Reviews – Page 17 – The Pajama Chef

Book Review: Against the Tide

January 30, 2013January 25, 2013 Sarah

Another book review! There are a few book reviews coming and I know this is primarily a food blog… but truthfully, reading is my other hobby. Kinda lame, but it works. National Days of Reading, as my dad calls those days when you just hang out under a blanket with a book and your favorite kitty, are pretty much my favorite kind of days. I first heard about the blogger review program for Bethany House Publishers, a well-respected publisher of Christian fiction and other Christian titles, from Money Saving Mom, and really enjoy getting to read new books as soon as [or before] they are released. I have a nice little collection of books I have reviewed that I can now lend out to friends, and that I hope to donate someday.

The awesome book I have to review today is Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

Lydia Pallas has carved out a good life for herself in Boston, where she has landed an enviable position as a translator for the U.S. Navy. When her talents bring her to the attention of the mysterious Alexander Banebridge, he hires her to translate a seemingly innocuous collection of European documents.

But Lydia soon discovers this job is more than it appears. Bane is driven by a secret campaign to end the opium trade, compelled by his troubled past. When Bane’s enemies gain the upper hand, can Bane and Lydia—and the love growing between them—survive the forces that are conspiring against them?

As with my usual style… here’s my five point review.

If you’ve read any of my other reviews, you know I love historical fiction, and this book was no different. Against the Tide is Elizabeth Camden’s second novel, and I will definitely be reading everything she writes from now on. I actually read her first novel, The Lady of Bolton Hill earlier last year and was super excited to see this novel up for review. Like her first novel, this story combines romance, humor, and intrigue into one seamless story.
I appreciated Elizabeth’s writing style for two reasons. First, her faith shines through but is not in your face annoying. Some Christian authors’ use of Bible verses every other page, while good intentioned, can be unrealistic and can detract from the storyline. As a little jest to that, my Christian fiction board on Goodreads is actually called Cheesy Christian. Haha! 🙂 Secondly, her books have both been very well edited, with good vocabulary that hasn’t been dumbed down. That might be a minor thing, but it irks me to no end when books are poorly edited and repeat words all the time.
This story continues following the lives of a couple characters from her first novel, notably Bane, but you can definitely read it as a standalone novel. It isn’t marketed as a sequel and though the stories are related, they aren’t too interlocked… but definitely do read both if you can!
I was encouraged by Lydia’s growth and decision making process throughout the story. Her childhood was difficult, and she overcame alot of adversity as an adult on her own. Watching her get to know Bane better and work with him through her troubles [can’t tell you too much or I’ll spoil it] is just awesome. He is such a good man. They are the kind of couple you just want to be… but will they get together or not? That is the question! 🙂
The last reason that I loved this story was that it was so well researched. Not that you’d expect anything less, but Elizabeth is a librarian! She actually graduated with her MLS from the same program I am finishing now, which is pretty cool. You can tell that she put alot of time into investigating the Navy, opium use, and life in the 1800s… and it shows in her story.

I know that I say every book I read is good, and I loved it, and blah blah blah in these reviews… but it’s true. I mean every word of it. But I must say, this is the single best piece of historical Christian fiction I have read in recent memory. Five stars, definitely. Be sure to check it out! I hope to meet Lydia and/or Bane again… 🙂

What are you reading lately?

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own. Thanks to Bethany House for the chance to read this great book!

Reviews

Book Review: Under the Overpass

January 16, 2013January 15, 2013 Sarah

I am embarrassed to admit that I received a complimentary review copy of this book, Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski a really long time ago from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group’s Blogging for Books program. I’m not quite sure what happened, but grad school plus the heavy subject matter of this book resulted in me taking a long time to read it, and an even longer time to process it enough to post a brief review.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

Ever Wonder What it Would Be Like to Live Homeless?

Mike Yankoski did more than just wonder. By his own choice, Mike’s life went from upper-middle class plush to scum-of-the-earth repulsive overnight. With only a backpack, a sleeping bag and a guitar, Mike and his traveling companion, Sam, set out to experience life on the streets in six different cities—from Washington D.C. to San Diego— and they put themselves to the test. For more than five months the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant uncertainty and danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejection—and all of this by their own choice. They wanted to find out if their faith was real, if they could actually be the Christians they said they were apart from the comforts they’d always known…to discover first hand what it means to be homeless in America. Mike and Sam’s story is gritty, challenging, and utterly captivating. What you encounter in these pages will radically alter how you see your world—and may even change your life.

