Betty Crocker Found Recipes

BETTY CROCKER FOUND RECIPES contains “Beloved Vintage Recipes Worth Sharing.” A few examples include Chocolate Chip Scones, Raspberry Almond Crepes, or Gumdrop Bread. The categories are Holiday Celebrations, Memorable Main Dishes, Warm from the Oven Breads, Irresistible Cookies and Bars, and Better than Ever Desserts. Each recipe has a brief accompanying vignette which identifies the time period (like 1950s Cheese Balls) and often includes consumer memory comments or even a photo of the recipe as originally published. Many recipes include photos of the food itself or of the ingredient packages (e.g., Bisquick) as they appeared in the past or even from cooking or research sessions at the Betty Crocker Kitchens. BETTY CROCKER FOUND RECIPES brought back so many wonderful memories, like my grandmother’s delicious clover rolls (see Refrigerator Roll Dough) or my Mom’s many baked treats (e.g., Salted Peanut Crisps). This is a terrific cookbook, filled with fun ideas to prepare and plenty of nostalgia, too. There are several pages about the history and evolution of Betty Crocker. For those still curious about how tastes have changed, The New York Times recently profiled “The 25 Most Influential Cookbooks From the Last 100 Years,” including titles like The Joy of Cooking, The Moosewood Cookbook, Jubilee, and titles related to the cuisines of Mexico, India and more. ENJOY!

Christmas with the Queen

CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb is a work of historical fiction spanning the years from 1952, when Queen Elizabeth gave her first Christmas speech, to 1957. I had really enjoyed Hazel Gaynor’s The Last Lifeboat, but found this latest collaborative offering to be more predictable, though still entertaining. CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN is told from three points of view: mainly Olive Carter, an unwed mother and young reporter with the BBC, and Jack Devereux, a budding chef who suffers a loss and ends up working for the royal household, although Queen Elizabeth is also quoted and adds some commentary. Olive and Jack have known each other for a long time (flashbacks to 1945) and the spark of attraction never seems to line up in a more permanent way which involves much of the story’s tension. If readers liked The Crown, they will enjoy the behind the scenes glimpses involving the royals, their homes, and yacht. The authors clearly have a great deal of affection for Sandringham, in particular, and make that evident in their final note as well as through the descriptions in the novel itself. Gentle and fun with a festive air.

A Grave in the Woods by Martin Walker

A GRAVE IN THE WOODS by Martin Walker is the latest Bruno, Chief of Police mystery story set in the Dordogne, in the southwest of France.  And this novel contains familiar elements from the series: close-knit characters, emphasis on good food and the French countryside. In addition, it focuses on historical WWII events because the bodies involved in this mystery are an Italian naval officer and two young female soldiers, all apparently killed by the Resistance. A theme is certainly the horrors and inhumanity of war, especially as the women of Saint-Denis react to the deaths. Bruno calls upon a variety of contacts to smooth relations for a diplomatic ceremony and to help with a hacking campaign against the police network. A GRAVE IN THE WOODS received a starred review from Booklist, saying, “Bruno’s expansive character (he’s an archeology, cooking, and sports enthusiast) adds spice to this series.”

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

THE TELLER OF SMALL FORTUNES by Julie Leong is a cozy fantasy debut that was chosen for the LibraryReads November 2024 list. Its beautiful cover reflects the warmth and good cheer which radiates from this story. Tao, a young girl travelling on her own is the title character. As she moves from village to town, she shares small fortunes with others, afraid to fully exercise her ability to foresee the future because of a past tragedy. It is on the road that she meets Mash, a former soldier looking for his lost daughter; Silt, a reformed thief and friend to Mash; and Kina, an apprentice baker. Together this unlikely group forms a community of sorts and their subsequent – sometimes dangerous – adventures bind them tightly together. This is a wonderful story about friendship and (found) family. Here is a favorite quote: “Aye, our lives are short and shaped by circumstance, and maybe we can't control most of what's to come. But we can control how we feel. We can savor the sweetness of a blackberry scone, and the company of our friends, and the warmth of the summer wind at night, and be grateful for it.”

In its starred review, Library Journal said, THE TELLER OF SMALL FORTUNES “is a delightful cozy fantasy that will appeal to fans of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and A Pirate's Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne.” Enjoy!! Discussion questions are included.

