reading

My Take on…The Apprentice My Life in the Kitchen- Jacques Pepin

Book Reviews

I was gifted the book The Apprentice My Life in the Kitchen by Jacques Pepin. It is a biography written by Jacques Pepin of his life, how he came to be an apprentice in the kitchens of France, how he came to America, and how he became a televsion personality and cookbook author. And what would a biography of a famous cookbook author be without recipes sprinkled throughout the book? This book does not disappoint.

Jacques Pepin had me hooked on this book from the beginning. It is far from dull! Pepin, obviously a humorous man, told laugh out loud stories from his childhood and beyond. There were also interesting looks into the life of the little boy he was during war torn France during WWII. Of course, there were plenty of details into the life of an apprentice in the many kitchens of France. Upon coming to America, Pepin, always a hard worker, detailed the many jobs he had and the choices he made that led him to become a famous chef. Every chapter highlights a recipe with an introduction, in Pepin’s own words, as to what makes the recipe special.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Apprentice My Life in the Kitchen! What a fascinating life. I would say a lesson learned by reading this book would be to do what you love and to enjoy life to the fullest. And of course to eat good food. I highly recommend reading a copy of this book. It would also make a wonderful gift to anyone interested in cooking.

As always, Happy Reading!

My Take on…Bomb Girls

Book Reviews

I just finished reading Bomb Girls by Jacky Hyams. This book is about the women who worked in Britain’s munitions during WWII. The book is a rare treat, especially for those interested in history.

Bomb Girls starts out by introducing the reader to munitions factories and what it was like to work in one of these factories. But what is even better are the following chapters, the memoirs of the actual workers, the stories they tell of their life experiences. The chapters read as though the women are right there, telling their stories in person. Each woman tells a little about her life before working at the factory and then details of her experience at the factory and what she did after the war was over. The last chapter gives more details about each of the munitions factories that the women in the book worked at and what happened to the facility after the war.

This book was an easy read and kept me interested the entire time. I had no idea that once a girl turned 18 they were called up to work in factories of this kind during the war years. It was very dangerous work. Accidents happened and some were deadly. So what got these women through this stressful time? Friendship, doing what they thought was right to help their country, and the hopes of helping the men they knew and loved.

I highly recommend Bomb Girls. If you love history, have an interest in WWII, or want to learn more about women and their efforts during the war, this book is a must read. As always, Happy Reading!

I Have to Read What!

Book Reviews

Back in high school, my teacher assigned the class to read Dracula by Bram Stoker. What! I was none too thrilled to say the least. Of all the books, why on earth did she have to choose that! I had NO interest in reading a book about vampires, or so I thought…

I should have known that this particular teacher (who was one of the best) would not let me down. Shortly into the book, I was hooked. Dracula, of course, is a classic. This is with good reason.

Since high school, I have read Dracula a few more times. I just recently finished reading it again. It is one of the few books that I have read more than a couple of times. It is a great read around Halloween. I am also a fan of reading this book at night; helps to set the scene.

So the moral of my story is… it is hard to judge a book by its subject matter alone. It is a good idea to try reading books one would not normally choose. One never knows what they may be missing.

As always, Happy Reading!

My Take on…Lunch in Paris

Book Reviews, Cooking

I decided to read Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard for a fun summer read. After all, if I can not get to Paris, why not read about it. From the first chapter, I was suddenly transported to Paris.

Lunch in Paris is a memoir slash cookbook. Bonus! The book starts with Elizabeth (an American from New York living in London) meeting a Frenchman for lunch in Paris. They had met at a conference in England. This was a weekend visit that would ultimately change Elizabeth’s life. I will not give out all the juicy details. I will leave that up to the reader. I will, however, say that this book was delightful. It was a good choice for a summer read. One that I did not want to put down.

Elizabeth comes across as very likable and funny. Besides being a good book and making me feel like I was in Paris, the book also has recipes. Since I love to cook this is a treat. But not only does it have recipes, it has lots of recipes. I am talking recipes at the end of each chapter. I am talking more than one recipe per chapter. As many as three recipes per chapter. The back of the book also has an index of the recipes for easy reference.

Luckily, when I finished reading Lunch in Paris, I could keep my summer vacation in France going. I had also purchased Bard’s second book Picnic in Provence. So now I am following Elizabeth to the French countryside. My take on that will be out shortly.

So, if feeling the need to escape quarantine, pick-up a copy of Lunch in Paris. Not only a good read but a cookbook to boot. There is even a recipe for Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Mint. Super! I still have a few zucchini flowers in the garden. This time I know to check for bees first. As always, Happy Reading!