In general, I did enjoy this book and appreciate that it made me think a lot about the reality of homelessness in our society, and the role of faith in the equation as well. However, I really do not think that I agree with the premise of the “experiment” that drives this book, and that is what led to me to a slow reading time and even slower review. Though the author grapples with his ability to go in and out of a homeless situation by his personal choice [knowing that he will only be living that way for a set period, and though he does examine how he feels about using resources that are supposed to help those who really, truly are homeless and have no other option, this choice just doesn’t settle well with me. Despite that, I do recommend the book though, because it put individuality on homelessness. It gave a name to the faceless people we all see at interstate exits or along city streets. It reminded me that situations that lead to the condition of homelessness vary, and are not all related to the usual [assumptive] suspects like drugs, alcohol, etc.

One of the reasons this book was challenging to me was that my town has a sizable population of people experiencing homelessness–extremely large in proportion to the size of the town, because of its location in the state. As a result, there is division amongst the residents of the town about “what to do with the homeless,” with suggestions ranging from supporting the local homeless ministries and shelters to ignoring them so they go away to busing them to California or an equally far-off place.

My personal belief, developed through years of prayer and conviction from God, is that we need to do what we can to help. Period, end of story. In the moment, the type of help can vary. I have given cash, food, and gloves to people standing on the street, holding signs at stoplights. I have purchased grocery gift cards to give away, too. I have also spent time talking to a few men and women who sometimes hang out near our church, and have offered leftover food to them, which is almost always accepted. My husband and I have donated money, toiletries, clothes, and blankets to a local Christian shelter. I’ve read online about making “blessing bags” filled with necessities like socks, soap, granola bars, etc. to keep in your car and give away as needed, and I would like to do this. Obviously as a woman, what I can do on my own can be limited at times due to safety concerns, but that aside, I do these things because I believe my faith compels me to do so. I almost didn’t share this in my review, because I don’t want people to think I’m a saint [believe me, I am far from it] and I know that some people may consider help in any form [aside from giving to a shelter] to be foolish. I believe that we are only responsible for what we do. At times I give out of genuine compassion and love, but other times I give because I feel a nudging from God to do so. I am only responsible for my reaction to Him; I am not responsible for how others use/misuse what I give. I know that might be controversial, and I know that to an extent, that argument is flawed and faulty… but isn’t so much in this life?

I’m having a hard time ending this review, and an equally hard time being concise, so I’ll just end with this. People are people. Seeing people experiencing homelessness can be hard, and as a way to cope I believe we often judge them and rationalize out why we can’t help. I do that too. Even though I just shared some of the ways I have “helped” people, there are times when I don’t, even when I feel like I should. I am not perfect, but fortunately I have Christ. When I am tempted to judge or label people in different situations than my own, it sounds cliched and cheesy but I try to put myself in their shoes. This book was one of the first shifts in my thinking about what it takes to stand on a street corner, or to go to shelter, or to go through a dumpster… or to even shop at Goodwill. I shop at Goodwill periodically for fun, for a challenge, for a good deal, for something unique. Not because I have to, or can’t afford anything else. I can’t imagine not having a choice. I can’t imagine the potential for shame and hopelessness in those situations–whether it’s poverty experienced in or out of homelessness, no matter what circumstances led to that reality. Even though I don’t agree with everything in this book, I am glad I’ve read it for it has really caused me to think about things and become more Christlike.

If you’d like to read more about the book and download the first chapter, click here. I’d also love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Happy Wednesday!

Disclosure: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own. Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for the chance to read this great book!

Reviews

Book Review: Unending Devotion

December 26, 2012January 15, 2013 Sarah

So, once again, I absolute hate to say that I am behind on my book reviews that are part of the blogger review program for Bethany House Publishers, a well-respected publisher of Christian fiction and other Christian titles. Fortunately, they are extremely graceful, and for that, I thank them. Since I have had some time off during Christmas break, that means plenty of time to read–and time to post book reviews!! 🙂 Today I want to tell you all about Jody Hedlund‘s Unending Devotion. Can we just say… so, so, so, SO good?? Yes, please!

Here is the description of the book from the publisher:

Amidst the dangerous logging camps of Harrison, Michigan, Lily Young is on a mission to save her lost sister, or die trying. Boss-man of three lumber camps in the area, Connell McCormick is an upstanding citizen interested in clearing the pine and earning a profit. But Lily’s desperate search will challenge everything he thought he knew about life—and love. [You can also check out the book trailer here.]

As with my usual style… here’s my five point review!

