays first appeared in the now out-of-business (sob!) Gourmet magazine.  Sadly, Ms. Colwin died of heart failure in 1992 at the age of 48.

We enter Ms. Colwin’s world warily at first — after all, her minuscule New York apartment reveals that her stove is used for storage and dish washing must be done in the bathtub.  But, soon her chatty, open and often humorous essays have you feeling right at home, perched on her counter, sipping a glass of beer, warmly embraced by her radiant joy of food.

Ruth Reichl, the writer, former Gourmet magazine (sob!) editor and New York Times restaurant critic, said it best: “You want to be in the kitchen with her — that is her secret. She is the best friend we all want. She never talks down to you.”

She talks of simple, homey food such as black beans, lentil soup, potato salad and this — “There is nothing like roast chicken. It is helpful and agreeable, the perfect dish no matter what the circumstances. Elegant or homey, a dish for a dinner party or a family supper, it will not let you down.”

She goes on to describe one of her most memorable meals– “beef stew and buttered noodles, runny cheese, and plain green salad with wonderful dressing.”  (Hungry yet?)

There is no pretension here, she won’t pretend that the boring bits of cooking are a higher calling; “It is wise to have someone you adore talking to you in the kitchen while you make these eggs,” she writes, “or to be listening to something very compelling on the radio.”

Of course, there are recipes, my two volumes are studded with markers and pencil checks…but there is also honesty and failure.  Ms. Colwin never shies away from recounting her very funny cooking disasters.  There is one dinner, prepared with friends under the influence, which was so inedible that her guests mutinied and they all went out to dinner.

To Ms. Colwin, the point of cooking is eating–eating with family and friends, definitely, but she also admits to eating straight from the cooking pot, ravenous and gloriously alone.

This quote below best captures the tone of the essays in Home Cooking and More Home Cooking.   “I was taught in my Introduction to Anthropology [a college course], it is not just the Great Works of mankind that make a culture. It is the daily things, like what people eat and how they serve it.”

This Christmas, please honor your every day cook — come to the table with your hunger, lots of compliments, a bottle of wine and these two volumes.

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I am hoping Santa will bring me this newest culinary treasure from another down-to-earth cook, Ruth Reichl.

 

 

 

Now, if you’ll excuse me, this every day cook has gotta go make dinner.

Gift Ideas for the Reader of Very Little

We all have those friends, you know, the ones who read very little.  Once in awhile, they’ll pick up a trendy bestseller, but, normally, go days or even weeks without picking up a book (I know!).  We know them to be very smart (one  friend is a brilliant software designer but doesn’t read much because he is dyslexic) and respect them, but secretly, we can’t understand how they can wait until the airport to buy a paperback — because (wait for it…) they haven’t brought anything to read.  Often these friends enjoy more visual media — films, art, television, video games – they are often very creative and, as I mentioned before, off the charts in smarts.   But, what to get for these friends?  Yes, yes you could resort to a sweater or theater tickets, but here in on the planet of Book Barmy   —    they must have books.   So here are a few suggestions.

 

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt

by Caroline Preston

 

This is an entirely different reading experience, more pictorial than novel.  It’s a story told through memorabilia and cultural artifacts from the 1920s to 1930’s. A visual journey through the coming of age of Frankie Pratt, a girl who grows up in New Hampshire and earns a scholarship to Vassar College. She meets fascinating people of the jazz age, and follows in their footsteps to New York City and to Paris after graduation. Along the way, she writes stories and edits magazines from the low of True Confessions in New York City to the high of a well-respected  literary journal, where she is able to work with James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway (in Paris, no less!). 

There are childhood adventures, broken hearts, life-long friendships, ailing parents and finally true love…a simple, familar story that comes alive through ticket stubs, newspaper clippings, photographs, pressed flowers, fabric swatches, candy wrappers – well, you get it — it’s a scrapbook.

The author pulled from her own massive collection of vintage ephemera to create this unique book which holds a special place in my reading room.  A gift from my sister several years ago, I devoured the book in one sitting, caught up in the vibrant pages and the story told with very few words.  It remains close to my reading chair, because I’ve picked it up again and again noticing details that I missed the first couple of reads.

Here’s a peek inside (forgive my lousy photos – click twice to make bigger)

 This is a visual delight of a book, one to savor over and over again.

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Right next to this book on my shelves are these beautiful  books.

Griffin & Sabine                               Sabine’s Notebook

by Nick Bantock

These were hugely popular back in the 90’s and according to many critics,  somewhat of a gimmick – but I adored them and have hung onto them all these years later.  Every so often, I’ll take them down and fall into what is the equivalent of adult pop-up books.