My Take on… Cover Her Face

Book Reviews

This is not my first P.D. James mystery nor will it be my last. In Cover Her Face, P.D. James has created an interesting murder mystery with so many suspects that it is hard to be quite sure who did it in this who done it. However, the cool Chief Inspector Adam Dalgliesh has things under control.

The Maxie’s have hired an assistant maid, Sally Jupp, recommended by Miss Liddell at a dinner party. Miss Liddell runs St. Mary’s Refuge, a home for girls like Sally who are with child. Sally and her baby, Jimmy, move in and Sally starts helping Martha, the Maxie’s maid. Martha is not too keen to have Sally around nor are Deborah Maxie or house guest, Catherine Bowers, who has her eye on Deborah’s brother Stephen. Sally seemed no trouble at first, however , things become uncomfortable and then Sally is found dead. Cheif Inspector Dalgliesh is called to the Maxie house to solve the murder. Could it be someone in the home or did someone from outside make their way inside? It seems Sally has her fair share of enemies and so the mystery begins.

Care to find out more? Read Cover Her Face to find out who did it. It is a worthwhile read and is the first in the Dalgliesh series by P.D. James. Happy Reading.

My Take on Murder in the Smithsonian

Book Reviews

Christmas is always a good time for me to replenish my reading stash. I had totally run out of books before Christmas. Scandalous! So, now that the new year has arrived, my book supply is once again stocked-up. One of the books I received for Christmas was Murder in the Smithsonian (A Capital Crimes Novel) by Margaret Truman.

This is the first time I have read one of Margaret Truman’s books. The Capital Crimes Series is a series Truman wrote with the setting being the Nation’s Capital. I was drawn to this particular book in the series as it takes place in the Smithsonian and I found the museum setting interesting.

Murder in the Smithsonian starts with the death of Dr. Lewis Tunney. Tunney, a historian, finds out about an international art ring which leads to his demise in the middle of a reception at the famous Smithsonian Museum. His fiancee, Heather McBean, flies in from Europe to find out what happened to her beloved Lewis.

While in Washington, Heather is befriended by Captain Mac Hanrahan who promises that this case will not go unsolved. However, Heather finds herself in danger more than once and does not know who she can trust. Can Hanrahan solve the case before something happens to Heather? Pick up a copy of Truman’s Murder in the Smithsonian to find out. The ending is full of surprises.

My Take on The Lonely Life by Bette Davis

Book Reviews

I became a fan of Bette Davis a few years back. My daughter and I were visiting my parents and the movie Whatever Happened to Baby Jane came on. We were about to leave and then got captivated in the film. My daughter, who usually isn’t captured by movies so easily, also did not want to leave. We were glued to the television mesmerized by Bette Davis. What an actress!

Bette Davis could go from a normal, lovely character and change into a deranged lunatic in the blink of an eye. Such control! We had to have more! We rented many more of her movies including Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte which was another of our favorites. Her characters were more demented in her later works.

Bette Davis – Whatever Happened to Baby Jane
Bette Davis – Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte

So, needless to say, it was inevitable that I would eventually want to read Bette Davis’ autobiography. I can honestly say that I didn’t want to put it down. She led a fascinating life. There was so much I didn’t know about her. The Lonely Life, her first autobiography, starts from the beginning of her life in Lowell, Massachusetts where she was born Ruth Elizabeth Davis in 1908 to around the time of the death of her mother who was so important in her life. It leads us through her start in theatre and then the move to California and motion pictures. We get to see what she thought of other actors, the work she did, her contributions to society, her personal life, family, marriages, and the struggles she faced rising to the top all from her point of view. We get to see what Hollywood was like back in the day when silent pictures were transitioning to talkies. Most of all we get to picture the woman behind the actress.

This is a highly recommended read from me. The Lonely Life by Bette Davis was well written, interesting, and entertaining. In answer to that famous question: “If you could have dinner with any three people (dead or alive) who would they be?”… One of mine would definitely be Bette Davis. Happy Reading!

My Take on Death Comes to Pemberley

Book Reviews

This is my second time reading a P.D. James book and it does not disappoint. Death Comes to Pemberley is a murder mystery that had me suspecting the wrong character, which is exactly what a good author intends. But why stop there? After having revealed the true murderer, the truth behind the crime uncovers yet more surprises.

Death Comes to Pemberley is set in 1803 England at the grand estate of Mr. Darcy and his wife Elizabeth. They are preparing the house for the annual ball when an unexpected guest arrives bringing news of shocking events on the estate that, much to the towns dismay, cancels the ball. Now instead of guests in fancy attire, it is the law that shows up at Pemberley.

Phyllis Dorothy James was born in 1920 in Oxford, England. She was known professionally as the English crime writer P.D. James. Many of her books were put to television and film adaptations. James was granted numerous honors and awards over her writing career as well as numerous honorary doctorates and fellowships.