First of all, I have read other books from Jody Hedlund. I have to admit, I am a person who does judge a book a bit by the cover [because I know what good cheesy Christian fiction covers look like!]. She lives in Midland, Michigan… where I have spent a lot of time because that’s where my dad grew up and my grandparents still live there. So, I was prejudiced from the beginning to like the book, but I continued to be impressed with the author’s writing style. I have read [or attempted to read] many poorly written books that I celebrate when things are written well. 🙂
This story is pretty dark. I know that might not make you want to read it, but it’s dark in a redemptive, Les Mis sort of way. Lily is fighting prostitution in 1800s Michigan logging camps, and is one of the most determined characters I have ever read about in her fight to save her sister. I do love that her fight to save her sister escalates to include all who are affected.
I know I’m already married, and I know that you can’t marry a book character [darn] but I am so in love with the hero, Connell. He is such a Godly man, and a good guy to boot. It goes without saying, but the love story between Lily and Connell is one of the best parts of the book. I love it when couples work together for good.
I thought Jody Hedlund did an excellent job portraying the time period and true historical events to life. To prevent spoilers, I won’t say too much, but I was really impressed with the research it must have taken to write this book.
This was a really fast-paced, captivating read. I would highly recommend it. Though I can’t say how long this will be available for free, today, December 26, 2012, this book is free for Kindles. Hope you enjoy!

What are you reading lately?

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes, Reviews

Pollo alla Poggia Alloro {A Family Farm in Tuscany}

November 1, 2012January 15, 2013 Sarah

A couple months ago, I received an email from Ginny of Cooking With Chopin to participate in a blog tour for Sarah Fioroni’s brand new cookbook, A Family Farm In Tuscany. I immediately said yes because it was a free cookbook… filled with delicious, authentic Italian recipes. Oh how amazing!

The cookbook cover is beautiful, no? Just wait til you get a copy for yourself and can flip through the pages. This cookbook is more than just recipes… it’s the true story of Sarah’s family farm in Tuscany, Fattoria Poggio Alloro, complete with pages and pages of text, images, and recipes of the farm, season by season. I want to make just about everything featured here!

The publisher describes it as: “In A Family Farm in Tuscany, Sarah Fioroni, chef, cooking instructor, sommelier, and manager of her family’s organic farm near historic San Gimignano, shares stories of family traditions and daily life at Fattoria Poggio Alloro. After moving to the farm in the 1950s to work as sharecroppers, the Fioronis later purchased the farm through their hard work and dedication to the land. They transformed the property into a model of integrated, sustainable agriculture that has been visited by government officials from all over the world and featured in numerous publications, including Organic Gardening magazine.” Is it weird to say I loved every page of this cookbook? I literally could not get enough of the Tuscan countryside.

Vista da Poggio Alloro | The Pajama Chef — Photo by Oriano Stefan

I loved getting to hear Sarah’s warmth, beauty, and love of her work really shined in her personal voice throughout the book, as well as in the FAQ section that came with the blogging publicity kit. I would LOVE to go visit the farm in person!!

Sarah Fioroni | The Pajama Chef — Photo by Dario Fusar, Organic Gardening

When did the idea of doing a book on Fattoria Poggio Alloro become something you thought you could do?

The idea of a book was something that I thought about a long time. The initial idea was just to write down the story of the Fioroni family as a gift to the family, especially the three brothers, my father Amico, and my uncles, Umberto and Bernardo. But after I began having cooking classes in the States and at the farm, many people asked me about a cookbook. I always had to explain that I did not have one. One day my good friend, Johnnie Weber, told me that I really should think seriously about the idea and took me to the cookbook section of a bookstore to show me how many wonderful cookbooks there were. So when I returned to the farm, I decided to pursue the dream and began to write the first notes in a note book.

What is your favorite time of year on the farm?

May is one of my favorite months, as you see nature change so fast, and after a couple of days of rain, everything becomes so green and beautiful. Amazing colored flowers grow everywhere and it can get pretty hot, but there is still a breeze. I have to admit that snow in the winter is something that I really love too. It is so magical for me.

It was hard to choose a recipe to feature in this blog post, so I enlisted Ben’s help. Together, we decided that Sarah’s recipe for roasted chicken would be just the thing to make. In the colder months, it has become our tradition to make a roasted chicken on Sunday after we get home from church. Usually we just throw together any ‘ole ingredients like herbs, spices, citrus fruits, etc. to make our chicken flavorful. Not this time! This time, we used Sarah’s recipe which features savory sage and rosemary, salty pancetta, tangy garlic, as well as the deep richness that only a dry white wine can provide. I am never making a roasted chicken another way again!

Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but this was just. So. Very. Good.