The Memory Library by Kate Storey

THE MEMORY LIBRARY by Kate Storey is meant to be a feel good book about a mother, Sally, and daughter, Ella. Sally lives in Greenwich, London and her estranged daughter has lived for over 20 years in Australia. Ella, modeling on her father, is very work-focused and relies on husband Charlie to care for their house and 8-year-old daughter, Willow. When Sally has a fall and needs care, Ella reluctantly heads back to England where over the course of six weeks she learns to more fully appreciate her mother and the values of the people (neighbors, local shopkeepers, library patrons) who care for Sally. I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Jilly Bond and Imogen Wilde.  I found their voices to be quite soothing and able to vividly evoke Sally’s neighborhood environment as well as the emotions in the conversations with Ella. THE MEMORY LIBRARY seems to have garnered very positive reader response so I think there is a wide audience, especially amongst bibliophiles, but I found it dragged a bit and Ella was not at all a sympathetic character. She was extremely self-centered: “…she didn't like talking. If she was queen of the world, all personal problems would be resolved by leaving them alone and getting on with things. All talking did was allow other people to tell you what they thought you were doing wrong.” Although Ella clearly matured over the course of the story, it was difficult at times to think that she would have changed so dramatically in the relatively short time that she cared for Sally. As a former teacher, Sally modeled life lessons like “check your privilege and remember that who you are is more important than what you have.” It was fun to reflect on the many books referenced throughout the story (e.g., The Alchemist, Persuasion, We All Want Impossible Things, The Life of Pi) and gratifying to see that Ella ultimately realizes that “It was only when she discovered the books and the way Sally had continued her tradition [of gifting one with an inscription to Ella each year] that she'd fully appreciated how loved she was. Through rebuilding the library Ella had learned so much about her mother but also about herself.” 

Anna Maria's Blueprint Quilting by Anna Maria Parry

ANNA MARIA'S BLUEPRINT QUILTING is the fourth book by Anna Maria Parry, an artist, seamstress and fabric designer. The quilts are absolutely stunning and she offers 16 projects ranging from beginner through confident beginner to intermediate and advanced. The text is organized so as to “Explore Color, Pattern, and Technique” and separate sections deal with these, covering topics like composition, material choice, and necessary tools. Anna Maria offers four “blueprints:” Grand Central (square), Triptych; Kiss on the Lips (an “X” style) and Color Study (using gradations).  Each project (there are 4 for each blueprint) includes notes on color choice, fabric, and cutting as well as sewing and assembly. Both photographs and colorful diagrams of the quilts are included. This is a very comprehensive book, although the projects seem large (mostly full-size quilts) and complex for the most part. A true feast for the eyes (see images below). In its starred review, Publishers Weekly praised: “Parry’s sophisticated artistic sensibilities [which] set this apart from standard quilting manuals.” 

 
Just by chance I saw a show on PBS about The Violet Protest which involved a grassroots movement using handmade textile squares as a form of social action and to promote unity across political positions. The roughly 30 minute documentary is available online at this link and embedded below:

Meet the Dyslexia Club! by Margaret Rooke

MEET THE DYSLEXIA CLUB! by Margaret Rooke (Dyslexia is My SuperPower) features stories from children talking about their feelings and experiences with dyslexia as well as their special talents. Some examples include Jessica who plays football/soccer or Ajay who loves to bake cakes. These stories often touch on relationships at school and learning accommodations; each ends with a thought about how grown-ups can help (e.g., letting us do more of what we like best at school) and what the child does best (e.g., coding and solving puzzles). This would be an inspiring and very comforting book for elementary school students and even their parents and teachers. In addition to the stories, Rooke provides suggestions on where to go for help, and she also has checklists filled with many ideas for ways that grown-ups can help at home or at school. She defines several terms and provides links (many UK-based) to relevant websites (all new readers will enjoy Reading Rockets) and related books, including (for adults) The Dyslexia Advantage. Tim Stringer has provided colorful, cheerful illustrations which add to the charm of this text. MEET THE DYSLEXIA CLUB! Is a small book – only about 80 pages – but it is packed with useful information.