Griffin and Sabine are located on opposite ends of the earth — Griffin is a lonely artist in damp England, while Sabine is a native living on the sun-drenched island of Sicmon in the South Pacific.  We meet them as they have just become pen pals and it is their correspondence back and forth which comprises the Griffin and Sabine books.  Soul mates, they decide to meet, face to face. Their quest (and failures) to meet one another forms the backbone of these books.  Their lives become more and more mysterious in the second book as they get tangled up in a smoke and mirrors adventure.

There are letters to open, postcards to read, handwriting to decipher, maps to study, all, for this reader — pure delight.  You’re given the sensation of having stumbled upon a romantic mystery to which only you are privy – a private secret kept locked between the covers.  The story is nothing much, but the discovery of it is exquisite.

The art of these books is in their meticulous printing. There are actual envelopes glued into the text which you open to unfold an actual letter, postcards and beautiful illustrations– a true work of love on the part of Mr. Bantock and the publisher.  Just look here (click to see larger):

There have been further books in the series which you can seek out, but these first two are my favorite.

 

In the age of e-readers, electronic and audio books here are three books that must be read in their paper format – you have to hold them in your hands and physically turn the pages to enjoy them.

There you go, some books recommendations for those we love — despite their lack of voracious reading habits.

Gift Ideas for the Mystery Reader

If you have a mystery reader on your list, you’re likely stumped.  You’ve browsed the mystery aisle in your local bookstore and the choices are overwhelming.  There are mystery novels for every taste and any conceivable interest.   You can choose from knitting mysteries, Amish mysteries, cooking ones with recipes, mysteries with a scrapbooking theme, home renovation mysteries and even tarot card mysteries.   And the settings range from tea shops to museums —  the freezing fjords of Iceland to the White House.

Adding to your conundrum, is the fact that any mystery reader worth their salt reads voraciously, has probably read most of the titles in this beloved genre and will delightfully binge-read a favorite author’s series in order –how do I know?   Been there, done that and still doing so.

So, how do you choose a book for the mystery lover on your gift list?  I’m suggesting two rather obscure mystery story collections that are sure to please.  Even if your gift recipient has read some of the stories in these collections, there are bound to be many they haven’t.

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Masterpieces in Miniature

by Agatha Christie

 

Don’t worry that most mystery readers have read Agatha Christie, because this is a rare treat. The collection includes, what seems to be, all her lesser known detective stories.

Here is Parker Pyne who runs the following newspaper ad:

ARE YOU HAPPY? IF NOT, CONSULT MR. PARKER PYNE, 17 RICHMOND STREET.

Pyne, a mild-mannered actuarial, uses his knowledge of probabilities to bring happiness to people —from arranging elaborate adventures for the bored, to making love matches and sometimes even solving a mystery.

Then there’s Harley Quinn who’s more of a spirit than a detective, but he turns up when needed to right the wrongs.   There are also Ms. Christie’s original introductions to these less famous detectives.  This volume also includes some rare Ms. Marple stories, as well as those starring the Belgian (not French!) Hercule Poirot.

Agatha Christie is the undisputed ninja master of clever plot twists, but I never thought her a very good writer. This book of short stories changed my mind. I was amazed at how creatively Ms. Christie fully develops her characters in just a few short sentences – how she involves you in their fates from the first page. Just read this description of a vicar’s wife in one of the Miss Marple stories:

“she came round the corner of the Vicarage with her arms full of chrysanthemums. A good deal of rich garden soil was attached to her strong brogue shoes and a few fragments were adhering to her nose, but of that fact she was perfectly unconscious. Christened by her optimistic parents Diana, she had become Bunch at an early age for somewhat obvious reasons and the name had stuck to her ever since.”

At almost 700 pages this perfect, if not hefty, gift will bring a smile of delight to any hard core mystery reader on your list.

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Christmas at the Mysterious Bookshop

Edited by Otto Penzler

 

Otto Penzler is the real-life owner of The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City. Each year from 1993 to 2009 he commissioned a mystery writer to pen a short story which he produced as a Christmas pamphlet for his loyal bookstore customers. The only requirements for these stories was that some of the action should take place in his shop and it had to be set during the Christmas season. Even Otto himself shows up in many of the stories

The result is an eclectic mix of stories that are as wide ranging as the authors including Donald E. Westlake, Lawrence Block, Ed McBain, Anne Perry and Mary Higgins Clark.  Even the titles are unique – “I Saw Mommy Killing Santa Claus” to “Yule be Sorry” (groan, I know — couldn’t resist).