So moist [sorry], so flavorful, so tender. Don’t let the dark photos turn you away–I waited too long to put this chicken in the oven, and 7 o’clock sunsets aren’t friendly to photography. 😦

If you’ve never tried roasting your own chicken, do try it using this recipe and method. It is so worth it! I used to be scared of handling lots of raw poultry, but it gets easier each and every time [even though Ben still helps with the hard parts]. The rewards–like those first, hot, burn-your-fingers bits of crispy, salty skin–make it so incredible. This chicken was more aromatic and zesty than our ordinary way, thanks to the method of making a garlic paste using 8 cloves and putting seasoning under the skin of the chicken.

I simply cannot have enough words of praise for this recipe and this cookbook. I highly suggest you check it out today. I am so grateful for the chance to review it. Thanks again, Ginny! I will certainly blog about some of the other recipes that are now on my “to make” list–an autumn risotto, yogurt cake, mushroom penne, and more! Oh, if you wish, there’s a link-up below the recipe with links to other stops on the blogger book tour. 🙂

Pollo alla Poggia Alloro/Roasted Chicken Poggia Alloro [from A Family Farm in Tuscany: Recipes and Stories from Fattoria Poggio Alloro by Sarah Fioroni]
click to print

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds
3 thin slices pancetta [I couldn’t find it so I used prosciutto]
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh sage
8 large garlic cloves, ground to a paste using a mortar and pestle or chef’s knife
salt
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine [I used a Chardonnay]
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold running water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. [Don’t forget to sanitize your sink afterwards!] Place in a large baking pan [a 9×13 will work, I also have a ceramic roaster].

Place the pancetta, half the rosemary, 1 sprig sage, and 1 teaspoon of the garlic inside the chicken. Make six small slits in the skin of the chicken. Mince the remaining herbs and place them inside each slit, along with some salt and pepper. Gently massage herbs and seasoning into the chicken. Cover with the remaining garlic along with more salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour wine in baking dish, then brush olive oil over chicken to lightly coat. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip chicken on breast and bake for another 40 minutes. Then flip chicken again to the back and bake for 30 minutes or until fully cooked. [Meat thermometer reading 170 degrees F/76 degrees C.] Remove from oven and rest for 7 minutes before carving.

Time: 3-4 hours.

Yield: 8 servings.

Check out other blogger’s takes on this cookbook here:

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Reviews

Book Review: Inescapable

October 17, 2012January 15, 2013 Sarah

So, I hate to admit that I am a bit behind on my book reviews that are part of the blogger review program for Bethany House Publishers, a well-respected publisher of Christian fiction and other Christian titles. Fortunately, they are extremely graceful, and for that, I thank them. But just because I am behind does not mean that I am not a fan of Nancy Mehl’s Inescapable or the next book I’ll review soon [with Ben’s help!].

Here is the description of the book from the publisher:

Lizzie Engel ran away from her Mennonite hometown and swore she’d never return. But five years later, a stalker and a string of threatening letters have left her with no other option. Back in Kingdom, Lizzie attempts to plan her next move with the help of her old friend Noah Housler—and realizes she may not have left her roots as firmly in the past as she’d thought. When it becomes clear that the danger has followed her to Kingdom, Lizzie no longer knows who to trust.

As with my usual style… here’s my five point review!

This was a super fast read. From the first pages, you’re sucked into Lizzie’s story, interested her welfare as well as that of her young daughter, Charity. You just want them to be safe and okay and happy. You can tell that they aren’t, but you’re a bit confused as to why. And you are so torn between Lizzie’s love interests… but at the end her choice is so easy, so wonderful, and so satisfying. I love a good love story! 🙂
This is the first Christian romance about Mennonites that I’ve ever read. I’ve read a lot of Amish romance novels [ha! so lame!] and found similarities between the cultures, but also differences. It was an educational read in that sense [don’t worry, it’s not school :)].
Reading about Lizzie’s growth in faith and learning a right view of God as a loving Father was so encouraging. There are several women who really minister to Lizzie as she returns home, and it was awesome to read about that grace, forgiveness, mercy, and redemption.
Speaking of redemption, I don’t want to give any spoilers, but there is soooo much redemption taking place in this story, in Lizzie’s life, in her family. Absolutely love this! I know she isn’t real [gasp!], but it’s an amazing illustration of what God can do in people’s lives.
Overall, I thought this was a fun, interesting read. I love the dual romance/mystery nature of the book, and would definitely read more of Nancy Mehl‘s work, including the next book in the Road to Kingdom series [expected to be released spring 2013].

What are you reading lately?