Your mystery reader will chuckle over the inside jokes in “As Dark as Christmas Gets,” which pays tribute to the fictional Nero Wolfe and its great creator, Rex Stout.  Its also great fun to see how the various authors tackle the story requirements of setting and season. 

Finally, not only do we get to read an assortment of stories in a variety of styles, we also get to peek inside the bookshop and its wonderful world of books and intriguing people  — including its proprietor.   This is a real treat for those of us who live too far away to regularly visit The Mysterious Bookshop.

Mr. Otto’s introduction is a loving tribute to his employees, the struggle (and joys) of an being independent bookseller and to his loyal customers:

“Book stores have been places of worship and wonderment for me since I was a child and little has changed in the ensuing decades. One of the enduring thrills of my fortunate life is when visitors to my own store have kind things to say about it.”

 

N.B. A friend gave me this book last year during the week between Christmas and New Years, knowing I like to extend the season beyond just the day after Christmas.  I read it during that week, still listening to carols and enjoying my Christmas tea.  Perhaps, you’ll want to steal this lovely idea.

 

 

 

Gift Idea for the Baker

The Sweet Life in Paris

By David Lebovitz

I’ve been busy baking for the holidays.  I’m not a baker, but there’s a couple of traditional holiday treats I bake to send to family and give to friends.  As Husband and I cleaned up the mess – (powdered sugar is such a beast)…I remembered this book which lives happily on my books to keep shelves.

David Lebovitz is a well-renowned pastry chef and baker from here in the Bay Area (of Chez Panisse fame) who moved to Paris.   

The Sweet Life in Paris is a collection of recipes interspersed with reflections on his adopted city. The observations about Paris are wonderful, his grumpy view of American tourists with their fanny packs and flip flops —  to his very funny riff on French men in their “religion revealing” bathing suits. He also writes unflinchingly about the frustrations of living in Paris.  He can’t get a visa without first opening a bank account, and the banks won’t open an account without a visa, as it requires extra paperwork. (He ends up bribing a friend of friend who works at bank with box of chocolates.)

“Unlike in America, where everyone is taught to say yes, in France, oui means more work.”

Mr. Lebovitz is confounded by the frequent French workers strikes and angry at Parisian’s inability to wait in line at the grocery store

“In Paris there are only two reason you can cut in front of others waiting in line:

1. Because you are old, frail, or have a physical disability that prevents you from standing for long periods of time.

2.  Because you don’t think you should have to wait in line behind anyone else.”

There are the Parisian shopkeepers who would rather smoke outside than sell you cheese that you are obviously unworthy of, the mind-numbing process of returning an item that broke with its first use and the alarming pedestrian pushing

But the curmudgeonly writing can’t hide the author’s true love of Paris and especially its culinary delights —  the chocolate shops and their beautifully artistic offerings, out of the way cafes that serve simple steak aux pomme frites, the bakers who work through the night catering to the French demand for their morning croissants and afternoon baguettes.

There’s one chapter (and a recipe thank goodness) called “Hot Chocolate to Die For”, which will cause you to run to the kitchen to unearth some baking chocolate and whole milk.

And the recipes —  mon deux! — just listen to these temptations  … Chocolate Macaroons, Breton Cake with Fleur de Sel, Dulce de Leche Brownies and there’s even a Caramelized Apple Tart which is supposedly low fat. 

But I found the most valuable pages are his appendix of favorite places in Paris for baked goods — the best croissant in Paris (why yes — yes please) –not to mention the best chocolate shops – priceless  

This is delightful and funny book filled with the charms and eccentricity of Paris.  But the main reason to get this The Sweet Life in Paris is as a “gift” for your favorite baker — and secretly hope you’ll get to share in the results.

 

N.B.  The author reveals his favorite place in New York City – City Bakery for salted croissants and thick hot chocolate with a homemade marshmallow.  Just look at this – possibly worth the 3,000 mile trip.

Gift Idea for the Fashionista

Bringing Home the Birkin

by Michael Tonello

My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World’s Most Coveted Handbag

 

In the words of Monty Python …

and now for something completely different. 

If you could see me right now in ratty jeans and a favorite soft sweatshirt found at Goodwill, you’d seriously question why I would read, let alone recommend, this book.

And you’d be right, I could care less about designer clothing labels or bling from Tiffany’s — but I do have a weakness for a good bag.  (There was an incident at a Coach factory store in New Hampshire [no sales tax], where mid purchase, my credit card company shut me down thinking my card was in the hands of a thief on a spending spree — but the incident was all sorted out and we shall speak no further of it.)

Back it in the 90’s, Hermès was known for their coveted Birkin handbags – and the infamous five year waiting list to obtain one of the bags. This urban myth was perpetuated through the cultural icons of the time such as a Sex and the City episode and Victoria Beckham’s astonishing pink Birkin. They were (and still are – just checked eBay – yikes) the ultimate elite status symbol.

At a starting price of $8,000, a Birkin is well beyond my means or my conscious.  But still, a girl can dream right?

That’s why I stopped short when I came across Bringing Home the Birkin. I found myself turning the pages, warily thinking — this is not the book for me, I’ll just read a little bit…and before I knew it, I was enthralled by this frothy, engaging and funny tale.

Michael Tonello moves from Cape Cod to Barcelona, Spain, but once there the job he has lined up, falls through.  Having fallen for both Barcelona and a new man, Mr. Tonello turns in desperation to his favorite pastime — shopping, which leads him into Hermès stores where he buys scarves to resell (at a very good profit) on e-Bay. When one of his scarf buyers asks him to obtain a Birkin, (at any price) he takes on the challenge.

This proves to be a formidable task as Hermès made sure the Birkin bag remained ultra exclusive, by instituting a waiting list with high-profile customers, limiting the number of Birkins sold to each customer and  putting a “reserved” sign on display bags.

Mr. Tonello riffs on the likelihood of the “reserved” ploy with this passage:

I could only imagine the conversation:  “Oh yeah, the croc Birkin, right, great.  But I only have half the money now,  — repairs on the yacht this week you know how it is…don’t sell it, just put in the window, pop a reserved sign on it or something.  I’ll send the chauffeur by with the other half by next Sunday at the latest — Great great.  You guys are the best…”

Hermès‘ strategy worked and customers fell for it–blinded by the rarity and social status. Mr. Tonello knew this human failing only too well and he finds it fairly easily to obtain numerous bags, but only after he develops a buying formula, a special outfit (!) and profiles of typical Hermès sales personnel in order to befriend them (one of the funniest sections of the book are these employee “profiles” – and their accompanying illustrations).  He journeys to Luxembourg, Capri, Santiago, Paris –all in search of Birkins, which he sells at a tidy profit to his shamefully rich clients.

Just when this tale of over the top consumerism is almost getting to be too much, a family tragedy causes Mr. Tonello to examine his conscious.  He reflects on what is actually important in life and discovers he can no longer deal with “people who lacked for nothing, but who longed for more”. 

With that said, Bringing Home the Birkin is not high moral reading.  This is a guilty pleasure — a fun peek into the world of high fashion, high stakes shopping and the extraordinarily rich.  But it also shines with beautiful locations, great hotels, top restaurants — and most of all the fascinating, funny and outrageous Michael Tonnello.

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Why is it called a Birken?  Well the story goes that Jane Birkin was flying from London to Paris in 1981 when she reached into her bag for her datebook and everything fell out. “I’d love a bag with pockets,” the English singer/actress told her seatmate.  Her seatmate just happened to the chairman of Hermès. He was a good listener. He had his designers make not only a bag with pockets, but also a spill-proof closure. He sent one to Birkin and then he named it after her.

 

 

 

Gift Idea for the Handyman

The Art of Fine Tools

by Sandor Nagyszalanczy

 

 

 

 

Everyone has a handyman (OK handy person) in their life.  You know, that someone you call when the faucet is dripping or to fix a cabinet door.  It may be a neighbor, a friend ( a very good friend) or if you’re like me, your partner.

Husband has a workroom chocked full of tools and his favorite destination is Home Depot or OSH — so getting him a tool for Christmas is always a bust – because, of course, he already has it.  So naturally, I give him books and several years ago,  The Art of Fine Tools was one of my best gift scores. When I asked him why he replied,

“well, it’s not a very practical book but I love it, it’s just — it’s just — well, okay it’s tool porn.”

Nagyszalanczy begins his book with this simple, declarative statement:

“A well made tool is a thing of beauty that’s as much a pleasure to look at as it is to use.”

The quality of the images is indeed simply beautiful, even to me, who uses a screwdriver to pry nails.  These are rare and magnificent woodworking tools –including Japanese tools and Paul Hamler’s (?) collection of miniature tools. The text nicely explains the tools, their provenance, owners and usage.

You have to take a look inside…excuse my photos – they don’t do the book justice.

 

As I leafed through the pages to prepare this post, I realized Husband was absolutely right – this is unadulterated tool porn. It seems wrong that innocent tools are exploited like this, but your handy person will love it.

 

Turns out Mr. Nagyszalanczy (don’t you love that name?) has crafted (crafted, ha-ha I just crack myself up) a second book, which Husband doesn’t have.  Luckily, Husband isn’t a Book Barmy follower, so I’ve got his present crossed off my list.